The client portal — not the whole bundle
HoneyBook is a complete business suite for creative professionals — contracts, invoicing, scheduling, automations, and client portals all in one. If you need every piece of that, it's a strong choice. If you already have invoicing and contracts handled and just need a clean place for client files with per-file feedback, Droplana does that one job — well, simply, and at a fraction of the cost.
The "I'm only using 30% of it" problem
A common HoneyBook story:
- You signed up because the client portal looked great.
- You spent a weekend setting up templates, contracts, and workflows.
- Six months later, you mostly use the portal and the invoicing.
- You ignore half the features.
- You're paying full price for the whole platform.
This isn't a HoneyBook flaw — it's a side effect of "all-in-one" platforms. They optimize for users who genuinely use most features. If you're not that user, the math gets uncomfortable.
Droplana solves a different version of the problem: you keep using your existing contracts tool, your existing invoicing, your existing calendar — and just add a focused client portal where it actually belongs.
Side-by-side comparison
| HoneyBook | Droplana | |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | All-in-one business suite for creatives | Client portal — done well |
| Client portal | ✅ One of many features | ✅ The entire product |
| Contracts & e-signing | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Use your existing tool |
| Invoicing & payments | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Use your existing tool |
| Scheduling | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Use your existing tool |
| Per-client isolation | ✅ | ✅ |
| No client account needed | ⚠️ Varies by feature | ✅ Just open the link |
| Setup time | Several hours minimum | Minutes |
| Right for | Creatives who want everything in one platform | Anyone who just needs a clean client surface |
Feature sets and pricing change — confirm current details on the HoneyBook site.
When Droplana wins
You already have contracts and invoicing handled
Whether it's Stripe + a Notion contract template, or PandaDoc + Wave, or anything else — Droplana doesn't try to replace it. Plug in the missing piece (the portal) and keep what works.
You're outside HoneyBook's primary geography
HoneyBook leans heavily into US workflows — US tax, US payment processors, US-specific business norms. If you're in Europe, the UK, Australia, or anywhere else, a focused tool often fits cleaner.
You're not a "creative entrepreneur" specifically
HoneyBook's tone, templates, and workflow assumptions are built for photographers, planners, designers, and similar creative service businesses. If you're a developer, consultant, accountant, or B2B specialist, much of HoneyBook's polish is aimed elsewhere.
You want predictable, low-cost pricing
Droplana is free to start. Pro is €10/month + tax (unlimited clients, 100 GB storage). Optional addons: Team addon at €20/mo + tax, Storage addon at €25/mo + tax (+500 GB per addon, stackable). That's the entire pricing page.
You're early in your business
You don't need an entire ops platform before you have 10 clients. Start with the portal. Add the rest as you actually need it.
When HoneyBook makes sense
We're not going to pretend HoneyBook is a bad product — it isn't. It's a real fit if:
- You're a creative service business based in the US.
- You want contracts, invoicing, scheduling, and portals all under one login.
- You actually use those features (vs only the portal piece).
- The all-in-one workflow saves you more time than it costs to learn.
- You like HoneyBook's templates and brand fit for creative work.
If that's you, HoneyBook is probably the right tool.
If you came to this page because you're paying for HoneyBook but mainly using the portal — Droplana exists for exactly that situation.
How it works (3 steps)
- Add a client. Each one gets their own isolated portal.
- Upload files, add per-file comments. From a clean dashboard.
- Share the link. No account on their side. No setup.
Check our simple pricing (or start free)
Free
€0
- 1 client
- 5 GB storage
- 100 MB max file size
- Max 1 year file retention
- No team members
- Custom slug with random suffix
Pro
€10/mo+ tax
- Unlimited clients
- 100 GB storage
- 1 GB max file
- Unlimited file retention
- 3 team members included
- Fully custom slug
Need more? Add the Storage addon (€25/mo stackable) or Team addon (€20/mo).
Security, encryption, isolation, and data export are the same on every plan.
No per-client fees. Tax calculated by Creem at checkout.
Check who are we building Droplana for
Designers
Your work deserves better than a Drive folder and a Slack thread. Give every client a clean portal for files, revisions, and feedback.
Photographers
Stop sending WeTransfer links that expire in 7 days. Give every client a permanent portal for proofs, edits, and final files. No accounts required.
Developers
Your client communication shouldn't look messier than your code. Give every client a clean portal for specs, handovers, and ongoing maintenance.
Consultants
Consulting engagements run on decks, docs, and decisions. Keep them in one clean portal per client — easy for executives, organized for you.
Freelancers
Stop juggling email threads and Dropbox folders. Give every client their own portal in seconds — no client accounts, no lost files, no follow-up emails.
Legal
Give each client their own private document portal. EU-hosted in Germany, DPA available. Engagement letters, signed contracts, court filings — all in one clean place. No client login required.