Moxie vs Dubsado: Which CRM wins for solo business creatives?
Adopting a new CRM system is a lot like buying a car.
Or, more specifically, buying a car when you’re not really a ‘car person’.
Your research starts with the essentials: Does it look nice? Will it get me from A to B?
Then before you know it, you’re knee-deep in brand-specific jargon.
Only to realise that both options have essentially the same features (just named differently).
Hmm…
What you really need is to ask someone who’s already driven both of the cars you’re looking at.
As a systems consultant, I’ve driven both Moxie and Dubsado more times than I can count. I am an ex-Dubsado specialist and current Moxie-approved partner.
So, I feel uniquely qualified to help you answer the question that’s been devouring your time recently:
Which CRM platform is the best?
This is an honest ‘who wins’ blog exploring nine essential before-you-buy categories.
The ultimate CRM showdown, if you will.
Let's dive in!
1. Ease of setup and management
Firstly, a disclaimer: There is no CRM system that can be truly described as ‘easy’ to set up from scratch.
(If one does exist, I would wager that it probably doesn't have half the stuff you need inside.)
That being said, this category is an easy tick in the box for Moxie.
Despite being the bigger system, feature-wise, it’s a little less complicated to set up than Dubsado.
Especially if you skip the initial overwhelm by investing in some kind of Moxie setup course.
And, thanks to this simplicity, it’s also easier to manage and make changes, as you go. Perfect for beginners and CRM-switchers alike.
The winner
Moxie: the less complicated system despite having more features!
2. Client proposals
Creating, sending and tracking client proposals is a crucial element of both Moxie and Dubsado.
It’s something they both do incredibly well (as you would expect from any CRM).
But Dubsado does have the edge for two reasons:
1) Public Proposals
Public Proposals are handy if you want an automated workflow to be triggered by anyone completing a public proposal form. They can act like a sales page on your website.
For example, you may want to automatically send an invitation to book a discovery call.
Or simply send a follow-up email that warms them into a toasty hot lead, whilst you review their application form and decide if you want a call to happen.
I tend to see this used more by small businesses, as opposed to soloists. But it totally depends on your business processes.
Public proposals simply aren't a thing in Moxie. (Though, if it’s not something you plan on using, this factor may play no role in your decision making.)
2) Proposal Aesthetics
Whilst I wouldn’t describe Moxie proposals as ugly, per say...
Dubsado does provide a wider scope for designing beautiful forms.
This is thanks to the custom code capabilities, which make everything as customisable as a website page (fonts, containers etc.)
If you’re a web designer or photographer - or just have very specific design visions for your client proposals - this is something well worth considering.
The winner
Dubsado: for its Public Proposals and advanced design scope
Moxie - Agreement, Scheduler & Custom Client Portal Welcome Page
Dubsado Proposals, Scheduler & Client Portal
3. Agreements (contracts)
Once you move past the initial ‘look and feel’ of client proposals, you’re onto the nitty gritty of contracts and payments.
When it comes to contract agreements and the logistics of onboarding a client from this point…
I personally think the agreements are much slicker in Moxie.
Unlike Dubsado, you can integrate schedulers, contracts and a Stripe checkout easily into a Moxie agreement page.
This means clients can sign their life away, book their first call, and pay, all in the same window.
Conversely, in Dubsado, the invitation to book a call would be sent separately in an email, triggered by a client action e.g. signing the contract or paying their first instalment.
(Even as I write this out, I can feel how clunky the Dubsado process now feels, in comparison!)
The winner
Moxie: it’s a seamless process to get a client signed, paid and slotted into your calendar.
4. Project management tools
Whilst Dubsado started work on a project management feature a while ago, it all seemed rather half-baked.
It never really got past being a to-do list.
And I think they know this, given that project management doesn’t make an appearance in Dubsado’s wider marketing content.
By stark contrast, Moxie has put a lot of development into their integrated project management feature.
And as a natural ‘messy brain’ ADHD business owner, this is a dream.
After adopting Moxie I could say goodbye to Clickup, Toggl, and the numerous other tools I was using (and paying for!).
Moxie’s project management feels like the laid-back and soloist-friendly love child of Asana and Trello.
There’s also a built in time tracker (goodbye Clockify) which can tally-up client hours over the month and automatically generate an invoice, if you wish.
Ideal for if you regularly lose count of hours worked for retainer or ad-hoc clients!
The winner
Moxie: simple and streamlined, allowing you to ditch the 5+ tools
Moxie Project Management (from the dashboard)
5. Schedulers
Both Dubsado and Moxie have well-developed scheduler features: allowing you to set parameters around your bookings - so you don’t go overcommitting yourself!
And the ability to link a scheduler to a lead-capture form and payment link - perfect if you offer power hours.
But (not to be dramatic).
In early 2025, Moxie changed the game for client call schedulers.
As well as being able to add-in additional meeting attendees AND link to multiple calendars (Dubsado’s limit is one).
The most recent upgrade allows you to manage your availability directly from your linked calendar i.e. Google, Outlook, or iCloud.
So instead of manually selecting your availability in the scheduler itself (e.g. 10am - 4pm Monday - Friday)…
You can now link blocks from your Google Calendar to tell the Moxie scheduler when you’re available.
This function blows most schedulers out of the water!
More updates on this as the feature is tried and tested, by yours truly.
