Dubsado vs QuickBooks: Full Comparison (2026)

Dubsado handles client onboarding and QuickBooks handles accounting, but neither one covers both, so service businesses end up running two subscriptions and copying data between them.

Dubsado automates contracts, forms, invoicing, and scheduling for client-facing workflows, while QuickBooks Online tracks expenses, reconciles bank accounts, prepares taxes, and runs payroll. The overlap starts and ends at invoicing, and everything else lives in a different world, so the handoff between client management and bookkeeping creates hours of duplicate data entry every month.

Dubsado covers contracts, invoicing, forms, and client portals, with workflow automation and scheduling on the Premier plan. but there is no expense tracking, no bank reconciliation, no tax preparation, and no payroll. Every dollar that comes in through a Dubsado invoice still needs to be manually recorded in accounting software.

QuickBooks Online handles expense tracking, bank feeds, invoicing, and financial reports, with bill management and time tracking on the Essentials plan. but there are no contracts, no forms, no scheduling, no client portals, and no workflow automation. Client onboarding, proposals, and follow-up sequences happen in a separate tool entirely.

Plutio handles proposals, contracts, invoicing, Kanban boards, task-level time tracking, and a white-labeled client portal in one platform. Tracked hours flow directly into invoice line items without manual data entry. If client management and billing need to live in one connected workflow... Plutio replaces the multi-tool stack.

Last updated February 2026

4.6

Quick comparison (TLDR)

Dubsado is a client workflow platform for service businesses. Contracts, invoicing, forms, scheduling, and client portals come standard. The Premier plan ($55/month) adds multi-step workflow automation with conditional branching, public proposals, and Zapier access. Dubsado handles the client-facing side of a service business, from the first inquiry form to the final invoice. But once the invoice is paid, the money trail stops. There is no expense tracking, no bank reconciliation, no profit-and-loss reporting, and no payroll.

QuickBooks Online is accounting software for small businesses. Expense tracking, bank feeds, tax preparation, and financial reporting come standard from the $38/month Simple Start plan. The Essentials plan ($75/month) adds bill management, time tracking, and multi-currency support for up to 3 users. QuickBooks handles the financial back end, from categorizing expenses to filing quarterly taxes. But there are no contracts, no client intake forms, no scheduling, no workflow automation, and no client portal. Everything before the invoice happens elsewhere.

Key differences at a glance

Category: Dubsado is a client workflow CRM. QuickBooks Online is accounting software. The two platforms solve different problems with almost no feature overlap beyond invoicing.
Invoicing approach: Dubsado connects invoices to contracts, proposals, and automated workflows so invoicing triggers automatically after a contract is signed. QuickBooks connects invoices to expense categories, bank reconciliation, and tax reporting so every payment feeds into financial statements.
Contracts and forms: Dubsado includes customizable contracts with e-signatures, lead capture forms, questionnaires, and proposals on every plan. QuickBooks has no contract, form, or proposal feature at all.
Expense tracking and taxes: QuickBooks tracks expenses through bank feeds, categorizes transactions automatically, and generates tax-ready financial reports. Dubsado has no expense tracking, no bank connections, and no tax reporting.
Pricing: Dubsado Starter costs $35/month ($335/year). QuickBooks Simple Start costs $38/month. Running both together costs $73-130/month before adding project management or time tracking tools.
Time tracking: QuickBooks Essentials ($75/month) includes time tracking by client or project. Dubsado has no time tracking at all. Neither platform connects tracked hours directly to invoice line items without manual steps.

The verdict? Dubsado covers client-facing workflows but has no accounting. QuickBooks covers expenses, taxes, and financial reporting but has no contracts, scheduling, or client portal. If the workflow needs proposals, project management, time tracking, and invoicing without running two platforms, Plutio covers the client lifecycle for $19/month.

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Invoicing and payments

The project is done, and the invoice needs to go out. Both platforms handle invoicing, but Dubsado ties invoices to client workflows and contracts, while QuickBooks ties them to expense tracking and tax reporting.

Dubsado

Invoicing tied to client workflows and automation. Dubsado includes invoicing on every plan with support for deposits, payment plans, and partial payments. On the Premier plan ($55/month), invoices can be triggered automatically as part of a workflow, so completing a project phase or signing a contract sends the next invoice without manual action. Clients pay through Stripe, Square, or PayPal. Invoice design is customizable with merge fields that pull in client data automatically. The contract-to-invoice flow links proposals to signed agreements and triggered payment requests, but only on the Premier plan ($55/month).

Deposits, payment plans, and partial payments
Workflow-triggered invoicing on Premier
Stripe, Square, and PayPal accepted
No expense tracking or bank reconciliation
No time-to-invoice connection (no time tracking)
Automated invoicing requires Premier plan ($55/month)

QuickBooks Online

Invoicing tied to accounting and financial reporting. QuickBooks Online includes invoicing on every plan with recurring invoices, automatic payment reminders, and online payment acceptance through credit cards and bank transfers. The difference is what happens after payment: each invoice payment automatically updates the general ledger, feeds into profit-and-loss statements, and reconciles with bank deposits. Batch invoicing on the Advanced plan ($275/month) handles high-volume billing. QuickBooks also tracks late payments and generates aging reports that show exactly which clients owe what.

Recurring invoices with auto-reminders
Payments auto-reconcile with bank deposits
Aging reports for overdue accounts
No contract-to-invoice automation, so invoicing stays manual
No workflow triggers for invoice sending
Batch invoicing only on Advanced ($275/month)

Contracts and client onboarding

A new client signs up and needs a contract, a questionnaire, and an onboarding sequence before work begins. Can the platform handle the intake process, or does client onboarding happen somewhere else?

Dubsado

Full client onboarding with contracts, forms, and automation. Dubsado covers the client intake process from inquiry to kickoff. Lead capture forms collect inquiries from a website. Contracts with e-signatures get sent alongside invoices so clients sign and pay from one link. Questionnaires gather project details after booking. On the Premier plan, these steps chain together in automated workflows: a form submission triggers a contract, a signed contract triggers an invoice, a paid invoice triggers a questionnaire, and a completed questionnaire triggers a welcome email. The sequence runs without manual intervention once configured.

