Bloom vs Dubsado: Complete Comparison (2026)

Bloom vs Dubsado: which CRM actually handles the full client lifecycle for photographers and service businesses?

Both platforms cover contracts, invoicing, and client portals. But Bloom started with photography workflows and includes galleries and image sharing, while Dubsado leans into multi-step workflow automation. Pricing models differ too, and neither platform connects project completion to billing, so tasks, tracked hours, and final invoices still live in separate places.

Bloom covers invoicing, scheduling, contracts, and client galleries. The Starter plan caps active projects at 3 and charges a processing fee on payments. Upgrading removes those limits, but there are no Kanban boards, no task-level time tracking, and project management stops at basic milestone checklists. The platform is photographer-focused, so non-photography service businesses find fewer templates and workflows targeting their industry.

Dubsado handles contracts, invoicing, forms, and client portals with deeper workflow automation on the Premier plan. but the Starter plan has no automation at all, the learning curve is steep enough that a cottage industry of Dubsado setup specialists exists, and the Ease of Use rating on Capterra sits at 3.6/5 across 60 reviews.

Plutio covers everything Bloom and Dubsado do, plus Kanban boards, task-level time tracking that flows into invoices, a white-labeled client portal, and unlimited team members on every plan. If proposals, project handoff, and billing need to live in one connected workflow... check out Plutio and skip the comparison.

Last updated February 2026

4.6

Quick comparison (TLDR)

Bloom is a CRM that started with photography and creative service workflows. Invoicing, contracts, scheduling, client galleries, and image sharing come standard starting at $14/month. The 7-day free trial and lower price point make Bloom accessible for solo photographers who want to send contracts and deliver images from one platform. But project management stops at milestone checklists, there is no time tracking at all, and the Starter plan limits active projects to 3 with a 1.5% payment processing fee.

Dubsado focuses on workflow automation for service businesses. Contracts, invoicing, forms, and client portals are included from the ~$28/month Starter plan. The Premier plan (~$44/month) adds multi-step automated workflows, scheduling, and public proposals. Dubsado's automation engine handles follow-ups, reminders, and onboarding sequences without manual intervention. But the Starter plan has zero automation, the learning curve is steep (Capterra Ease of Use: 3.6/5), and there are no galleries or image sharing features.

Key differences at a glance

Pricing: Bloom Starter costs $14/month ($7/month annual). Dubsado Starter costs ~$28/month ($335/year). Bloom is roughly half the price at every tier, and both charge per account, not per user.
Galleries and image sharing: Bloom includes client galleries for proofing, downloading, and sharing images directly from the platform. Dubsado has no gallery or image sending feature at all.
Workflow automation: Dubsado Premier (~$44/month) includes multi-step automated workflows that trigger actions based on client behavior and project status. Bloom has basic automations (email sequences, reminders) but nothing close to Dubsado's workflow builder depth.
Free access: Bloom offers a 7-day free trial. Dubsado offers a 21-day free trial of the full Premier plan, plus a free plan limited to 3 clients.
Ease of setup: Bloom gets most users sending their first contract within an hour. Dubsado's setup takes days for most users, with a Capterra Ease of Use rating of 3.6/5 compared to Bloom's 4.3/5 overall rating.
Team features: Bloom Plus ($66/month) supports team members with permissions. Dubsado includes 3 users on every plan and charges $25/month for 4-10 additional users.

The verdict? Bloom offers lower pricing with built-in galleries, while Dubsado delivers deeper workflow automation at a higher price point. If the workflow needs proposals, Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, and invoicing without per-user fees, Plutio covers everything for $19/month.

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4.7/5 Rating

Setup and getting started

A new photographer or service business signs up and wants to send their first contract. How long until the platform is actually usable, and how much configuration is needed before the first client interaction?

Bloom

Photography-first design, but limited outside that niche. Bloom gets most users sending their first contract or invoice within an hour of signing up. The interface targets photographers who think in images rather than spreadsheets. Lead capture forms, contract templates, and invoice templates come pre-loaded, so setup means customizing rather than building from scratch. The mobile app covers core tasks like invoicing and scheduling. For photographers specifically, the gallery setup and image sharing workflow requires minimal configuration.

First contract sent within an hour
Pre-loaded templates for creatives
Mobile app for invoicing and scheduling
Starter plan limited to 3 active projects
Fewer templates for non-photography businesses
1.5% processing fee on Starter plan

Dubsado

Feature-dense but demanding to configure. Dubsado packs contracts, invoicing, forms, client portals, and workflow automation into one interface. The feature coverage is deep, especially on the Premier plan. But the setup reflects that density. Most users report spending several days configuring their workspace before the first client interaction. Dubsado setup specialists exist as a paid service because the platform takes real effort to configure properly. Once configured, daily tasks are efficient, but the initial investment is significant. The 21-day free trial helps, though most of that time goes toward learning Dubsado rather than testing whether the platform fits the workflow.

21-day free trial of full Premier plan
Deep customization options
3 users included on every plan
Setup takes several days for most users
Capterra Ease of Use rating: 3.6/5
Starter plan has no automation features

Contracts and proposals

A client needs a quote and a signed agreement before work begins. Can the platform handle professional contracts with e-signatures and turn accepted proposals into active projects?

Bloom

Contracts with e-signatures, but no interactive proposals. Bloom includes contract templates with e-signature support on every plan. Contracts can be sent alongside invoices, so clients sign and pay from one link. The templates are designed for photographers and creatives, with options for wedding packages, portrait sessions, and commercial shoots. Proposals in Bloom are straightforward documents with service descriptions and pricing, but there is no interactive proposal builder where clients select packages or adjust quantities on their own, so finalizing scope and pricing typically requires extra back-and-forth over email.

E-signature on all plans
Contract and invoice sent together
Templates for photography verticals
No interactive proposal builder
Limited template variety for non-creative industries

Dubsado

Public proposals with package selection. Dubsado's Premier plan includes public proposals where clients can view service packages, select options, sign the contract, and pay the deposit in one flow. The proposal lets clients select options and pay, while Bloom sends static documents. Contract templates are customizable with merge fields that auto-populate client information. The downside is that public proposals are locked behind the Premier plan (~$44/month), and the form builder, while capable, requires learning Dubsado's form logic to build anything beyond basic templates.

Interactive public proposals on Premier plan
Merge fields auto-populate client data
Contract-to-invoice flow built in
Public proposals require Premier plan (~$44/month)
Form builder has a learning curve

Invoicing and payments

The work is done, and the invoice needs to go out. Can the platform handle deposits, payment plans, and follow-ups without manual copying from another app?

