Stop paying for a CRM and a gallery
HoneyBook needs a separate gallery tool. Mankai includes galleries and proofing with the CRM.
HoneyBook alternative for photographers who want WordPress ownership
HoneyBook is a hosted CRM built around leads, proposals, contracts, and getting paid. Mankai is a self-hosted WordPress photography CRM that also includes galleries, proofing, and a client portal on your domain, without a Mankai cut on your Stripe or PayPal payments.
Mankai
Honest summary
Neither product is junk. The fit depends on hosting tolerance, galleries, and how you want to get paid.
What HoneyBook does well
- Strong lead → proposal → contract → payment flow in one hosted product.
- Built-in payments and a client portal, without wiring Stripe yourself to start collecting.
Where Mankai takes a different approach
- Mankai installs on WordPress. Clients, sessions, invoices, and galleries live in your database.
- Native galleries and proofing ship with the CRM, and payments use your Stripe or PayPal with no Mankai cut.
Stay with HoneyBook if…
- You want a polished hosted CRM and do not want WordPress hosting responsibility.
- HoneyBook’s proposal files and payment flow are the center of your sales process.
Consider Mankai if…
- You are paying for HoneyBook plus a gallery platform and want one system.
- You want galleries and the CRM on your domain, with processor-only payment fees.
At a glance
Simple side-by-side facts as of July 24, 2026. Their plans change, so double-check before you decide.
| Topic | HoneyBook | Mankai |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | HoneyBook hosts it for you | On your WordPress site |
| Built for WordPress | No | Yes, as a plugin |
| Studio CRM | Yes, that is the main product | Yes: clients, sessions, workflows |
| Booking | Yes | Yes, included |
| Proposals and contracts | Yes, with e-sign | Yes: quotes and contracts |
| Invoices and payments | HoneyBook processes the payments | Your Stripe or PayPal |
| Extra fee on payments | Yes, HoneyBook’s card and ACH fees | No Mankai cut; processor rates only |
| Client galleries | No, you pair another gallery tool | Yes, built in |
| Client login | Yes | Yes, on your WordPress site |
| Public website | No website builder | Optional Photography Theme |
| Where client data sits | HoneyBook’s servers | Your WordPress database |
| Starting price | From $348/yr (Starter, billed yearly) | $149.99/yr for the CRM; hosting is separate |
| How you pay for it | Monthly or yearly plans, plus payment fees | One flat yearly license |
| Client limits | Unlimited clients and projects | Unlimited clients from Mankai’s side |
| Team members | Depends on the plan | No seat pricing from Mankai |
| Moving over | You can export contacts | Optional Setup & Migration help; no auto-import |
What this page does not claim
- Which card rate is authoritative when marketing copy shows both “from 2.7% + 10¢” and “from 2.9% + 25¢”, fees change; check HoneyBook’s current fee docs before deciding.
- UK/Australia-specific fee schedules.
- Whether Stripe/PayPal can fully replace HoneyBook payments inside HoneyBook.
- Dollar “savings vs HoneyBook” claims for any specific studio volume.
Switch or stay
Honest cases in both directions. HoneyBook may still be the better fit. Switching for the wrong reasons wastes a season.
Why someone might switch
Reasons not to switch
What migration involves
HoneyBook will not pour itself into WordPress. You export contacts, rebuild the pieces you still need, and cut over on purpose.
-
Export your contacts
Download the people list so you can rebuild clients in Mankai without retyping everyone.
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Keep records you may need later
PDF or export active contracts and invoices before you change client links.
-
Rebuild templates and session types
Contracts, questionnaires, and booking setup get recreated once in Mankai.
-
Connect payments and go live
Hook up your Stripe or PayPal, then send new work through your WordPress site.
Project threads, every historical file, and HoneyBook payment history do not magically follow you. Finish open jobs where they are when that is safer.
Setup & Migration is optional help after you buy. We agree on scope first. Magic imports are not part of it.
See the full feature set
This page is about the switch. Features and a clickable demo live elsewhere.
Browse all features Visit the live studio (opens in a new tab)
Questions people ask before leaving HoneyBook
Mankai has quotes clients can approve, plus contracts and invoices on the session. It is a different document model, not a drop-in HoneyBook file clone.
You can keep any gallery tool you want, but Mankai already includes galleries. Most switchers consolidate. Pairing is your call.
No. HoneyBook is the processor and publishes its own card/ACH fee schedules. Mankai does not process payments or add a platform percentage.
Yes: photography studio workflows are the product focus (sessions, galleries, proofing, print orders). HoneyBook markets more broadly to creatives.
Mankai does not sell seat tiers. WordPress user access is yours to manage. If you need HoneyBook’s multi-company or large-team packaging, compare carefully.
This is a comparison, not a pitch. Neither product is the right fit for every studio. Read their current docs, skim Mankai’s features if the WordPress path interests you, and pick the stack that matches how you want to work.
HoneyBook site (opens in a new tab) Mankai features Mankai pricing
