HoneyBook vs Bonsai vs Dubsado: Best CRM for Private Healthcare & MedSpa Patient Intake
For private healthcare practices like MedSpas, functional medicine clinics, and physical therapy offices, a professional patient onboarding experience is key. The right client management tool handles intake forms, treatment proposals, and billing, setting the tone for your practice. HoneyBook, Bonsai, and Dubsado all offer these features, but each fits different practice sizes and needs.
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The quick answer
HoneyBook is the easiest to set up and looks the most polished. It's great for new MedSpas or solo nurse practitioners who want fast, professional patient intake. Bonsai suits individual functional medicine doctors or physical therapists needing simple patient agreements and easy billing. Dubsado is the most flexible. Choose it for bigger clinics with multiple providers or if you manage many patients with ongoing treatments, needing automated follow-up.
Side-by-side breakdown
HoneyBook: Costs $19-$79/month. It has nice templates for treatment plans and patient forms. It processes payments for services like IV therapy or injections. It can send automated follow-up messages after visits. Its phone app is strong. It's best for MedSpas or clinics that want to look good and onboard patients quickly.
Bonsai: Costs $24-$49/month. It's easy to use and quick to set up for new patients. It has many contract templates for things like therapy waivers or service agreements. It tracks time well, which helps with billing by the hour. Its automation isn't as strong as HoneyBook's, but it's great for solo doctors or therapists.
Dubsado: Costs $20/month flat. It takes more time to set up, but it's very powerful. You can build automatic steps for new patients, create custom health forms, and link it to your appointment calendar. This tool is best for busy practices with over 10 new patients a month, especially those with complex wellness programs or long-term care.
When to choose HoneyBook
Pick HoneyBook if how your treatment plans and clinic brand look is important for attracting patients. Also, choose it if you offer specific wellness packages or beauty treatments with clear steps. It's also good if you want the fastest way to get a new patient from their first talk to a signed consent form and paid deposit.
When to choose Dubsado
Choose Dubsado if your practice gets over 10 new patients each month and you need automatic messages for things like 'what to do before your visit' or 'after-treatment care'. It's also great if you want to make patient portals look exactly like your brand, or if you want to put in setup time now to save a lot of time later with ongoing patient care, like for long-term therapy programs.
The verdict
Most private practice owners should start with HoneyBook or Bonsai. Both help your MedSpa or clinic look professional and manage new patients quickly. Switch to Dubsado later, when you have many patients and the time saved by its automation is clearly worth the extra setup. Don't start with Dubsado right away, as it might slow down getting your first patient billed.
How to get started
Before your first patient talk, make your main service agreement or treatment plan template. A clear plan that shows your wellness packages, what treatments you offer, terms, and payment choices, tells potential patients you are professional. Send this first agreement or intake form within a day of their asking about your services.
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Bonsai
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do these tools accept payments directly?
Yes. All three have integrated payment processing using Stripe or their own processor under the hood. Clients can pay invoices directly within the platform without needing a separate payment link.
Can I use my own contract template?
Yes in all three. Bonsai has the largest built-in contract library for common freelance agreements. HoneyBook and Dubsado allow full custom contract text that clients can e-sign inside the proposal flow.
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