Bloom

Invoicing with payment plans and auto-reminders. Bloom handles invoicing on every plan with support for deposits, payment plans, and automatic payment reminders. Clients pay through Stripe or Square, and the Standard plan ($34/month) has no platform processing fees. The Starter plan adds a 1.5% fee on top of Stripe's standard rates. Invoices can be sent alongside contracts for a combined sign-and-pay experience. Recurring invoicing works for retainer clients, though there is no automatic charge collection. Each recurring invoice still requires the client to manually complete payment. And because Bloom has no time tracking, hourly work billed through invoices means pulling totals from an external app and entering them by hand.

Deposits and payment plans on all plans
Auto-reminders for unpaid invoices
Combined contract and invoice sending
1.5% platform fee on Starter plan
No automatic payment collection for retainers
No time-to-invoice connection

Dubsado

Invoicing with payment plans and automated triggers. Dubsado includes invoicing with deposits, payment plans, and partial payments. On the Premier plan, invoices can be triggered automatically as part of a workflow, so completing a project phase can send the next invoice without manual action. Clients pay through Stripe, Square, or PayPal. The invoice design options are more customizable than Bloom's, with merge fields and conditional logic. The catch: Dubsado has no time tracking at all, so creating invoices from tracked hours requires pulling data from an external app. For hourly billing, time totals come from an external app and get entered manually into each invoice.

Deposits, payment plans, and partial payments
Workflow-triggered invoicing on Premier
Stripe, Square, and PayPal accepted
No time tracking means no time-to-invoice flow
Automated invoicing requires Premier plan

Workflow automation

Repetitive client onboarding, follow-ups, and payment reminders eat hours every week. Can the platform automate multi-step sequences so the manual work disappears?

Bloom

Basic automations with email sequences. Bloom includes automations on all plans, though the depth varies by tier. The Starter plan allows 1 workflow with limited automation triggers. The Standard plan opens unlimited workflows with email sequences, reminders, and status-based triggers. Bloom's automations handle common scenarios: send a questionnaire after a contract is signed, remind a client about an unpaid invoice, or trigger a follow-up email after a gallery is shared. But the automation builder is linear, not branching. There is no conditional logic where different client actions trigger different paths.

Email sequences and reminders
Status-based triggers
Unlimited workflows on Standard plan
No conditional branching logic
Starter plan limited to 1 workflow
Fewer automation triggers than Dubsado

Dubsado

Multi-step workflows with conditional branching. Dubsado's workflow builder on the Premier plan is the main differentiator from Bloom. Automated workflows can include multiple steps: send a contract, wait for signature, send an invoice, wait for payment, send a questionnaire, schedule a call, and send a reminder if the questionnaire is not completed within 3 days. The branching logic allows different paths based on client actions. For businesses that onboard 10+ clients per month, the automation handles what would otherwise take 2-3 hours of manual follow-up per week. The trade-off: workflow automation only exists on the Premier plan (~$44/month), and building complex workflows takes hours of initial configuration.

Multi-step automated sequences
Conditional branching logic
Action-based triggers (sign, pay, complete)
Automation only on Premier plan (~$44/month)
Complex workflows take hours to build
Starter plan has zero automation

Galleries and image sharing

Photographers need to deliver final images to clients in a way that looks professional and allows proofing, downloading, and sharing. Can the platform handle sending images without a separate gallery tool?

Bloom

Client galleries included, but basic compared to dedicated gallery platforms. Bloom includes a gallery feature that Dubsado lacks entirely. Photographers upload images directly to the platform, and clients access galleries through the client portal. Galleries support proofing (clients mark favorites), downloading (individual or bulk), and sharing with others. The gallery experience is branded to the photographer's business and includes password protection. For photographers who previously used separate gallery platforms like Pixieset or Pic-Time alongside their CRM, Bloom removes one subscription from the stack. The Standard plan includes enhanced galleries with more storage and sharing options.

Client galleries with proofing and favorites
Individual and bulk download options
Password-protected gallery sharing
Branded gallery experience
Storage limits vary by plan
Gallery features are basic compared to dedicated gallery platforms

Dubsado

No gallery or image sharing features. Dubsado does not include any gallery, image proofing, or file sharing features. Photographers using Dubsado need a separate gallery platform (Pixieset, Pic-Time, ShootProof, or similar) to deliver final images to clients. The client portal can share basic files as attachments, but there is no visual gallery experience, no proofing workflow, and no branded image sending. For photographers, the gap means maintaining two separate platforms and paying two subscriptions. Non-photography service businesses may not notice the absence, but anyone delivering visual assets needs an external tool alongside Dubsado.

No client gallery feature
No image proofing or favorites
No branded image sharing
Separate gallery platform required
Additional subscription cost for gallery tools ($10-30/month)

Project management and task tracking

The contract is signed, and now there are weeks of deliverables to manage. Can the platform track tasks, deadlines, and progress without opening a separate project management app?

Bloom

Milestone-based project tracking. Bloom organizes projects into workflows with milestones. Each project moves through stages (inquiry, booked, in progress, delivered), and milestones track whether specific steps are completed. The workflow view shows all active projects and their current stage, which handles photographers managing 10-20 clients at different phases. But there are no Kanban boards, no task assignments, no subtasks, no task dependencies, and no time tracking. For multi-phase projects with multiple deliverables, a separate project management tool typically runs alongside Bloom.

Workflow-based project milestones
Visual pipeline view of all projects
Status tracking per project
No Kanban boards
No task assignments or subtasks
No time tracking at all

Dubsado

Project tracking with status-based workflows. Dubsado tracks projects through customizable statuses and tags. Projects can be organized by client, type, and status. The Premier plan connects project statuses to automated workflows, so moving a project to a new status can trigger emails, invoices, or form requests. But like Bloom, there are no Kanban boards, no Gantt charts, no subtasks, no task dependencies, and no time tracking. For anyone managing complex multi-deliverable projects, a separate tool like Trello or Asana still runs alongside. Platforms with Kanban boards and timeline views handle those longer projects without adding another app.

Customizable project statuses and tags
Status-triggered automation on Premier
No Kanban boards
No Gantt charts or timelines
No task dependencies
No time tracking at all

Client portal and branding

When clients check on their project status, review documents, or pay invoices, whose brand do they see? Custom branding builds trust, especially for photographers and creatives where the visual experience is part of the value.

Bloom

Client portal with remove-branding option. Bloom includes a client portal where clients view contracts, invoices, galleries, and project updates. The Standard plan includes Bloom branding on the portal. The Plus plan ($66/month) removes the "Powered by Bloom" badge. Bloom also includes website building, so photographers can create a portfolio site within the same platform. The branding control includes logo, color, and font customization with badge removal on the Plus plan, though the platform does not offer true white-labeling with a custom domain for the client portal.

