HoneyBook Pricing Explained

Everything you need to know

Are you thinking about using HoneyBook, curious about the cost, and wondering which plan is right for you? You’re in the right place!

As a certified HoneyBook Pro who’s used the platform since 2020 to grow my graphic design and consulting business, I know firsthand how its features can streamline your workflow. 

In this guide, I’ll break down HoneyBook’s pricing, free trial, and payment processing fees, plus share my official recommendation to help you decide if it’s the right investment for your business. Alrighty, let’s dive in!

What is HoneyBook?

Just in case you aren’t yet familiar with HoneyBook, I will give you the SparkNotes version — and if you’re like, Matthew, I already know what HoneyBook is. I just am unclear which plan is right for me, no sweat, you can skip ahead to the HoneyBook pricing section.

Okay, so HoneyBook is a client relationship platform (others call it a CRM) designed for independent service-based businesses. Think graphic designer, coach, marketing consultant, event planner, photographer, florist, etc. Heck, I even have a client who is doing junk removal and uses HoneyBook! 

Simply put, HoneyBook simplifies your workflow so you can focus on delivering outstanding on-brand client experiences instead of juggling admin tasks.

What can you do with HoneyBook?

• Organize leads, clients, and projects in one place
• Automate client communication, booking, and payments
• Get paid quickly and securely
• Access tools and analytics to optimize your business

Now that you’ve got the skinny on what HoneyBook is all about, let’s chat about the free trial.

What’s included with a free HoneyBook trial?

Before deciding which HoneyBook plan is right for you, you don’t have to commit upfront. HoneyBook lets you test the platform first, just like I did. I started with a 7-day free trial in 2020 and never looked back, ha! It gave me a chance to explore the tools I’d actually use and make an informed decision—with no risk and no pressure.

How does the free trial work?

You get access to almost all features—no credit card required. You can send invoices, set up automations, test the scheduler, and see how HoneyBook fits into your workflow before committing.‍

• ‍What is not included? The only features excluded are advanced financial tools and Premium-level support services, which unlock when you subscribe.‍
• Are discounts available? Yes! Want to save 30% off your first year? Use my HB Pro affiliate link to get discounted rates at checkout, making your investment even more affordable!‍
• Is there a money-back guarantee? Absolutely! HoneyBook offers a 60-day money-back guarantee—so if it’s not the right fit, you can have peace of mind knowing you can get a full refund within 60 days of signing up.

Once your trial ends, you’ll need to pick a plan. In the next section, I break down exactly how the pricing cookie (or cupcake) crumbles.

HoneyBook pricing plans (and features)

HoneyBook offers three pricing tiers with options for monthly billing or annual billing (which gets you 2 months free). Personally, I always opt for annual discounts on my tech stack, but that’s just me. Let’s see how it all shakes down:

Monthly vs. Annual Pricing

• Starter Plan: $36/month ($432/year) | $29/month billed annually ($348/year)
• Essentials Plan: $59/month ($708/year) | $49/month billed annually ($588/year)
• Premium Plan: $129/month ($1,548/year) | $109/month billed annually ($1,308/year)

Remember, you can save 30% off these prices by using my affiliate link. Thank me later!

What’s included in each plan?

Before we get into the details, here is my honest take on each membership level:

• Starter: not super beneficial, honestly, as it just includes the basics—invoicing, contracts, proposal templates, and a client portal—without automation or scheduling.
• Essentials: most popular plan (the same one I use in my biz). It’s great if you want to benefit from Automations, the Scheduler, AI Assistant, QuickBooks integration, etc.
• Premium: least used in my opinion, built for established businesses needing unlimited team members, multiple brands, and advanced reporting. 

Each plan builds on the last, adding more features as you level up. Now, before jumping to the Starter Plan solely because it’s the cheapest, it’s important to consider the key differences so you choose the plan that will help you the most.

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with a full review of each plan below!

Good to know: All plans start with a 7-day free trial and are a tax-deductible business write-off.

Want to try it out? Start with the trial, then save 30% on your first year with my affiliate link!

Which HoneyBook plan is right for you?

In this section, I dive deep into each membership level with an honest review so you can decide which plan best fits your business, your goals, and the way you work.

Starter Plan: The Basics

New to business? The Starter Plan is perfect for solo owners who just need the basics—no frills, no extras. It’s the most budget-friendly way to get started with HoneyBook, but keep in mind, it does have some key limitations (no Automations or the Scheduler).

What you get

You get unlimited clients and projects, the ability to send invoices and contracts, access to professional proposal templates, see a birds-eye-view of your business with the pipeline and create a branded client portal to house all your files and communication. You also get up to two (2) Lead Forms (HoneyBook’s version of landing pages) to create custom inquiry or booking experiences with questions, file uploads, service selection, scheduling, and even payment options. 

