Dubsado Alternative for Freelancers
Save time, money, and complexity. Switch from Dubsado to SoloPad and get everything you need for £5/month.
Why freelancers switch from Dubsado
Dubsado is a powerful tool, but it's built for agencies and complex workflows. If you're a solo freelancer, you're paying for features you'll never use and spending hours learning a confusing interface.
The learning curve is steep. Dubsado's documentation is scattered, and the setup process involves navigating nested settings, custom fields, and workflow configurations. Most freelancers give up halfway through onboarding. SoloPad takes minutes to set up. Everything is where you'd expect it to be.
Pricing adds up fast. Dubsado's free tier caps you at 3 clients. Beyond that, the Starter plan costs $20/month, and the Premier plan jumps to $40/month. Add extra users at $25–60/month each, and you're quickly paying more than you earn on smaller projects. SoloPad costs £5/month, regardless of how many clients you have.
Dubsado is overkill for most solo work. You don't need custom forms, advanced workflow automations, or a white-label client portal. You need to send invoices, track time, and stay organized. SoloPad does exactly that—without the bloat.
Feature comparison
| Feature | SoloPad | Dubsado |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ||
| Contracts | ||
| Proposals | ||
| CRM | ||
| Time Tracking | ||
| Scheduling | ||
| Client Portal | ||
| AI Drafting | ||
| E-Signatures | ||
| Custom Forms |
Pricing comparison
Dubsado Starter
Billed monthly. 3 clients included in free tier.
- Core features
- Limited automations
- No time tracking
SoloPad Solo
Unlimited clients. All features included.
- Everything included
- AI drafting
- Time tracking
Annual savings with SoloPad: £180/year (or $227 USD) vs Dubsado Starter.
What Dubsado does better
Advanced workflow automation
If you need complex conditional workflows, Dubsado's automation engine is more powerful. It can trigger actions based on multiple criteria.
Custom form builder
Build completely custom intake forms with conditional logic. SoloPad uses prebuilt templates, which is faster but less flexible.
White-label client portal
Fully customizable white-label options. Good if you're reselling services or want a branded experience for premium clients.
Mature ecosystem
Dubsado's been around longer. The community is larger, there's more third-party integrations, and the platform is battle-tested.
What SoloPad does better
Simpler setup
You're ready to invoice in minutes, not hours. No confusing settings menus or documentation hunts. Everything is intuitive from day one.
AI drafting
Generate proposal copy, contract templates, and invoice descriptions with AI. Dubsado doesn't have this. It saves hours of writing.
Built-in time tracking
Track time by project or client without integrations. Dubsado doesn't offer time tracking natively. You'll need a separate tool.
Much cheaper
£5/month vs $20/month. No hidden costs. Unlimited clients. For solo freelancers, this is the biggest win.
Frequently asked questions
Is SoloPad cheaper than Dubsado?
Yes. SoloPad costs £5/month (approximately $6.30 USD). Dubsado Starter starts at $20/month. You save about £180/year with SoloPad, and more if you'd otherwise pay for Dubsado Premier ($40/month).
Does SoloPad have all of Dubsado's features?
SoloPad covers all essential freelance features: invoicing, contracts, proposals, CRM, time tracking, scheduling, client portal, and AI drafting. SoloPad doesn't include custom form builders like Dubsado, but the core features are stronger. Dubsado lacks time tracking and AI drafting.
Why is Dubsado hard to use?
Dubsado is known for a steep learning curve. It's feature-rich but complex to set up. SoloPad is designed for simplicity—you're productive in minutes, not hours. If you're a solo freelancer, Dubsado's complexity is often overkill.
Can I import my data from Dubsado to SoloPad?
We recommend exporting your invoices, clients, and contracts from Dubsado as CSVs or PDFs, then importing them into SoloPad. Contact our support team—we'll help you migrate smoothly.
What if I need custom forms or advanced automation?
Dubsado is more customizable for complex workflows. But for 90% of freelancers, SoloPad's prebuilt automations and simple setup are faster and more practical. You get time tracking and AI drafting, which Dubsado doesn't offer.
Ready to switch?
Try SoloPad free for 30 days. No credit card required. Set up takes less than 5 minutes.
Start free trial