Handl Billing: The Best HoneyBook Alternative

Handl Billing delivers specialised project-based billing designed for digital agencies with advanced scope creep tracking and secure asset exchange linked to payments, while HoneyBook offers a general client management system primarily built for event-based businesses and creative freelancers.

Why Digital Agencies Choose Handl Over HoneyBook

Industry-Specific Focus

Decorative

Purpose-built for digital marketing agencies, software firms, and design professionals with specialised workflows.

Primarily designed for event-based businesses, photographers, and creative freelancers with different business models.

Scope Creep Tracking & Management

Decorative

Advanced scope change detection and tracking system that automatically identifies when projects expand beyond original agreements, with built-in client notification and approval workflows.

Basic proposal and contract tools without specialised scope tracking, making it difficult to identify and manage expanding project requirements.

Secure Digital Asset Exchange

Decorative

Securely links digital asset delivery (code, designs, marketing assets) to payment confirmation, ensuring clients receive deliverables only after payment is verified.

Limited file-sharing capabilities without payment-contingent release mechanisms, putting valuable digital assets at risk.

Media Account Budget Management

Decorative

Streamlines media account spending by automating micropayments between ad accounts and client payments, ideal for digital marketing agencies.

No specialised features for managing digital marketing budgets or ad spend, creating extra administrative work.

Project Management Integration

Decorative

Deep integration with popular project management tools, creating a unified system for tracking work progress and payment triggers.

Limited third-party integrations, creating silos between project management and client billing.

Feature Comparison

Target Users
Digital agencies, software firms, marketing teams
Event planners, photographers, freelancers

Scope Creep Detection

Automated tracking & alerts
Not available

Scope Change Approval

Built-in client confirmation
Manual process required

Digital Asset Protection

Payment-triggered release
Basic file sharing only

Project-Payment Linking

Automated milestone billing
Limited milestone options

Media Budget Management (Coming Soon)

Specialized features
Not available

Project Management Integration

Comprehensive
Limited

Client Collaboration

Project progress + payment tracking
Basic client portal

Automated Reminders

 Context-aware + project status
Basic payment reminders

Contract Templates

Agency-specific templates
General templates

Pricing Structure

Value-based for agencies
Percentage-based fees

Scope Creep

Advanced scope creep monitoring
Not available

Asset exchange payment

Links deliverable access to payment status
Not available

Why HandL is better than HoneyBook for Digital Agencies

HoneyBook was designed primarily for service providers with different business models than digital agencies:

  • Event-Based vs. Project-Based Design

    HoneyBook's core functionality revolves around booking dates, managing venues, and scheduling—features that digital agencies rarely need while lacking specialised tools agencies use daily.

  • Limited Scope Management

    Without solid scope tracking, agencies using HoneyBook struggle to:

    • Identify when projects expand beyond original agreements
    • Document changes for client approval
    • Justify additional billing for expanded work
    • Prevent profit erosion from scope creep
  • Weak Digital Asset Protection

    HoneyBook's basic file sharing lacks the payment-contingent release mechanisms that protect agencies from clients who might access deliverables without completing payment.

  • Inadequate Technical Integration

    Digital agencies require deep integration with specialised tools that HoneyBook doesn't effectively connect with, resulting in workflow inefficiencies and data silos.

Decorative

Transform Your Agency's Financial Operations

Handl is designed specifically for digital agencies looking to:

  • Track and manage scope creep effectively

  • Protect valuable digital assets until payment

  • Link project milestones to automated payments

  • Streamline media account spending

  • Improve cash flow predictability

Automate My Billing
a woman smiling at a laptop

Request a Demo

Put in your details to book in a demo.
Our team will reach out to you shortly.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Decorative

Notify me when available

We are working to make the platform self-serve, would you like to be notified when you can run your own trial? Provide your email and we'll notify you

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Decorative