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Proposals · head to head

Dubsado vs Paperbell

Dubsado logo

Dubsado

Proposals

Business management for creatives

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paperbell logo

Paperbell

Proposals

Packaged offer, contract, scheduling and payment flow built for coaches selling sessions rather than projects

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dubsado has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Dubsado automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year; Paperbell it only models packaged session based work, so anyone selling project scoped deliverables will find the proposal side too rigid to use.
  • They diverge on capability: Dubsado covers Scheduler, Paperbell covers Package based offers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dubsado and Paperbell actually diverge.

Attributes where Dubsado and Paperbell differ
AttributeDubsadoPaperbell
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
Founded2016Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Proposals).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Dubsado

  • Scheduler
  • CRM
  • Invoicing
  • Contracts
  • Automation workflows
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • QuickBooks

Only in Paperbell

  • Package based offers
  • Contract signature
  • Payment plans
  • Session counting
  • Scheduling
  • Intake questionnaires
  • Client portal

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Dubsado

  • Client management and project workflows for freelancers and studiosnot Paperbell
  • Sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow upnot Paperbell

Paperbell

  • A coach selling a fixed six session package who is currently using three separate tools to sell itnot Dubsado
  • Replacing a scheduling subscription, an e signature subscription and an invoicing tool with one accountnot Dubsado
  • Selling coaching packages on instalments where remaining sessions must be tracked against paymentnot Dubsado
  • A therapist or consultant who needs an intake questionnaire attached to the purchase rather than emailed afterwardsnot Dubsado

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Dubsado

  • Automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year
  • The Starter plan allows a single lead capture form
  • Zapier and bookkeeping integrations are excluded from Starter
  • Additional brands are $10 a month each
  • Only 3 users are included, with 4 to 10 costing $25 a month and 21 to 30 costing $60

Paperbell

  • It only models packaged session based work, so anyone selling project scoped deliverables will find the proposal side too rigid to use.
  • There is no time tracking, project management or task system, so any work between sessions is managed somewhere else entirely.
  • Payments run through a third party gateway, so the card processing fee applies on top of the subscription and is easy to leave out of a comparison.
  • The flat account price is attractive at scale but poor value for a coach with two or three clients, who is subsidising capacity they do not use.
  • Customisation of the client facing pages is limited, so a coach with a strong brand will find the purchase flow looks like every other Paperbell account.

Pricing, plan by plan

Dubsado

Free
  • Starter$335/year
    • Limited to 1 active lead capture form
    • Email integration
    • Unlimited projects & clients
  • Premier$525/year
    • Unlimited active lead capture forms
    • All Starter features
    • Bookkeeping integration

Paperbell

On request
  • Paperbell$undefined/year
    • Unlimited clients on a flat account price
    • Packages with contract, payment and scheduling
    • Payment plans and subscriptions

Which should you pick?

Choose Dubsado if

  • You need scheduler.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want crm.
Dubsado review

Choose Paperbell if

  • You need package based offers.
  • You also want contract signature.
Paperbell review

Questions people ask

Is Dubsado or Paperbell better?
Neither clearly leads. Dubsado starts at Free and Paperbell at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dubsado or Paperbell?
Dubsado has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Dubsado and On request for Paperbell.
Does Dubsado or Paperbell run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Dubsado for free?
Yes. Dubsado has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paperbell starts at On request.
What is Dubsado best used for?
Dubsado is most often used for client management and project workflows for freelancers and studios, sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow up. Of those, client management and project workflows for freelancers and studios and sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow up are not what Paperbell is typically brought in for.
What can Dubsado do that Paperbell cannot?
Dubsado covers Scheduler, CRM, Invoicing, Contracts. Paperbell covers Package based offers, Contract signature, Payment plans, Session counting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dubsado: Does Dubsado offer a free trial?

Yes, Dubsado offers a 21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan. Annual billing saves 2 months of costs compared to monthly billing.

Source
Paperbell: Is it priced per client?

No. It is a flat account price with unlimited clients, which is unusual in this category and is the main economic argument for it.

Dubsado: What is the cost of adding team users?

Dubsado includes 3 free team users. Additional team users cost $25/month for 4-10 users, $45/month for 11-20 users, $60/month for 21-30 users, and custom pricing for 30+ users.

Source
Paperbell: Does it take a cut of my payments?

The card processor takes its standard fee. Confirm the current subscription price with the vendor and model the processing fee separately.

Dubsado: Can you add multiple brands to Dubsado?

Yes, additional brands cost $10/month per brand beyond the included brand.

Source
Paperbell: Can I use it for project work?

Not well. It is built around packages of sessions, and project scoped proposals do not fit that shape.

Paperbell: Do I still need a scheduling tool?

No. Scheduling is built in, and replacing a separate scheduling subscription is part of the cost case.

Paperbell: Can I brand the client pages?

Only lightly. Deep brand customisation is not available.

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