Last updated on February 6, 2024
Are you tired of spending countless hours on tasks that you can easily automate? That means that you’re ready to upgrade your business management and put to use an invaluable automation and management software.
If you want tried and true solutions, Plutio and Dubsado are comprehensive business management software that can rise to the task. What’s still to be determined is which of the two is better suited to handle your unique responsibilities and challenges.
In this Plutio vs Dubsado comparison, we’ll delve into their features, pricing, customer support, and advantages to help you make up your mind.
Table of Contents
Plutio vs Dubsado: An Overview
Plutio delivers a “complete toolkit to run your business.” This all-in-one software was designed to minimize the number of platforms you need to use to optimize your business. Therefore, it consolidates all essential management tools, including automation, CRM, time-tracking, messaging, proposals, contracts, projects, invoices, forms, and schedulers.
Dubsado was created to optimize the workflows of small business owners and freelancers. Its diversified set of features ensures that you can streamline your workflows from top to bottom. Some of its functionalities are scheduling, a client portal, invoicing, lead onboarding, and more.
Pricing & Free Trial
The process of automating your business is an investment, so let’s start by looking at the pricing options and free trial available.
Pricing Plan
Plutio provides access to all its features across all plans, but the differences lie in client and contributor limits. The Solo plan is priced at $19/month and is suitable for beginners since you can manage only up to 3 clients. The second-tier plan costs $39/month and includes unlimited clients, but the number of contributors is limited to 10, with a $5/month/contributor add-on for up to 50 contributors. In their premium plan, the Agency, you can manage unlimited clients and add up to 30 contributors at no extra cost. The price of this plan is $99/month.
Dubsado has a two-tiered pricing plan. The first option is the Starter plan at $20/month (or $200/year if purchased with an annual subscription) which includes features like unlimited projects and clients, invoicing and payment plans, and form and email templates. The more advanced plan is the Premier plan, priced at $40/month (or $400/year if paid annually). With this upgrade, you get access to scheduling, automated workflows, and Zapier integration. Available add-ons are managing extra brands ($10/month/brand) and adding more than 3 users (starting at $25/month for up to 10 users).
Free Trial
Plutio offers a 7-day free trial, so you have a week to test the features and decide if this platform is the right fit.
Dubsado’s trial is much more generous. You can manage up to 3 clients free of charge for as long as you want. So, if you’re an aspiring coach, you can use this platform for free until your list of clients starts expanding.
Features
Neither of the two platforms is coaching-specific; nonetheless, they encompass powerful features that can be transformative for coaching businesses. We’ve broken down their list of features and standout functionalities for you to compare.
Plutio Features
- Scheduling
- Automation
- Project management
- Time-tracking
- Task management
- Contracts
- Proposals
- Invoicing
- Inbox and messenger
- Forms and surveys
- File management
- Templates for contracts, proposals, forms, and more
- Integrations with Zapier, Make, Square, Stripe, PayPal, Integrately, and Pabbly
Plutio features an inbox that consolidates instant messages, emails (integrating with third-party services like Google and Outlook), and live chat. This centralized communication hub provides you with tools to streamline collaboration with clients and contributors. Another nifty feature of Plutio’s inbox is the conversion of emails into tasks that you can assign to your team.
Keep track of your hours and automatically invoice your clients with Plutio Timesheets. You can also group and sort time entries with custom fields and categories for a clearer overview of your working hours.
Plutio has a drag-and-drop form builder that will simplify creating polls, surveys, signup sheets, and so on. The forms are customizable, and you can change the style, and add images, videos, tables, and more to align them with your brand.
Dubsado Features
- Scheduling
- Automation
- Client portal
- Form templates
- Contracts
- Proposals
- Invoicing
- Lead management
- Customization (forms, templates, and more)
- Reporting
- Integrations with Zapier, calendar apps, video conferencing apps, email providers, Quickbooks, Xero, and Cloudspot
A feature that coaches might find very useful is the client portal. From the portal, your clients can fill out forms, access documents, and have an overview of their invoice payments.
Dubsado can make your work easier with automated workflows. The automation functionality can handle all those repetitive tasks like confirmation emails, payment reminders, and recurring payments.
Another nifty feature that distinguishes Dubsado is lead management. It streamlines turning leads into clients with an automated system that guides potential customers through the onboarding process.
Plutio vs Dubsado – How Are They Different?
Plutio and Dubsado share a number of similarities, so you might find yourself more confused than ever. But worry not, as we’ll highlight key features that set them apart.
Lead Captures
Dubsado streamlines client acquisition with its automated lead capture system which can help you attract and secure more clients. This feature isn’t available with Plutio.
Client Portal
Dubsado also stands out with its client portal, another feature that Plutio doesn’t offer. The client portal can be of great use to coaches who want to minimize unnecessary communication and simply allow clients to independently access and manage their files.
Centralized Inbox
Constant engagement with clients is an unavoidable aspect of coaching, which is why Plutio’s centralized inbox is such an important feature. Instead of juggling multiple messaging platforms and risking overlooking some messages, you can have it all in one place. Dubsado lacks this feature.
Project and Task Management
Whether organization is your passion or if you need help with that aspect of your business, you’ll love the project and task management features that Plutio offers. You can plan your coaching projects, assign tasks, and have a birds-eye view of the entire scope. The dashboard is very intuitive, and you can even choose your preferred view to organize and visualize tasks according to your liking. The project and task management features aren’t available with Dubsado.
Customer Support
Plutio has a 4.5 rating for customer service on Capterra. Reviewers praised the customer service’s responsiveness and helpfulness, but some complained about the delayed response time. For any questions you might have, you can reach out via built-in live chat or email. They didn’t specify their working hours.
Dubsado has a 4.4 rating for customer service on Capterra. Reviews are mostly positive, but a few users expressed dissatisfaction with generic solutions. You can contact support via email, live chat, or by scheduling a call. They are available from Monday to Friday from 4 a.m. to 12 a.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Conclusion – Plutio vs Dubsado?
We have before us two similar yet distinctive platforms. Neither is coaching-specific, but both are all-in-one solutions that can centralize a lot of business activities, and both are affordable. So, there isn’t a clear winner in this comparison, but rather the option that aligns better with your needs.
Plutio might be a more suitable pick for coaches with an established practice and a substantial client base. Task and project management will help you keep track of your diversified portfolio, while a centralized inbox can be a lifesaver when it comes to communicating with a lot of clients.
Considering that Dubsado is free for managing up to 3 clients, it can be a clear choice for aspiring coaches. Features like lead management can help you grow your business, while the client portal can enhance your clients’ experience.
Alternatives to Plutio vs Dubsado
If you had in mind a platform that is more tailored to coaching, with features like a program creator and group session functionality, you can check out our list of top-notch life coaching software. The list features end-to-end coaching business management solutions like CoachVantage, Paperbell, Honeybook, Practice, Simplero, and Bonsai.
You can also discover how Dubsado fares against other platforms by checking out our Dubsado alternatives article. In addition, we’ve conducted direct comparisons with Bonsai, Paperbell, and Honeybook for a more in-depth analysis.
The Life Coach Magazine staff is your team for high-quality content on topics from personal development, to coaching tips, to how to grow your coaching business.
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