Customizable contracts with e-signatures
Lead capture forms and questionnaires
Multi-step automated onboarding on Premier
Starter plan has no workflow automation
Setup takes days for most users (Capterra Ease of Use: 3.6/5)
A cottage industry of Dubsado setup specialists exists

QuickBooks Online

No contracts, no forms, no onboarding features. QuickBooks Online does not include any client onboarding functionality. There are no contracts, no e-signatures, no lead capture forms, no questionnaires, and no automated onboarding workflows. Client records in QuickBooks are accounting entries: name, billing address, payment terms, and unpaid balances. The platform starts tracking the client relationship at the first invoice, not at the first inquiry. Service businesses using QuickBooks for accounting need a separate tool for everything that happens before the money changes hands.

No contracts or e-signatures, so agreements need a separate tool
No lead capture forms for website inquiries
No questionnaires or intake forms for gathering project details
No onboarding automation, so every step is manual
Client records limited to billing data

Expense tracking and accounting

Revenue is only half the picture. Tracking where the money goes, categorizing expenses for tax deductions, and reconciling bank statements are daily accounting tasks. Can the platform handle the financial back end?

Dubsado

No expense tracking, no accounting features. Dubsado does not track expenses, connect to bank accounts, categorize transactions, or generate financial reports. The platform handles the revenue side (invoicing and payments) but not the cost side. Every payment collected through Dubsado still needs to be manually entered or synced into accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, or Wave. The Premier plan includes a QuickBooks integration through Zapier, but that connection handles basic data transfer, not real-time reconciliation. For tax season, all financial reporting comes from the accounting platform, not from Dubsado.

No expense tracking
No bank account connections
No profit-and-loss reporting
No tax preparation features
QuickBooks sync via Zapier only (Premier plan)

QuickBooks Online

Full accounting with bank feeds, categorization, and tax prep. QuickBooks Online connects directly to bank accounts and credit cards, automatically importing and categorizing transactions. The bank feed matching engine learns from manual corrections and improves accuracy over time. Expense categories align with tax schedules, so deductible expenses get flagged automatically. Financial reports include profit-and-loss statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and custom reports on higher plans. For service businesses, the mileage tracker and receipt capture on mobile add expense documentation without manual logging.

Bank feeds with automatic transaction matching
Tax-aligned expense categories
Profit-and-loss, balance sheet, and cash flow reports
Receipt capture and mileage tracking on mobile
Expense categorization accuracy requires training period
Full reporting only on Plus ($115/month) and above

Workflow automation

Repetitive tasks eat hours every week. Sending follow-up emails, triggering invoices after milestones, and reminding clients about incomplete forms are all sequences that could run on their own. Can the platform automate multi-step processes?

Dubsado

Multi-step workflow builder with conditional logic. Dubsado's Premier plan ($55/month) includes a node-based workflow builder that chains actions together. A typical onboarding workflow might include: send contract, wait for signature, send invoice, wait for payment, send questionnaire, schedule kickoff call, and send reminder if the questionnaire sits incomplete for 3 days. The branching logic supports 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 weekly manual follow-up. The Starter plan ($35/month) has no automation at all.

Node-based visual workflow builder
Conditional branching based on client actions
Email, form, contract, and invoice triggers
Automation only on Premier ($55/month)
Starter plan has zero automation features
Complex workflows take hours to build initially

QuickBooks Online

Accounting automation, not client workflow automation. QuickBooks Online automates accounting tasks, not client interactions. Recurring transactions, scheduled invoices, automatic payment reminders, and bank feed categorization rules all run on their own. The Advanced plan ($275/month) adds workflow approvals where expense reports and purchase orders route through approval chains before processing. But there is no client-facing automation: no automated email sequences, no form triggers, no contract follow-ups, and no onboarding workflows. The automation in QuickBooks keeps the books current, not the client relationship.

Recurring transactions and scheduled invoices
Automatic payment reminders
Bank feed categorization rules
No client-facing email automation for follow-ups
No form or contract triggers for onboarding
Workflow approvals only on Advanced ($275/month)

Time tracking and billing

Consultants, designers, and agencies bill by the hour. Tracking time accurately and connecting those hours to invoices without manual data entry determines whether billable hours turn into revenue.

Dubsado

No time tracking at all. Dubsado does not include any form of time tracking. For hourly billing, time must be tracked in a separate tool (Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest at $0-12/month per user), and completed hours get entered manually into Dubsado invoices. Each invoicing cycle adds 10-20 minutes of data transfer per client. For service businesses that bill a mix of fixed-rate packages and hourly work, the fixed-rate invoicing handles packages and deposits through Dubsado's workflows, but hourly billing requires a workaround every time.

No built-in time tracker
No task-level time logging
Manual data entry required for hourly invoicing
Separate time tracking subscription needed ($0-12/month)

QuickBooks Online

Time tracking on Essentials and above. QuickBooks Essentials ($75/month) and higher plans include time tracking by client or project. Team members log hours, and those entries can be added to invoices. The connection between time entries and invoices exists, though it requires selecting which time entries to include on each invoice rather than flowing automatically. The Plus plan ($115/month) adds project-level time tracking with per-project revenue reporting, so hours tracked against a project feed into per-project margin analysis. QuickBooks includes a time tracker on Essentials and above, but time-to-invoice still requires manually selecting which entries to bill.

Time tracking by client or project
Time entries added to invoices
Per-project revenue reports on Plus plan
Time tracking requires Essentials ($75/month) minimum
Time-to-invoice requires manual selection per entry
No task-level tracking with subtasks or dependencies

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?

Dubsado

Project status tracking with workflow triggers. Dubsado tracks projects through customizable statuses and tags. Projects can be organized by client, type, and current phase. 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 project management stops at status tracking. There are no Kanban boards, no Gantt charts, no subtasks, no task assignments, no task dependencies, and no timeline views. For multi-deliverable projects that span weeks, a separate tool like Trello or Asana typically runs alongside Dubsado.

Customizable project statuses and tags
Status-triggered automation on Premier
No Kanban boards, so progress tracking happens elsewhere
No task assignments or subtasks for team work
No Gantt charts or timeline views for scheduling
No task dependencies, so delays don't cascade automatically

QuickBooks Online

Project tracking focused on financial performance. QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) and above include project tracking that connects hours, expenses, and income to each project. The per-project dashboard shows revenue vs. costs at a per-project level, so each engagement's margins are visible. But the project tracking is financial, not operational. There are no Kanban boards, no task lists, no milestone tracking, no team collaboration features, and no progress indicators. QuickBooks tells whether a project made money but not whether tasks and deliverables are on schedule. Platforms with Kanban boards and timeline views handle task assignments, deadlines, and progress tracking.

