You're Switching from HoneyBook.
Here's Why Makeup Artists Choose Nexa.

HoneyBook
$39/mo
$468/year — every year, forever
Nexa
$279
Once. Own it forever.
or 3 payments of $99
Break even in 7.2 months. Then it's free forever.
"Switched from HoneyBook after the last price increase. Nexa does everything I needed for $279. Wish I'd done it sooner."
— Verified makeup artist, former HoneyBook customer

The Bottom Line

Makeup Artists on HoneyBook pay $39/month — $468/year. Over three years, that's $1,570. Nexa is $279 once. Break-even runs about 7.2 months. The median makeup artist earns $35,000/year, so HoneyBook's annual cost is roughly 1.3% of typical revenue — every year, forever.

Key Numbers

$35,000
Median makeup artist income
3%
Typical SaaS spend as % of revenue
7.2 mo
Break-even vs HoneyBook
$1,291
3-year savings switching to Nexa

What HoneyBook Is Costing You

The Damage

HoneyBook monthly $39/mo
Annual drain $468/yr
Year 2 (11.4% SaaS inflation) $521
Year 3 $581
3-year total $1,570

That's $1,570 gone. And you don't own anything. Stop paying, lose access.

Your HoneyBook subscription has cost you $0.00 since you opened this page.

Why Makeup Artists Leave HoneyBook

89% price increase in February 2025
Payment processing fees add up
Limited geographic availability
Team member caps on lower tiers
Not suited for complex workflows
My least favorite thing is the price. As a solo entrepreneur, budget is tight and the barrier to entry is around $40 a m
89% price hike - is it still worth it to stay or switch?
Makeup Artists are leaving HoneyBook every week.

You're not the only one who's had enough.

Why This Matters for Makeup Artists

You've got a bridal party of 6 tomorrow — bride, maid of honor, and four bridesmaids. The bride changed the start time twice and added a bridesmaid last week. Your contract says $150/face but the new bridesmaid wants a 'simpler look' and is asking for a discount. You need to adjust the invoice, confirm the travel fee, and coordinate arrival time — all while doing a corporate headshot session today. HoneyBook charges $39/month and takes a payment processing fee on the $1,050 bridal package.

Makeup Artists face unique challenges: Managing bridal party bookings with multiple people on one contract. Travel fees and kit fees complicating pricing. HoneyBook taking a cut of payments on top of monthly fee. Seasonal boom around prom and wedding season, dead in winter. On top of all that, HoneyBook charges $39/month ($468/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median makeup artist earns $35,000/year. Software at $468/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.

Your Professional brush set (MAC, Sigma, Morphe) is yours. You bought it once. Nexa works the same way — $279 once for invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, and full accounting. All connected. All offline-capable. You own it like you own your tools.

Your Full Stack Cost

HoneyBook is just one piece. What else are you losing money on?

Want this breakdown emailed to you?

Your exact HoneyBook cost, full stack total, and what switching saves. 10 seconds.

"I was paying HoneyBook $39/month and didn't question it until I did the math. $1,570 over 3 years for tools I don't even own. Nexa was $279. Once. Done."
— Makeup artist business owner

What You Get Instead

Feature HoneyBook Nexa
Invoicing
Scheduling
CRM
Time Tracking
Full Accounting ✓ (SIMPL)
Task Management
Price $39/mo forever $279 once
or 3 × $99
3-Year Cost $1,570 $279
Stop paying? Lose everything Keep everything forever

Switching Takes 1-2 Days

Most makeup artists are fully switched before the weekend.

1

Export your data

Go to Company Settings → export contacts and projects. Download templates separately.

2

Set up Nexa

15-minute setup. Import your contacts and recreate your key templates.

3

Parallel run

Run both for 1-2 weeks. Transition active projects after they complete.

4

Cancel HoneyBook

Cancel before renewal. Save any contract templates as PDFs.

✓ Run both in parallel. Cancel HoneyBook when you're confident. Zero risk.

What makeup artists actually deal with

A day in the life of a makeup artist

You've got a bridal party of 6 tomorrow — bride, maid of honor, and four bridesmaids. The bride changed the start time twice and added a bridesmaid last week. Your contract says $150/face but the new bridesmaid wants a 'simpler look' and is asking for a discount. You need to adjust the invoice, confirm the travel fee, and coordinate arrival time — all while doing a corporate headshot session today. HoneyBook charges $39/month and takes a payment processing fee on the $1,050 bridal package.

The tools a working makeup artist actually owns

Why makeup artists leave the big platforms

Where makeup artists actually talk shop

Local makeup artists on Nexa

Real makeup artists near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a makeup artist? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every makeup artist on Nexa →

FAQ

Is Nexa really a HoneyBook replacement for makeup artists?

For solo operators and small teams (1-5), yes. Nexa includes invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting. HoneyBook may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.

$279 seems like a lot.

It's $7.75/month over 3 years. HoneyBook is $39/month — that's $1,570 over 3 years. Which is more? And if you'd rather split it, Nexa is also available as 3 payments of $99.

Can I pay in installments?

Yes. Nexa is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.

What if I don't like it?

30-day money-back guarantee. Full refund. If Nexa doesn't save you $500 in year one, you get every penny back.

Can I import my HoneyBook data?

Export your data from HoneyBook as CSV, import into Nexa in about 5 minutes.

Makeup Artists in Joliet

The average solo operator there spends about $2,280/year on software — and makeup artist face their own version of that math. IL state licensing requirements apply.

Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Joliet metro. Your situation will vary.

If You Need These — Nexa Has Them

Specific gaps Makeup Artists run into with HoneyBook, and what Nexa does instead.

HoneyBook gapLimited for product-based businesses
NexaBuilt into Nexa’s $279 once purchase — no separate add-on.
HoneyBook gapNo inventory management
NexaInventory tracking included for product and service businesses.
HoneyBook gapBasic reporting
NexaP&L, balance sheet, and 21 reports — built in.

Where Makeup Artists Talk Shop

If you want to compare notes or see how other makeup artists are running their tools, here's where the conversation happens.

Reddit
r/MakeupAddiction, r/MakeupArtistLounge, r/freelance
YouTube
Robert Welsh, Alexandra Anele, Hindash
Podcasts
The Makeup Chair Podcast
"HoneyBook raised prices again and I was done. Found Nexa — $279 once. I own it. No more 'we're updating our pricing' emails. Best business decision this year."
— Makeup artist, switched from HoneyBook

Stop Losing $468/Year to HoneyBook

$1,570 over 3 years. Or $279 once (or 3 × $99). Own your tools.

Get Nexa — $279 Once
or 3 payments of $99
✓ 30-day money-back guarantee — save $500 or full refund

Still want HoneyBook?

We think Nexa is the better deal at $279 once vs $39/mo. But if you've decided on HoneyBook, here's the link. No hard feelings.

HoneyBook — $39/mo →

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