11 Best Hectic Alternatives in 2026

Hectic (now part of Moxie) is a freelancer-focused platform that offers proposals, contracts, invoicing, scheduling, and basic CRM. It aims to be a lightweight home base for solo freelancers who want to manage clients, send proposals, and get paid without juggling multiple tools. A free plan is available, with paid tiers starting at $12/month for Starter and $25/month for Pro, which adds fully branded client portals and automations.

But Hectic has clear limits. Project management is minimal — no Kanban boards, Gantt charts, or task dependencies. Once a client signs and work begins, you have little structure to track deliverables or deadlines. There is no client portal on the free or Starter plans; clients cannot log in to view project status or access documents. The feature set is smaller than competitors like Plutio, Bonsai, or Dubsado. Plans run from $12 to $25/month (or $40/month for Teams), and freelancers who outgrow the basics — especially those who bill by the hour or work with multiple concurrent projects — often find themselves adding more tools anyway.

If you need more than proposals and invoicing — full project management, client portals, time tracking, or team features — here are 11 Hectic alternatives worth considering in 2026.

Why Freelancers Switch From Hectic

• Limited project management — Hectic handles proposals and invoicing well, but once work starts, there is little in the way of task management, milestones, or project views.
• No client portal — Clients cannot log in to view project status, approve deliverables, or access documents. Everything flows through email links.
• Smaller feature set — No time tracking, no HR, no advanced workflow automation compared to all-in-one platforms.
• Solo-focused — Team features are limited. Growing from freelancer to agency means outgrowing Hectic quickly.
• Basic CRM — Pipeline and contact management exist but are lighter than dedicated CRM tools or full business platforms. Custom fields and activity timelines are limited compared to Agiled or Dubsado.

1. Agiled — Best All-in-One Hectic Alternative

Agiled is the most complete Hectic alternative because it covers the entire freelancer lifecycle — from lead capture and proposals through project delivery, time tracking, invoicing, and team management — in one platform.

Hectic gets you from proposal to payment. Agiled continues from there. You get full project management with Kanban boards, Gantt charts, task dependencies, and milestones — so you can track deliverables, deadlines, and client work without leaving the platform. The built-in time tracker converts tracked hours into billable invoices automatically, eliminating manual entry. A fully branded client portal lets clients view project progress, approve deliverables, and pay invoices without seeing Agiled branding. CRM with visual pipelines and activity timelines keeps leads and deals organized. Proposals and contracts with e-signatures, professional invoicing with estimates and recurring billing, and scheduling with booking pages round out the workflow.

For freelancers who bill by the hour, Agiled's time-to-invoice flow is a major upgrade — start the timer, log hours to a project, and generate an invoice with one click. For those growing into small teams, HR and payroll features support employee management, attendance, and leave. Workflow automation lets you trigger client onboarding sequences, invoice reminders, and task assignments based on triggers you define. AI agents can draft proposals, emails, and reports based on your business context — capabilities Hectic does not offer. Agiled starts free and scales with your business, so you can grow without switching platforms when you add team members or clients.

What makes Agiled the top pick:

• Project management — Kanban boards, Gantt charts, task dependencies, milestones, and project templates
• Time tracking — Built-in timer that converts tracked hours into billable invoices automatically
• Client portal — Fully branded portal where clients view projects, approve deliverables, and make payments
• CRM — Visual pipelines, contact management, deal tracking, and activity timelines
• Proposals & contracts — Create, customize, and e-sign documents with reusable templates
• Invoicing & finance — Professional invoices, estimates, recurring billing, expense tracking, and online payments
• Scheduling — Booking pages with availability rules and calendar sync
• HR & payroll — Employee management, attendance, leave tracking, and payroll for growing teams
• Workflow automation — Visual builder for automating client onboarding and invoice reminders
• AI agents — Draft proposals, emails, and reports with context-aware AI

Start Free Now

2. AgencyPro — Best for Agency Client Portal and Billing

AgencyPro is a purpose-built agency management platform that combines a fully branded client portal with CRM, project management, invoicing, and billing in one place. For freelancers ready to scale into an agency, AgencyPro provides the infrastructure Hectic lacks — a branded portal where clients submit requests, track progress, and pay invoices under your own domain. Behind the portal, teams manage projects in list, Kanban, or queue views, track time, and generate invoices automatically through Stripe and PayPal integration.