Client portal for documents and galleries
Remove Bloom branding on Plus plan
Built-in website/portfolio builder
No custom domain for client portal
Branding removal requires Plus plan ($66/month)

Dubsado

Client portal with custom branding on all plans. Dubsado provides a client portal with logo and brand color customization on every plan. Clients access contracts, invoices, forms, and project files through the portal. The branding options are included from the Starter plan, starting from the Starter plan. But the portal URL still shows Dubsado's domain, and the platform does not offer full white-labeling with a custom domain. For agencies and service businesses where clients expect a fully branded experience, the visible Dubsado URL undercuts the positioning. Platforms like Plutio support custom domains with complete white-labeling.

Logo and brand colors on all plans
Client portal for documents and forms
No custom domain for portal
Dubsado URL still visible to clients
No full white-labeling option

Skip the comparison?

Get proposals, projects, and billing in one app

Bloom and Dubsado handle client intake. Plutio handles the entire workflow: proposals, Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, invoicing, and white-labeled client portals.

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4.6/5 Rating

4.4/5 Rating

4.6/5 Rating

4.7/5 Rating

Bloom vs Dubsado pricing breakdown

Bloom and Dubsado are both per-account platforms (not per-user), but Bloom costs roughly half the price at every tier. The pricing gap widens when factoring in which features are locked behind higher plans.

Bloom Pricing (2026)

Starter: $14/month ($7/month annual). Invoicing, contracts, scheduling, client galleries, lead management. Limited to 3 active projects and 1 workflow. 1.5% processing fee on payments.
Standard: $34/month ($17/month annual). Unlimited projects and workflows, no processing fees, enhanced galleries, automations, and professional websites. 1TB storage.
Plus: $66/month ($33/month annual). Team members and permissions, remove "Powered by Bloom" branding, 2TB storage, enhanced lead management.

Dubsado Pricing (2026)

Starter: ~$28/month ($335/year). Contracts, invoicing, forms, client portals, calendar sync, unlimited projects. No automation, no scheduling, no public proposals. Includes 3 users.
Premier: ~$44/month ($525/year). Adds automated workflows, scheduling, public proposals, Zapier integration, and bookkeeping integration. Includes 3 users.
Additional users: $25/month for 4-10 users, $45/month for 11-20, $60/month for 21-30.
Additional brands: $10/month each.

The real cost: what solo users actually pay

A solo photographer on Bloom Standard pays $34/month and gets invoicing, contracts, galleries, automations, and unlimited projects. The same photographer on Dubsado Premier pays ~$44/month for invoicing, contracts, workflow automation, and scheduling, but still needs a separate gallery platform ($10-30/month for Pixieset or Pic-Time). The total Dubsado stack for a photographer runs $54-74/month compared to Bloom's $34/month.

For non-photography service businesses that don't need galleries, the comparison shifts. Dubsado Premier at ~$44/month includes deeper workflow automation than Bloom Standard at $34/month. The $10/month premium buys conditional branching logic, multi-step workflows, and automated invoice triggers that Bloom does not match.

Neither platform includes time tracking, Kanban boards, or task-level project management. Both require supplementary tools for task boards and time tracking:

Project management: Trello Free or Asana Starter ($0-11/month)
Time tracking: Toggl or Clockify ($0-12/month per user)
Gallery (Dubsado only): Pixieset or Pic-Time ($10-30/month)

All-in-one platforms like Plutio start at $19/month for solo users with proposals, projects, time tracking, and invoicing in one subscription.

The verdict: Bloom costs less for photographers who need galleries. Dubsado is worth the premium for service businesses that need deep workflow automation. Both leave gaps in project management and time tracking that add to the total monthly cost.

Which tool fits your business type?

Bloom and Dubsado serve overlapping but different audiences. The right choice depends on whether gallery sharing or workflow automation matters more for a specific type of service business.

Wedding and portrait photographers

Bloom has built-in galleries, so photographers deliver final images, handle proofing, and manage client favorites without a separate platform. Contracts, invoicing, and scheduling follow the photography booking workflow (inquiry, contract, deposit, shoot, deliver). Bloom Standard at $34/month replaces both a CRM and a gallery platform, saving $10-30/month compared to Dubsado plus a separate gallery subscription.

Event planners and wedding coordinators

Dubsado's automation engine on the Premier plan manages multi-step onboarding sequences, vendor coordination emails, and payment milestone triggers. Event planners juggling 5-10 active events need automated follow-ups and reminders that fire without manual action. Bloom's linear automations don't support the conditional branching ("if questionnaire not completed in 5 days, send reminder; if completed, send next invoice") that event workflows demand.

Coaches and consultants

Neither platform is ideal. Coaches and consultants typically bill by the hour and need time tracking that connects to invoicing. Both Bloom and Dubsado lack time tracking entirely. Dubsado has a slight edge because the scheduling feature on the Premier plan handles discovery calls and recurring sessions, but billing for tracked time still requires an external tool. Platforms with task-level time tracking that flows into invoices handle the coaching workflow more directly.

Graphic designers and brand studios

Design studio workflows involve more client touchpoints (briefs, revisions, approvals) than a typical photography booking. The automation builder on Premier handles multi-step design project workflows: send questionnaire after deposit, trigger creative brief form after questionnaire, send proof for approval, then trigger final invoice. Bloom's milestone-based tracking works for simpler handoff workflows but doesn't automate the back-and-forth of a design project.

Small teams (2-5 people)

Dubsado includes 3 users on every plan, with additional users at $25/month for 4-10 members. Bloom's Plus plan ($66/month) includes team members and permissions. For a 3-person team, Dubsado Premier costs ~$44/month total. The same team on Bloom Plus costs $66/month. Dubsado is cheaper for small teams, though neither platform has the project collaboration tools (shared boards, task assignments, team dashboards) that growing teams typically need.

What both tools are missing

Bloom and Dubsado both handle client intake, contracts, and invoicing. But once the contract is signed and tasks, time tracking, and deliverables need managing, both platforms leave significant gaps that force users into multi-tool stacks.

No time tracking on either platform

Neither Bloom nor Dubsado includes any form of time tracking. For photographers billing fixed-rate packages, the absence may not matter. For consultants, coaches, designers, and anyone billing hourly, time tracking is a separate tool. Tracked hours from Toggl or Clockify get entered manually into Bloom or Dubsado invoices, adding 10-20 minutes of admin per invoicing cycle. Platforms with task-level time tracking that flows directly into invoice line items eliminate that manual transfer entirely.

