Considering we love teaching creatives how to run more effective businesses, it would be wrong to not share a list of some of the best CRMs for photographers.
If the term CRM is new to you, it stands for “customer relationship manager.” What this means is simple – a CRM is designed to allow you to more effectively engage with your clients and manage their project until it’s completion.
Pretty much every CRM for photography businesses will do a number of similar things. A few that are incredibly common include: allow you to bring in new leads through a specialized contact form, send and receive emails within a client project space, send contracts and invoices, and more.
Of course, there are so many customer relationship managers for photographers out there. It’s become a booming industry with different companies offering their unique takes on what can make your life as a business owner more streamlined, while wow’ing your clients in the process.
Our recommendations below for the best CRMs for photographers come hand selected based on our personal experience using these platforms, as well as through the many success stories we’ve heard from photographers we talk to regularly.
Please note…we are not sponsored by any of these CRM platforms, but do use affiliate links when feasible as your use of these links allows us to continue creating high quality content available for free through our website and groups. Generally speaking, any of these CRMs will be impactful on your business operations if you are willing to learn how they work and set up solid workflows.
Our Top Picks
If you’re looking to find a good CRM for your photography business and want to avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed by too many options, we recommend the CRMs below as the most suitable for the average photographer.
- Honeybook
- Dubsado
- Bloom
These are our top recommendations because they are well established, simple to use, serve photographers well by their platforms, and are very well reviewed and talked about by photographer users.
Full List of CRMs for Photographers
This is a comprehensive list of the best CRMS for photographers.
Please keep in mind that some CRMs are good for specific use cases, such as creating a high volume studio, getting more intricate workflow automations, or just looking for something super simple out of the box because you’re a photographer shooting 10 weddings a year.
It’s easy to encounter a lot of bias when talking with photographers about their recommended CRMs, since they are typically going to recommend what they use. I’m also guilty of this at times. With that said, I am trying to make this an objective resource, so I’ll be highlighting good and bad things about each CRM as I go.
In reality, all of these CRMs have been user tested and have their good reviews (and bad ones), so it’s important to always, always test them out for yourself. Most (if not all) of these CRMs also offer free trial periods, which we highly recommend taking advantage of.
This list will be periodically updated to reflect new platforms and suggestions.
Honeybook
About Honeybook
HoneyBook is a comprehensive CRM platform specifically tailored for creative professionals, offering an intuitive interface that simplifies project management, enhances client communication, and streamlines financial tracking. With its user-friendly design, real-time collaboration features, personalized branding options, and robust customer support, HoneyBook empowers creatives to manage their projects, clients, and finances with efficiency, allowing them to focus on their artistic pursuits and elevate their creative businesses to new heights.
Our Take
I have been a long time user of Honeybook (since the early days of my photography business), and can largely recommend it.
Some of the best features I use regularly in my photography business include: built in scheduler functionality, contact forms and new lead forms that can be configured to trigger some automations (such as an autoresponder email, which we cover in our free Inquiry to Consult course), and questionnaires.
An underrated addition that is pretty unique to Honeybook is also their community “opportunities” section where you can connect with other photographers and service providers using HB locally – find 2nd shooters, set up styled shoots, connect with wedding vendors, etc. I have actually used this myself to network on a few occasions.
If I was to highlight any downsides, my biggest issue is with the client facing side of things.
When a client receives an email, it looks distinctly “Honeybook”, and can require them to go into a Honeybook portal in order to handle communication. This isn’t so problematic for current clients, but for new leads I could see it being a turn off. Still, my results have been good enough that I don’t think it’s too significant of a problem.
I believe Honeybook has found success with creatives in particular because it is fairly intuitive and easy to set up when compared with other CRM solutions out there. Yes, there can be a bit of a learning curve, but most people will not need to spend months figuring out how to use it.
Who is this CRM for?