Per-project revenue and expense tracking
Per-project revenue dashboards
No Kanban boards or task lists for managing deliverables
No milestone or progress tracking, so deadlines are invisible
No team collaboration tools for shared workflows
Project tracking requires Plus plan ($115/month)

Scheduling and client communication

Service businesses need to book calls, send follow-ups, and keep clients informed without jumping between a calendar app, an email tool, and the CRM. Can the platform handle client-facing scheduling and communication?

Dubsado

Scheduling and client portal on the Premier plan only. Dubsado's Premier plan ($55/month) includes a rebuilt scheduler that syncs with external calendars and lets clients book directly through a branded scheduling page. The client portal gives clients access to contracts, invoices, forms, and project updates in one place. Communication happens through the portal and email, with message logs stored per client. The scheduler handles service business bookings: discovery calls, consultation bookings, and project kickoffs all work through the same system that handles contracts and invoicing.

Client scheduling on Premier plan
Client portal for documents and messages
Calendar sync with external calendars
Scheduling requires Premier plan ($55/month)
No custom domain for client portal
Client portal shows Dubsado branding, which undercuts premium positioning

QuickBooks Online

No scheduling, no client portal, no communication tools. QuickBooks Online has no scheduling feature, no client-facing portal, and no built-in communication tools. Client contact in QuickBooks is limited to invoice notification emails and payment receipts. There is no way for clients to book calls, view project status, access shared documents, or communicate through the platform. Service businesses using QuickBooks for accounting need separate tools for scheduling (Calendly, Acuity, or similar at $0-23/month) and client communication (email or a dedicated portal tool).

No scheduling or booking features for client calls
No client portal for sharing documents or updates
No client communication tools beyond invoice emails
Client contact limited to invoice emails and payment receipts
Separate scheduling tool required ($0-23/month)

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Get proposals, projects, and billing in one app

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

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Dubsado vs QuickBooks pricing breakdown

Dubsado and QuickBooks solve different problems, so direct pricing comparison requires looking at what each dollar buys. Running both platforms together for a complete client-to-accounting workflow costs $73-130/month before adding project management tools.

Dubsado Pricing (2026)

Starter: $35/month ($335/year). Contracts, invoicing, forms, client portals, calendar sync, unlimited projects. No automation, no scheduling, no public proposals. Includes 3 users.
Premier: $55/month ($525/year). Adds automated workflows, scheduling, public proposals, Zapier integration, and QuickBooks sync. 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.

QuickBooks Online Pricing (2026)

Simple Start: $38/month. 1 user. Invoicing, expense tracking, bank feeds, receipt capture, basic financial reports, mileage tracking.
Essentials: $75/month. Up to 3 users. Adds bill management, time tracking, multi-currency support.
Plus: $115/month. Up to 5 users. Adds inventory tracking, per-project revenue tracking, purchase orders, budgeting.
Advanced: $275/month. Up to 25 users. Adds workflow approvals, batch invoicing, custom roles, and priority support.
Payroll add-on: $50-134/month base plus $6-10 per employee.

The real cost: running both platforms together

A solo consultant using Dubsado Starter ($35/month) for client management and QuickBooks Simple Start ($38/month) for accounting pays $73/month. The same consultant on Dubsado Premier ($55/month) with QuickBooks Essentials ($75/month) for time tracking pays $130/month. Neither combination includes Kanban boards, task management, or visual project tracking.

The typical service business stack adds more tools on top:

Dubsado Starter + QuickBooks Simple Start: $73/month (no automation, no time tracking)
Dubsado Premier + QuickBooks Essentials: $130/month (automation + time tracking)
Project management: Trello Free or Asana Starter ($0-11/month)
Scheduling (if on Dubsado Starter): Calendly or Acuity ($0-23/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: Dubsado is worth the investment for client workflow automation. QuickBooks is necessary for real accounting and tax compliance. Running both covers a complete workflow but at $73-130/month with gaps in Kanban boards, task assignments, and deadline tracking.

Which tool fits specific business types?

Dubsado and QuickBooks serve different functions, so the right choice depends on whether the business pain is on the client-facing side or the financial back end. Most service businesses end up needing both, plus a project management tool.

Photographers and event planners

Dubsado covers the client-facing workflow. Contracts, questionnaires, scheduling, and automated onboarding sequences target service businesses that juggle multiple clients at different project stages. QuickBooks enters the picture at tax season or when the business grows large enough to need real expense tracking and financial reporting. Most photographers running Dubsado also run QuickBooks (or Xero) alongside it, with the two platforms not sharing data automatically unless Zapier bridges the gap on the Premier plan.

Freelance consultants and coaches

QuickBooks Essentials ($75/month) covers invoicing, time tracking, and expense management in one place. Consultants who bill hourly can track time and create invoices from the same platform. But there are no contracts, no scheduling, and no client portal. The consultant still needs a separate contract tool, a scheduling app, and a way to manage project deliverables. Dubsado fills those gaps, but at $35-55/month on top of QuickBooks. Platforms with task-level time tracking that flows into invoices handle hourly billing more directly.

Small agencies (2-5 people)

Both platforms struggle with team collaboration. Dubsado includes 3 users on every plan, but project management stops at status tracking. QuickBooks Essentials allows 3 users, but there are no shared task boards or team dashboards. An agency managing 10+ active projects needs Kanban boards, task assignments, and deadline tracking, none of which exists in either platform. The agency stack typically looks like Dubsado + QuickBooks + Asana or ClickUp, running $100-175/month across three subscriptions.

E-commerce and product businesses

QuickBooks covers this use case. Inventory tracking on the Plus plan ($115/month), purchase orders, and vendor management handle product-based operations that Dubsado cannot touch. Dubsado focuses on service workflows, not product sales. Product businesses rarely need Dubsado at all unless they also offer consulting or services alongside physical products.

Bookkeepers and accountants

QuickBooks has been the default for client accounting work for years. Most bookkeepers use QuickBooks Online Accountant (the free practitioner version) to manage multiple client books. Dubsado would handle the bookkeeper's own client intake, contracts, and invoicing for their bookkeeping practice. The two serve separate purposes: QuickBooks for doing the client work, Dubsado for managing the business that does the client work.

What both tools are missing

Dubsado automates client workflows and QuickBooks manages accounting. But service businesses need more than client intake and bookkeeping, and both platforms leave gaps in task boards, time tracking, and team collaboration.

