TLDR (Summary)
Dubsado handles intake workflows but stops once the project work begins, so project management, time tracking, and client communication need separate tools on top. Plutio is a fully branded platform where proposals, projects, time tracking, invoicing, and client portals are all connected. When a proposal gets signed, the project creates itself, tracked hours flow into invoices, and clients check progress and pay from a branded portal.
Project management that Dubsado doesn't have
Dubsado 3.0 added Kanban views, but the platform still lacks task dependencies, Gantt charts, milestone tracking, and project templates. Plutio has all four built in.
Dubsado's project management amounts to a task list inside each project with drag-and-drop reordering. Multi-phase projects like website builds, brand identities, or event campaigns need a separate tool on top, which is why reviewers consistently note that Dubsado works as a CRM, not a project management tool.
Plutio's project management starts with Kanban boards and adds what Dubsado is missing: Gantt timelines that show dependencies between tasks, milestones that mark phase transitions, and templates that create entire project structures from a single click. A website project can have design, development, and launch phases with tasks that automatically unlock when the previous phase finishes.
But the bigger difference is how the project work and the business side connect. In Plutio, time tracked on a task feeds into an invoice line item, a completed milestone triggers a client notification, and project status updates in the client portal without sending a single email.
Plutio's project management connects tasks to time tracking, invoicing, and client portals, so the work and the business run from the same place.
Invoicing that connects to the work, not just the contract
Dubsado has invoicing, but hourly billing means manual line items every cycle because there's no time tracking to connect. Plutio's invoicing pulls tracked hours into invoices automatically.
In Plutio, invoices populate from a date range with every tracked hour, task name, and rate already filled in, so there's no copying from a separate tracker or reconciling from memory at the end of the month.
Recurring invoices auto-send on schedule with late payment reminders built in. Payment processing through Stripe, PayPal, or bank transfer happens inside the same platform. Multi-currency support lets international freelancers bill clients in local currencies without the workarounds that Dubsado's limited currency support forces.
Invoicing is where the real gap shows. In a Dubsado setup, invoicing is disconnected from project work because there's no time tracking to pull hours from. In Plutio, the invoice already knows what happened because time tracking, the project, and billing all share the same data.
Plutio's invoicing turns tracked hours into paid invoices without copying numbers between apps.
Proposals and contracts that create projects automatically
Dubsado has proposals and contracts, but the workflow ends at the signed document. In Plutio, a signed proposal creates the project, attaches the contract, and activates the client portal in one step.
Plutio's proposal builder includes drag-and-drop sections, pricing tables, and built-in e-signatures. Clients review and sign from any device. When the signature goes through, Plutio creates the project with pre-configured tasks and deadlines based on the proposal scope.
Contracts attach to proposals and projects, so the signed scope stays connected to the actual work. The client portal activates with branded access, and the first invoice can generate directly from the approved pricing in the proposal.
The entire pre-project workflow happens in one sequence. In Dubsado, every step after the signed contract needs manual recreation in separate tools... the project typically goes into a tool like Asana, files into Google Drive, and time tracking into Toggl.
In Plutio, a signed proposal becomes a live project with contracts, tasks, and client portal access, all from one signed document.
Time tracking built into every project
Dubsado has no time tracking at all. Freelancers billing hourly need Toggl, Harvest, or Clockify on top, then manually create invoice line items each billing cycle.
Plutio's time tracking runs inside every project. A built-in timer starts from any task with one click, or hours get logged manually with notes and rates attached. Billable and non-billable hours stay separated so only client-facing work hits the invoice.
At invoice time, tracked hours convert to line items with the task name, duration, and hourly rate already filled in, so there's no guesswork when the invoice goes out.
Time reports break down hours by project, client, or date range. The data shows exactly where billable hours went and which projects ran over budget, all from the same place where the projects and invoices live.
Every hour tracked in Plutio turns into an invoice line item without manual entry or app switching.
Client portals that show project progress
Dubsado's client portal shows forms, invoices, and contracts that have been sent to the client. Clients can't view project progress, upload files, or track milestones. Plutio's portals give clients a branded workspace for the entire project.
Plutio's client portals are branded with a custom logo, colors, and domain. Clients log in and see project progress alongside milestones, shared files, outstanding invoices, and messages.
Files upload directly to the project instead of arriving as email attachments. Messages attach to specific tasks so conversations stay in context. Clients approve deliverables and pay invoices from the portal without downloading separate apps or juggling multiple logins.
The portal replaces the email chains, the "just checking in" messages, and the status update requests that pile up between meetings. Clients see what's happening without asking, and freelancers don't need to write separate update emails.
Plutio's client portals replace status update emails with a branded space where clients track progress, share files, and pay invoices.
With Plutio we don't jump between apps anymore! Everything from projects to invoicing is finally connected in one fully-branded app.
How to switch from Dubsado to Plutio
Most freelancers switch between projects, finishing active work in Dubsado while starting new clients on Plutio.
- Start a free trial: Plutio offers 14 days of full access with no credit card required. Every feature, including projects, invoicing, proposals, time tracking, and client portals, works from day one.
- Import client contacts: Export contacts from Dubsado as a CSV and import them into Plutio. Client names, emails, and details carry over in minutes.
- Set up a project template: Create one project template with the standard task list, milestones, and deliverable structure. Every new project starts from the template instead of manual setup.
- Start new clients on Plutio: Send the next proposal from Plutio. When the client signs, the project creates automatically with the template structure, portal access, and contract attached.
- Finish Dubsado projects where they are: Active work stays in Dubsado until completion. Running both platforms in parallel avoids disrupting client relationships mid-project.
- Cancel Dubsado: Once all active projects wrap up, downgrade or cancel the Dubsado subscription. Export any remaining data as backup.
The hardest part of leaving Dubsado isn't the data migration. The hardest part is accepting that the weeks or months spent configuring workflows don't transfer anywhere. But every month on a platform that needs separate tools for project management and time tracking is another month managing disconnected apps that don't talk to each other.
The switch happens between projects, not mid-project. New clients start on Plutio while Dubsado projects finish naturally.
