A simple alternative to Dubsado for wedding photographers
Dubsado is a genuinely capable studio suite. But if you signed up, opened the workflow builder, and quietly closed the tab — you're not lazy. You just wanted the quote to close, not a second job configuring one. quolby is the smaller bet: one branded link your couple uses to accept a quote, e-sign, and pay the deposit — straight into your own Stripe at a 0% platform fee. Not a whole CRM.
Where Dubsado wins, and where it costs you
Dubsado gives you forms, workflows, contracts, invoicing and automations in one place. For a studio with steady volume and someone to set it up, that depth pays off. The cost is time: canned emails, workflow triggers, brand settings and templates all have to be built before the tool does anything for you. Plenty of photographers pay for months while still quoting over WhatsApp on the side.
quolby makes the opposite bet — do the single money-making step brilliantly, and be usable in about ten minutes.
How quolby compares to Dubsado
| Dubsado (studio suite) | quolby | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Hours — forms, workflows, templates, automations | ~10 minutes — build packages, send a link |
| The couple sees | A proposal or form to fill in | An interactive quote they build themselves |
| Deposit | Yes, via invoicing you configure | Yes — paid on the spot, straight to your Stripe |
| Who holds the deposit | Runs through Dubsado's connected payment integration (your Stripe, Square or PayPal); check their site for current terms | A Stripe Connect direct charge into your own Stripe — 0% platform fee, and quolby is never in the money flow (Stripe's own rules still govern your account) |
| Learning curve | Real — expect a setup weekend | Minimal — most people send their first quote same day |
| Price | Paid annual/monthly plan | Free to start · €15/mo Pro |
What quolby actually does
- A branded quote link your couple builds themselves — pick packages, watch the total settle, accept.
- The deposit is paid in the same tap, directly into your own Stripe account (quolby takes no cut).
- You're notified the moment the date is reserved.
- Free to send quotes; Pro (€15/mo) adds deposit collection and removes the small credit line.
See it in 60 seconds
Build a sample quote exactly like your couple would — no signup.
Try the free quote makerWho should keep Dubsado — and who shouldn't
If you already live inside Dubsado and your workflows are humming, keep it; nothing here is faster once it's set up. But if the suite has become the thing you keep meaning to finish, quolby lets you look professional and get the deposit paid today, without adopting an entire back office.
Not sure how to structure the quote itself yet? Start with our guide on how to send a wedding photography quote, or read how to collect a wedding photography deposit. Prefer to just see it? Build a quote in the no-signup studio. Weighing the other tools too? See the HoneyBook comparison, the Studio Ninja comparison, or — comparing the two big suites head-to-head — HoneyBook vs Dubsado.
FAQ
Is quolby a Dubsado alternative?
Yes — but a deliberately narrow one. Dubsado is a full studio suite you configure with forms, workflows and automations. quolby does a single step instead: one branded link your couple uses to accept an interactive quote, e-sign the booking contract, and pay the deposit. If you want an all-in-one back office, keep Dubsado. If you mainly want the quote to close fast, quolby is the smaller, simpler alternative.
Does quolby charge a fee on deposits?
quolby takes a 0% platform fee on deposits — it adds no cut of its own. The couple pays through a Stripe Connect direct charge straight into your own Stripe account, so quolby is never in the money flow. Stripe's own standard card processing fee (around 2.9%) still applies and is handled inside your Stripe, exactly as it would be on any payment. quolby itself charges only its €15/mo Pro plan.
Can I keep Dubsado and still use quolby?
Yes. quolby only owns the quote-and-deposit moment, so it sits happily beside a fuller CRM. Plenty of photographers keep Dubsado for pipelines, questionnaires and post-booking workflows, and use quolby purely as the interactive quote link they send couples. There's no import or migration required — you can run both while you decide which one you actually reach for when a new enquiry lands in your inbox.
How much does quolby cost?
quolby is free to start, and you can build and send quotes on the free plan. Pro is €15 per month and adds deposit collection, with a 0% platform fee — the deposit goes straight into your own Stripe rather than through quolby. There's no per-quote charge and no long contract. For Dubsado's current pricing, check their site directly, since plans and prices change over time.
Where does the couple's deposit go?
Straight into your own Stripe account. quolby uses a Stripe Connect direct charge, which means the couple's card is charged directly to your connected Stripe — the money never passes through quolby's balance. You're notified the moment the date is reserved, and payouts follow your normal Stripe schedule. Because quolby is never the merchant of record, the deposit is yours from the first second it's paid.
Can quolby freeze or hold my money?
No. Because quolby is never in the money flow, there is no quolby balance your deposits sit in and no cut taken from them — your account answers to Stripe's normal rules alone. The couple's payment is a direct charge into your own Stripe, so your funds live under your own Stripe account and terms, not quolby's. If Stripe ever has a question about a payment, that's between you and Stripe — quolby simply isn't the middleman.