Tillage vs HoneyBookThe client management alternative
Updated . Every HoneyBook fact links to its source.
Tillage
HoneyBook
Monthly price
$0, unlimited users, quotes and invoices
$29–$109/mo billed yearly, or $36–$129 monthly. No free plan
Online payment fees
Your client can cover them
Cards from 2.7% + 10¢ (its plan table lists 2.9% + 25¢); ACH 1.5%
Margin on quotes
Variance buffer and profit margin on every line
No markup or margin controls found
The short answer
HoneyBook is an all-in-one CRM for independent service businesses, with lead forms, scheduling, proposals, contracts and payments in one place. Tillage is free invoicing built for agencies that quote by hours and rate, with variance and profit margin on every line and payment schedules generated from signed contracts. If you need a CRM front end with booking, HoneyBook fits. If your priority is pricing work profitably and getting paid in full without a monthly fee, Tillage does.
Choose Tillage if
- YesYou want $0/month instead of $29–$109 a month
- YesYou price projects as hours × rate and need margin protection
- YesYou want quote, contract and payment schedule in one flow for agency projects
Choose HoneyBook if
- YesYou need lead forms, a sales pipeline and client scheduling
- YesYou want a business checking account and financing in the same app
- YesYou track time inside the tool you invoice from
Tillage vs HoneyBook, feature by feature
| Feature | Tillage | HoneyBook |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Yes$0, unlimited users, quotes and invoices | Partly$29–$109/mo billed yearly, or $36–$129 monthly. No free plan |
| Online payment fees | YesStripe 2.9% + 30¢ (cards) or 0.8% capped at $5 (ACH), plus 1% capped at $50 per invoice | PartlyCards from 2.7% + 10¢ (its plan table lists 2.9% + 25¢); ACH 1.5% |
| Pass fees to clients | YesBoth Stripe and platform fees, set team-wide | YesCard processing fees, US only |
| Quotes and estimates | YesHours × rate, or itemized with units and sections | YesProposals where clients pick services, sign and pay |
| Variance and profit margin on quotes | YesVariance buffer and profit margin on every line | NoNo markup or margin controls found |
| Contracts with e-signatures | YesGenerated from approved quotes | YesAll plans |
| Deposits and milestone payment schedules | YesPercentages triggered by signing, dates or milestones | YesPayment plans and custom schedules |
| Recurring invoices and retainers | YesWeekly, monthly, quarterly, every six months or yearly | YesRecurring and custom schedules, with autopay |
| Client pages with no login | YesSecure links to approve, sign and pay | PartlyClient portal with a magic link, password or code |
| Time tracking | NoNot a time tracker | YesProject time log and mobile stopwatch |
| Full accounting and bookkeeping | NoUse alongside your accounting software | PartlyFinancial reports and expenses, not a full ledger |
| QuickBooks or Xero sync | NoComing soon: QuickBooks Online, Xero, Mercury and Puzzle | PartlyQuickBooks Online on Essentials and up; no Xero |
| AI quote drafting | YesDrafts line items, hours and rates with your OpenAI or Claude key | PartlyAI for emails, automations and leads |
| Claude and ChatGPT through MCP | YesQuotes, contracts and invoices | YesHoneyBook MCP for Claude, launched Aug 2026 |
HoneyBook pricing
Flat per plan, with unlimited clients and projects. 30-day free trial, no free plan. Temporary promo prices often appear on the pricing page.
- Starter
- $29/mo billed yearly, or $36 monthlyOne user, 2 lead forms
- Essentials
- $49/mo billed yearly, or $59 monthlyUp to 2 team members, scheduler, automations, QuickBooks Online
- Premium
- $109/mo billed yearly, or $129 monthlyUnlimited team members, advanced reports, multiple companies
- Tillage, for comparison
- $0/month with unlimited users1% when paid online, capped at $50 per invoice. Your client can cover it. See pricing
Where HoneyBook is better
No tool is right for everyone. Here is where it may suit you better.
A full CRM front end
Lead forms, a sales pipeline, scheduling with pay-to-book, and AI tools for finding and following up with leads.
One file to choose, sign and pay
Proposals let clients select services, sign the contract and pay the deposit in a single step.
Finance extras
A HoneyBook Balance checking account, financing, instant deposit and a tax hub alongside invoicing.
Integrations and AI access
QuickBooks Online, Zapier, Calendly, Zoom, and a new MCP connector for Claude.
Where Tillage is better for agencies
$0 a month, at any team size
HoneyBook costs $348 to $1,308 a year billed yearly, and more than two team members requires Premium. Tillage is free with unlimited users.
Margin built into every quote
HoneyBook proposals price what you type. Tillage adds a variance buffer and profit margin to every line, so a quote can’t go out underpriced.
Pass both fees, not just processing
HoneyBook can pass card processing to US clients. Tillage passes Stripe and platform fees to clients, for cards and ACH, so you receive the full invoice.
Built for agency projects
HoneyBook is designed around creatives, events and solo service pros. Tillage is built around agency quoting: hours × rate, milestone schedules from signed contracts, and retainers.
Recent HoneyBook changes
Feb 4, 2025
HoneyBook restructured its plans and raised prices to $36, $59 and $129 a month ($29, $49 and $109 billed yearly). Existing members got 20% off the new rate for a year, and the legacy $9 Starter plan was retired.
Aug 19, 2026
HoneyBook launched an MCP connector so Claude can read and act on pipeline, projects, invoices and contracts.
Aug 2026
HoneyBook’s help center documents passing card processing fees to US clients at checkout. Older third-party comparisons that say it can’t are out of date.
Switching from HoneyBook
- 1
Export your contacts from HoneyBook as a CSV, then import them into Tillage as clients.
- 2
Recreate your most-used services and packages in Tillage’s service library, with your default variance and margin.
- 3
Build a payment schedule template for your usual deposit and milestone split.
- 4
Send new proposals from Tillage, and finish active HoneyBook projects there before you cancel.
Related guides and tools
HoneyBook vs Tillage
How each one handles complex projects, in more detail.
Invoicing software for agencies
Quotes, contracts and payment schedules in one free tool.
Quoting software with margin
Hours × rate quotes with your margin built in.
Billing schedules
Deposits, milestones and retainers without copying invoices.
Sources
Checked Oct 7, 2026. Pricing and features change, so if something here is out of date, email support@tillage.ai and we will fix it.
Tillage vs HoneyBook questions
Is Tillage cheaper than HoneyBook?
Yes. Tillage is $0/month with unlimited users. HoneyBook costs $29 to $109 a month billed yearly. Tillage’s 1% platform fee applies only to online payments, is capped at $50 per invoice, and your client can cover it.
Can HoneyBook pass fees to clients?
Yes, for card processing fees and US businesses, according to HoneyBook’s help center as of August 2026. Tillage passes both Stripe and platform fees, for card and ACH payments.
Does Tillage have a CRM like HoneyBook?
No. Tillage manages clients, contacts and quote history, but it does not include lead forms, a sales pipeline or scheduling. Many agencies pair Tillage with their existing CRM.
Can I move from HoneyBook to Tillage?
Yes. Export contacts from HoneyBook as a CSV and import them into Tillage, then rebuild your services and payment schedules once.
