SESSION VS. DUBSADO: The Best Booking Platform for Photographers

As someone who has spent over a decade behind the lens and now coaches and designs websites for photographers, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that booking platforms can present. Enter Session – a platform that’s revolutionizing the way photographers manage their bookings. Here’s why I believe Session is a perfect fit for photographers, whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out.

Simplicity and Efficiency in Booking

Session stands out with its user-friendly interface, making booking sessions a breeze. Photographers can create a branded booking site complete with bio-link, manage mini and full sessions, and allow clients to self-book. This streamlined process not only saves time but also enhances the client experience. The platform’s integration with Google and Apple calendars ensures that you stay organized and on top of your schedule.

Diverse Payment Options and Financial Management

Understanding the importance of flexible payment options, Session supports online and offline payments, partial payments, and integrates with Stripe, Square, and PayPal/Venmo. Automated invoices, gift cards, and support for 13 currencies cater to a global clientele. Session’s comprehensive financial management tools, including earning reports, help photographers keep track of their business finances effectively.

Automation and Client Management

Session shines with its automation features. Real-time dashboards, notifications, client reminders, and an activity feed ensure you’re always informed and your clients are always engaged. The platform allows you to keep detailed client notes, aiding in personalizing each session. These features collectively reduce the administrative workload, freeing up more time for creativity.

Affordable Pricing with a Free Trial

At $19 per month, Session offers unlimited sessions, unlimited bookings, and exceptional customer service. The platform doesn’t charge commission fees, ensuring that your earnings remain yours. A 14-day free trial, with no credit card required, lets you experience the platform risk-free. For those looking for a longer commitment, a yearly plan is available, offering savings and convenience.

A Community-Centric Approach

Session, since its inception in 2018 by a small, dedicated team, has focused on building a tool that truly understands photographers’ needs. Their approach to product development is community-driven, relying heavily on feedback and suggestions from photographers. This has led to a platform that is not just a booking tool, but a partner in a photographer’s business growth.

Conclusion

In summary, Session is more than just a booking platform; it’s a comprehensive business tool designed with photographers in mind. Its ease of use, financial management capabilities, automation, and client management features, combined with affordable pricing, make it an excellent choice for photographers at any stage of their career. Whether you’re looking to streamline your booking process, manage finances better, or simply save time, Session could be the perfect solution.

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DUBSADO VS. USESESSION.COM (SESSION)

Dubsado and UseSession are both online platforms designed to help professionals manage their business, but they target different audiences and offer distinct features.

Dubsado:

1. Target Audience: Dubsado is a broader CRM tool designed for a wide range of service-based businesses, including photographers, designers, consultants, and more.
2. Features: It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for client management, project tracking, scheduling, invoicing, and accounting. Key features include customizable workflows, client portals, contract signing, time tracking, and financial reports.
3. Pricing: Dubsado offers a free trial for up to three clients. After that, its pricing starts at $35 per month or $350 per year, which includes unlimited clients and projects.
4. Customization and Integration: It allows extensive customization and integrates with various platforms such as QuickBooks, Zapier, and Google Calendar.
5. Focus: Dubsado focuses on overall business management and automation, allowing users to streamline various aspects of their operations.

UseSession:

1. Target Audience: Specifically designed for photographers, UseSession focuses on the unique needs of photography businesses.
2. Features: It includes session types, availability management, booking system, automatic reminders and notifications, and organization tools. It allows photographers to set up different types of services with unique pricing, duration, packages, and availability.
3. Pricing: UseSession offers a monthly fee of $19, which can be canceled at any time. They also provide a 14-day free trial without requiring a credit card.
4. Customization and Integration: While it allows customization in terms of services offered, it does not currently offer the option to use a custom domain name.
5. Focus: The platform emphasizes ease of booking and scheduling for clients, secure online payments, and specific features like contract signing at the time of booking, tailored for photographers.

In summary, Dubsado is a more versatile and comprehensive tool suitable for a variety of service-based businesses, offering a wide range of features for overall business management. In contrast, UseSession is specialized for photographers, focusing on the specific needs of booking and managing photography sessions. The choice between these two platforms would largely depend on the specific requirements and nature of the business.

Get 20% off Dubsado, here.

Try out SESSION for yourself, here.