Compare · updated October 14, 2026
HoneyBook vs Proof for photographers
HoneyBook is a business tool for creative freelancers of all kinds. Proof is only for photographers, and it was built inside a working studio. Both can book a client and take a payment. They are not the same shape.
We make Proof, so read this as our comparison. HoneyBook is the better choice if proposals, questionnaires, and automated email are the core of how you sell. Prices for HoneyBook were checked in October 2026.
| 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). No free plan, a free trial instead. | 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. |
| Client galleries | No. You add Pixieset, Pic-Time, or something similar. | Yes. A cover photo, a PIN, full resolution downloads, favorites, and opened receipts. |
| Booking | A scheduler. Starter is limited to 1 session type. Essentials is unlimited. | Yes, on Solo and up. Clients pick a studio or on location slot on your live calendar. A slot only sells once. |
| Payment fees | HoneyBook processes payments at 2.9% plus 25 cents per card, and 1.5% for ACH. | Retainers, photo sales, and invoices go to your own Stripe account. Proof takes 0%. Only Stripe's standard processing fee applies. |
| Retainers | Yes, through invoices and payment schedules. | Yes. A retainer is paid at booking and locks the date. |
| Extra photos | No gallery, so no extra photo unlocks. | Yes. You set how many photos are included and the price of each extra. Clients pay to unlock more. |
| CRM | Yes, and it is a strength. | Yes. A booking or an invoice creates the profile, with history and the balance. |
| Invoices | Yes. | Yes. One invoice at a time, with tax if you set a rate, and a reminder if it stays unpaid. A saved card and a monthly or yearly plan live on the client profile once Stripe is connected. |
| Contracts | Yes. A major strength, along with proposals and questionnaires. | Yes, on Solo and up. Clients sign online and both sides get a signed PDF. |
| Automations | Yes, on Essentials and up. Follow up email, reminders, and questionnaires. | No proposal packages or questionnaires. An unpaid invoice can email a reminder. There is no follow up sequence. |
| Teams | Up to 2 people on Essentials. Unlimited on Premium. | Studio and Teams add a studio page, room booking, a shared calendar, and production per photographer. |
Where HoneyBook wins
- Proposals, questionnaires, and automated follow up. Proof does not do those.
- A longer track record, including integrations such as QuickBooks.
Where Proof wins
- Galleries are in the same app as the booking. You are not paying for a second gallery host.
- Clients can buy extra digital photos from the gallery you already delivered.
- You are the merchant on your own Stripe account. Proof takes 0%.
- Studios get room booking and a shared roster calendar, because that is how The Flash House runs.
Questions
Does HoneyBook have client galleries?+
No. HoneyBook photographers usually pay for a separate gallery platform.
Does Proof have contracts?+
Yes. Clients sign online and both sides get a signed PDF. Included on Solo and up. Proof does not include proposals or questionnaires.
Is Proof cheaper than HoneyBook?+
Proof Pro is $33/mo, or $24/mo for the first 25 founding members, and galleries are included. HoneyBook Starter is $36 a month and does not include galleries. Confirm both on the current pricing pages.
Does Proof take a percentage of payments?+
No. Payments go to your own Stripe account. 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.