No project management on either platform

Neither Dubsado nor QuickBooks includes real project management. Dubsado tracks project statuses and QuickBooks tracks project finances, but neither has Kanban boards, Gantt charts, task lists with assignments, subtasks with nesting, or task dependencies that automatically shift dates when something slips. For a service business managing 5-10 active client projects, task assignments, deadline tracking, and progress updates happen in Trello, Asana, ClickUp, or similar, adding a third subscription and another login to the daily workflow. Platforms with Kanban boards and timeline views handle project completion without adding another app.

No connected time-to-invoice flow

Dubsado has no time tracking. QuickBooks has time tracking on Essentials and above, but converting time entries to invoices requires manually selecting which entries to bill. Neither platform offers the direct flow where a task timer stops, the hours appear on a draft invoice, and the invoice sends with one click. For consultants billing 20-30 hours across 5 clients per week, the manual step of assembling each invoice from time entries adds 15-30 minutes per invoicing cycle. Platforms with task-level time tracking that feeds directly into invoice line items remove that manual assembly entirely.

No white-labeled client portal

Dubsado includes a client portal with logo and color customization but the Dubsado URL stays visible. QuickBooks has no client portal at all. Neither platform offers a branded portal on a custom domain where clients see only the business's branding. For agencies and premium service providers, client-facing interfaces with third-party branding undercut the positioning. Platforms like Plutio support fully branded portals on a custom domain.

No proposal builder

Dubsado Premier has public proposals where clients select packages, sign contracts, and pay deposits in one flow. QuickBooks has estimates that can convert to invoices, but these are basic line-item documents with no interactivity. Neither platform has a drag-and-drop proposal builder with branded templates, embedded images, and interactive pricing tables. For service businesses where the proposal is part of the sales experience, both platforms require either manual document creation or a separate proposal tool like PandaDoc or Better Proposals ($19-49/month).

No subscription billing

Retainer clients on monthly payments are common across consulting, coaching, design, and marketing. Neither Dubsado nor QuickBooks 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 complete each payment. 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 the two-tool stack is not enough

When Dubsado handles client intake and QuickBooks handles accounting but neither covers finishing projects, teams take one of two paths: keep adding tools and accept the manual handoffs, or move to a platform designed for the complete client lifecycle.

The typical multi-tool stack

Most service businesses assembling a Dubsado + QuickBooks workflow end up with something like this:

Dubsado for contracts, forms, scheduling, and client onboarding ($35-55/month)
QuickBooks Online for accounting, expense tracking, and tax preparation ($38-115/month)
Trello, Asana, or ClickUp for project management and task tracking ($0-25/month)
Calendly or Acuity for scheduling if on Dubsado Starter ($0-23/month)
Toggl or Clockify for time tracking if not on QuickBooks Essentials ($0-12/month per user)

The total runs $73-230/month for a solo user, with three to five logins and constant data transfer between each tool.

The hidden cost: handoffs between platforms

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 Asana, start time tracking in Toggl, and eventually copy completed hours into a QuickBooks invoice. When the invoice is paid in QuickBooks, that payment status does not update in Dubsado automatically (unless Zapier bridges the Premier plan). Each handoff takes 5-15 minutes. Across 15-20 clients per year, that is 25-40 hours annually spent on data transfer that a single platform would handle automatically.

The all-in-one alternative

All-in-one platforms exist that handle proposals, project management, time tracking, and invoicing in a single system. The trade-off is that all-in-one platforms typically don't match QuickBooks for full accounting (bank reconciliation, tax prep, payroll), so businesses that need real bookkeeping keep QuickBooks alongside an all-in-one client management platform. The difference is replacing Dubsado + Asana + Toggl with one tool rather than replacing everything.

What the all-in-one switch looks like in practice

If the workflow already spans multiple tools: Plutio is one platform that covers the client-facing side. 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. QuickBooks can still handle the accounting alongside Plutio, but the three or four other tools in the stack get replaced by one. The comparison table below shows exactly where Plutio fills the gaps that Dubsado and QuickBooks leave open.

Final verdict: Dubsado vs QuickBooks Online

Dubsado and QuickBooks Online solve different problems. Comparing them directly is like comparing a CRM to a spreadsheet: they overlap at invoicing and diverge everywhere else. The real question is not which one wins, but whether the business needs both, and what else is needed alongside them.

Dubsado trade-offs:

Dubsado's Premier plan chains contracts, forms, invoices, and emails into automated sequences, but the Starter plan ($35/month) has no automation, no scheduling, and no proposals. The automation only exists at $55/month.
Setup takes days, not hours (Capterra Ease of Use: 3.6/5 across 60 reviews), and a cottage industry of setup specialists exists because configuration demands real effort.
There is no expense tracking, no accounting, no time tracking, and no real project management. Everything after the intake phase needs separate tools.

QuickBooks Online trade-offs:

QuickBooks handles bank reconciliation, expense categorization, and financial reporting, but has no contracts, no forms, no scheduling, no client portal, and no workflow automation. Everything before the invoice happens in a separate tool.
The Simple Start plan ($38/month) limits to 1 user. Time tracking requires the Essentials plan at $75/month.
Pricing has increased over 50% in 5 years (Capterra: 4.3/5 across 8,100+ reviews), and most bookkeepers default to QuickBooks because of practitioner access, not because of feature advantages.

Consider a unified platform if:

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

The reality: Most service businesses need accounting software (QuickBooks or Xero) regardless. The question is what handles everything else: one connected platform or three separate tools. Migration from a multi-tool stack typically takes a focused weekend, and the ongoing time savings recover that investment within a month.

The bottom line: Dubsado automates client intake. QuickBooks manages the books. Both handle invoicing, but from opposite directions. Running both costs $73-130/month with no project management included. If the workflow already spans multiple tools and the handoffs between them eat into billable hours, the comparison table below shows how platforms like Plutio stack up against both.

Research & Sources

The comparison below 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)

Dubsado: 4.2/5 on Capterra (60 reviews), Ease of Use 3.6/5. Reviewers mention workflow automation and form customization. Criticized for steep learning curve, slow product updates, and demanding initial setup.
QuickBooks Online: 4.3/5 on Capterra (8,100+ reviews), 4.0/5 on G2. Reviewers mention accounting features, bank feed accuracy, and accountant ecosystem. Criticized for rising prices (50%+ increase over 5 years), October 2025 interface update issues, and slow customer support response times.
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)

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 dense with so many options."