AgencyPro supports credit-based and hourly services, automated payment reminders, design annotation for visual feedback, and documents including contracts, proposals, and quotes. The built-in CRM tracks client history, invoices, files, and messages in one profile. Analytics dashboards show revenue, team utilization, and client health.

Key features:

• Fully branded client portal with custom domain
• CRM with complete client profiles and history
• Project management with list, Kanban, and queue views
• Automated invoicing with Stripe and PayPal
• Time tracking with billable hour conversion
• Documents — contracts, proposals, quotes, and wikis
• Design annotation and file proofing
• Credit-based and hourly service packages
• Analytics dashboards for revenue and team utilization

Limitations: Starting price of $99/month may be high for solo freelancers. Some advanced features like API access and Zapier require the Plus plan ($399/month).

Pricing: Basic at $99/month (2 team seats). Pro at $199/month (5 seats). Plus at $399/month (10 seats). 14-day free trial.

3. Plutio — Best for Solo Freelancers

Plutio connects the full freelancer workflow — from proposal to project delivery and invoicing — in one platform, with proposals that auto-convert to projects when signed. When a client signs a proposal or contract, Plutio can automatically create a project and task list, reducing manual setup and keeping everything in one place.

Key features:

• Proposals and contracts that convert to projects when signed
• Task management with boards and lists
• Time tracking with billable rates
• Client portal with progress visibility
• Invoicing and online payments

Limitations: Smaller ecosystem and fewer integrations than larger platforms. Limited HR and team management. Better suited for solopreneurs than growing agencies.

Pricing: Starts at $19/month for solo users. Team plans from $39/month.

4. Bonsai — Best for Contracts and Tax

Bonsai combines client management with financial tools, including US tax preparation, making it popular with US-based freelancers.

Key features:

• Professional contracts with e-signatures
• Invoicing with automatic payment reminders
• Expense tracking and US tax preparation
• Time tracking with project budgets
• CRM with pipeline management

Limitations: Tax features US-only. Task management is basic compared to full PM tools.

Pricing: Starter at $21/month. Professional at $32/month. Business at $66/month.

5. HoneyBook — Best for Creative Professionals

HoneyBook is a client management platform popular with creatives, offering proposals, contracts, invoicing, and scheduling in a polished interface.

Key features:

• Smart file builder for proposals, contracts, and invoices
• Online payment processing
• Automated workflow templates
• Meeting scheduler and pipeline view
• Client communication tools

Limitations: No project management, no time tracking. Pricing increased significantly in 2025.

Pricing: Starter at $29/month (annual). Essentials at $49/month (annual). Premium at $109/month (annual).

6. Dubsado — Best for Custom Workflows

Dubsado offers deep customization for client management workflows, forms, and automation.

Key features:

• Highly customizable proposals, contracts, and forms
• Workflow automation with branching logic
• Client portals for document access
• Invoicing with payment plans
• Scheduler with availability settings

Limitations: No project management, no time tracking. Steeper setup time.

Pricing: Starter at $35/month. Premier at $55/month. Free plan for up to 3 clients.

7. Indy — Best for Gig Economy Freelancers

Indy is a freelancer platform with proposals, contracts, invoicing, and time tracking in a simple interface.

Key features:

• Proposals and contracts with e-signatures
• Invoicing and payment collection
• Time tracking with project budgets
• Task management and client portal
• Free plan available

Limitations: Smaller feature set than all-in-one platforms. Limited project management.

Pricing: Free plan available. Pro at $12.99/month. Business at $24.99/month.

8. Moxie — Best for Hectic Users Staying in Ecosystem

Moxie (formerly Hectic) is the rebranded platform, offering the same freelancer-focused features with continued development. If you are already on Hectic and happy with the basics, Moxie is the same product under a new name.