Project management stops at status tracking

Both platforms track project status (active, completed, archived) and milestones. Neither has Kanban boards for visual workflow, Gantt charts for timeline planning, subtasks with nesting, task assignments, or task dependencies that automatically shift dates when something slips. For a single-session portrait shoot, status tracking is enough. For a 6-week brand identity project with discovery, concepts, revisions, and final handoff, a separate project management tool runs alongside, and project details get copied between systems manually.

No white-labeled client portal

Bloom offers Bloom-branded portals with a remove-branding option on the $66/month Plus plan. Dubsado includes logo and color customization but keeps the Dubsado URL visible. Neither platform offers true white-labeling with a custom domain. For agencies and premium service providers whose brand experience is part of the value they deliver, clients seeing third-party branding or URLs undercuts the positioning. Platforms like Plutio support fully branded portals on a custom domain.

Limited integrations

Bloom connects with Stripe, Square, Google Calendar, and Zoom. Dubsado adds Zapier, QuickBooks, and PayPal on the Premier plan, but the Starter plan has no Zapier access. Both platforms have smaller integration ecosystems than larger business platforms. For service businesses that rely on Google Workspace, Slack, accounting software, and file storage, the lack of native connections means manual data transfer or paying for Zapier as a bridge.

No subscription billing

Retainer clients paying monthly are common across photography (mini-session memberships), coaching, design, and marketing. Neither Bloom nor Dubsado supports automatic recurring charges where clients are billed and charged without manual intervention. Both support recurring invoices, but clients must manually pay each one. For businesses with 5-10 retainer clients, payment follow-up consumes 2-3 hours per month. Platforms with built-in subscription billing handle automatic charges in one place.

What users do when neither tool is enough

When Bloom or Dubsado cannot handle the full workflow alone, users take one of two paths: build a multi-tool stack and accept the manual handoffs, or move to a platform designed for the complete client lifecycle.

The typical workaround stack

Most users end up assembling something like this:

Bloom or Dubsado for contracts, invoicing, and client management ($14-44/month)
Pixieset or Pic-Time for galleries and sending images, Dubsado users only ($10-30/month)
Trello, Asana, or ClickUp for project management ($0-25/month)
Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest for time tracking ($0-12/month per user)
QuickBooks or Wave for accounting ($0-25/month)

The total runs $40-130 per month for a solo user, with four or five logins to manage and constant manual data transfer between each tool.

The hidden cost: time spent on handoffs

The subscription cost is the visible expense. The hidden cost is the workflow friction. When a contract gets signed in Dubsado, someone has to manually create a project in Trello, set up time tracking in Toggl, deliver images through Pixieset, then copy completed hours into a Dubsado invoice when the work is done. Each handoff takes 5-15 minutes. Across 15-20 clients per year, that is 25-40 hours annually spent on data transfer that software should handle automatically.

The single-platform alternative

All-in-one platforms exist that handle proposals, project management, time tracking, and invoicing in a single system. The question is whether learning a new interface is worth the trade-off versus maintaining an existing multi-tool setup. For users who have invested time configuring Dubsado's workflows or building Bloom's gallery templates, migration feels like starting over. For users already juggling four apps and spending hours on handoffs, switching to one platform can recover 2-4 hours per week.

What one platform looks like in practice

If the workflow already spans multiple tools: Plutio is one platform that covers the complete workflow. Proposals convert into projects with Kanban boards. Time tracking happens at the task level and flows directly into invoice line items. Clients access a portal on a custom domain, not the software vendor's. The comparison table below shows exactly where Plutio fills the gaps that Bloom and Dubsado leave open.

Final verdict: Bloom vs Dubsado

Bloom and Dubsado both handle contracts, invoicing, and client portals for service businesses. The differences emerge in pricing, gallery support, automation depth, and how much setup each platform demands before the first client interaction.

Bloom makes sense when:

Photography is the primary business and client gallery sharing is needed. Bloom includes galleries, but the Starter plan caps active projects at 3 and charges a 1.5% processing fee on payments.
Budget is tight. Bloom Standard costs $34/month, but automation is basic (no conditional branching), and non-photography templates are limited.
Fast onboarding matters. Most users send their first contract within an hour, but the platform has only 12 Capterra reviews, making the rating less statistically reliable than Dubsado's 60-review dataset.

Dubsado makes sense when:

Workflow automation is the top priority. Dubsado Premier has conditional branching and multi-step sequences, but the Starter plan has zero automation, so the advantage only applies at ~$44/month.
The business serves multiple industries. Dubsado is more general-purpose than Bloom. But the learning curve is steep (Capterra Ease of Use: 3.6/5), and setup takes days.
The team has 3+ members. Dubsado includes 3 users on every plan. But there are no galleries, no time tracking, and no visual project management tools.

Consider switching to one platform if:

Managing three or more tools to run the client workflow is eating into productive hours every week.
Manual data transfer between contracts, projects, time tracking, and invoicing creates errors or delays in billing.
Projects are complex enough to need Kanban boards, timelines, or task dependencies, not just status tracking.
The brand requires clients to see a custom domain and logo, not the software vendor's branding.
Time tracking needs to connect directly to invoice line items without manual data entry.

The reality: Switching platforms means learning a new system and migrating existing data. For most users, the migration takes a focused weekend. The ongoing time savings typically recover that investment within a month.

The bottom line: Bloom offers lower pricing with built-in galleries for photographers. Dubsado offers deeper workflow automation for service businesses willing to invest in setup. Both handle client intake well but stop there. Finishing projects, time tracking, and task management happen in other apps. If the workflow already spans multiple tools and the handoffs between them feel like wasted time, the comparison table below shows how all-in-one platforms like Plutio stack up against both.

Research & Sources

This comparison is based on official documentation review, pricing page verification, and analysis of user feedback across review platforms. All data was verified in February 2026.

Research methodology

Each tool was evaluated through official feature documentation, pricing pages, and analysis of user reviews across Capterra, G2, and independent review sites. The focus was on common pain points from lower-rated reviews where users share honest limitations rather than promotional praise.

Platform ratings (February 2026)

Bloom: 4.3/5 on Capterra (12 reviews). Praised for photography-focused features, clean design, and gallery sharing. Criticized for occasional bugs, unreliable calendar sync, and limited features for non-photography businesses.
Dubsado: 4.2/5 on Capterra (60 reviews), Ease of Use 3.6/5. Praised for workflow automation depth and form customization. Criticized for steep learning curve, slow product updates, and complex initial setup.
Plutio: 4.6/5 on G2 (200+ reviews), praised for all-in-one coverage and white-labeling.

