10 Best Ivy Alternatives in 2026

Ivy (formerly Design Manager) is a business management platform specialized for interior designers. It offers procurement, billing, project management, and product sourcing — with features tailored to design firms that need to track purchases, manage client budgets, and coordinate with vendors. Designers appreciate the industry-specific workflows for specifying products, creating purchase orders, and handling client billing. Ivy integrates with QuickBooks Online and provides access to a members-only community and dedicated account manager support. Ivy is now part of Houzz Pro, and related platform Design Manager charges $79 per user per month with a more traditional pricing model. Both serve interior design firms but differ in pricing transparency and feature focus.

But Ivy has clear limitations for designers who need more than procurement and design-specific billing. It is very niche — built exclusively for interior design, which limits its usefulness for designers who also run broader creative or consulting businesses. Pricing requires contacting sales for custom quotes, and many users find it expensive for what they get. The CRM is limited compared to modern platforms, there are no built-in proposals or contracts with e-signatures, and the interface can feel dated. For interior designers who need stronger CRM, proposals, contracts, and a more modern all-in-one experience, here are 10 Ivy alternatives worth considering in 2026.

Why Interior Designers Switch From Ivy

• Very niche — Ivy is built only for interior design. Designers who also offer consulting, staging, or other services may find it too narrow.
• Expensive and opaque pricing — Custom quotes mean you cannot compare costs easily. Many designers find Ivy costly for small studios or solopreneurs.
• Limited CRM — Contact and deal management is basic compared to modern CRM platforms with visual pipelines and activity timelines.
• No proposals or contracts — No built-in proposal builder or contract creation with e-signatures. Designers must use external tools for client agreements.
• Dated interface — The UI has not kept pace with modern SaaS design. Navigation and workflows feel less intuitive than newer platforms.
• Procurement focus over full business — Strong on product sourcing and purchase orders, but weaker on client acquisition, proposals, and general project collaboration.
• Integration lock-in — Ivy integrates with QuickBooks Online, but teams using other accounting tools or needing broader integrations may find options limited.

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

Agiled is the most complete Ivy alternative because it delivers the full business management stack — CRM, invoicing, project management, proposals, contracts, client portals, and HR — in a modern interface that works for interior designers and beyond.

Ivy excels at procurement and design-specific billing, but its niche focus and limited CRM leave gaps. Agiled fills those gaps with a unified platform. You get CRM with visual pipelines and activity timelines to track leads and clients; professional invoicing with estimates, recurring billing, and expense tracking; project management with Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and task dependencies; and proposals and contracts with e-signatures and reusable templates. The client portal gives clients a branded space to view project progress, approve deliverables, and pay invoices — without the dated feel of Ivy's interface.

Interior designers can capture leads in CRM, send proposals and contracts from Documents, create projects in Projects when clients sign, track time and expenses, and invoice from Finance — all without switching tools. Workflow automation handles follow-ups, invoice reminders, and task assignments. Unlike Ivy, which is locked to interior design workflows, Agiled works for designers who also consult, stage, or run broader creative businesses. The platform offers a free plan and transparent pricing — no sales calls required — making it accessible for solo designers and small studios that cannot justify Ivy's custom pricing.

AI agents can draft proposals and emails based on your business context. For interior designers who need a complete platform without Ivy's niche constraints and opaque pricing, Agiled delivers.

What makes Agiled the top pick:

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

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2. Plutio — Best for Solopreneurs

Plutio connects proposals, contracts, project management, and invoicing in one platform, with a client portal that auto-converts signed documents into projects. Designers can send proposals, get them signed, and have projects created automatically. The platform is straightforward to set up and suits solo designers who do not need Ivy's procurement depth.

Key features:

• Proposals and contracts that convert to projects when signed
• Time tracking with billable rates
• Client portal with project progress views
• Task management with boards and lists
• Integrated invoicing and payment processing

Limitations: Limited HR and team management. No industry-specific procurement features. Better suited for solopreneurs than growing studios.

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

3. Monday.com — Best for Visual Workflows

Monday.com offers intuitive visual boards with AI-powered automation, adaptable for project tracking, client management, and design workflows. Teams can customize boards for almost any process, from design project timelines to client onboarding checklists. The platform appeals to designers who prefer a visual, flexible approach over Ivy's more rigid structure.

Key features:

• Customizable visual boards and dashboards
• CRM templates with deal tracking
• Automation recipes for workflows
• Time tracking and workload views
• 40+ integrations including Slack and Google Workspace

Limitations: CRM is a separate product. No invoicing, contracts, or native client portal. Per-seat pricing adds up.

Pricing: Free for up to 2 users. Basic at $12/seat/month. Standard at $14/seat/month.

4. FreshBooks — Best for Invoicing and Accounting

FreshBooks is a cloud accounting and invoicing platform with light client management for service businesses. It is ideal for designers who need solid invoicing and expense tracking without the complexity of full enterprise accounting. The platform includes time tracking, project profitability reports, and receipt scanning — useful for designers tracking project costs and client billing.

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 client portal. Not designed for full project management or team collaboration.

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

5. Dubsado — Best for Custom Workflows

Dubsado offers deep customization for client management workflows, forms, and automation. Creative professionals appreciate the ability to design custom forms, proposals, and contracts that match their brand.

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 or time tracking. Setup can be time-consuming. Interface feels dated.

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

6. HoneyBook — Best for Creative Professionals

HoneyBook is a client management platform focused on the booking workflow for photographers, designers, event planners, and consultants. Its smart file builder lets you combine proposals, contracts, and invoices into a single document.

