HoneyBook Vs QuickBooks. Who wins?
It’s a tennis championship final at the Center Court, and two masters of the game are battling for the trophy. On one hand, we have HoneyBook and on another we have QuickBooks.
It’s an intense match of features and functionalities, as both tools are super helpful for a small business.
So, HoneyBook Vs QuickBooks. Who wins?
Let’s find out
QuickBooks Explained in Less Than 100 Words
QuickBooks is the OG of small business accounting software and has been around for 32 years. It offers plenty of accounting features, from invoicing to payroll to tax preparation.
QuickBooks dominates the US market, and over 80% of small businesses use the tool. Besides the US, the accounting software company has over 7 million global users.
You can find out more about QuickBooks in our detailed guide here.
HoneyBook Explained in Less Than 100 Words
HoneyBook is a relatively player, but nothing short of features. It is an all-in-one platform that combines client management with project management and invoicing. It is specifically designed for creatives and small businesses who want a hassle-free workflow.
The platform is all about intuitiveness and offers a simple platform that helps small businesses and plenty of automation and customization.
HoneyBook Vs QuickBooks Comparison Table
| Feature | HoneyBook | QuickBooks |
| Primary Focus | Project management, client communication, and invoicing | Accounting, bookkeeping, and financial reporting |
| Invoicing & Payments | Customizable invoices with online payment options | Detailed invoicing, payment tracking, and bank integration |
| Automation | Workflow automation for contracts, proposals, and reminders | Automation for recurring invoices, bill payments, and more |
| User Interface | Visual, intuitive, and user-friendly | More functional and data-driven |
| Free Trial | 7 days | 30 days |
Key Features
The HoneyBook Vs QuickBooks match is getting interesting and after reading a quick review of both players, you may want to dig deeper into their features. So, let’s find them out.
Who is it for?
Firstly, it’s important to talk about who is the main audience of both platforms. HoneyBook is targeted towards creatives, freelancers, independent contractors, and small business owners. Their core audience is photographers, designers, and wedding planners, who want to organize everything in one tool.
BTW if you are an independent contractor, we have covered a survival guide to bookkeeping for independent contractors.
QuickBooks is ideal for small businesses who want to simplify their accounting needs. The software comes with tons of features (more on that in a while) like financial tracking, reporting, and insights.
If you are a retailer, service provider, or any business that wants to streamline its finances, you’ll find QB ideal.
In this game, QuickBooks came out on top as it covers a broad range of businesses. However, if you are a designer or creative, HoneyBook is for you.
Types
Many service management tools come in different types, focusing on the type of business.
When it comes to HoneyBook, it doesn’t have any type, instead, it is an all-in-one client and project management tool.
QuickBooks comes in various types including, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Enterprise, and QuickBooks Self-Employed. This allows you to select the tool according to your business needs.
If we look at the types, there’s a clear winner; QuickBooks.
Platform
Many service tools feel like you are going through a maze. The complex interface makes the head spin. Fortunately, HoneyBook and QuickBooks have clean interfaces.
HoneyBook has an intuitive design and comes as a web and a mobile app, making it easier for you to manage projects anywhere.
QuickBooks interface depends on the type you are using. For instance, QuickBooks online is super simple to use with limited technical support. QuickBooks Enterprise comes with complex and advanced features that require deep learning. The software comes in desktop, web and mobile apps.
This game went to the deuce, but QuickBooks managed to win it.
Reporting
As mentioned above, HoneyBook is a client and project management tool. So, you can only get basic reporting that focuses on project status, payment tracking, and client insights.
As one of the best reporting software, QuickBooks shines in reporting and offers customizable reports, including profit/loss reports, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and more.
BTW if your business is struggling you may want to check if you have a cash flow problem.
So, for this game, QuickBooks was a clear winner.
Invoicing
Do you know most businesses manage 500 invoices per month? With such a number, you want flawless invoicing.
HoneyBook offers highly customizable invoices that complement its project management features. You can create branded invoices, send them to clients, and track payments within one platform.
QuickBooks also offers solid invoicing with advanced features like recurring invoices, detailed line items, and integration with expenses. It’s less visually appealing than HoneyBooks but focuses more on the financial tracking part.
It was a close game, but QuickBooks won again.
Payments
HoneyBook accepts online payments through credit cards and bank transfers. You can do invoicing, contracts, and payments in one go. Also, you can accept payments from clients through bank transfers.
There’s a cool feature called Scheduled Payment, where you can schedule the payment, and it’ll send reminders to clients.
Through QuickBooks Payment, you can accept through card payments, bank transfers, and mobile payments. You can schedule and pay bills with QuickBooks Online. The good thing is that as you pay, QuickBooks keeps a record as part of automatic bookkeeping. This is super helpful when the tax season comes.
With a lot of payment options, QuickBooks has won this game.
Integration and Add-ons
HoneyBook integrates well with client management tools like Zapier, Gmail, and Google Calendar. It also offers automation features like sending emails to clients and automatic follow-up, and with AI-composer, you can write cool emails.
Fun Fact: You can integrate QuickBooks with over 750 apps. We aren’t kidding! You can integrate QuickBooks with almost any tool you can think of for small business needs.
We think there’s not even a discussion, and QuickBooks won this game with love.
Pricing
If you choose the monthly plan, HoneyBook pricing starts at $19/month. If you choose the annual plan, it starts at $16 with 2 months free. The pricing structure is divided into starter, essential, and premium and has a free 7-day trial.
QuickBooks offers simple, essential, plus, and advanced pricing structure, which starts from $17.50/month if you choose the annual plan. However, if you select the 30-day free trial, the monthly plan will restart at $35.
We understand that when you are starting your business journey, it can be difficult to access advanced software like QuickBooks. But don’t let the price get in the way of growing your business.
You would be happy to know that Tangent Consulting partnered with QuickBooks to offer 80% off the first 6 months of an annual subscription. This offer also includes a 30-day free trial. So, grab a deal now before it’s too late.
For the final game, given the features, QuickBooks won this game.
Final Thoughts
So, who took the championship title for small business in HoneyBook Vs QuickBooks?
While both software showed strengths and weaknesses, QuickBooks won the title. It delivers powerful accounting services with plenty of advanced features. In addition, with so many integrations, you can manage your business effectively.
Whatever version you choose, thanks to our partnership, you can get 80% of the first six months free.
If you feel like QuickBooks is still too much for you, you can hire our fractional CFO services to simplify your accounting needs and have fewer sleepless nights. Hey, we care about you.
FAQs
Can I use HoneyBook for bookkeeping?
HoneyBook doesn’t offer bookkeeping, rather it offers independent accountants to do client and project management from one platform.
Does HoneyBook work with QuickBooks?
HoneyBook can be integrated with QuickBooks Online.
Is the HoneyBook app free?
HoneyBook offers a 7-day free trial.