Common user complaints (from 1-3 star reviews)

Bloom users frequently mention: "Software can be buggy," "Google Calendar sync is unreliable," "Invoices sometimes don't go to the right people," "Limited features compared to bigger CRMs"

Dubsado users frequently mention: "Steep learning curve to set up," "People literally specialize in Dubsado setup as a career," "Starter plan is very limited without automation," "Interface feels complex with so many options"

Pricing sources (verified February 2026)

Bloom: Official pricing page - Starter $14/month, Standard $34/month, Plus $66/month
Dubsado: Official pricing page - Starter $335/year (~$28/month), Premier $525/year (~$44/month)
Plutio: Official pricing page

Feature verification

Bloom Capterra reviews (12 reviews, 4.3/5)
Dubsado Capterra reviews (60 reviews, 4.2/5)
Bloom's Dubsado alternatives comparison
Dubsado feature comparison table

If any information is inaccurate or outdated, please let us know so the team can investigate and update.

Bloom vs Dubsado vs Plutio: full feature comparison

See how all three tools compare on project management, time tracking, invoicing, automation, and client portals

PRICING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Starting price	$19/month (Core plan)	$14/month (Starter plan, $7/month annual)	$28-44/month (Starter plan, Dec 2025 pricing)
Free plan	No free plan (14-day trial available)	No free plan (7-day trial)	No free plan (21-day trial)
Trial period	14-day free trial	7-day free trial	21-day free trial (all Premier features)
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Manage projects and tasks	Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow	Project tracker (focus on booking, limited task management)	Projects with task boards
Project roles and permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project	Team collaboration on Plus plan only	3 fixed roles (Basic, Accountant, Admin)
Multiple task boards	Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project	Single board view per project; focus on simple lists	You cannot use task boards
Embeddable project boards	Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites	No embeddable project boards	You cannot embed project views
Sharable project boards	Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk	Project access via client portal only	You can share via the client portal only
Project stages and milestones	Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work	No milestones supported (simple workflow steps only)	You can use project statuses, but no milestones
Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices	Everything related stays connected to the project automatically	Connected lifecycle (contracts and invoices inside projects)	Proposals, contracts, and invoices live inside projects
Custom project data fields	Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data	No custom project fields	Basic custom fields
Kanban boards	Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns	Drag-and-drop workflows act as Kanban boards	Kanban view added in Dubsado 3.0 (Nov 2025)
Table view	Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet	No task table view	Table view is the default task display in Dubsado 3.0
List view	Clean task lists with clear hierarchy	Included	You can manage tasks in simple lists
Calendar view	See tasks and deadlines on a calendar	Included	You can see deadlines and appointments on a calendar
Gantt view	Plan work visually with task order and dependencies	No native Gantt view	You cannot view work on a gantt chart
Subtasks	Break work down into multiple nested levels	No nested subtasks	You cannot split tasks into subtasks
Email to task	Turn emails into tasks without manual copying	No email-to-task	You cannot create tasks from emails
Task comments	Keep discussions tied directly to each task	Built-in chat widget for client communication	You cannot comment on tasks
Task attachments	Store files directly on the task they belong to	Asset delivery via online galleries and project file sharing	You can upload files, but not attach them to tasks
Task priorities	Define priority levels that fit your workflow	No task priorities	You cannot set task priorities
Task labels & color coding	Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks	Custom lead statuses and workflow stages	You cannot label or color-code tasks
Multiple task assignees	Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates	Single assignee (focus on solo creative)	You cannot assign tasks to multiple people
Task templates	Reuse task-level structures across projects	Full project workflows can be templated and reused	You can reuse workflows and form templates
Task permissions	Control access at the individual task level	No task-level permissions	You cannot set permissions per task
Task dependencies	Prevent work from starting out of order	No task dependencies	You cannot link tasks together
Recurring tasks	Automate repeating work with flexible schedules	No recurring tasks	You cannot create recurring tasks
Custom task data fields	Add task-level fields for tracking custom details	No custom task fields	Basic custom fields
TIME TRACKING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Time tracking system	Easily track time using timers or manual entries	Time tracking is currently in development (Roadmap)	Built-in time tracker (Premier plan only, enhanced in 3.0)
Task-level tracking	Log time directly against tasks and subtasks	Time tracking not yet available	Time tracker available (Premier plan)
Project-level tracking	See time spent per project and per client	Time tracking not yet available	Time tracked per project (Premier plan)
Billable time tracking	Clearly separate billable and non-billable time	Time tracking not yet available	Billable hours logged to invoices (Premier plan)
Billable time invoicing	Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps	Time tracking not yet available	Tracked time can be added to invoices (Premier plan)
Timesheet reports	View detailed time reports by task, project, or client	Time tracking not yet available	Basic time logs (Premier plan)
Team timesheets	See how each team member tracks their time	Time tracking not yet available	You cannot see team time reports
PROPOSALS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Create and send proposals	Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow	Integrated proposals with automatic contract linking	Proposals with pricing tables
Drag-and-drop proposal builder	Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code	Professional, customizable proposal templates with branding	You can build proposals using drag-and-drop forms
Reusable proposal templates	Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients	Reusable templates for different service types	You can use proposal templates
Real-time proposal analytics	See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed	Basic status tracking (sent, viewed, accepted)	You cannot see proposal view analytics
Live messenger on proposals	Answer questions directly while clients review proposals	Built-in chat widget for client questions	You cannot chat inside proposals
Proposal flow automation	Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically	Smooth flow from lead capture to booking and contract	You can add proposal items like services or products
Convert proposal to invoice	Create invoices directly from approved proposals	Auto-generate invoices once a booking is confirmed	Accepted proposals create invoices
Packages and add-ons	Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals	Define service packages and offer optional add-ons	You can offer packages and add-ons
Interactive pricing tables	Let clients choose options before approving	Static pricing with optional selections	Pricing updates based on selections
Dynamic data and variables	Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data	Automatic data merging for client and booking details	You can use smart fields
Expiration dates	Automatically expire proposals after a set date	No automated proposal expiration	You cannot set proposal expiry dates
PDF Export	Download as branded PDFs	Downloadable PDF versions for all documents	You can download proposal PDFs
Reusable content blocks	Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand	No reusable content blocks	You can reuse form sections
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals	Integrated e-signatures for proposals and contracts	Clients can sign documents online
Custom proposal data fields	Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on	No custom proposal fields	Basic custom fields
CONTRACTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Create and sign contracts	Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow	Legally binding contracts built into the booking flow	Contract creation with automation
Drag-and-drop contract builder	Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits	Template-based contract builder with visual editor	You can build contracts using form blocks
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification	Full e-signature support with audit trails	Contracts support legal e-signatures
Multi-signature / signees	Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract	Support for multiple signers per document	You can collect multiple signatures, setup is limited
Reusable contract templates	Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster	Reusable contract templates included	You can use contract templates
Auto-reminders automation	Automatically follow up until contracts are signed	Automated follow-ups for unsigned contracts	Reminders send automatically
Dynamic data/variables	Auto-fill contract content with client and project data	Auto-fill contract data with booking information	You can use smart fields in contracts
Contract automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed	Automated invoice generation upon contract signature	Contracts trigger workflows
View notifications	See when contracts are opened and reviewed	Real-time notifications for contract activity	You receive signing notifications
PDF download with signature certificate	Download signed contracts with official proof of signature	Download signed contracts in PDF format	You can download signed PDFs