Not included

The Starter Plan is missing two of HoneyBook’s most powerful features: the Scheduler (HoneyBook’s version of Calendly or Acuity) and Automations. While it does include a Calendar, it’s not the same thing—the Calendar tracks booked dates, tentative projects, and payments, and syncs with Google, Outlook, or Mac calendars, but it won’t let clients self-book.

If you want clients to schedule sessions (free or paid) with a simple link and receive automated reminders via email or text, you’ll need the Scheduler inside Essentials.

My advice

While Starter offers limited AI features, it lacks custom Automations—one of HoneyBook’s biggest strengths. If you want to lighten your admin load from day one, skip Starter and go for Essentials. The Automations alone will save you time, money, and impress your clients.

Essentials Plan: The Most Popular

Need automation and a little more power? Then, the Essentials Plan is your best bet. It’s the most popular HoneyBook plan for a reason—and the one I’ve used since I started with the platform in early 2020. 

What you get

Essentials is built for business owners who want to streamline processes, automate tasks, and save time. Along with everything in Starter, the Essentials Plan comes with powerful tools like the Scheduler, SMS reminders, Automations, QuickBooks integration, Team Members, and Standard Reports to track projects and client bookings. 

Plus, the AI Assistant helps cut down on manual work by drafting emails and taking notes during calls. Oh, and you can remove the "Powered by HoneyBook" branding, which gives your business a more polished, professional look.

For me, Automations were (and still are) a total game changer for my business. They allow you to auto-send files, emails, and follow-ups without lifting a finger. And with conditional logic, you can now set up if/then scenarios based on client actions—giving you even more control. You also increase Lead Form count from 2 to 10 to capture more leads and book more clients. 

Not included

Essentials plan caps you at 2 team members and 10 live Lead Forms—rarely an issue for most. You’ll also miss a few advanced reports, which are mostly useful for larger teams.

My advice

If you’re serious about reducing admin work and streamlining your business, Essentials is the way to go. After all, it’s the middle-of-the-road plan for a reason!

Premium Plan: The Scalable Solution

Running a team or managing multiple brands? The Premium Plan *might* be helpful.

What you get

Premium gives you unlimited team members with custom access levels, so you can grow your business while keeping control. With Priority Support, you get exactly what it sounds like—no waiting in the “please hold” abyss. Just faster email and chat assistance when you need help, so you can get back to business ASAP. 

Advanced Reports provide actionable insights into team performance, client activity, and project trends, helping you make data-driven decisions. If you run multiple businesses, the Multiple Companies feature lets you manage everything under one login, keeping operations seamless.

Plus, Unlimited Live Lead Forms allow you to capture even more leads, and Advanced HoneyBook AI helps automate tasks, boost efficiency, and easily scale your business. 

My advice

If you’re an already established business with multiple team members who need to use HoneyBook, and are looking for advanced reporting, the Premium Plan is perfect for ya!

💰 Good to know: HoneyBook won’t take a cut of your revenue, but standard payment processing fees apply. Credit card transactions are 2.9% + $0.25, while ACH bank transfers are just 1.5%—a great way to save on big invoices! Learn more here.

Can you upgrade, downgrade, or cancel?

Now that we’ve covered what each plan includes, let’s talk about how HoneyBook makes switching plans easy (thank goodness). You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime right from your account settings—no hoops to jump through or begging you not to leave, ha!

How do you change your plan?

• Upgrading? You’ll get instant access to new features and pay a prorated amount for the rest of your billing cycle.
• Downgrading? You can keep your current features until your billing cycle ends, then switch to the new plan.
• Monthly → Annual? Your new billing starts immediately with a prorated credit applied.
• Annual → Monthly? Your monthly billing begins after your annual cycle ends.

What about canceling?

Cancel anytime from Account Settings. A few helpful notes below:

• Monthly plans: Cancel before your next billing cycle to avoid future charges.
• Annual plans: No refunds, but you’ll keep access until your plan expires.

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Official Recommendation & Final Thoughts

Start with Essentials. It has everything you need to kickstart your business. You get all the same professional file templates from Starter, plus the power of Automations, the Scheduler, and 10 live Lead Forms. 

Unless you are certain you need more than 2 additional team members using HoneyBook and advance reporting or priority support, you probably can hold off on Premium until you need it. Remember, you can always begin with Essentials and change your plan later.

Want to try HoneyBook for free? Use my link to give it a spin for 7 days and then save 30% off your first year if it’s a fit.

I honestly wouldn’t have nearly as much confidence or freedom in my business without HoneyBook, and I genuinely hope you’ll find the same value in it as I do.

I really hope you found this guide helpful. If you want to learn more about HoneyBook be sure to check out my other articles here on my blog and visit my YouTube channel where I share tutorials each week.

I also offer DIY courses and done-for-you HoneyBook services.

Alright, that’s all for now. Until next time, keep making good out there!