HoneyBook: Sign Up, Login, and Overview [2024] 

Getting started with HoneyBook is simple, whether you’re a creative professional or running a small business. 

This all-in-one platform helps you manage your projects, clients, and payments in one place, keeping things organized and stress-free. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to sign up, log in, and navigate the essential features to get the most out of HoneyBook. 

If you’re ready to streamline your workflow and stay on top of your business, let’s dive into the steps you need to take and make your experience as smooth as possible.

Key Takeaways

• HoneyBook is a business management platform designed for freelancers and small businesses to manage projects, clients, invoicing, and contracts in one place.
• HoneyBook Pricing: Starter Plan ($19/month), Essentials Plan ($39/month), and Premium Plan ($79/month) when billed monthly.
• While HoneyBook is a popular choice, alternatives like Agency Handy offer more advanced customization and payment integration features, making them ideal for larger agencies.

What is HoneyBook?

HoneyBook is a client management platform designed to simplify tasks for freelancers and small businesses. With everything from invoicing and contracts to scheduling and payments in one place, staying organized becomes effortless.

A standout feature is its automation, allowing you to streamline follow-ups, reminders, and payment schedules, saving you hours of manual work each week. 

HoneyBook also offers customizable templates for proposals, contracts, and invoices, ensuring consistency and professionalism in your client interactions. 

Its integrated payment processing system and reporting tools make tracking payments and managing finances more straightforward and efficient.

How to Set Up and Use HoneyBook

Setting up HoneyBook is straightforward and helps you streamline your business processes. Follow this detailed step-by-step guide to get the most out of the platform:

1. Sign Up and Create Your Account

• Visit the HoneyBook website and click on the ‘Get Started’ button.
• Enter your business information, including your name, email address, and industry.
• After registration, white label your account by uploading your business logo and setting your brand colors. Additionally, set up your payment preferences, such as linking your bank account and selecting your preferred currency.

2. Import Client Details

• Navigate to the ‘Contacts’ section to import your client information. You can import contacts from your previous system or manually add clients.
• This keeps all your client information in one place, simplifying future communication and project assignments.

3. Create Your First Project

• Click on the ‘Projects’ tab in the main menu, then click ‘New Project.’
• Enter the project type, expected completion date, and any other relevant details.
• You can attach files, assign team members, and add notes to the project for clarity.

4. Customize Your Templates and Pricing

• Go to the ‘Templates’ section to create customized contracts, proposals, and pricing guides.
• These templates can be tailored to include your services and pricing models, whether you charge a flat fee, hourly, or per project.

5. Send Proposals, Contracts, and Invoices Using Smart Files

• Navigate to the project you’ve created and click ‘New File.’ Select whether you want to send a proposal, contract, or invoice.
• HoneyBook’s Smart Files allow you to combine contracts and invoices, streamlining the entire process.
• Your client can sign and pay online, making the transaction seamless and secure.

6. Manage Client Communication

• Use HoneyBook’s email system to communicate with clients directly within a project.
• All conversations are stored within the project, ensuring you have a record of all communications and making it easy to stay organized.

7. Track Project Progress

• The Projects tab provides a clear view of all your active projects. Each project’s timeline displays tasks, milestones, and deadlines, helping you keep track of progress.
• You can also set tasks for yourself or team members and mark them as completed as you go.

8. Set Up Automation

• Automate repetitive tasks like sending follow-up emails or creating a task by setting up workflows.
• Select ‘Automation,’ and set actions based on triggers, such as when a client submits a form or signs a contract. 

9. Set Up Your Banking and Payment Process

• Before sending out any invoices, ensure your banking information is properly set up to receive payments.
• Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Bank Details and Payments’ to link your bank account with HoneyBook. 

Features of HoneyBook

HoneyBook is packed with features to help freelancers and small businesses manage their operations more effectively. Here’s a closer look at the standout tools.

Client Management

HoneyBook simplifies client management by letting you store and manage client profiles, keeping all their contact details and preferences in one place. 

Each client’s profile can be linked to projects, contracts, and invoices, ensuring everything stays organized. 

With a dedicated client portal, your clients can easily access documents, make payments, and stay in touch, all within a branded interface.

Project Management

Managing your projects becomes easier with HoneyBook’s centralized platform. It brings all your tasks, deadlines, and client interactions together. 

You can track every detail of your projects, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. By setting milestones and deadlines, HoneyBook helps keep projects on schedule, making sure you meet your deliverables on time.

Automation

Automation in HoneyBook helps streamline repetitive tasks. You can create workflows to automate follow-ups, task reminders, and email sequences, saving valuable time. 

Additionally, HoneyBook integrates files into your workflows, keeping everything in one place. Its pipelines allow you to automate the movement of projects from one stage to another, such as when contracts are signed or payments are received.