Honeybook is a great platform for a wide range of photography studio needs and could support small to large studios. In my experience, there are some limitations when it comes to effectively managing a team, so if you have a studio with many shooters, I recommend exploring a free trial before committing.
Tave
About Tave
Táve is a versatile CRM platform designed to meet the needs of creative professionals, particularly photographers. It encompasses features like lead management, project organization, client communication, and financial tracking, all within a user-friendly interface. Táve streamlines workflows, facilitates seamless collaboration with clients, and helps photographers manage their business operations effectively, enabling them to focus on delivering exceptional visual experiences.
Our Take
I would argue that the best feature of Tave is that it’s design is highly specialized to photography businesses. In addition, the inclusion of if/then logic can allow you to create complex and very robust automations if you are wanting to significantly streamline your workflows.
The downside of Tave is that it is not a well supported CRM, so you will often be left to your own devices to figure things out. And with a complex platform like this, that can be very frustrating especially for someone looking for something that can work quickly “out of the box.”
I experimented with Tave on two separate occasions for an extended period of time, each time. The first was early in my photography business when I was trying to choose the right CRM for me. The 2nd was when setting up a separate business looking for if/then automation functionality. I felt it was overly complex to do basic tasks, and feel this is going to be a turnoff for many photographers.
However, I know many studios that swear by Tave, and once you have it up and running – it can be a strong solution that can do a lot more than most CRMs marketed towards photographers.
Who is this CRM for?
Tave is a good solution for mid-size to large photography studios. I do not recommend it for smaller studios, specifically because it is more complex to set up and has unique features (such as if/then automations) that would benefit a larger studio more. I recommend the platform with the caveat that it is not well supported, so you may need to dig through YouTube videos and network with others to get things set up effectively. If you are more tech minded, it may come more naturally to you.
Get Tave
StudioNinja
About StudioNinja
Studio Ninja is a specialized CRM platform crafted for photographers to optimize their business operations. With a user-friendly interface, it offers tools for lead management, project scheduling, client communication, and financial tracking. Studio Ninja streamlines photography workflows, centralizes client interactions, and simplifies administrative tasks, empowering photographers to efficiently manage their projects and enhance their creative endeavors.
Our Take
I must admit, I have pretty limited insight into StudioNinja but wanted to include it in this list as I see it often pop up as recommended by other photographers. In doing some of my own research and playing around with the platform in a free trial, this CRM seems best suited to photographers who specialize in portrait sessions (any niche) due to the scheduling functionality.
In addition, I really liked being able to showcase a CRM platform that is not based in the USA. StudioNinja has it’s hub in Australia, and as a result many Aussie photographers are finding it to be great – it possibly helps solves some location specific issues and customer service response times are best (from what I’ve seen in reviews) for those photographers who live “down under.”
If there’s a downside to mention, something that is repeated online is it’s simplicity and lack of polish. To the “simplicity” comment, that’s a matter of perspective – as some photography studios thrive in having a simple product. The lack of polish, I can’t comment on much, but it is a good reason to take advantage of their free trial to test for yourself since like many things in life, YMMV.
Who is this CRM for?
I would specifically recommend StudioNinja for photographers based in Australia due to the better level of support seen in this audience repeatedly through countless reviews online.
Get StudioNinja
Dubsado
About Dubsado
Dubsado is a versatile CRM platform tailored for creative entrepreneurs and freelancers, offering an array of features such as client management, project organization, invoicing, and automation. With its intuitive interface and customizable workflows, Dubsado streamlines business processes, enabling users to effortlessly manage clients, projects, and finances.
By simplifying communication, automating tasks, and providing robust customization options, Dubsado empowers creatives to focus on their passions while maintaining professional and organized client interactions.
Our Take
I spent a good deal of time exploring Dubsado on a free trial for my photography business, as well as a separate business I was starting.