The winner
Moxie: multiple calendar links, attendees and new features on top of the usual scheduler setup
6. Customer support & feature requests
Again, this is something Dubsado just hasn’t prioritised in recent years, and it shows.
Right from the moment you sign up, even as a free-trial Moxie user, the support pathway is well signposted.
And the founders actually respond in good time. (Wild, I know!)
If you’re stuck, the owners of Moxie appear to be perfectly poised to personally respond to you in the dedicated users Facebook group.
The more traditional support lines are equally quick to respond. They'll even log onto your account to diagnose issues properly.
And when it comes to feature requests and fixing bugs in the system, the speed at which Moxie puts things in place makes this category such an easy win.
They listen to their people and implement some pretty cool and useful stuff - like the integration of AI to help build forms from scratch.
The winner
Moxie: flawless customer support and regular fixes and feature roll-outs
7. Client portals
Anyone who has ever used the Dubsado client portal will know: it’s barely there and it ain’t pretty.
This is Moxie’s Uno-reverse card to their Client Proposal category defeat.
Moxie portals are entirely customisable and allow you to offer a comprehensive client experience.
Whatever you dream of linking to (e.g. Google Drives, Trello boards, Airtables), can usually be done.
And Canva welcome pages can be ‘iframed in’, to fully match your branding.
This is all alongside the native sections that feature in every Moxie client portal: proposals, agreements, invoices, time tracked, ticket requests and calls booked with you.
You can even choose to share an overview of the project and tasks associated with the client, within the portal. (Very useful for clients who are constantly asking for updates!)
Finally, it also has a ‘support ticket’ submission area, making tracking client requests transparent and easy to log.
The winner:
Moxie: for its comprehensive client experience
Moxie Client Portal
8. Automations & integrations
Before you abandon all hopes for Dubsado…
The winner for this category totally depends on what you want to automate.
If you’re happy with the templated workflow of:
Discovery call > proposal /agreement > payments > ongoing work
Moxie is more than capable.
But if you’re looking for more intricate workflows, particularly when linked to Public Proposals, Dubsado is your winner.
And there’s an impressive list of apps that Dubsado integrates with.
In terms of the usual automations - like creating and chasing invoices, payment plans, or personalising automated emails - both systems have got your back.
As with Dubsado, integrating Moxie with everyday apps (like Stripe, PayPal, Google Drive, accounting software, email marketing platforms etc.) is a straightforward link or Zap.
The winner
Dubsado: more intricate workflow triggers
Moxie: if simplicity is your priority
9. Which platform is the best value for money?
Realistically, you don’t look at buying these systems without the automation features.
So, comparing like-for-like packages…
Dubsado Premier will set you back $40 (approx. £32) and Moxie Pro $25 (£20) per month.
If you’re not going to be using the Dubsado-only features mentioned above, Moxie offers a bigger system for two-thirds of the monthly spend.
And with the customer support, innovative features and a client portal that you actually want to share…
It’s really a no brainer.
The winner
Moxie: more features and better support for a lower monthly fee
Moxie or Dubsado: which CRM wins?
If you’ve lost track of the category winners, let’s have a quick recap…
Ease of setup and management: Moxie
Client proposals: Dubsado
Agreements (contracts): Moxie
Project management tools: Moxie
Customer support & feature requests: Moxie
Client portals: Moxie
Automation and integrations: Both
Best value for money: Moxie
Unfortunately for Dubsado, Moxie moves at a faster pace of development and offers more bang for your buck.
And it really listens and supports users - which cannot be undervalued if you’re a team of one!
For solo business owners and creatives, the Dubsado-only features are probably not going to tip the balance in its favour.
Especially when the whole point of systems is to simplify your business. So you can actually enjoy your life.
Last time I checked, flapping over intricate workflows for twice the monthly spend is not high on any freelancer’s list!
So, who exactly is Dubsado good for??
As I was writing this, I realised it may all seem rather one-sided. However, Dubsado is absolutely still relevant - and still a platform leader. I still do setups in both platforms.
There are certain businesses for which I think Dubsado would be the better choice.
For example, if you’re a photographer and aesthetics are VERY important.
If you need public proposals (acting like a sales page) or more intricate workflows - these will be deal-breakers for some.
But for the purpose of this blog… For solo business owners, creatives and freelancers: Moxie is ya gal.
How to get started with a Moxie CRM setup
As with any system, getting to grips with the lingo and layouts can take *a minute*. So if you want to fast-track your setup, without piecing together tutorials from Google…
My Moxie Maverick’s course is for you!
This course has been shaped by my past and present clients, designed for those who don’t mind getting stuck into a spot of systems DIY.
It’s a straight-talking, soloist-first course with 4 big perks:
It’s designed specifically for VAs, OBMs and Social Media Managers in mind (from a micro agency owner who has switched to Moxie herself)
It contains bitesize follow-along lessons (‘done with you’ style) for a lightning-speed setup - it took one maverick just 8 hours to complete!
You get a swipe file of pre-written canned emails
No need to stress over client portal designs because you get 3 Canva templates to create your own custom client portal welcome page
BONUS: After you’ve done building, you can request your free audit where I will check over everything in your account and provide personal feedback.
Let’s slash the learning curve and get you set up pronto, with Moxie Mavericks.
(and for done for you CRM setups, check out my full Moxie services here)