Invoicing and Payments

HoneyBook makes invoicing straightforward and professional. You can create customized invoices and accept payments right through the platform, whether by credit card, ACH transfer, or bank payments. 

For long-term clients or recurring work, HoneyBook supports ongoing payment options to keep things hassle-free. 

Plus, you can track payment statuses in real time and set automated reminders for overdue invoices, ensuring transactions are timely and smooth.

Proposals

HoneyBook enables you to create tailored proposals that fit your client’s needs. You can easily lay out your services, pricing, and project details using customizable templates. 

The platform includes built-in e-signature functionality, allowing clients to approve proposals quickly. 

Scheduler

HoneyBook’s scheduler simplifies managing your availability and meeting times. You can easily share open slots with clients, letting them book directly based on your schedule. 

By syncing with external calendars like Google Calendar, it helps prevent double-booking and scheduling conflicts. The scheduler also lets you customize time slots and set buffer periods between appointments, ensuring smoother transitions and a more organized day.

Expense Management

HoneyBook offers straightforward tools to help you stay on top of business expenses. You can organize expenses into categories and link them directly to client projects, making it easy to track where your money goes. 

The reporting features provide a clear view of profit and loss, giving you a quick look at your financial health. Plus, integration with accounting software simplifies bookkeeping, letting you manage expenses more efficiently.

Client Portal

The client portal in HoneyBook allows clients to access project details, view documents, and securely pay invoices all in one place. 

You can customize the portal with your brand’s logo and colors to create a professional look. Additionally, clients can communicate directly with you through the portal, ensuring all conversations are centralized.

Time Tracking

HoneyBook’s time tracking tool helps you log hours worked on each project, making billing more accurate. 

You can generate detailed time reports to streamline the invoicing process. By linking time tracking directly to client invoices, you ensure transparency and accuracy in billing.

Team Collaboration

HoneyBook supports team collaboration by allowing you to assign roles and set permissions for each team member. 

Team members can access shared projects and tasks, improving collaboration and communication across the board. The platform also lets you monitor individual contributions, helping you manage workloads effectively.

HoneyBook Pricing

HoneyBook offers 3 tiered flexible pricing plans tailored to freelancers and small businesses. Here’s a breakdown of the available plans and their features to help you make the best decision for your business.

Further Read: HoneyBook Pricing

What are The Benefits of Using HoneyBook?

HoneyBook can help you streamline operations and improve client experiences. Here’s how:

• Centralized Client Management: HoneyBook brings all your client details, contracts, and communication into one platform. 
• Time-Saving Automation: Automate repetitive tasks like follow-up emails, reminders, and scheduling. HoneyBook helps you create automated workflows that handle routine tasks.
• Efficient Invoicing and Payments: HoneyBook makes invoicing hassle-free with customized invoices and integrated payment methods like credit cards and ACH transfers. 
• Mobile Flexibility: Manage your business from anywhere with HoneyBook’s mobile app. Whether it’s responding to clients, tracking projects, or sending invoices, you can stay productive and organized, even on the go.

In short, HoneyBook offers an all-in-one solution to simplify your business operations, save time, and enhance your client management process.

Limitations of HoneyBook

Well, HoneyBook has its fair share of drawbacks as well. They are:

1. Complexity in Simple Tasks

While HoneyBook’s interface is praised for being user-friendly, some users have found certain simple tasks overly complicated. 

Features like website integration and accepting alternative payment methods are areas where users feel improvements could be made.

“Some things that seem so simple…. are overly complicated.” — Diane S., Owner/Photographer.

2. Limited Workflow Automation

HoneyBook’s automation features are useful, but users have expressed frustration with the lack of more advanced automation capabilities. 

The absence of “if-then” logic in workflows limits how much the automation can do, leaving businesses with only basic tools for automation.

“The limitations on workflow automation. It is very basic, and I would prefer they implement a system with if-then logic.” — Chris R., Wedding Photographer.

3. Customer Support Could Improve

Some users feel that HoneyBook’s customer service could be more responsive and helpful. When issues arise, faster support could make a big difference in user satisfaction.

“Better customer service to answer questions.” — Hannah C., Business Owner.

4. High Cost for Small Businesses

HoneyBook offers a range of useful features, but the pricing has been noted as a concern for some small business owners. The annual cost is considered steep, especially for businesses that may not use all of the platform’s capabilities.

“I wish it wasn’t so expensive. I like the service, but I feel that the annual cost is pretty steep.” — Sarah D., Small Business Owner.

5. Payment Processing Delays

While HoneyBook allows businesses to process payments within the platform, there have been reports of occasional delays. These delays can disrupt the workflow, especially for businesses with tight deadlines.