Dubsado has a lot of really great qualities, including a fairly intuitive interface to get things set up. This platform feels quite similar to Honeybook in many ways, but appears to have more built in functionality – especially around workflow automations. With that, a downside is the complexity to set up tends to require more time to get up and running.
Out of all the CRMs on this list, Dubsado feels like it has one of the largest growing user bases and I see it get mentioned increasingly on various Facebook groups and Reddit threads as a good (or one of the “best”) solutions for photographers in the market for a CRM.
Who is this CRM for?
Dubsado is suitable for a wide range of photographers, from small studios to large agencies. It’s out of the box functionality is great if you are just wanting something easy to get started with, and the ability to create more complex workflows is great to have in your pocket as your business grows. It is a very versatile platform.
Get Dubsado
Bloom
About Bloom
Bloom is a modern take on a CRM for photography businesses. It can help streamline client management, project organization, invoicing without the feeling of overwhelm that comes with so many CRMs these days.
Our Take
Bloom.io is a relatively newer CRM for photographers. I spent a good deal of time experimenting this one in a free trial, as at the time I was considering a switch from my current CRM.
I actually really loved Bloom for it’s simplicity, and felt that if you are running a fairly standard wedding photography business or smaller portrait studio – you would be really well served by how it works. I particularly liked how project tracking was handled in this CRM.
Some customer relationship managers can get really caught up in overdesigning their software and adding in things that are not useful (especially to photography businesses), Bloom has a very well refined UI, which makes navigation and getting set up a breeze.
If I didn’t have a goal to scale my photography business (to where I’d benefit from more rigorous automation functionality as an example), Bloom would be an easy choice to keep things easy.
Who is this CRM for?
Bloom is great for photographer who want a sleek and modern interface. It is very easy to use as well.
Get Bloom
Zoho One
About Zoho One
Zoho One is a comprehensive and integrated suite of business applications and tools designed to streamline various aspects of an organization’s operations, from customer relationship management and project management to finance, HR, and more.
Zoho is not a photographer specific CRM, but is used by businesses (big and small) in a wide range of industries.
With its extensive array of applications, Zoho One offers a unified platform for businesses to manage processes efficiently, enhance collaboration, and drive productivity. By providing a cohesive ecosystem that covers a wide range of business needs, Zoho One simplifies complex workflows, boosts efficiency, and enables companies to focus on growth and innovation.
Our Take
If I am being honest, Zoho One is one of the most complex CRMs a photography studio could purchase. This is both a good thing and a bad thing – depending on what you really need in a CRM.
In fact, the Zoho One subscription is actually more than a CRM (that would be their product Zoho CRM), however I recommend this since it provides you with the most bang for your buck and flexibility to set up your workflows exactly how you’d want.
Included with Zoho One is:
- Zoho CRM. Manage leads and client projects here.
- Zoho Mail. Host your domain specific email here included in the subscription price.
- Zoho Books. An alternative to Quickbooks for bookkeeping solutions included in the subscription price.
- Zoho Flow. Build simple and complex automations that can be used with any platforms in the Zoho One bundle.
- Zoho Social. Manage your social media accounts and schedule posts included in the subscription.
- Zoho Forms. Build contact forms, questionnaires, and more.
- Zoho Bookings. A call scheduler.
- and many more
I spent months building out a new business on this platform. The goal of this business was to provide services at scale, so a major focus was being able to build out complex automations to assist with service fulfillment. The end result was so-so. Some of this came down to my understanding of the platform, and some of it came down to platform specific issues that are probably the result of doing so much, that it’s impossible for it to do everything really well (like a specialized CRM).
Who is this CRM for?
After seeing the internal workings of this platform, I’d argue that Zoho One is best reserved for photography studios intent on scaling – we’re talking objectives like booking hundreds of clients a year or emphasizing efficiency at every turn to scale revenue into the high 6 figures or even 7 figure range.
