# Brightdesk Alternatives: HoneyBook, Dubsado, Vyapar & More Compared > Switching from HoneyBook, Dubsado, Plutio, Vyapar, Swipe or another tool? 14 tools compared with Brightdesk for wedding and event pros: free plan, GST invoices, multi-event bookings. Canonical: https://brightdesk.app/alternatives ## Switching from a US client-management app All-in-one CRMs for creative businesses: powerful, priced in dollars, and built around workflows you have to set up first. - [HoneyBook alternative](https://brightdesk.app/honeybook-alternative): CRM for US, Canadian, UK and Australian businesses, from $29/month billed yearly (checked October 2026). Not available in most countries, including India. Brightdesk works everywhere and bookings and invoices are free. - [Dubsado alternative](https://brightdesk.app/dubsado-alternative): Workflow-heavy CRM with forms, scheduler and client portal, $335–$525/year (checked October 2026). Long setup and no free plan. Brightdesk is ready once your services are added, and a multi-day wedding is one booking. - [Plutio alternative](https://brightdesk.app/plutio-alternative): Workspace for freelancers and agencies: projects, time tracking, proposals, invoices; $19–$199/month (checked October 2026). Core is limited to 9 active clients and there is no free plan. Brightdesk has no client limit and bookings and invoices are free. - [17hats alternative](https://brightdesk.app/17hats-alternative): All-in-one app for US solo businesses: quotes, contracts, invoices, workflows, bookkeeping; $60/month or $600/year (checked October 2026). The free CRM allows 4 invoices a quarter. Brightdesk keeps bookings and invoices free and unlimited. - [Moxie alternative](https://brightdesk.app/moxie-alternative): Freelancer suite (formerly Hectic): projects, proposals, invoices, time tracking; $12–$40/month (checked October 2026). No free plan, and built around client projects rather than event bookings. - [Bonsai alternative](https://brightdesk.app/bonsai-alternative): Freelancer suite for proposals, contracts, time tracking and invoices. Built for consultants billing hours, not for event bookings with advances and balance due. ## Switching from invoicing or billing software Good at invoices and stock, but they know nothing about event dates, advances, contracts or the client who booked three functions. - [FreshBooks alternative](https://brightdesk.app/freshbooks-alternative): Accounting and invoicing for small businesses, paid monthly plans. More accounting than most vendors need. Brightdesk keeps invoicing free and adds bookings. - [Zoho Invoice alternative](https://brightdesk.app/alternative-to-zoho-invoice): Free general-purpose invoicing from the Zoho suite. Invoices only. No bookings, event dates, contracts or client reviews. - [Vyapar alternative](https://brightdesk.app/alternative-to-vyapar): Indian billing and inventory app for shops and traders. Made for stock and retail. Brightdesk is made for services and event bookings, with GST invoices. - [Swipe alternative](https://brightdesk.app/swipe-alternative): GST billing, inventory and POS for SMEs; free plan with a watermark, Pro ₹2,799/year (checked October 2026). Made for selling products. Brightdesk adds bookings with dates, advances and contracts for services. - [Refrens alternative](https://brightdesk.app/refrens-alternative): Invoicing, accounting and CRM for SMBs; free for 15 documents, then from ₹10,680/year (checked October 2026). The free plan runs out fast. Brightdesk keeps bookings and invoices unlimited on the free plan. - [myBillBook alternative](https://brightdesk.app/mybillbook-alternative): Indian GST billing and inventory app for product businesses. Inventory-first. Service businesses pay for features they never open. - [Khatabook alternative](https://brightdesk.app/khata-book-alternative): Digital ledger (udhar khata) for shopkeepers. Tracks who owes money but not bookings, invoices with your branding, or contracts. ## Switching from a scheduling tool Scheduling tools book a time slot. Wedding work needs the booking, the invoice and the payment behind it. - [Calendly alternative](https://brightdesk.app/calendly-alternative): Meeting scheduler with booking links. Books calls, not events. Brightdesk tracks event dates, unavailable days, invoices and payments together. ## Before you switch ### When is it time to switch? The usual signs: you pay every month for features you never open, you keep a diary or Excel sheet next to the app because it does not understand your bookings, or your clients are confused by invoices that do not show the advance they already paid. For wedding and event vendors there is one more: a single wedding is a mehendi, a sangeet, the wedding and a reception. If your tool makes you create four separate jobs and four invoices, it was not built for your work. ### What to look for in an alternative Bookings with event dates and availability, invoices that show the advance and the balance due, your payment details (UPI, bank or PayPal) printed on every invoice, GST invoices if you are registered in India, contracts clients can sign on their phone, and a way to collect reviews after the event. Check what is free and what is paid. In Brightdesk, bookings and invoices are unlimited on the free plan; contracts, review requests, invoice designs, analytics and reminders are Pro. ### Moving your clients and bookings Export your client list from your current tool (most offer CSV export) and add your clients and upcoming bookings to Brightdesk. Save your services and prices once in the service catalog and they fill in every booking and invoice after that. Start with upcoming events only. Past bookings can stay in the old tool or in its export until you no longer need them. ### What happens to your old invoices and contracts Download the PDFs of issued invoices and signed contracts before you cancel the old subscription; they are your records for tax and disputes. If you are GST registered, continue your invoice numbering instead of restarting it within the same financial year. Your old and new invoices together must not repeat or skip a number. ### What it really costs Add up the plan you would actually need, card processing fees if payments go through the app, and the add-ons for contracts or scheduling. Dollar-priced tools also move with the exchange rate. Brightdesk: free for bookings and invoices with no time limit. Pro is ₹99/month in India, $99/year elsewhere, with a 28-day free trial and no card needed. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best free alternative to HoneyBook and Dubsado? For wedding and event vendors, Brightdesk: the free plan has unlimited bookings and invoices with no time limit, and it works in every country, while HoneyBook is limited to the US, Canada, the UK and Australia and Dubsado has no free plan. ### Who is Brightdesk built for? Wedding and event professionals: makeup artists, hair stylists, photographers, videographers, decorators, caterers, mehendi artists, DJs and choreographers, and other service businesses that take bookings and advances. ### Does Brightdesk replace billing apps like Vyapar or myBillBook? For service businesses, yes: GST invoices with CGST, SGST or IGST, payment tracking and expenses. It has no inventory or stock management, so shops that sell products should stay with a billing app. ### What does Brightdesk not do? It has no inventory, no workflow builder or custom forms, no meeting scheduler and no card payments inside the invoice; clients pay by UPI, bank transfer or PayPal using the details on the invoice. ### How much does Brightdesk cost? The free plan is free forever with unlimited bookings and invoices. Pro is ₹99/month or ₹990/year in India ($9.99/month or $99/year elsewhere), with a 28-day free trial. ## Related - [Pricing](https://brightdesk.app/pricing)