“The payment processing would take longer than expected, which led to delayed payments.” — Pritam M., Graphic Designer.

The Best Alternative to HoneyBook

Looking for a HoneyBook alternative? Here’s the top platform offering similar tools for managing clients, invoicing, and projects with added flexibility and unique features.

Agency Handy

Agency Handy stands out as the best alternative to HoneyBook because it provides a complete client experience form onboarding to invoices — a complete solution. 

On the other hand, HoneyBook is more about client management. Onboarding them, sending proposals and invoices, and getting paid. 

To begin with, you can list your services in HoneyBook along with prices. No limitation to how many services, but the list goes on if you have to add it like a ladder. 

However, you can create different files for each new service. But you can’t embed it anywhere. You’ll have to either email it or share the URL so clients can log in and check out the services you offer. 

But with Agency Handy, you can list your services in a catalog – all in one place for the client. The clients can browse services, select as many as they want, and self-checkout accordingly.  

Each service can include up to 3 packages with different deliverables and pricing. Also, set trial periods for clients to try out the wholesomeness of your services before purchasing. This will build credibility and trust for long-term collaboration. 

Besides that, clients can leave reviews of the services—a sureshot to build your business reputation. 

Interestingly, you can share the catalog URL on your profiles or with people and embed it on the website as well. Convert visitors into customers directly!

Now, in terms of taking client information, HoneyBook uses contact forms, but there’s just limited information about how many you can take. 

However, the lead forms give you leeway via different templates to book calls, capture leads, share orders and services, etc. 

In comparison, Agency Handy helps you create intake forms and order forms to onboard the clients and get the necessary details. You can build different forms for each service – customized to the core for specific info. 

And eventually, integrate into your services to get all the details in one go. No more back and forth with the leads and clients to hunker after small details. 

Now, in terms of order and task management, HoneyBook barely offers you anything. You can just create tasks for the sake of it, but no management, no task progress tracking, no file sharing, and no collaboration. 

On top of that, only the internal team sees tasks, and it lacks client approval options.

However, in the projects section, you can invite your teams, clients, or other collaborators to collaborate on activities, payments, invoices, and files. But that’s it. For core project and task functionalities, HoneyBook is a no-go. 

On the other hand, Agency Handy lets you automate order and task creation. For each service, you can create some default tasks. So that when a client orders, the tasks will be automatically created. 

Moreover, clients can request additional tasks while the order is in progress if they need anything additional. And goes for approval to the admin/manager. 

Plus, you can complete a whole project or order within Agency Handy from start to finish—total order and task management within the client portal. 

The Kanban board will give you a complete overview of task progress, when, where, and how it will be done, and other task dependencies to complete on time. Specially suitable for SEO firms, creative companies, and video editing agencies. 

Besides, what’s more interesting is that clients can collaborate on the tasks in real-time. There’s no ounce of miscommunication. And once the task is in Review mode, no more edits can be done and it will be sent directly to the client for review and approval. 

When it comes to payment processing, Agency Handy integrates with multiple gateways like Stripe, PayPal, Wise, and manual banking, making it more versatile in invoicing and billing for global clients. 

HoneyBook, by comparison, offers fewer payment options, relying on its own payment processing for ACH and card payments.

Overall, Agency Handy provides a complete solution for rising individuals and growing agencies, while HoneyBook is better suited for freelancers and small businesses.

Further Read: Agency Handy vs HoneyBook

Final Thoughts

HoneyBook is a great solution for freelancers and small businesses looking to streamline their client management and invoicing processes. 

If you’re running a larger digital agency, you may need more advanced features like multi-package service catalogs and extensive team management. 

In that case, Agency Handy offers a more scalable and customizable platform, along with additional payment gateways.

Both platforms have their strengths, so choosing the right one depends on your specific business needs and scale.

FAQs

1. Can I manage multiple companies or teams with HoneyBook?

No, HoneyBook is designed for managing a single business with a focus on freelancers and small businesses. For agencies managing multiple teams or companies, Agency Handy provides multi-workspace support, allowing you to handle multiple teams and projects efficiently.

2. Does Agency Handy offer a mobile app like HoneyBook?

Currently, Agency Handy does not offer a dedicated mobile app. However, its web-based platform is fully optimized for mobile use, allowing you to manage projects, clients, and tasks from your phone or tablet. HoneyBook offers a mobile app that allows users to access their projects and client information on the go.

3. Does HoneyBook support recurring billing for subscription-based services?

Yes, HoneyBook supports recurring billing for ongoing services. Agency Handy also offers this feature but with more customizable options, such as the ability to automate invoicing and manage subscription renewals across multiple payment gateways.