Arpixa vs Dubsado
Two all-in-one client management platforms for freelancers and studios — compared in depth. See how Arpixa’s AI-native workspace, flat pricing and dual Stripe + Razorpay payments stack up against Dubsado’s deeply customizable workflows and forms, so you can choose the right operating system for your business.
Head-to-head scorecard
Our editorial assessment of two close all-in-one client management platforms. Arpixa leads on pricing, payments reach, AI and delivery; Dubsado leads on deeply customizable workflow automation and forms.
ArpixaAI-native, flat pricing, global payments — automation included.
DubsadoDeeply customizable workflows — but pricier, with little AI.
Six reasons agencies choose Arpixa
The differences that show up in everyday client work — not just on a feature checklist.
Start free, then pay less
Arpixa has a permanent, usable free plan and a $12/month Starter. Dubsado has no true free plan — just a trial capped at 3 clients — and its entry Starter tier is $35/month.
Lower entry + freeAutomation without the upgrade
On Dubsado, automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals are locked to its $55/month Premier tier. Arpixa includes automations and scheduling on far more accessible plans.
Automation from day oneGet paid globally and in India
Arpixa collects card payments with Stripe and INR payments with Razorpay. Dubsado connects Stripe, Square and PayPal for mostly US and Western billing, with no native Razorpay rail.
Stripe + RazorpayAI-native workflow
Generate proposals, briefs, replies and summaries from your workspace context, with full review control — an AI layer Dubsado largely does not offer today.
AI Drafts built inProjects and tasks, not just forms
Arpixa ties projects, tasks, deliverables and milestones to the client. Dubsado centres on forms, workflows and invoicing, with limited project management for actual delivery.
Delivery includedLive without the learning curve
Arpixa is quick to set up and run day to day. Dubsado is powerful but has a well-known learning curve, especially to build its automated workflows from scratch.
Modern & fastPlan-by-plan pricing
Arpixa starts free and scales from $12/month, with automations on accessible plans. Dubsado starts at $35/month and locks automation, scheduling and public proposals behind its $55/month Premier tier.
Free
Real plan, not a trial — 1 client, 2 seats, core tools.
Starter
For solo teams and small studios getting organized.
ProPopular
Branded portal, automations, unlimited collaborators.
Advanced
White-label leaning, heavy automation and scale.
Free trial
Unlimited time but capped at 3 clients — not a full free plan.
Starter
Solo client work — no automation, scheduling or public proposals.
Premier
Adds automated workflows, scheduling, time tracking, 3 users.
Prices shown for comparison and may change — check each vendor’s pricing page for current figures. Dubsado’s Starter plan excludes automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals (Premier required); its free option is a trial capped at 3 clients. Annual figures are the per-month equivalent when billed yearly.
The full side-by-side breakdown
Every major surface, scored honestly — including where Dubsado does something better than Arpixa. Filter by category or focus only on the rows where the two platforms differ.
| Capability | Arpixa | Dubsado |
|---|---|---|
| Sales & CRM | ||
| Contact / client CRMCentral records linked to work and billing | Included | Included |
| Lead capture & formsInbound pipeline before a client exists | Included | Customizable |
| Proposals & quotesScope, pricing and approval flow | Included | Public: Premier |
| E-sign contracts & docsSignable agreements tied to the client | Included | Included |
| Delivery | ||
| Projects & tasksBoards, timelines and deliverables | Included | Limited PM |
| Time trackingTimers on client work | Basic | Added in 3.0 |
| Forms & intakeStructured client input | Included | Highly customizable |
| Docs, briefs & wikiShared delivery knowledge | Included | Partial |
| Client experience | ||
| Branded client portalOne dashboard for the whole engagement | Included | Included |
| Per-section visibilityChoose exactly what each client sees | Included | Partial |
| Scheduling & bookingsMeetings and calendar-ready workflows | Included | Premier only |
| White-label workspaceRemove vendor branding | Advanced plan | Partial |
| Billing | ||
| Invoicing & PDFsBranded invoices and billing context | Included | Included |
| Stripe paymentsCard payments on invoices | Included | Included |
| Razorpay paymentsIndia-first payment rail | Native | Not available |
| Recurring & retainer billingBill across the full engagement | Included | Included |
| AI & access | ||
| AI assistant / draftsGenerated proposals, briefs, summaries | Included | Not available |
| Workflow automationTriggers, rules and status moves | Included | Premier · powerful |
| Automation on entry planAutomations without upgrading | Included | Premier only |
| Zapier & API accessConnect external systems | Included | Zapier: Premier |
| Usable free planA real free workspace, not just a trial | Included | 3-client trial |
Where each platform pulls ahead
Beyond the checkmarks — how the two products actually feel in day-to-day client work, including the areas Dubsado wins.
A cheaper start — and automation without the upgrade
Arpixa opens with a usable permanent free plan and a $12/month Starter, and includes automations and scheduling on accessible plans. Dubsado’s Starter is $35/month and blocks automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals — you need its $55/month Premier tier to unlock them.
- Arpixa Starter is $12/month; Pro at $29/month includes unlimited collaborators.
- Dubsado Starter ($35/mo) has no automation, scheduling or public proposals.
- Dubsado’s free option is a trial capped at 3 clients, not a full free plan.
Get paid the way your clients pay — worldwide
Arpixa ships both Stripe and Razorpay, so you can collect card payments globally and INR payments across India. Dubsado connects Stripe, Square and PayPal and is strong for US and Western creatives, but has no native Razorpay rail for India-first billing.