Custom signer data fields	Collect structured signer information during signing	Standard signer fields (name and email)	You cannot customize signer fields
Custom contract data fields	Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on	Basic custom fields for contact information	Basic custom fields
INVOICES & PAYMENTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Create invoices and get paid	Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow	Professional invoices with integrated payments	Invoices with payment plans
Fully branded invoices	Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout	Customizable logos and brand colors on all invoices	You can brand invoices
Drag and drop invoice builder	Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits	Visual editor based on fixed templates	Requires manual setup
Customizable line items	Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely	Flexible line item management	You can edit line items
Item or invoice discounts	Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level	Automated and manual discount calculations	You can apply discounts
Customizable taxes	Create tax rules that match your location and use case	Custom tax group assignments	You can set tax rates
ACH payments	Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments	Supported via Stripe and Bloom Payments	You can accept bank payments
Stripe integration	Accept credit and debit cards instantly	Full Stripe integration with automated tracking	You can accept payments via Stripe
Square integration	Collect in-person payments when needed	Integrated Square payment processing	You cannot accept payments via Square
PayPal integration	Let clients pay using PayPal	Standard PayPal integration included	You cannot accept payments via PayPal
Flexible partial payments	Collect deposits and split payments across milestones	Retainers and split payment schedules	You can accept partial payments
Payment plans	Break invoices into scheduled installments	Automated payment schedules and installments	You can split invoices into payments
Automated recurring invoices	Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule	Automated recurring billing for retainers	You can schedule invoices, not subscriptions
Subscription management	Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing	Subscription and retainer management tools	You cannot manage subscriptions
Automated payment reminders	Follow up automatically until invoices are paid	Automated follow-ups for overdue invoices	Payment reminders send automatically
Reusable invoice templates	Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time	Save and reuse invoice structures	You can reuse invoice templates
Multiple currency support	Bill clients globally in their local currency	Manual currency selection per project	You can use one account currency
Invoice automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid	Basic payment triggers in workflow automations	Contracts trigger workflows
View notifications	See when invoices are opened and paid	Email and in-app notifications for invoice activity	You receive signing notifications
Built-in expense tracking	Track project-related costs alongside invoices	No native expense tracking features	You cannot track expenses
Invoice deposits	Collect upfront payments before work starts	Flexible deposit and retainer requests	You can request deposits
Auto-invoice billable time	Turn tracked time into invoices automatically	Not available (Time tracking is on roadmap)	There is no time to convert
Custom invoice data fields	Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on	Standard custom field support on invoices	Basic custom fields
INBOX Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Centralized unified inbox	Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox	Project-based messenger (no global unified inbox)	Messages and emails live in one place
Full email integration	Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place	Gmail and Outlook sync for project threads	You can sync your email
Embeddable live chat	Add real-time chat to your website and client portals	No native website live chat	You cannot add live chat to your site
Instant direct messages	Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace	Built-in messenger for clients and leads	You cannot DM teammates
Contextual project conversations	Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to	All messages tied directly to projects and leads	Messages are tied to projects
Team channels	Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions	No internal team communication channels	You cannot create team channels
Customized channels	Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow	No channel system	Channels are not supported
@mentions	Notify teammates instantly inside conversations	No @mentions in client messenger	You cannot mention teammates
Message read receipts	See when messages are read	See when client views messages and documents	You can see when clients read messages
File sharing in chat	Share files directly inside conversations	Direct asset sharing within the messenger	You can share files in messages
Shared email inbox	Collaborate on incoming emails as a team	No shared team email inbox	Team email is not shared
Inbox mobile app	Access and respond to messages on mobile	Mobile messenger app available	Mobile inbox available
Email reply to inbox	Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced	Email replies sync back to the project messenger	Email replies sync to conversations
FILES Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Store and manage files	Keep all client and project files in one organized place	Centralized project asset and document management	Files are stored per project only
Advanced folder organization	Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose	Project-level organization (no complex hierarchy)	Requires manual setup
Folder permissions	Control who can view or edit folders	Granular control over portal asset visibility	Requires manual setup
People folders	Group files by person when needed	No person-based file organization	Requires manual setup
Project folders	Keep files scoped to each project	Automatic file grouping by project and lead	Requires manual setup
In-app previews	Preview files instantly without downloading	Native image and document previews	Requires manual setup
Custom file data fields	Capture file metadata you can sort and filter	No custom file fields	You can add custom fields to forms and records
Built-in documents	Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio	No built-in document editor	Requires manual setup
Comments on files and docs	Leave comments directly on files and documents	No file comments	Requires manual setup
Bulk file actions	Move, tag, or manage many files at once	No bulk file actions	Requires manual setup
Files search & filter	Find files quickly using search and filters	Basic search within projects	Requires manual setup
External cloud sync	Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox	No external cloud sync	Requires manual setup
Secure sharing controls	Restrict access with permissions or passwords	Client portal access controls	Requires manual setup
File sharing links	Share files externally with controlled access	Gallery delivery links for client review	Requires manual setup
SCHEDULING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Schedule meetings	Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails	Integrated scheduler with lead capture forms	Custom scheduler with workflows
Branded booking page	Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor	Customizable booking pages with brand colors	Branding options are limited
Advanced availability management	Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings	Flexible scheduling windows and availability rules	You can control availability
Automatic buffer times	Add buffer time automatically between meetings	Automatic padding between booked sessions	You can add buffer times
Multiple meeting types	Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups	Unlimited meeting types with custom rules	You can offer multiple appointment types
Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)	Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically	Automatic two-way sync with major calendars	Requires manual setup
Customizable booking confirmations	Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits	Customizable confirmation emails and pages	Confirmation customization is limited
Redirect after booking	Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page	Redirect users to any URL after successful booking	You cannot redirect after booking
Booking automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked	Trigger automated workflows upon booking confirmation	Contracts trigger workflows
Smart meeting reminders	Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups	Automated email and SMS appointment reminders	Meeting reminders send automatically
Automatic timezone detection	Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments	Automatic timezone detection on booking pages	Timezones adjust automatically
Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)	Collect payments during booking without extra steps	Collect payments at booking (Stripe, Square)	Requires manual setup
Custom booking forms	Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout	Customizable intake questionnaires on booking	Booking forms are fixed
Minimum notice / daily booking limits	Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume	Set custom lead times and daily meeting caps	You can set booking limits
Rescheduling and cancellation controls	Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations	Self-service rescheduling and cancellation options	Clients can reschedule or cancel
AUTOMATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Automated workflows builder	Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates	Sequence-based workflows (no visual branching builder)	Visual node-based Flows builder
Trigger-based workflows	Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments	Triggers for leads, bookings, projects, and payments	You can automate automation actions with workflows
Schedule-based workflows	Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals	Automated follow-up sequences on custom schedules	Workflows cannot repeat on a schedule
