OnBrio
I spent 3 weeks testing every major agency management platform. Not watching demo videos — actually sending proposals, creating projects, generating invoices, and setting up automations. Here's what I found, including the things no one puts in their marketing copy.
Disclosure:We're OnBrio. We've done our best to review every tool honestly. If you think we've been unfair, email us.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Price | Best For | Our Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| OnBrio | $0–$149/mo | Agencies + AI | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| HoneyBook | $36–$129/mo | Solo creatives | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Dubsado | $35–$55/mo | Automation power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| ClickUp | $0–$19/user | Project mgmt only | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Monday.com | $12+/user | Teams + projects | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Bonsai | $9+/user | Solo freelancers | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| SuiteDash | $19–$99/mo | White-label heavy | ⭐⭐⭐ |
1. OnBrio
- Full pipeline: proposals → contracts → portals → projects → invoices, all connected
- AI copilot that answers questions from your real agency data
- Built-in Stripe payments with zero transaction fees
- Client portal with white-label custom domain
- Funnel builder for lead capture (coming May 2026)
- Newer platform — ecosystem/integrations still growing
- Some advanced CRM features still on roadmap
Who should use it: Agencies and freelancers who want one tool to replace 5+ point solutions.
2. HoneyBook
- Beautiful proposal and contract templates
- Good payment collection via Stripe
- Simple client communication interface
- Strong mobile app
- No real project management — tasks are very basic
- Limited team collaboration features
- No AI layer
- 89% price hike in 2025 upset a lot of users
- Transaction fees on top of subscription
Who should use it: Independent photographers, designers, and event planners doing solo work.
3. Dubsado
- Powerful automation workflows (best in class)
- Strong contract and proposal templates
- No transaction fees on payments
- Highly customizable
- No mobile app (major gap in 2026)
- Steep learning curve — setup takes weeks, not hours
- UI hasn't kept pace with modern design standards
- No project management
Who should use it: Established freelancers and studios who want complex automation and have time to configure it.
Proposals, contracts, projects, invoices, and AI copilot — all in OnBrio.
4. ClickUp
- Excellent project management
- Highly customizable views
- Large integration library
- Great for teams
- No proposals, contracts, or invoicing
- Not built for client management
- Requires separate billing tool
Who should use it: Internal agency project management, not client-facing workflow.
5. Monday.com
- Beautiful interface
- Strong team collaboration
- Good dashboards and reporting
- No proposals, contracts, or invoices
- Per-user pricing gets expensive for larger teams
- No client portal
Who should use it: Agencies with dedicated project managers and separate billing tools.
6. Bonsai
- Simple, clean proposal and contract workflow
- Good invoicing
- Legal templates included
- Designed for solo use — no real team features
- Limited project management
- No AI
Who should use it: Independent contractors who want a lightweight all-in-one.
7. SuiteDash
- Extensive white-labeling options
- Strong client portal
- Email marketing included
- Lifetime deals available
- Interface is dated and complex
- Too many features, not enough UX
- No AI
- Setup takes significant time
Who should use it: Digital marketing agencies that need white-label client portals and have technical staff to configure it.
How We Tested These Tools
Our testing methodology
We tested each tool by completing the same workflow:
- Creating a service proposal for a fictional client
- Getting the proposal signed and collecting a deposit
- Creating a project from the contract
- Logging time and generating an invoice
- Setting up an automation or client portal
We scored each tool on: feature completeness, ease of use, speed to setup, pricing value, and mobile experience. We did not receive payment from any vendor.
Common questions
What is the best agency management software overall?
OnBrio, based on our testing. It's the only platform where proposals, contracts, client portal, projects, and invoicing are fully connected, with an AI copilot and zero transaction fees.
What is the best tool for solo freelancers rather than agencies?
Bonsai for a lightweight all-in-one, or HoneyBook if you want the most polished proposal and contract templates. Neither is built for teams, though.
Is ClickUp or Monday.com good agency management software?
They're excellent project management tools, but neither has proposals, contracts, invoicing, or a client portal — you would need to pair either with a separate billing tool.
Which tool has the best automation, and what is the trade-off?
Dubsado's workflow automation is the best in class, but setup typically takes weeks rather than hours, and it has no mobile app or project management.
How was this comparison actually tested?
We completed the same workflow in every tool: creating a proposal, collecting a signature and deposit, creating a project from the contract, logging time and generating an invoice, and setting up an automation or client portal. Each tool was scored on feature completeness, ease of use, setup speed, pricing value, and mobile experience.