Key features:

• Proposals, contracts, and invoicing
• Basic CRM and pipeline management
• Scheduling and client communication
• Mobile app for on-the-go management
• Fully branded client portals on Pro plan

Limitations: Same limitations as Hectic — limited project management, smaller feature set than all-in-one tools. No time tracking. Consider switching if you need full project views or a client portal on the free tier.

Pricing: Free plan available. Starter at $12/month. Pro at $25/month. Teams at $40/month.

9. 17Hats — Best for Wedding and Event Pros

17Hats is built for wedding planners, photographers, and event professionals with workflows, contracts, and invoicing.

Key features:

• Lead and client management
• Proposals, contracts, and questionnaires
• Invoicing with payment plans
• Workflow automation
• Client portal and scheduling

Limitations: Niche focus on events and weddings. No time tracking. Interface can feel dated.

Pricing: Essential at $37/month. Standard at $67/month. Premier at $97/month.

10. FreshBooks — Best for Invoicing and Accounting

FreshBooks is a cloud accounting and invoicing platform that doubles as a light client management tool for service businesses.

Key features:

• Professional invoicing with online payments
• Expense tracking and receipt scanning
• Time tracking with billable hours
• Project budgeting and profitability reports
• Double-entry accounting and tax reports

Limitations: Minimal CRM. No contracts, proposals, or workflow automation.

Pricing: Lite at $21/month. Plus at $37/month. Premium at $54/month.

11. Paymo — Best for Time-Billing Teams

Paymo combines project management with time tracking and invoicing, ideal for freelancers and small teams who bill by the hour. It excels at converting tracked time into invoices and offers strong project views for managing deliverables.

Key features:

• Task management with Kanban and Gantt views
• Automatic and manual time tracking
• Client invoicing from tracked time
• Resource scheduling and workload management
• Project budgeting and profitability reports

Limitations: No proposals or contracts. CRM is basic. Smaller user base than major competitors. You will need a separate tool for proposals and contract signing.

Pricing: Free plan available. Starter at $5.90/user/month. Business at $10.90/user/month.

Quick Comparison: Hectic Alternatives

Platform	CRM	Projects	Invoicing	Time Tracking	Client Portal	Starting Price
Agiled	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Free
AgencyPro	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	$99/mo
Hectic/Moxie	Basic	Limited	Yes	No	Pro only	Free
Plutio	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	$19/mo
Bonsai	Yes	Basic	Yes	Yes	Yes	$21/mo
HoneyBook	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	$29/mo
Dubsado	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	$35/mo
Indy	Yes	Basic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Free
Paymo	Basic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Free

What Is the Best Hectic Alternative in 2026?

Agiled is the best overall Hectic alternative for freelancers who need more than proposals and invoicing. Hectic handles the booking phase well, but Agiled extends that into full project management, time tracking, client portals, and team features. If you bill by the hour, Agiled's time-to-invoice flow eliminates manual entry. If you are growing into a small team, HR and payroll support that transition. Agiled starts free and scales with your business, so you can grow without switching platforms when you add team members or clients.

Get Started With Agiled

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hectic the same as Moxie?

Yes. Hectic was acquired and rebranded as Moxie. The platform offers the same freelancer-focused features — proposals, contracts, invoicing, scheduling, and basic CRM — under the Moxie name.

Which Hectic alternative has the best free plan?

Agiled and Indy offer strong free plans. Agiled includes CRM, project management, and invoicing on the free tier. Indy has a free plan with basic proposals, contracts, and invoicing. Paymo also offers a free plan with time tracking and project management.

Can I migrate from Hectic to another platform?

Yes. Most alternatives support CSV import for contacts and project data. Agiled provides import tools for contacts, deals, and projects to make the transition smooth. Export your contacts and any project data from Hectic before migrating, then use the import wizard in Agiled to bring everything over without losing client history.

For more useful information, browse the resources guide today!

Related Articles:

• Best Bonsai Alternatives
• Best Indy Alternatives
• Best Moxie Alternatives
• Best Plutio Alternatives