How to Cancel HoneyBook (2026 Guide) — Export Your Clients Before You Go
Updated 2026-02-24 · 6 min read
HoneyBook costs $19/month (Starter), $39/month (Essentials), or $79/month (Premium). It's a CRM and business management platform popular with freelancers, photographers, wedding planners, and creative professionals. If your freelance business slowed down or you found a cheaper alternative, here's how to cancel — but export your data first.
⚠️ CRITICAL — Export First: Once you cancel HoneyBook, you lose access to client contacts, contracts, invoices, and project history. Download everything you need BEFORE canceling. There is no "read-only" archive mode.
Step 1: Export Your Data
Export contacts: Go to Contacts → Select All → Export to CSV
Download contracts: Go to each project → Download contract PDFs individually
Export invoices: Go to each project → Download invoice PDFs
Save templates: Screenshot or copy your email templates, proposal templates, and questionnaires
Download files: Any uploaded files (photos, documents) need to be downloaded manually
They'll show a retention offer (often 50% off for 3 months)
Decline if you want to fully cancel
Confirm cancellation
Access continues until end of billing period
HoneyBook Retention Offers (Worth Knowing)
When you click cancel, HoneyBook typically offers:
Pause — Freeze your account for 1-3 months (free). Your data stays, you just can't use features. Good for seasonal businesses
Downgrade — Drop to the Starter plan ($19/mo) if you're on a higher tier
Discount — Often 50% off for 3-6 months
If your business is slow but not dead, pause is the smartest move — it keeps your data intact
Cheaper Alternatives to HoneyBook
Wave (free) — Invoicing and accounting. Free forever, no subscription. Missing CRM features but covers the financial basics
Dubsado ($20-40/mo) — Direct HoneyBook competitor with more customization. Often cheaper for similar features
Bonsai ($21/mo) — Freelancer-focused: contracts, invoices, proposals. Simpler than HoneyBook
Google Workspace ($6/mo) — Google Forms for questionnaires + Google Sheets for tracking + Gmail for communication. Low-tech but cheap
Notion (free) — DIY CRM with templates. Popular with solopreneurs who want control
The Annual Plan Trap
HoneyBook aggressively pushes annual billing with big discounts. But if your freelance work dries up mid-year:
No prorated refunds on annual plans
You pay for the full year even if you stop using it in month 3
Annual plan at $39/mo tier = $468 upfront — a lot if business slows down
Monthly billing is safer for inconsistent income, even though it costs more per month
HoneyBook's Processing Fees
Beyond the subscription, HoneyBook also charges payment processing fees:
Credit/debit cards: 2.9% + $0.25 per transaction
ACH/bank transfer: 1.5% per transaction
On a $5,000 wedding photography booking, that's $145-150 in processing fees
If you switch to Square Invoices (2.6% + $0.10), you save on every transaction
🔍 Business Subscription Audit: HoneyBook + QuickBooks + Canva + scheduling tools + email marketing + domain hosting — business subscriptions can easily top $200-500/month. Upload your bank statement to JustCancel to audit everything.