If you’re here for the discount code, I have one right here that gets your 20% off.

We all know that running your own business, especially a photography business, means that half the time spent on the actual photography & editing, and the rest of the time (and sometimes even more) managing client bookings, invoices, emails, logistics, etc. 

When my business started to take off, I was trying to keep on top of all of my sessions in an Excel sheet, but it just wasn’t working. In peak summer season, I have several shoots per day multiple times per week, and I was getting lost and honestly, not providing the client experience that my clients deserved.

That’s when I started to look at different studio management software for photographers. At the time, I looked at Sprout Studio, Tave, Honeybook, Dubsado, 17Hats, Pixieset and tested them all out. I tried a free trial account on them and tested them using a few sessions. In the end, I chose Sprout Studio and I’ve never switched.

Why I Chose Sprout Studio

Most studio management software is built for creatives in general. It handles contracts and invoices, but it doesn’t really think like a photography business. Sprout Studio was built specifically for photographers, and that makes a genuine difference.

The things I need most, like client galleries, session-based workflows, and questionnaires tied directly to specific bookings, are all built in rather than patched together. I don’t have to work around the software to do things that are just normal parts of my job.

The Features that Really Make a Difference for Me

Booking proposals

Let’s start off with the booking process. When someone reaches out to me and asks to book a session, I can send them a custom proposal that displays on a beautiful page with my business’ branding. Creating it is pretty quick: I just select the premade template that I set up, select the session type from my pricing list and everything else is filled out for me, including the automatic emails that the client will receive and the payment links. They can sign my contract and pay their deposit using this link and it’s integrated with Stripe (and Paypal). 

Calendar integration

One of the most important things for me was being able to integrate Sprout Studio with my google calendar so that I could see if there were any sessions that were booked on a certain day (or where the proposal was sent out). 

Pricing for different types of sessions

I am both a portrait photographer and a wedding photographer, which means that I have a lot of different packages. What I like about Sprout Studio is that I can set up all of these packages ahead of time, including the title, description, price, tax (or no tax) and this information can be automatically inserted into my booking page, contract, invoices and automatic emails. 

Automatic emails

Speaking of automatic emails, this was a real game-changer for me. I send a lot of emails to confirm that the session is booked, payment reminders, location reminders, tips for the session, link to the gallery, link to download photos, gallery expiration, etc. During peak season when I’m barely keeping my head above water just taking photos and editing, that’s where these automatic emails are a lifesaver! They’re also connected to my gmail, which makes it easy to keep track of them.

Questionnaires

This is another feature that made my life so much easier. I tried so many ways of sending client questionnaires before a wedding and it was always a headache. With Sprout Studio, I use a template that I customize for each couple. It’s linked directly with their wedding in my system and they get automatic reminders if they haven’t filled it out, and I get an automatic email once they do. 

Online galleries

This is probably the top reason that I chose Sprout Studio over any of the other studio management software out there. The fact that I can have custom photo galleries for my clients is crucial. They’re linked directly to each session and my clients get the same user experience as they do when booking my session. They also get all the automatic reminders, so it saves me the hassle of chasing them down to get their list of favourites. 

Reporting

Sprout Studio has quite a few reports to see your earnings, as well as any upcoming or overdue payments. You can also view your top sales by session or type of product. 

Other features

 I just covered the main features that I use every day in my business but Sprout Studio has a lot of other features, such as email campaigns, album proofs approval, mini session bookings, etc.

Quick Overview of Sprout Studio

The Pros

• Studio management software made for photographers
• Full online galleries that are connected to client sessions
• Lots of automations (workflows, emails, invoicing)
• Very customizable
• Integration with Gmail, website contact forms, Stripe, Zapier

The Cons

• There’s no free plan, although you can do a trial for 14 days
• The reporting feature is fairly light
• Sprout Studio is only available in English, although you can customize your templates to be in other languages

 

How does it compare to HoneyBook?

I tested HoneyBook before choosing Sprout Studio and I’ve written a full review of it here. Short version: HoneyBook has a slightly more polished interface for general client management and the automations are a bit more intuitive to set up. Sprout Studio wins on photography-specific features, mainly the galleries and questionnaires. If you already use a separate gallery tool you love and just need contracts and automations, HoneyBook is worth a look. If you want everything in one place built for photographers, Sprout Studio is the better fit.

 

Sprout Studio pricing

Sprout Studio is subscription-based, with monthly and annual options (annual works out cheaper). There’s a 14-day free trial where you get access to everything, which is enough time to test it against a real workflow before committing.

With my link below, you get 20% off whichever plan you go with.

 

Is it worth it?

For photographers booking consistently who want their admin to stop eating their time, yes. It’s not going to make sense for someone shooting one or two sessions a month. But if you’re running real volume, dealing with weddings, managing client communication across a full booking lifecycle, and delivering galleries, having all of that in one connected system is genuinely worth it.

I’ve been using it for over four years. I’ve had seasons where I considered switching, tested the alternatives, and came back. That should tell you something.

 

Sprout Studio Referral Code / Discount / Coupon

If you’re ready to give Sprout Studio a try, just click this link to get 20% off of your subscription.