QuickBooks Online users frequently mention: "The new invoice layout is slow and cumbersome," "A 1-minute process now takes 5 minutes," "Customer service never responds to open cases," "Prices keep increasing every year for the same features."

Pricing sources (verified February 2026)

Dubsado: Official pricing page - Starter $35/month ($335/year), Premier $55/month ($525/year)
QuickBooks Online: Official pricing page - Simple Start $38/month, Essentials $75/month, Plus $115/month, Advanced $275/month
Plutio: Official pricing page

Feature verification

Dubsado Capterra reviews (60 reviews, 4.2/5)
QuickBooks Online Capterra reviews (8,100+ reviews, 4.3/5)
Dubsado feature comparison table
QuickBooks Online plan comparison

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

Dubsado vs QuickBooks vs Plutio: full feature comparison

See how all three tools compare on client management, task boards, time tracking, invoicing, and accounting

PRICING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Starting price	$19/month (Core plan)	$28-44/month (Starter plan, Dec 2025 pricing)	$38/month (Simple Start), promo: 50% off for first 3 months
Free plan	No free plan (14-day trial available)	No free plan (21-day trial)	No free plan (30-day trial)
Trial period	14-day free trial	21-day free trial (all Premier features)	30-day free trial
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Manage projects and tasks	Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow	Projects with task boards	Basic project tracking (Plus plan and above, limited to budgets and time)
Project roles and permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project	3 fixed roles (Basic, Accountant, Admin)	No project-level roles or permissions
Multiple task boards	Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project	You cannot use task boards	No Kanban, Gantt, or calendar views
Embeddable project boards	Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites	You cannot embed project views	No embeddable boards
Sharable project boards	Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk	You can share via the client portal only	No sharable boards
Project stages and milestones	Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work	You can use project statuses, but no milestones	No custom project statuses
Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices	Everything related stays connected to the project automatically	Proposals, contracts, and invoices live inside projects	Projects link to invoices and expenses (no proposals or contracts)
Custom project data fields	Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data	Basic custom fields	No custom project fields
Kanban boards	Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns	Kanban view added in Dubsado 3.0 (Nov 2025)	No Kanban board
Table view	Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet	Table view is the default task display in Dubsado 3.0	Transaction list view within projects
List view	Clean task lists with clear hierarchy	You can manage tasks in simple lists	Transaction list view within projects
Calendar view	See tasks and deadlines on a calendar	You can see deadlines and appointments on a calendar	No calendar view
Gantt view	Plan work visually with task order and dependencies	You cannot view work on a gantt chart	No Gantt chart
Subtasks	Break work down into multiple nested levels	You cannot split tasks into subtasks	No subtask support
Email to task	Turn emails into tasks without manual copying	You cannot create tasks from emails	No email to task
Task comments	Keep discussions tied directly to each task	You cannot comment on tasks	No task management system
Task attachments	Store files directly on the task they belong to	You can upload files, but not attach them to tasks	No task management system
Task priorities	Define priority levels that fit your workflow	You cannot set task priorities	No task management system
Task labels & color coding	Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks	You cannot label or color-code tasks	No task management system
Multiple task assignees	Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates	You cannot assign tasks to multiple people	No task assignees
Task templates	Reuse task-level structures across projects	You can reuse workflows and form templates	No task templates
Task permissions	Control access at the individual task level	You cannot set permissions per task	No task-level permissions
Task dependencies	Prevent work from starting out of order	You cannot link tasks together	No task dependencies
Recurring tasks	Automate repeating work with flexible schedules	You cannot create recurring tasks	Recurring transactions only (not tasks)
Custom task data fields	Add task-level fields for tracking custom details	Basic custom fields	No custom task fields
TIME TRACKING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Time tracking system	Easily track time using timers or manual entries	Built-in time tracker (Premier plan only, enhanced in 3.0)	Built-in time tracking (Essentials plan and above)
Task-level tracking	Log time directly against tasks and subtasks	Time tracker available (Premier plan)	Time tracked per service item and project (not per task)
Project-level tracking	See time spent per project and per client	Time tracked per project (Premier plan)	Time tracked per project (Plus and Advanced plans)
Billable time tracking	Clearly separate billable and non-billable time	Billable hours logged to invoices (Premier plan)	Billable and non-billable time categorization
Billable time invoicing	Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps	Tracked time can be added to invoices (Premier plan)	Add billable time directly to invoices
Timesheet reports	View detailed time reports by task, project, or client	Basic time logs (Premier plan)	Detailed time reports available
Team timesheets	See how each team member tracks their time	You cannot see team time reports	Team timesheets with weekly view (Essentials plan and above)
PROPOSALS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create and send proposals	Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow	Proposals with pricing tables	Estimates only (not full proposals)
Drag-and-drop proposal builder	Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code	You can build proposals using drag-and-drop forms	No visual proposal builder
Reusable proposal templates	Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients	You can use proposal templates	Estimate templates available (not full proposals)
Real-time proposal analytics	See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed	You cannot see proposal view analytics	No proposal view tracking
Live messenger on proposals	Answer questions directly while clients review proposals	You cannot chat inside proposals	No in-proposal messaging
Proposal flow automation	Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically	You can add proposal items like services or products	Estimate to invoice only
Convert proposal to invoice	Create invoices directly from approved proposals	Accepted proposals create invoices	Convert estimates to invoices
Packages and add-ons	Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals	You can offer packages and add-ons	No packages or add-ons
Interactive pricing tables	Let clients choose options before approving	Pricing updates based on selections	Static pricing only
Dynamic data and variables	Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data	You can use smart fields	Basic placeholders available
Expiration dates	Automatically expire proposals after a set date	You cannot set proposal expiry dates	Manual expiry dates on estimates
PDF Export	Download as branded PDFs	You can download proposal PDFs	PDF export included
Reusable content blocks	Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand	You can reuse form sections	No reusable content blocks
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals	Clients can sign documents online	Basic e-signature on estimates (DocuSign integration on Advanced plan)
Custom proposal data fields	Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on	Basic custom fields	Custom fields on Advanced plan only
CONTRACTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create and sign contracts	Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow	Contract creation with automation	QuickBooks Online does not handle contracts
Drag-and-drop contract builder	Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits	You can build contracts using form blocks	No contract builder
Legally binding e-signatures	Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification	Contracts support legal e-signatures	No e-signatures on contracts
Multi-signature / signees	Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract	You can collect multiple signatures, setup is limited	No multi-signature support
Reusable contract templates	Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster	You can use contract templates	No contract templates
Auto-reminders automation	Automatically follow up until contracts are signed	Reminders send automatically	No contract reminders
Dynamic data/variables	Auto-fill contract content with client and project data	You can use smart fields in contracts	No contract variables
Contract automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed	Contracts trigger workflows	No contract automation triggers
View notifications	See when contracts are opened and reviewed	You receive signing notifications	Invoice and estimate view notifications only
PDF download with signature certificate	Download signed contracts with official proof of signature	You can download signed PDFs	No contract signatures or certificates
Custom signer data fields	Collect structured signer information during signing	You cannot customize signer fields	No signer data fields