Multi-step workflows	Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation	Chain multiple automated actions in a sequence	Workflows can include multiple steps
True/False branching	Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows	Linear sequences only (no conditional branching)	Branching exists, but is limited
Delay-based actions	Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days	Add delays between sequence steps	You can delay workflow steps
Create & update records	Create, update, or move records automatically across the system	Limited to lead and project status updates	Creation actions are limited
Move & duplicate records	Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup	Automated status transitions move leads through pipeline	Items cannot be duplicated automatically
Delete & archive records	Automatically archive or remove records based on rules	Manual archiving preferred for project security	Items cannot be deleted automatically
API calls (webhooks)	Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems	Zapier integration and outgoing webhooks supported	You cannot use APIs or webhooks
Send emails	Send automated emails tied to real workflow events	Automated email sequences with smart fields	Workflows can send emails
Post comments	Add notes or comments automatically where work happens	No automated comment posting	You cannot post comments via automation
Complete automation logs	See exactly what ran, when, and why	Basic sequence history and activity log	You cannot view automation logs
Auto-fill data/variables	Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping	Smart fields and tokens for dynamic data injection	You can use smart fields
Cross-entity connections	Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more	Workflow triggers span leads, booking, and projects	Forms, payments, and bookings trigger workflows
FORMS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Create branded forms	Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience	Professional, branded lead capture and intake forms	Branded forms with smart fields
Drag-and-drop form builder	Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required	Visual form builder with custom field support	You can build contracts using form blocks
Reusable form templates	Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch	Save and reuse common form structures	You can reuse form templates
Custom form data fields	Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on	Capture custom project and client data via forms	You can add custom fields to forms and records
Smart conditional logic	Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms	Static forms (no native conditional branching logic)	Fields can change based on answers
Instant email notifications	Get notified immediately when forms are submitted	Immediate email alerts for all form submissions	You can email on submission
Form automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted	Submit forms to trigger project creation and sequences	Contracts trigger workflows
Embed forms	Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions	Easy embedding on any website or landing page	You can embed forms
Advanced field preferences	Control required, hidden, and default field behavior	Standard required/optional field settings	Field behavior is limited
Comprehensive field types	Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more	Support for text, choice, date, and file types	Field types are limited
Form signature field	Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms	Basic e-signatures (primarily via contract documents)	Forms can include signatures
File upload fields	Accept file uploads as part of form submissions	Allow clients to upload assets directly via forms	Clients can upload files
Redirect after submission	Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page	Redirect to custom URL or thank-you page	You cannot redirect after submit
CRM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Manage clients and leads	Manage contacts and companies in one connected system	Integrated CRM for tracking leads and active projects	CRM with auto-created client records
Full company management	Track organizations, not just individual contacts	Contact-first organization (basic company grouping)	Companies exist, contacts come first
Custom contact data fields	Collect and manage structured contact data you define	Add custom CRM fields for contacts and leads	You can add CRM fields
Complete activity timeline	See every interaction with a client in one place	Activity feed with project and message history	You can see full activity history
Contacts labeling and grouping	Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines	Segment contacts by project type and lead status	You can tag and segment contacts
WIKI Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Comprehensive knowledge base	Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides	No native internal wiki or document builder	You cannot create an internal wiki
Beautiful rich text pages	Write structured, formatted content without complexity	No native rich-text page builder	Not supported
Unlimited nested pages	Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits	No native nested page support	Not supported
Granular page permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each page	No native knowledge base permissions	Not supported
DASHBOARDS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Custom dashboards and pages	Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics	Fixed overview dashboard (not customizable)	Dubsado has a home page, not custom dashboards
Drag-and-drop dashboard builder	Design dashboards visually with full layout control	Fixed dashboard layout with preset widgets	Included
Charts widget	Visualize data with customizable charts	Basic financial and lead conversion charts	Requires manual setup
Metrics widget	Track key numbers without manual reporting	Track key revenue and booking metrics	Included
Goals widget	Monitor progress toward defined goals	No native goal tracking widget	Not supported
Notes widget	Add contextual notes directly to dashboards	No native dashboard notes widget	Not supported
Calendar widget	View upcoming events alongside work and metrics	Integrated calendar with project and booking events	Included
Financial widgets	Track revenue and expenses in the same view	High-level revenue and invoice tracking	Included
BRANDING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
White-label and branding	Run the entire platform under your brand	Remove Bloom branding on the Premium plan	Dubsado branding, not white-label
Custom interface theme	Apply your brand colors across the system	Fixed interface colors (no admin theming)	Color themes on Deliver+ (no Free plan theme customization)
Stylesheet customization	Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming	No custom CSS access for the interface	You cannot apply custom CSS
Custom login/signup pages	Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens	Logo branding on fixed login structures	Login pages cannot be customized
Email branding	Send all system emails with your branding	Logo inclusion (no complex template customization)	You can brand outgoing emails
Custom brand fonts	Use your own fonts throughout the platform	No custom font upload support	You cannot use custom fonts
Custom brand logos	Replace all platform logos with your own	Add your logo to portal, documents, and emails	You can add your logo
Custom domain name	Run everything on your own domain	Connect a custom domain on the Premium plan	Not supported
Custom email SMTP	Send emails from your own email infrastructure	Standard integrated email delivery (no custom SMTP)	Not supported
Full workspace embedding	Embed Plutio directly into your website or product	No native option to embed the full workspace	Not supported
CUSTOMIZATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Flexible workspace setup	Shape the platform to match how your business works	Fixed creative-focused project hierarchy	Dubsado has fixed workspace
Main menu editor	Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely	Fixed navigation (cannot rearrange main menu)	You cannot customize navigation
User-based menus	Show different navigation for different roles	Same menu structure for all user types	Menus are the same for all users
Custom user roles	Create role types beyond preset permissions	Limited preset roles (Admin, Member, Client)	You cannot define custom roles
Advanced user permissions	Control access at a granular level	Project and lead visibility controls	Permissions are not configurable
SSO / OAuth	Support enterprise-grade single sign-on	No enterprise-grade SSO support	You cannot use SSO
INTEGRATIONS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Connect with other tools	Integrate with external systems without lock-in	Zapier, Gmail, Outlook, and major payment gateways	Zapier only
Zapier integration	Connect to thousands of apps without custom code	Full Zapier connectivity with triggers and actions	You can connect Dubsado to Zapier
Make.com integration	Build advanced automation scenarios visually	Possible via Zapier (no direct Make module)	You cannot connect via Make
Pabbly Connect	Connect services without usage-based limits	No native Pabbly Connect integration	You cannot connect via Pabbly
Full REST API access	Build custom integrations with full system access	No public REST API available for custom dev	You cannot access an API
Incoming & outgoing webhooks	Send and receive real-time events	Outgoing webhooks available via settings	You cannot use webhooks
PLATFORM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Bloom 104/199	Dubsado 91/199
Mobile apps	Access your business from native mobile apps	Native iOS and Android companion apps	iOS and Android with Tap to Pay
iOS app	Full-featured iPhone app	Native iPhone app for on-the-go management	You can use Dubsado on iOS
Android app	Full-featured Android app	Native Android app with basic project features	You can use Dubsado on Android
Mac desktop app	Native macOS app for desktop workflows	Web-based only (no native Mac desktop app)	There is no desktop app
Windows desktop app	Native Windows app for desktop workflows	Web-based only (no native Windows desktop app)	There is no desktop app

