The verdict for lighting rental operators: HoneyBook is solid software, but at $39/month it costs $1,570 over 3 years. Nexa does most of what HoneyBook does for $279 once. For solo lighting rental operators and small teams, Nexa is the better deal.
Nexa: $279. Once. You keep $1,291. And you own it — no more "we're updating our pricing" emails.
| Feature | HoneyBook | Nexa |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| CRM | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full Accounting | ✗ | ✓ (SIMPL) |
| Task Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Price | $39/mo | $279 once or 3 × $99 |
| 3-Year Total | $1,570 | $279 |
| You own it? | No — stop paying, lose access | Yes — forever |
HoneyBook plus whatever else you're paying for:
Email yourself this comparison?
The math doesn't lie.
Lighting Rental Operators deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: High equipment investment with seasonal ROI. Lamp and LED replacement costs per fixture. Setup and programming time often underquoted. Damage during transport affecting fixture inventory. HoneyBook charges $39/month on top of these daily realities. The median lighting rental operator earns $45,000/year — $468/year in software subscriptions is a significant percentage of that income, paid every year, forever.
Nexa is $279 once. Invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, accounting — all connected, built for lighting rental operators. You own it like you own your Uplighting and moving heads.
Wedding season: 3 events this weekend. Friday rehearsal dinner (12 uplights, $400), Saturday wedding (full production, $2,200), Sunday brunch event (bistro lights, $350). Your gear inventory is $40K. The Saturday wedding needs programming — 2 hours of DMX setup you didn't quote separately. A fixture from last week's event has a dead LED panel ($150 replacement). Your booking calendar is color-coded Google Calendar.
Real lighting rental operators near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a lighting rental operator? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every lighting rental operator on Nexa →
For solo lighting rental operators and small teams, yes. invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting — all for $279 once. HoneyBook may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.
HoneyBook has features like Beautiful proposals and contracts and Client portal that some businesses rely on. For most solo lighting rental operators, these aren't dealbreakers.
At $39/month, Nexa pays for itself in 7.2 months. After that: $468 saved every year.
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.
Own your tools. Stop renting your software.
Get Nexa — $279 Once