Dubsado vs Bloom: Which Is Better?
Workflow automation platforms for photographers and creatives compared.
Tom Bradley
2026-02-27
Dubsado and Bloom both target independent service professionals who need to manage clients, proposals, contracts, and invoices in one place—but they serve somewhat different niches and take different approaches to the problem.
| Dubsado | Bloom | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Service businesses needing deep automation | Creatives, especially photographers |
| Starter price | ~$20/mo (annual) | Free (with limits) |
| Client portal | Yes | Yes |
| Workflow automation | Yes (Premier plan) | Yes (paid plans) |
| Contract signing | Yes | Yes |
| Image galleries | No | Yes |
| Website builder | No | Yes |
| Multi-brand support | Yes (Premier) | No |
| Zapier integration | Yes | Limited |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
Dubsado
Dubsado is a mature, full-featured CRM built for solo service businesses—designers, coaches, photographers, lawyers, accountants, virtual assistants, and more. Its core value proposition is tying lead capture → proposal → contract → invoice → project communication into a single automated sequence.
Pricing: Two plans. The Starter plan runs around $20/month billed annually (or $35/month billed monthly) and covers unlimited clients and projects, client portals, forms, invoicing, payment plans, calendar sync, and mobile app access. The Premier plan (around $40/month annual, $60/month monthly) adds automated workflows, Zapier integration, bookkeeping integrations, public proposals, multi-brand support, and three additional team user seats.
What it does well: Dubsado's workflow automation is the standout feature. You can trigger a full sequence—contract sent, contract signed, invoice generated, onboarding packet delivered—without touching anything manually. The proposal and contract tools are polished, with smart field auto-population and legally binding e-signatures. Payment flexibility is strong: ACH in the US and Canada, credit card processing in 135+ currencies, instant payouts within 30 minutes, recurring billing, gratuity, buy-now-pay-later, and even tap-to-pay for in-person transactions.
The client portal keeps all project documents, communications, and files in one place, replacing messy email threads. Lead capture forms can be embedded on your website and trigger workflows automatically.
Limitations: The learning curve is real—Dubsado is one of the more complex tools in this category, and new users often need significant setup time before it pays off. The Starter plan omits automation entirely, which is arguably Dubsado's best feature, meaning budget-conscious users get a less compelling product. There are no built-in image galleries or portfolio tools, so photographers delivering final work need a separate solution.
Bloom
Bloom positions itself as an all-in-one workspace specifically designed for creative professionals. It handles the full client lifecycle—lead management, booking, contracts, invoicing, project management, and final asset delivery—with a particular emphasis on visual work.
Pricing: Bloom offers a free tier limited to 3 active projects, 1 workflow, 1 package, and 1 automation, with a 1.5% platform fee on digital payments. Paid plans remove these limits and the platform fee, starting around $9/month on an annual plan for the core Pro tier, with a Studio tier for teams and heavier usage. A 7-day free trial is available on all paid plans, and annual billing saves up to 30%.
What it does well: Bloom's image delivery system is a standout—clients receive final work through branded online galleries with layout controls, proofing tools, feedback options, and download permissions. This alone makes it compelling for photographers and videographers. The instant booking flow (packages, add-ons, scheduling, contract, payment all in one link) is streamlined and can be embedded on your site or sent directly.
Payment flexibility is notable: Bloom integrates with Cash App, Venmo, Zelle, and PayPal in addition to standard credit card and ACH processing. The ACH rate is 0.8% capped at $5—significantly cheaper than the standard 2.9% card processing fee. Clients can pay deposits with automatic balance collection later, and tipping is supported.
Bloom also includes a built-in website and portfolio builder, giving new businesses a way to establish an online presence without a separate tool.
Limitations: The free tier is genuinely restrictive (one active workflow, three projects). Bloom's automation capabilities are narrower than Dubsado's, and Zapier integration is limited, making it harder to connect with other business tools. Multi-brand support isn't available, so agencies or freelancers running multiple client-facing brands under one account won't find it here.
When to choose Dubsado
Choose Dubsado if your business revolves around a complex, multi-step client process that you want to automate end-to-end. It's the better pick for: - Service businesses with repeatable workflows (proposals → contracts → invoices → onboarding) - Businesses processing high payment volume in multiple currencies - Anyone who needs Zapier to connect their stack - Established businesses managing multiple brands or small teams - Non-visual service providers: coaches, consultants, lawyers, accountants, agencies
The Premier plan's automation depth is hard to match at its price point if you're billing significant volume.
When to choose Bloom
Choose Bloom if you're a visual creative who needs to deliver files to clients alongside the business management layer. It's the better pick for: - Photographers and videographers who need client galleries with proofing and download controls - Freelancers starting out who want a free tier to test before committing - Creatives who want an all-in-one that includes a portfolio/website builder - Service providers who want flexible payment options including peer-to-peer apps (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle) - Businesses doing high ACH volume who want the 0.8% cap instead of 2.9% card fees
Bottom line
Dubsado is the stronger choice for service businesses that need sophisticated automation and a battle-tested client management workflow. It has more depth in the CRM and automation layers, broader integrations, and multi-brand support—but it takes time to configure and costs more up front.
Bloom wins for visual creatives, particularly photographers, who need image delivery baked into their client management workflow alongside a cleaner onboarding experience and more flexible payment options. The free tier lowers the barrier to entry, though its limits make it a trial rather than a long-term free solution.
If you're a photographer or videographer: start with Bloom. If you're a consultant, coach, or agency owner who wants deep automation: Dubsado is worth the setup time.