Custom contract data fields	Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on	Basic custom fields	No contract features
INVOICES & PAYMENTS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create invoices and get paid	Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow	Invoices with payment plans	Full invoicing with online payments (credit card, ACH, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo)
Fully branded invoices	Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout	You can brand invoices	Customizable invoice branding with logo, colors, and layout
Drag and drop invoice builder	Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits	Requires manual setup	Template-based editor only
Customizable line items	Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely	You can edit line items	Fully customizable line items with products/services catalog
Item or invoice discounts	Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level	You can apply discounts	Discounts supported
Customizable taxes	Create tax rules that match your location and use case	You can set tax rates	Automated sales tax calculation
ACH payments	Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments	You can accept bank payments	ACH bank payments supported
Stripe integration	Accept credit and debit cards instantly	You can accept payments via Stripe	QuickBooks Payments built-in (Stripe via third-party integration)
Square integration	Collect in-person payments when needed	You cannot accept payments via Square	Square integration for sales sync (not direct invoice payments)
PayPal integration	Let clients pay using PayPal	You cannot accept payments via PayPal	PayPal and Venmo payments on invoices
Flexible partial payments	Collect deposits and split payments across milestones	You can accept partial payments	Partial payments supported
Payment plans	Break invoices into scheduled installments	You can split invoices into payments	Recurring invoices only (no structured installment plans)
Automated recurring invoices	Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule	You can schedule invoices, not subscriptions	Automated recurring invoices with flexible schedules
Subscription management	Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing	You cannot manage subscriptions	Recurring invoices only (no subscription portal)
Automated payment reminders	Follow up automatically until invoices are paid	Payment reminders send automatically	Automated late payment reminders
Reusable invoice templates	Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time	You can reuse invoice templates	Reusable invoice templates available
Multiple currency support	Bill clients globally in their local currency	You can use one account currency	Multi-currency supported (Essentials plan and above)
Invoice automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid	Contracts trigger workflows	Recurring transaction automation (custom workflows on Advanced only)
View notifications	See when invoices are opened and paid	You receive signing notifications	Email notifications when invoices are viewed and paid
Built-in expense tracking	Track project-related costs alongside invoices	You cannot track expenses	Full expense tracking with receipt scanning, bank sync, and auto-categorization
Invoice deposits	Collect upfront payments before work starts	You can request deposits	Deposit invoicing supported
Auto-invoice billable time	Turn tracked time into invoices automatically	There is no time to convert	Add billable time directly to invoices
Custom invoice data fields	Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on	Basic custom fields	Custom fields on sales forms (3 fields on Plus, more on Advanced)
INBOX Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Centralized unified inbox	Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox	Messages and emails live in one place	No unified inbox
Full email integration	Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place	You can sync your email	No email integration (notifications only)
Embeddable live chat	Add real-time chat to your website and client portals	You cannot add live chat to your site	No live chat
Instant direct messages	Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace	You cannot DM teammates	No direct messaging
Contextual project conversations	Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to	Messages are tied to projects	No project messaging
Team channels	Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions	You cannot create team channels	No team channels
Customized channels	Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow	Channels are not supported	No channels
@mentions	Notify teammates instantly inside conversations	You cannot mention teammates	No @mentions
Message read receipts	See when messages are read	You can see when clients read messages	No read receipts
File sharing in chat	Share files directly inside conversations	You can share files in messages	No chat feature
Shared email inbox	Collaborate on incoming emails as a team	Team email is not shared	No shared inbox
Inbox mobile app	Access and respond to messages on mobile	Mobile inbox available	No inbox feature
Email reply to inbox	Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced	Email replies sync to conversations	No inbox feature
FILES Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Store and manage files	Keep all client and project files in one organized place	Files are stored per project only	File attachments on transactions (no centralized file manager)
Advanced folder organization	Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose	Requires manual setup	No folder organization
Folder permissions	Control who can view or edit folders	Requires manual setup	No folder permissions
People folders	Group files by person when needed	Requires manual setup	No people folders
Project folders	Keep files scoped to each project	Requires manual setup	Files organized within project transactions
In-app previews	Preview files instantly without downloading	Requires manual setup	Basic file previews for receipts and documents
Custom file data fields	Capture file metadata you can sort and filter	You can add custom fields to forms and records	No custom file fields
Built-in documents	Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio	Requires manual setup	No built-in document editor
Comments on files and docs	Leave comments directly on files and documents	Requires manual setup	No file comments
Bulk file actions	Move, tag, or manage many files at once	Requires manual setup	No bulk file actions
Files search & filter	Find files quickly using search and filters	Requires manual setup	Basic search across transactions
External cloud sync	Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox	Requires manual setup	Google Drive and Dropbox integrations
Secure sharing controls	Restrict access with permissions or passwords	Requires manual setup	Account-level role-based access
File sharing links	Share files externally with controlled access	Requires manual setup	No shareable file links
SCHEDULING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Schedule meetings	Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails	Custom scheduler with workflows	QuickBooks Online does not have scheduling
Branded booking page	Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor	Branding options are limited	No booking pages
Advanced availability management	Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings	You can control availability	No availability management
Automatic buffer times	Add buffer time automatically between meetings	You can add buffer times	No buffer times
Multiple meeting types	Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups	You can offer multiple appointment types	No meeting types
Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)	Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically	Requires manual setup	No calendar sync for scheduling
Customizable booking confirmations	Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits	Confirmation customization is limited	No booking confirmations
Redirect after booking	Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page	You cannot redirect after booking	No booking system
Booking automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked	Contracts trigger workflows	No booking automation
Smart meeting reminders	Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups	Meeting reminders send automatically	No meeting reminders
Automatic timezone detection	Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments	Timezones adjust automatically	Account timezone setting only
Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)	Collect payments during booking without extra steps	Requires manual setup	No paid appointments
Custom booking forms	Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout	Booking forms are fixed	No booking forms
Minimum notice / daily booking limits	Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume	You can set booking limits	No booking limits
Rescheduling and cancellation controls	Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations	Clients can reschedule or cancel	No scheduling controls
AUTOMATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Automated workflows builder	Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates	Visual node-based Flows builder	Custom workflows (Advanced plan only, $275/month)
Trigger-based workflows	Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments	You can automate automation actions with workflows	Bank rules and transaction triggers (custom workflows on Advanced only)
Schedule-based workflows	Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals	Workflows cannot repeat on a schedule	Recurring transactions only (no independent schedule workflows)
