Blog · October 14, 2026
HoneyBook vs Proof for photographers
By the Proof team, at The Flash House in Las Cruces.
HoneyBook is a business tool for all kinds of creative freelancers. Proof is built only for photographers, by a working photo studio. Both handle booking and payments. They are shaped differently.
We make Proof, so this is our comparison. We have tried to be fair, including about where HoneyBook is the better choice.
The short version
- Choose HoneyBook if you depend on proposals, questionnaires, and automated email, and you already have a gallery tool you love.
- Choose Proof if your business is mostly sessions, and you want booking, retainers, client galleries, photo sales, and invoices in one app, at a lower price, without a second gallery subscription.
Side by side
Checked in October 2026. Confirm HoneyBook's numbers on their site. The Proof column is our live pricing, also spelled out under the table.
| HoneyBook | Proof | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Creative freelancers of all kinds | Photographers and photo studios |
| Price | Starter $36 a month ($29 yearly). Essentials $59 ($49 yearly). Premium $129 ($109 yearly). | Free: $0 forever. 3 galleries and 5GB. Solo: $12/mo, or $130/yr. Pro: $33/mo, or $360/yr. The first 25 founding members lock Pro at $24/mo or $260/yr for as long as the subscription stays active. Unlimited: $59/mo, or $650/yr. Studio: $50/mo, or $500/yr. Teams: $50 + $24/photographer, or $500 + $240/photographer/yr. |
| Free plan | No. There is a free trial. | Yes. $0 forever, with 3 galleries and 5GB, and no time limit. |
| Payment fees | HoneyBook processes payments at 2.9% plus 25 cents per card, and 1.5% for ACH. | Payments go to your own Stripe account. Proof takes 0%. Only Stripe's standard processing fee applies. |
| Online booking | A scheduler. Starter is limited to 1 session type. Essentials is unlimited. | A booking page tied to your live calendar, for studio or on location slots. A slot only sells once. |
| Retainers | Yes, through invoices and payment schedules. | Yes. A retainer is paid at booking and locks the date. |
| Client galleries | No. You need Pixieset, Pic-Time, or something similar. | Yes. Branded, protected with a PIN, full resolution downloads, favorites, opened receipts. |
| Sell extra photos | No. | Yes. An included count, plus a price per extra photo. |
| CRM | Yes, and it is strong. | Yes. Profiles are created from bookings and invoices, with history and balances. |
| Invoicing | Yes. | Yes. One invoice at a time, with tax if you set a rate. A saved card and a monthly or yearly plan live on the client profile once Stripe is connected. |
| Contracts | Yes. A major strength, with proposals and questionnaires. | Yes. Clients sign online and get a signed PDF. Included on Solo and up. No proposals or questionnaires. |
| Automations | Yes, on Essentials and up. | No. |
| Teams | Up to 2 people on Essentials. Unlimited on Premium. | Studio and Teams: a shared calendar, a shared client book, production per photographer, and room booking. |
Where HoneyBook wins
- Contracts and proposals. Both tools now handle contracts a client can sign. HoneyBook adds proposals and questionnaires. Proof keeps the contract next to the booking, the retainer, the gallery, and the invoices.
- Automations. HoneyBook can send follow up email, reminders, and questionnaires for you. Proof does not run that kind of sequence. An unpaid invoice can still email a reminder.
- Track record. It is a mature product, with integrations like QuickBooks and a large community.
Where Proof wins
- Galleries are included. Most HoneyBook photographers also pay for a gallery host. In Proof, the client who booked gets the gallery, picks favorites, and pays for extras without you retyping anything.
- Selling extra photos. You set the included count and the price per extra. Clients unlock the rest on their own. Their picks come back to your portal so you retouch the right frames.
- Cost. HoneyBook Starter is $36 a month, and a gallery tool is often another $10 to $30. Founding Proof Pro is $24/mo for the first 25 members, for as long as the subscription stays active. Regular Pro is $33/mo, or $360/yr. Galleries are included either way.
- Your own Stripe. You are the merchant of record. Money settles to you. Proof never takes a cut.
- Studios. If you rent a space or run several shooters, Proof has room booking, a shared calendar, and production per photographer. That is how The Flash House in Las Cruces runs.
Real cost for a typical solo portrait photographer
- HoneyBook Starter plus a gallery tool: about $36 plus $20, so about $56 a month, before card fees.
- HoneyBook Essentials plus a gallery tool, if you want unlimited scheduler session types: about $79 a month.
- Proof Pro, founding price: $24/mo, plus Stripe's standard processing fee. Regular Pro is $33/mo, or $360/yr.
Can you use both?
Yes. Some photographers keep HoneyBook for proposals and use Proof for booking, retainers, galleries, and photo sales. Proof now has contracts clients sign online, so you can also bring the work into one app.
Switching
During the founding period we move your active galleries and client list over with you, so you do not start from an empty account.
Try Proof free, or see pricing. The table on its own is also at HoneyBook vs Proof.
Proof pricing
- Free. $0 forever. 3 galleries and 5GB.
- Solo. $12/mo, or $130/yr.
- Pro. $33/mo, or $360/yr. The first 25 founding members lock Pro at $24/mo or $260/yr for as long as the subscription stays active.
- Unlimited. $59/mo, or $650/yr.
- Studio. $50/mo, or $500/yr.
- Teams. $50 + $24/photographer, or $500 + $240/photographer/yr.
Questions
Does HoneyBook have client galleries?+
No. HoneyBook photographers usually pair it with a separate gallery platform.
Does Proof have contracts?+
Yes. Clients sign online and both sides get a signed PDF. Included on Solo and up. Proposals and questionnaires are not included.
Is Proof cheaper than HoneyBook?+
Proof Pro is $33/mo, or $360/yr. Founding members lock it at $24/mo. Galleries are included. HoneyBook starts at $36 a month and does not include galleries.
Does Proof take a percentage of payments?+
No. Payments go to your own Stripe account, and only Stripe's standard processing fee applies.
Start with a real gallery.
The free plan delivers galleries, and it does not ask for a card. Booking, retainers, and invoices start on Solo.