All-in-one CRM for independent creative and service businesses
BidMaker
Free (3 proposals/mo), Pro $29/mo, Business $59/mo
HoneyBook
Starts at $19/mo (Starter, annual)
| Feature | BidMaker | HoneyBook |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan HoneyBook has a 7-day free trial; no permanent free tier | ||
| AI proposal generation HoneyBook has AI for automating client responses, not full proposal generation | ||
| Proposals | ||
| Contracts and e-signatures HoneyBook includes contracts + signatures on all plans | Business ($59/mo) | |
| Invoicing and payment collection HoneyBook processes client payments — a core feature | ||
| Client CRM (contact management) HoneyBook tracks the full client relationship lifecycle | ||
| Project pipeline management | ||
| Scheduling and calendar | ||
| Automated client workflows HoneyBook can auto-send follow-ups, intake forms, contracts based on triggers | ||
| PDF export | ||
| Built for service trades HoneyBook targets creatives (photographers, planners); BidMaker targets trades (cleaners, landscapers, contractors) | ||
| Simple setup (under 30 min) HoneyBook has a significant onboarding curve to configure workflows |
HoneyBook is a full client management system — proposals, contracts, invoices, payments, client communication, and project tracking all in one. BidMaker just does proposals. If you're drowning in client admin across multiple stages, HoneyBook solves more of your problems. If you just need better proposals and don't want to rebuild your entire workflow, BidMaker is faster.
Choose BidMaker if...
Choose HoneyBook if...
Probably. HoneyBook is a full client management system — proposals are one feature among many. If you already have invoicing and client communication sorted, paying $19-$79/month for HoneyBook to use 10% of its features doesn't make sense. BidMaker does the proposal piece better and for less.
HoneyBook is built for creative professionals. The templates, workflows, and default setup assume you're booking events or creative projects. BidMaker has templates and AI prompts built for trades: house cleaning bids, landscaping quotes, home improvement estimates. Different tool for a different customer.
HoneyBook's Starter plan is $19/mo (annual billing) with limited features; their most popular plan is $39/mo. BidMaker is free for 3 proposals/month, $29/mo for Pro. If you're only using it for proposals, BidMaker is cheaper at every tier. HoneyBook is worth the price if you're actually using the CRM, invoicing, and workflow features.
No. BidMaker handles proposals and e-signatures (on Business plan). For contracts, invoices, and payments, you'd use separate tools. HoneyBook wraps all of that into one platform.
Figuring out what to charge? These guides cover typical rates and what drives costs up or down.