How to Migrate from HoneyBook to Sprout Studio (2026 Guide)

Switching CRMs is one of the most stressful decisions a photographer can make. You have years of client data, templates, and workflows built up in HoneyBook. The thought of starting over is daunting.

The good news: it is not as hard as you think. This guide walks you through the entire migration from HoneyBook to Sprout Studio, including what transfers cleanly, what you need to rebuild, and exactly how long the process takes.

We recommend keeping both platforms active for 30 days during the transition so no active client projects fall through the cracks.

Why Photographers Switch from HoneyBook to Sprout Studio

The most common reasons we hear from photographers who make this switch:

1. Galleries: HoneyBook has no gallery feature. You are paying for a separate gallery service (Pixieset, Pic-Time, ShootProof) on top of HoneyBook. Sprout includes galleries, proofing, and a print store, which eliminates that second subscription.

2. Albums & Proofing: If you sell albums, Sprout's native album proofing workflow saves time and gives clients a seamless experience from booking to final delivery.

3. Cost Consolidation: HoneyBook ($36/mo) + Pixieset ($28/mo) = $64/mo. Sprout Studio ($17/mo with our promo or $49/mo regular) consolidates both for less money.

4. Photography-Specific Features: Sprout was built by photographers. Features like session-type-based pricing, print fulfillment integration, and gallery analytics are native, not bolted on.

What Transfers from HoneyBook

Here is an honest assessment of what you can take with you:

Easy to export from HoneyBook:

• Contact list (CSV export from Settings > Contacts)
• Invoice history (PDF downloads)
• Project files and attachments (downloaded individually)

Needs to be rebuilt in Sprout Studio:

• Email templates (copy/paste the text, then redesign in Sprout's editor)
• Contract templates (same approach - copy the legal text, rebuild the design)
• Workflow automations (Sprout's automation logic is different, so these need to be recreated)
• Questionnaires and forms
• Pricing packages and brochures

Does not transfer:

• HoneyBook Smart Files (these are proprietary and cannot be exported)
• Automation history and analytics data
• HoneyBook-specific integrations (Zoom, QuickBooks, Zapier connections will need to be re-established)

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Week 1: Preparation

1. Export your contact list from HoneyBook (Settings > Export Data)
2. Download any important attachments from active projects
3. Copy the text of your most-used email templates into a document
4. Copy the legal text of your contract templates
5. Sign up for Sprout Studio (use code ANTIGRAVITY for 20% off your first 3 months)

Week 2: Rebuild & Setup 6. Import your contacts into Sprout Studio 7. Recreate your email templates in Sprout's editor 8. Rebuild your contract templates using Sprout's contract builder 9. Set up your pricing packages 10. Configure your workflow automations 11. Set up your gallery preferences and branding

Week 3: Testing 12. Send yourself a test contract and invoice 13. Create a test gallery and share it with a friend 14. Run through a mock booking from lead to delivery 15. Verify payment processing works correctly

Week 4: Transition 16. Start using Sprout Studio for ALL new leads 17. Keep HoneyBook active for existing in-progress projects 18. Gradually move remaining active projects as they complete 19. Cancel HoneyBook when all projects are delivered

Timeline Expectations

Be realistic about how long this takes:

• Contact import: 30 minutes
• Email template recreation: 2-4 hours (depending on how many you have)
• Contract template recreation: 1-2 hours
• Workflow setup: 2-4 hours
• Gallery branding and preferences: 1 hour
• Testing: 2-3 hours

Total active work: 8-14 hours, spread over 2-3 weeks.

Most photographers report that the rebuild process actually made their systems better because they used it as an opportunity to simplify and update templates they had been using unchanged for years.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Based on feedback from photographers who have made this switch:

1. Do not cancel HoneyBook too early. Keep it active for at least 30 days after you start using Sprout. You will need to reference old projects during the transition.

2. Do not try to replicate HoneyBook exactly. Sprout works differently. Instead of rebuilding your exact HoneyBook workflow, learn how Sprout's system is designed to work and adapt accordingly. You will likely end up with a better workflow.

3. Do not skip the testing phase. Send yourself a test contract, create a test gallery, and process a test payment before booking real clients through Sprout.

4. Do gather feedback from a trusted client. Ask a repeat client to go through the new booking flow and provide feedback before you roll it out to everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import my HoneyBook contacts into Sprout Studio?

Yes. Export your contacts as a CSV from HoneyBook (Settings > Export Data), then import that CSV into Sprout Studio's contact manager.

Will I lose my contract templates?

HoneyBook's templates cannot be directly exported. However, you can copy the legal text from each template and paste it into Sprout Studio's contract builder. The formatting will need to be redone, but the content transfers.

How long does the migration take?

Plan for 8-14 hours of active work, spread over 2-3 weeks. The biggest time investment is recreating email and contract templates.

Should I keep both platforms active during the transition?

Absolutely. We recommend a 30-day overlap where all new leads go to Sprout Studio and in-progress projects remain in HoneyBook until they are delivered.

What happens to my HoneyBook Smart Files?

Smart Files are proprietary to HoneyBook and cannot be exported. However, Sprout Studio's proposal system covers the same use case. You will need to rebuild your proposals in Sprout's editor.