Multi-step workflows	Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation	Workflows can include multiple steps	Multi-condition workflows (Advanced plan only)
True/False branching	Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows	Branching exists, but is limited	Conditional approval workflows (Advanced plan only)
Delay-based actions	Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days	You can delay workflow steps	Payment reminder delays only
Create & update records	Create, update, or move records automatically across the system	Creation actions are limited	Auto-create recurring invoices and transactions
Move & duplicate records	Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup	Items cannot be duplicated automatically	Duplicate estimates and transactions manually
Delete & archive records	Automatically archive or remove records based on rules	Items cannot be deleted automatically	Manual deletion and voiding only
API calls (webhooks)	Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems	You cannot use APIs or webhooks	Full REST API and webhooks via Intuit Developer Platform
Send emails	Send automated emails tied to real workflow events	Workflows can send emails	Automated invoice and reminder emails
Post comments	Add notes or comments automatically where work happens	You cannot post comments via automation	No automated comments
Complete automation logs	See exactly what ran, when, and why	You cannot view automation logs	Audit trail tracks all user actions and changes
Auto-fill data/variables	Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping	You can use smart fields	Basic invoice placeholders
Cross-entity connections	Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more	Forms, payments, and bookings trigger workflows	Invoices link to projects and customers (limited cross-entity scope)
FORMS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Create branded forms	Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience	Branded forms with smart fields	No form builder
Drag-and-drop form builder	Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required	You can build contracts using form blocks	No form builder
Reusable form templates	Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch	You can reuse form templates	No form feature
Custom form data fields	Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on	You can add custom fields to forms and records	No form feature
Smart conditional logic	Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms	Fields can change based on answers	No form feature
Instant email notifications	Get notified immediately when forms are submitted	You can email on submission	Invoice and payment notifications only
Form automation triggers	Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted	Contracts trigger workflows	No form feature
Embed forms	Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions	You can embed forms	No form feature
Advanced field preferences	Control required, hidden, and default field behavior	Field behavior is limited	No form feature
Comprehensive field types	Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more	Field types are limited	No form feature
Form signature field	Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms	Forms can include signatures	No form feature
File upload fields	Accept file uploads as part of form submissions	Clients can upload files	Receipt capture via mobile app (not form-based)
Redirect after submission	Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page	You cannot redirect after submit	No form feature
CRM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Manage clients and leads	Manage contacts and companies in one connected system	CRM with auto-created client records	Basic customer and vendor contact management (no pipeline or lead tracking)
Full company management	Track organizations, not just individual contacts	Companies exist, contacts come first	Customer records for individuals and companies (basic info only)
Custom contact data fields	Collect and manage structured contact data you define	You can add CRM fields	Custom fields on customers (all plans)
Complete activity timeline	See every interaction with a client in one place	You can see full activity history	Full transaction history per customer
Contacts labeling and grouping	Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines	You can tag and segment contacts	Customer types and sub-customers (no tags or segmentation)
WIKI Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Comprehensive knowledge base	Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides	You cannot create an internal wiki	No knowledge base
Beautiful rich text pages	Write structured, formatted content without complexity	Not supported	No rich text pages
Unlimited nested pages	Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits	Not supported	No nested pages
Granular page permissions	Control exactly who can view or edit each page	Not supported	No wiki feature
DASHBOARDS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Custom dashboards and pages	Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics	Dubsado has a home page, not custom dashboards	Performance Center, custom reports, and Business Performance dashboard (Fathom removed July 2022)
Drag-and-drop dashboard builder	Design dashboards visually with full layout control	Included	No custom dashboard builder
Charts widget	Visualize data with customizable charts	Requires manual setup	Financial charts (P&L, cash flow, expense breakdown)
Metrics widget	Track key numbers without manual reporting	Included	Key financial metrics displayed
Goals widget	Monitor progress toward defined goals	Not supported	No goals widget
Notes widget	Add contextual notes directly to dashboards	Not supported	No notes widget
Calendar widget	View upcoming events alongside work and metrics	Included	No calendar widget
Financial widgets	Track revenue and expenses in the same view	Included	Comprehensive financial widgets (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, A/R, A/P)
BRANDING Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
White-label and branding	Run the entire platform under your brand	Dubsado branding, not white-label	Branding on invoices only (cannot remove QuickBooks branding)
Custom interface theme	Apply your brand colors across the system	Color themes on Deliver+ (no Free plan theme customization)	Color themes on Deliver+ (no Free plan theme customization)
Stylesheet customization	Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming	You cannot apply custom CSS	No custom CSS
Custom login/signup pages	Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens	Login pages cannot be customized	No custom login pages
Email branding	Send all system emails with your branding	You can brand outgoing emails	Logo on emails (limited customization)
Custom brand fonts	Use your own fonts throughout the platform	You cannot use custom fonts	No custom fonts
Custom brand logos	Replace all platform logos with your own	You can add your logo	Logo upload on invoices and sales forms
Custom domain name	Run everything on your own domain	Not supported	No custom domain
Custom email SMTP	Send emails from your own email infrastructure	Not supported	No custom SMTP
Full workspace embedding	Embed Plutio directly into your website or product	Not supported	No workspace embedding
CUSTOMIZATION Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Flexible workspace setup	Shape the platform to match how your business works	Dubsado has fixed workspace	Fixed workspace structure
Main menu editor	Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely	You cannot customize navigation	Dashboard report tiles can be rearranged (limited menu control)
User-based menus	Show different navigation for different roles	Menus are the same for all users	Menu varies by user role (not customizable)
Custom user roles	Create role types beyond preset permissions	You cannot define custom roles	Custom roles on Advanced plan only ($275/month)
Advanced user permissions	Control access at a granular level	Permissions are not configurable	Role-based permissions (custom roles on Advanced plan only)
SSO / OAuth	Support enterprise-grade single sign-on	You cannot use SSO	No SSO for end users (OAuth 2.0 for API only)
INTEGRATIONS Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Connect with other tools	Integrate with external systems without lock-in	Zapier only	800+ integrations in the QuickBooks App Store
Zapier integration	Connect to thousands of apps without custom code	You can connect Dubsado to Zapier	Zapier integration supported
Make.com integration	Build advanced automation scenarios visually	You cannot connect via Make	Make.com integration available
Pabbly Connect	Connect services without usage-based limits	You cannot connect via Pabbly	Possible via API
Full REST API access	Build custom integrations with full system access	You cannot access an API	Full REST API via Intuit Developer Platform
Incoming & outgoing webhooks	Send and receive real-time events	You cannot use webhooks	Webhooks supported via developer platform
PLATFORM Collapse	Plutio 198/199	Dubsado 91/199	QuickBooks Online 43/199
Mobile apps	Access your business from native mobile apps	iOS and Android with Tap to Pay	iOS and Android apps with receipt scanning and mileage tracking
iOS app	Full-featured iPhone app	You can use Dubsado on iOS	Full iOS app available
Android app	Full-featured Android app	You can use Dubsado on Android	Full Android app available
Mac desktop app	Native macOS app for desktop workflows	There is no desktop app	No Mac desktop app (QuickBooks Online is web-based only)
Windows desktop app	Native Windows app for desktop workflows	There is no desktop app	No Windows desktop app (QuickBooks Online is web-based only)