Key features:

• Smart file builder for proposals, contracts, and invoices in one document
• Online payment processing with multiple options
• Automated workflow templates for client onboarding
• Meeting scheduler and client communication tools
• Pipeline view for tracking leads and bookings

Limitations: No project management, time tracking, or HR features. No client portal for project collaboration. Pricing increased significantly in 2025.

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

7. Bonsai — Best for Freelance Finances

Bonsai combines client management with strong financial tools, including US tax preparation, for freelancers and solo designers.

Key features:

• Contracts and proposals with e-signatures
• Invoicing with automatic payment reminders
• Expense tracking and tax preparation (US)
• Time tracking with project budgets
• Client CRM with automated follow-ups

Limitations: Task management is basic. Tax features are US-only. No fully branded client portal.

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

8. Studio Ninja — Best for Creative Studios

Studio Ninja is purpose-built for photographers and creative studio owners, with client management, job tracking, and workflow automation. It suits design-adjacent studios and creatives.

Key features:

• Lead management with automated follow-ups
• Job tracking through customizable pipelines
• Contracts and questionnaires
• Invoicing with payment schedules
• Workflow automation for admin tasks

Limitations: Very niche — focused on photography and creative studios. Not designed for interior design procurement. Best suited for design-adjacent creatives rather than full interior design workflows.

Pricing: Starter at $16/month. Pro at $24.90/month. Master at $36.50/month.

9. Teamwork — Best for Client-Facing Agencies

Teamwork is built for agencies and client services teams with strong project management, time tracking, and billing features.

Key features:

• Project templates and milestone tracking
• Profitability tracking per client and project
• Built-in time tracking and invoicing
• Client user access for transparency
• Resource workload management

Limitations: No built-in CRM or HR management. Client portal is more limited for document workflows.

Pricing: Free for up to 5 users. Deliver at $13.99/user/month. Grow at $25.99/user/month.

10. QuickBooks — Best for Accounting-First Teams

QuickBooks is the dominant small business accounting platform, with invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Designers already using QuickBooks for bookkeeping may prefer to add project management elsewhere.

Key features:

• Invoicing and payment processing
• Expense tracking and receipt capture
• Project profitability tracking
• Tax preparation and reporting
• Integrations with hundreds of apps

Limitations: No CRM, proposals, contracts, or project management beyond basic tracking. Accounting-focused, not client lifecycle. Designers using QuickBooks often pair it with a separate CRM or project tool.

Pricing: Simple Start at $30/month. Plus at $60/month. Advanced at $100/month.

Quick Comparison: Ivy Alternatives

Platform	CRM	Invoicing	Projects	Proposals/Contracts	Client Portal	Starting Price
Agiled	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Free
Plutio	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	$19/mo
Monday.com	Add-on	No	Yes	No	No	Free
FreshBooks	Basic	Yes	Basic	No	No	$21/mo
Dubsado	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	$35/mo
HoneyBook	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Limited	$29/mo
Bonsai	Yes	Yes	Basic	Yes	No	$21/mo
Studio Ninja	Yes	Yes	Basic	Yes	Limited	$16/mo
Teamwork	Add-on	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Free
QuickBooks	No	Yes	Basic	No	No	$30/mo

What Is the Best Ivy Alternative in 2026?

Agiled is the best overall Ivy alternative for interior designers because it delivers the full business management stack — CRM, invoicing, project management, proposals, contracts, and client portals — in a modern interface at transparent pricing. Unlike Ivy, which requires custom quotes and is locked to interior design workflows, Agiled works for designers who run broader creative businesses and offers a free plan to get started. Ivy's procurement and product sourcing features are strong for design firms, but many designers need stronger CRM, proposals, and a modern client experience — areas where Agiled excels.

Dubsado and HoneyBook are strong options if you prioritize proposals and contracts with a creative-focused workflow, but neither offers full project management or HR. Plutio bridges proposals to projects and invoicing well for solopreneurs. FreshBooks and QuickBooks excel at accounting but lack CRM and proposals. Studio Ninja targets photographers and creatives with similar workflows. For interior designers who need a complete platform without Ivy's niche constraints and opaque pricing, Agiled remains the top choice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Ivy cost?

Ivy (now part of Houzz Pro) does not publish public pricing. You must contact sales for a customized quote based on your business size and needs. Design Manager, a related platform, charges $79 per user per month.

Does Ivy have proposals and contracts?

Ivy focuses on procurement, billing, and project management for interior design. It does not offer a built-in proposal builder or contract creation with e-signatures. Designers typically use external tools for client agreements.

Which Ivy alternative is best for interior designers?

Agiled and Dubsado are the best options. Agiled offers the most complete package with CRM, invoicing, project management, proposals, and contracts in one platform. Dubsado excels at customizable proposals and workflows for creative professionals but lacks project management. Plutio is a good middle ground for solopreneurs who need proposals that convert to projects.

Can I migrate from Ivy to another platform?

Most alternatives support CSV import for contacts and project data. Agiled provides import tools for contacts, deals, and projects. Procurement and product data may need to be migrated manually or via integrations.

Is Ivy good for solo designers?

Ivy targets design firms and studios with custom pricing that typically scales with team size and feature needs. Solo designers and small studios often find the cost prohibitive and prefer platforms like Agiled or Dubsado with transparent pricing and free or low-cost entry tiers. Agiled offers a free plan to get started, and Dubsado's Starter plan at $35/month provides proposals, contracts, and invoicing without a sales call.

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