- Stripe powers card payments on invoices for global billing.
- Native Razorpay support simplifies India-first and INR collection.
- Payment status flows back into the client portal and analytics.
AI-native, where Dubsado is largely manual
Arpixa is built AI-first: it drafts proposals, briefs, replies and summaries from your workspace context, with full review control before anything is sent. Dubsado is powerful at manual, rule-based workflows but does not offer a comparable AI drafting layer today.
- AI Drafts prepare proposal, brief and reply copy from real context.
- Summaries and assists speed up the repetitive writing around client work.
- You keep full review control — nothing is sent without your say-so.
A deeply customizable automation and form builder
Credit where it's due: Dubsado’s workflow and form builder is a genuine strength. For solopreneurs who want to design intricate, branded automated workflows and highly customized forms, proposals and contracts, its depth and flexibility go beyond Arpixa’s more streamlined automations.
- A powerful, flexible automated-workflow engine on the Premier plan.
- Highly customizable forms, proposals and contracts with a design canvas.
- A mature product with a strong community among photographers and creatives.
Pick the platform that fits how you work
No tool wins on everything. Here’s the straight answer on when each one is the better choice.
Choose Arpixa if…
You want an AI-native, all-in-one workspace with flat pricing and global payments.
- You want flat, predictable pricing — a usable free plan, then $12/month.
- Automation shouldn’t cost extra — automations and scheduling on accessible plans.
- You bill globally or in India — native Stripe and Razorpay rails.
- You want AI and delivery — drafts plus projects and tasks built in.
Choose Dubsado if…
Deeply customizable workflows and forms are your top priority.
- Workflow depth matters most — a powerful, flexible automation engine.
- You customize everything — highly designable forms, proposals and contracts.
- You’re a creative solopreneur — a mature tool with a strong community.
- You want processor choice — Stripe, Square and PayPal with no platform markup.
Moving from Dubsado to Arpixa
A connected data model makes the structure map cleanly. Here’s the path most teams take.
Map your workspace
List active clients, forms, workflows and open invoices you run in Dubsado.
Recreate the structure
Set up your Arpixa workspace, branding and client portal sections to mirror your setup.
Bring work across
Move client records, proposals, projects and invoices, keeping billing context attached.
Invite & go live
Add your team and clients, switch the portal on, and run new business through Arpixa.
Still weighing it up? Here’s what teams ask
Straight answers to the questions that come up most when choosing between Arpixa and Dubsado.
Both are all-in-one client management platforms — CRM, forms, proposals, contracts, invoicing, payments and a client portal. Arpixa is AI-native with flat pricing (a usable permanent free plan, then $12/month) and both Stripe and Razorpay payment rails, with projects and automations on accessible plans. Dubsado is a mature, deeply customizable workflow-automation tool for solopreneurs, starting at $35/month, where automation and scheduling require its $55/month Premier tier.
Yes, especially at entry. Arpixa has a usable free plan and a $12/month Starter, with automations and scheduling available on accessible plans. Dubsado’s Starter is $35/month and excludes automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals — those need Premier at $55/month. For most solo operators, Arpixa is the more affordable on-ramp.
Yes, and it is worth being clear about. Dubsado’s signature strength is a deeply customizable automated-workflow engine and a highly flexible form, proposal and contract builder with a design canvas. If you want to design intricate branded workflows and forms, Dubsado’s depth and flexibility go beyond Arpixa’s more streamlined automations.
Yes. Arpixa includes both Stripe and Razorpay, so teams can collect card payments globally and INR payments through Razorpay. Dubsado connects Stripe, Square and PayPal and works well for US and Western businesses, but has no native Razorpay rail — which makes Arpixa the stronger fit for India-first and globally distributed teams.
No — this is a common surprise. Dubsado’s Starter plan ($35/month) does not include automated workflows, scheduling or public proposals; you need the Premier plan ($55/month) to unlock them. Arpixa includes automations and scheduling on far more accessible plans, so you don’t have to upgrade just to automate.
Both suit solopreneurs. Dubsado is a great fit if you want to build intricate, highly customized automated workflows and forms and don’t mind the learning curve or price. Arpixa tends to be the more affordable, faster-to-learn option: a usable free plan, $12/month flat, projects and AI built in, and global payments via Stripe and Razorpay.
Yes. Both give clients a branded space to see their work. Arpixa focuses on one connected dashboard for timeline, deliverables, files, invoices, payments and messages, with visibility controlled section by section. Dubsado offers a capable client portal as part of its workflow-driven experience.
Not especially. Because both are organized around connected client, form, proposal, invoice and file records, the structure maps closely. Most teams recreate their workspace and move records across in stages — clients, then templates, proposals and invoices. For complex setups, contact hello@arpixa.io for guidance before moving.
Arpixa is AI-native rather than AI-bolted-on. It can draft proposals, briefs, replies and summaries from your workspace context, and you keep full review control before anything is sent. Dubsado is strong at manual, rule-based workflows but does not offer a comparable AI drafting layer today, so Arpixa is the better fit if AI assistance matters to you.
Dubsado offers a free trial that has no time limit but is capped at 3 clients — useful for testing, but not a full free workspace. Arpixa’s free plan is a genuinely usable workspace — 1 active client, 2 collaborators, core features, a one-time AI trial and 500 MB storage — so you can validate the full workflow before paying.
One workspace for sales, delivery and getting paid
Client work, proposals, projects, the branded portal, invoicing and automations — in one AI-native workspace with flat pricing and global payments. Start free.
Try Arpixa nowSee why agencies switch — free to start