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Dubsado vs QuickBooks FAQ

Is Dubsado the same thing as QuickBooks?

Dubsado and QuickBooks serve different purposes. Dubsado is a client workflow platform for contracts, forms, invoicing, and onboarding automation. QuickBooks Online is accounting software for expense tracking, bank reconciliation, tax preparation, and financial reporting. The only overlap is invoicing, and each platform handles invoicing differently.

Can Dubsado replace QuickBooks for accounting?

Dubsado cannot replace QuickBooks for accounting. Dubsado has no expense tracking, no bank feeds, no profit-and-loss reporting, no tax preparation, and no payroll. Payments collected through Dubsado still need to be recorded in accounting software. Dubsado handles the client-facing workflow, and QuickBooks handles the financial back end.

Can QuickBooks replace Dubsado for client management?

QuickBooks cannot replace Dubsado for client management. QuickBooks has no contracts, no e-signatures, no lead capture forms, no questionnaires, no workflow automation, no scheduling, and no client portal. Client records in QuickBooks are billing entries. Everything that happens before and around the invoice (onboarding, communication, project coordination) needs a separate tool.

How much does it cost to run Dubsado and QuickBooks together?

Running Dubsado Starter ($35/month) with QuickBooks Simple Start ($38/month) costs $73/month. Dubsado Premier ($55/month) with QuickBooks Essentials ($75/month) costs $130/month. Neither combination includes project management, so adding Asana or Trello brings the total to $73-155/month for the full stack.

Does Dubsado integrate with QuickBooks?

Dubsado's Premier plan ($55/month) includes QuickBooks integration through Zapier. The connection syncs basic data like invoices and payments between platforms. The Starter plan ($35/month) has no Zapier access, so Dubsado and QuickBooks data must be moved manually. The integration handles basic syncing but not real-time bank reconciliation.

Does Dubsado have time tracking?

Dubsado does not include any time tracking feature. For hourly billing, time must be tracked in a separate tool (Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest at $0-12/month per user) and entered manually into Dubsado invoices. Platforms like Plutio include task-level time tracking that flows directly into invoices.

Does QuickBooks have contracts and e-signatures?

QuickBooks Online does not include contracts, e-signatures, or any form of client agreement management. Contracts must be created and signed through a separate tool (Dubsado, HoneyBook, DocuSign, or similar). QuickBooks tracks the financial side of client relationships but not the legal agreements.

Which is better for photographers, Dubsado or QuickBooks?

Dubsado fits the photography client workflow: contracts, questionnaires, scheduling, and automated onboarding sequences. QuickBooks fits photography business accounting: tracking expenses, mileage, equipment depreciation, and preparing tax returns. Most photographers end up running both platforms together.

Does QuickBooks have workflow automation?

QuickBooks automates accounting tasks: recurring transactions, scheduled invoices, automatic payment reminders, and bank feed categorization rules. The Advanced plan ($275/month) adds workflow approvals for expense reports. But there is no client-facing automation: no email sequences, no form triggers, no contract follow-ups, and no onboarding workflows.

Is Dubsado easy to set up?

Dubsado's setup is demanding. Most users report spending several days configuring their workspace before the first client interaction. The Capterra Ease of Use rating sits at 3.6/5 across 60 reviews, and a cottage industry of Dubsado setup specialists has emerged because the platform takes real effort to configure properly. Once configured, daily operations run more smoothly.

Can I use Plutio instead of Dubsado and QuickBooks?

Plutio replaces the client management side: proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, invoicing, and client portals for $19/month. Plutio does not replace QuickBooks for full accounting (bank reconciliation, tax prep, payroll). The typical switch replaces Dubsado + project management + time tracking with Plutio, while keeping QuickBooks for bookkeeping.

Does QuickBooks have a client portal?

QuickBooks Online does not include a client portal. Clients receive invoice emails and payment receipts, but there is no shared space for project documents, communication, or status updates. Dubsado includes a client portal with branding customization on every plan, though the portal URL still shows Dubsado's domain.

Which platform has better project management?

Neither platform has real project management. Dubsado tracks project statuses and tags. QuickBooks Plus ($115/month) tracks project finances. Neither has Kanban boards, task lists, subtasks, task dependencies, or timeline views. For managing tasks, tracking deadlines, and assigning deliverables, both require a separate tool. Plutio includes Kanban boards and timeline views without adding another app.

How does QuickBooks pricing compare to Dubsado?

QuickBooks Simple Start costs $38/month for one user with accounting features. Dubsado Starter costs $35/month for 3 users with client workflow features. The platforms solve different problems, so the comparison is not dollar-for-dollar. A service business needing both client workflows and accounting pays $73-130/month running both tools together.

Does Dubsado or QuickBooks support subscription billing?

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

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