Get Zoho One
Sprout Studio
About Sprout Studio
Sprout Studio is a specialized CRM platform tailored to meet the needs of photographers and creative professionals, offering tools to manage clients, projects, and business operations effectively. With an intuitive interface, Sprout Studio combines client management, project organization, invoicing, and communication features to streamline workflows. By centralizing interactions, automating tasks, and providing a platform for showcasing creative work, Sprout Studio empowers photographers to enhance client relationships, optimize their creative processes, and efficiently manage the business side of their artistic endeavors.
Our Take
Sprout Studio is an interesting product because it is not only targeting photographers specifically, but also is one of the most “all-in-one” solutions you can buy to manage your photography business. It includes the standard CRM elements you’ve come to expect (like the ability to send contracts, invoices, manage client projects, etc.), but also includes in a built in online gallery, email marketing, album design proofing, and more.
As an all in one solution, it ticks a lot of boxes but consequentially platforms that aim to do too much, tend to dilute some of their main features as they look to offer more in their product, but less refinement. The most common negative reviews we found online speak significantly to unreliability within the platform, which may be a matter of some user error as well as actual software glitches.
Who is this CRM for?
Sprout Studio will appeal most to photographers looking for an all-in-one solution that includes their CRM, project management, online galleries, print shop, email marketing, etc. It has been designed with photographers in mind, so when it works, it seems to really work.
Get Sprout Studio
Shoot Q
About ShootQ
ShootQ is a dedicated CRM platform designed to cater to the needs of photographers, offering comprehensive tools for client management, project organization, scheduling, and communication. With an intuitive interface, ShootQ streamlines workflows by automating tasks, centralizing client interactions, and simplifying administrative processes. By providing photographers with the means to manage their projects and clients effectively, ShootQ empowers them to focus on their creative work and deliver exceptional experiences to their clients while maintaining a professional and organized business approach.
Our Take
ShootQ is not a particularly revolutionary CRM platform, but gets the job done. The most meaningful difference we can find with it when compared with other CRMs is it’s interface.
Who is this CRM for?
If you are interested in a CRM and find the UI to be the most appealing, this might work well for you. While this seems like a silly reason for a recommendation, we do acknowledge that photographers are often very visual, so having a platform that works for you in a visual way can be beneficial.
17 Hats
About 17 Hats
17hats is an all-in-one CRM platform tailored for small business owners and solopreneurs, offering a wide range of tools to streamline business operations. From client management and project organization to invoicing and document management, 17hats aims to simplify complex workflows. With its user-friendly interface and automation features, the platform helps users manage clients, projects, and finances efficiently, allowing them to focus on delivering their services and growing their businesses.
Our Take
In my early experimentations with CRMs, 17 Hats came up regularly as recommended by other photographers and creatives – so I had to give it a shot. In general, I actually really loved their interface and some special functionality (such as the ability to accept payments through PayPal…if that’s something you wanted to offer your clients). Another feature where this platform excels is time tracking – however I do understand this may not be something overly useful in a photography business specifically (though, other creative businesses such as web designers might find it more useful).
From a client facing perspective, their customer portal is also excellent and easy to use, which is often overlooked when photographers are trying to identify the best CRM for their business.
Who is this CRM for?
17 Hats would suit photographers needing a fairly “general use” CRM. It does all the fundamentals you would expect, and does them well. For small and mid size photography studios, this is a good solution.
Get 17 Hats
ShootZilla
About ShootZilla
Shootzilla is a specialized CRM platform designed for photographers, offering a suite of tools to streamline client management, project organization, scheduling, and communication. With its user-friendly interface and automation capabilities, Shootzilla simplifies workflows by centralizing client interactions and automating administrative tasks. By providing photographers with a platform to efficiently manage their projects and clients, Shootzilla empowers them to enhance customer relationships and focus on creating exceptional visual experiences while optimizing their business operations.
Our Take
Shootzilla is another CRM for photographers that is quite straightforward. As I looked through various reviews and features of this platform, what stood out to me was their help with set up (if you need it) and the relatively lower price point compared to other options on the market.