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Bloom vs Dubsado FAQ

Is Bloom or Dubsado better for photographers?

Bloom includes client galleries, image proofing, and sharing features that Dubsado lacks entirely. Photographers using Dubsado need a separate gallery platform like Pixieset or Pic-Time ($10-30/month extra). Bloom Standard at $34/month replaces both a CRM and a gallery tool in one subscription.

Does Dubsado have better automation than Bloom?

Dubsado Premier (~$44/month) has significantly deeper workflow automation than Bloom. Dubsado supports multi-step sequences with conditional branching where different client actions trigger different paths. Bloom has basic automations (email sequences, reminders) but no conditional logic. The catch: Dubsado's Starter plan has zero automation.

How much does Bloom cost vs Dubsado?

Bloom Starter costs $14/month ($7/month annual). Dubsado Starter costs ~$28/month ($335/year). Bloom Standard is $34/month vs Dubsado Premier at ~$44/month. Bloom is roughly half the price at every tier. Both charge per account, not per user, though Dubsado includes 3 users while Bloom's team features require the $66/month Plus plan.

Does Bloom have a free plan?

Bloom offers a 7-day free trial on all plans, with an optional 15-day extension if cancellation is initiated during the trial. Dubsado offers a 21-day free trial of the full Premier plan plus a permanent free plan limited to 3 clients. For testing purposes, Dubsado's longer trial gives more time to evaluate the platform.

Can Bloom or Dubsado track time?

Neither Bloom nor Dubsado includes any time tracking feature. For hourly billing, both require a separate time tracking tool (Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest at $0-12/month per user). Tracked hours from external tools get entered manually into invoices on either platform. Platforms like Plutio include task-level time tracking that flows directly into invoices.

Does Dubsado include client galleries?

Dubsado does not include galleries, image proofing, or visual file sharing. Photographers using Dubsado need a separate gallery platform (Pixieset, Pic-Time, or ShootProof) at $10-30/month. Bloom includes client galleries with proofing and download features on every plan.

Which is easier to set up, Bloom or Dubsado?

Bloom takes less time to set up. Most users send their first contract within an hour. Dubsado's setup takes days for most users, and the platform has a Capterra Ease of Use rating of 3.6/5 compared to Bloom's 4.3/5 overall rating. A cottage industry of Dubsado setup specialists exists because the configuration demands real effort.

Does Bloom or Dubsado have project management?

Both have basic project tracking but neither has real project management. Bloom uses milestone-based workflows. Dubsado uses customizable statuses and tags. Neither has Kanban boards, Gantt charts, task assignments, subtasks, or task dependencies. For complex projects, both require a separate tool like Trello or Asana. Plutio includes Kanban boards and timeline views without adding another app.

Can I white-label Bloom or Dubsado?

Neither platform offers full white-labeling. Bloom's Plus plan ($66/month) removes the "Powered by Bloom" badge. Dubsado includes logo and color customization on all plans but keeps the Dubsado URL visible. Neither supports custom domains for client portals. If full white-labeling matters, platforms like Plutio support custom domains and complete brand removal.

Is Dubsado worth the higher price?

Dubsado Premier (~$44/month) is worth the premium over Bloom Standard ($34/month) for service businesses that need deep workflow automation with conditional branching, multi-step sequences, and automated triggers. The Starter plan (~$28/month) is harder to justify because automation, scheduling, and proposals are all locked behind the Premier tier.

Does Bloom have a website builder?

Bloom includes a website and portfolio builder on all plans. Photographers can create a portfolio site within the same platform that handles their CRM, invoicing, and galleries. Dubsado does not include any website building features. For photographers who need a portfolio alongside their CRM, Bloom saves one more subscription.

How many users are included with Dubsado?

Dubsado includes 3 users on every plan (Starter and Premier). Additional users cost $25/month for 4-10 users, $45/month for 11-20 users, and $60/month for 21-30 users. Bloom's Starter and Standard plans are solo-only. Team members and permissions require the Plus plan at $66/month.

Can I migrate from Bloom to Dubsado or vice versa?

Migration between Bloom and Dubsado requires manual work. Neither platform has a direct import from the other. Client lists can be exported as CSV and imported, but contracts, proposals, gallery content, and workflow automations need to be recreated manually. Expect to spend a weekend migrating and testing before going live on the new platform.

What if neither Bloom nor Dubsado fits my workflow?

If both platforms leave gaps in project completion, time tracking, or team collaboration, look at all-in-one platforms that cover the complete client lifecycle. Key features to look for: Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, white-labeled client portals, and no per-user fees. Plutio covers all of these, and the comparison table on this page shows how Plutio stacks up against Bloom and Dubsado feature by feature.

Does Bloom or Dubsado support subscription billing?

Neither platform supports automatic recurring charges where clients are billed and charged without manual intervention. Both support recurring invoices that send on a schedule, but clients must manually pay each one. For automatic monthly retainer billing, platforms with built-in subscription billing handle automatic charges and payment recovery in one place.

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