While we don’t think purchasing a CRM should be made on price alone, as it is such a crucial aspect of your business operations, it does make it appealing for photographers who just need simple client management, contract signing and invoicing.
Who is this CRM for?
Low volume photographers will have the most to gain from a Shootzilla subscription. The relatively lower price point (as of this writing – $177 per year) makes it incredibly accessible. In exchange, you get access to the basic CRM features you would expect to run your studio.
Get ShootZilla
Pixifi
About Pixifi
Pixifi is a comprehensive CRM platform specifically tailored for photographers, offering an array of tools to manage clients, projects, bookings, and business operations. With its intuitive interface and customizable features, Pixifi streamlines workflows by centralizing client interactions, automating tasks, and simplifying administrative processes. By providing photographers with the means to efficiently manage their projects and clients, Pixifi empowers them to focus on their creative work, strengthen client relationships, and effectively run their photography businesses.
Our Take
Pixifi is one of the cleaner CRMs available for photographers. It is easy to use (as far as CRMs go), but very flexible and customizable to meet the needs of your studio. This customizability seems to be one of the major features, as consequentially the cost to use this platform is also quite steep compared to most others on this list.
A particularly useful tool that is not available in most CRM platforms is their booking pages. These are customizable sales pages that you can create to allow clients to book themselves for certain services. This could be ideal for a portrait studio or for hosting mini-sessions.
Who is this CRM for?
Due to the high cost for a subscription, Pixifi is going to be best suited for medium to large photography businesses.
Pixieset
About Pixieset
Pixieset is a specialized CRM platform designed for photographers, offering tools to manage client galleries, digital deliveries, and client communication. With its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with photography workflows, Pixieset simplifies the process of sharing, delivering, and selling photos to clients. By providing photographers with a platform to showcase their work, interact with clients, and facilitate easy photo delivery, Pixieset empowers photographers to create a professional image-sharing experience and efficiently manage their client relationships.
Our Take
Pixieset is a company that seems to always be expanding their offering – for better and for worse. If given enough time, it feels like they’re going to go the way of Adobe and have a massive suite of software to run everything in your business. A few years ago, I used Pixieset for online gallery storage – before they introduced websites or their studio manager.
I typically hold the view that when companies expand out like this from their primary offering, it makes their offering a little less valuable. “A jack of all trades is a master of none” applies here.
Of course, when making this assessment, it’s important to consider what you need out of your CRM before casting that judgment.
Who is this CRM for?
Pixieset has minimalistic functionality as a CRM and will not be able to support large studios, but for a solo photographer wanting a simple booking solution – this can be it. That’s especially true if you’re already using other aspects of a Pixieset subscription such as their online gallery and even website.
Unscripted
About Unscripted
Unscripted is a primarily mobile app platform designed for photographers, providing tools to connect with a community, learn more about photography and posing, and now manage clients, contracts, and communication.
Our Take
Unscripted is one of the more unusual offerings out there to me when you are looking at it primarily to use as a CRM, mostly because their whole brand started as selling the Unscriped Posing/Prompts guide. Eventually, they expanded to offer an app to learn different poses…and it just snowballed from there into offering more and more.
I see Unscripted as a CRM “lite” – it’s customer relationship management is very rudimentary, but can work for especially small studios and/or photographers who prefer to work out of a mobile app. Included in the subscription, you get access to sending contracts, invoices, posing guide, online gallery, and similar features.
Who is this CRM for?
As a CRM, this is going to be best suited for minimalists and newbie photographers. It’s not the best platform for running a serious business, but is good enough for getting a signed contract and payment in place – which may be enough for some people.
Chris is a SEO professional with a passion for helping photography businesses succeed online. With years of experience in the industry, he has a proven track record of increasing website traffic, improving search rankings, and driving revenue growth for his clients.
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