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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Podium vs HoneyBook

Podium 4.7★ · Free to download 65
Winner Podium
HoneyBook 4.8★ · Free to download 55

Podium is generally preferred for its communication and review management features, despite significant issues with app reliability and customer service, while HoneyBook is a strong contender for overall business management but struggles with its mobile app experience and customer support.

Full reviews: Podium · HoneyBook

Podium excels in customer communication and review generation, making it a strong tool for businesses focused on client engagement, but its mobile app is plagued by bugs and its customer service is frequently criticized. HoneyBook offers comprehensive business management features, including invoicing and contracts, but its mobile app is often reported as buggy and slow, and users also express frustration with customer support and hidden fees.

Head to head

Features edge: HoneyBookR2R9R10R19
Podium Podium is praised for its universal inbox, consolidating messages from various platforms like website chat, Facebook Messenger, and Google Messenger, and its ability to boost Google reviews and improve customer engagement R9R19. Users also appreciate its AI agent for lead conversion and consistent customer contact . However, some users find the AI trash and ineffective unless they purchase additional CRM features R10. There are also requests for basic features like selecting multiple photos to upload at once R2 and a call history .
HoneyBook HoneyBook is highly valued for its comprehensive business management features, including smart files, templates for contracts, invoicing, payment scheduling, lead capture, and automations . It helps streamline workflows and keep businesses organized . However, some users find the smart files not user-friendly and wish for more flexibility in quotes/invoices . There are also complaints about the inability to edit lead forms or smart files on the mobile app .
Ease of Use tieR5R6R14R31
Podium Podium is generally considered easy to use, especially the desktop version, and many users find the mobile app convenient for quick responses R5R6R14R31. However, the mobile app has significant usability issues, such as constantly signing users out R5, difficulty finding customers by name R32, and glitches when assigning conversations . Some users also find the setup difficult and the AI needs extensive training R36.
HoneyBook HoneyBook is praised for being user-friendly for overall business management, with many finding it easy to use for tasks like invoicing and client tracking . However, the mobile app experience is frequently criticized for being clunky, not intuitive, and having hidden features . Users report issues with menus popping up under the keyboard and difficulty with basic tasks . Setting up templates and forms is also described as hard .
Reliability tieR1R3R5R7
Podium Podium suffers from significant reliability issues, including constant outages, missed notifications, and intermittent app functionality R1R3R7. Users report the app crashing when trying to send videos or photos R12 and logging them out frequently R5. Some also experience problems with leads not coming through initially and bulk messages sending incorrectly .
HoneyBook HoneyBook's mobile app is frequently reported as buggy, freezing, and crashing . Users struggle to open or publish invoices reliably and experience blank pages or the 'circle of death' when trying to create or pull up files . The app is also criticized for being slow to load and respond . Some users have lost money or missed sessions due to calendar syncing issues .
Price/Value tieR16R17R24R34
Podium Podium is considered a valuable tool by many users who feel it helps their business grow, improves efficiency, and is affordable R17. However, several users highlight predatory contract terms, including auto-renewal clauses that lock them in for another year if not canceled within a specific window R16R34R36R38. Some feel it's overpriced and doesn't deliver on promises of making money R24R34.
HoneyBook HoneyBook is seen as integral and worth the investment by users who find it essential for their business operations and client management . However, many users complain about high transaction fees on top of the monthly subscription . Some feel the prices went up without significant updates or changes , and one user stopped paying due to bugs .
Support tieR4R9R20R28
Podium Podium's customer service is a major point of contention, with numerous users describing it as horrible, very poor, and unresponsive R4R9R20R28. Users report being given the runaround, sales reps going ghost, and managers not returning calls or emails R4R20. Issues are often not resolved, with automated responses that don't address the problem .
HoneyBook HoneyBook's support staff is described as kind but often unhelpful, relying on AI to handle most problems and frequently addressing different issues than those reported . Users report being locked out of accounts with no help and receiving no resolution for persistent bugs . While some appreciate the responsiveness of customer service and help topics , the overall sentiment towards support is negative.
Pick Podium if

Pick Podium if your primary need is to streamline customer communication across multiple channels and significantly boost your online reviews, and you are willing to tolerate mobile app glitches and potentially poor customer support R9R19.

Pick HoneyBook if

Pick HoneyBook if you need a comprehensive all-in-one platform for managing client workflows, including invoicing, contracts, scheduling, and automations, and you primarily use a desktop for these tasks, despite the mobile app's shortcomings .

Evidence note: Both apps have a free-to-download model, but reviews suggest they are paid services, with users discussing monthly fees and contracts. The negative reviews for both apps heavily focus on mobile app functionality and customer service, indicating these are common pain points for paying users.

Frequently asked

How do Podium and HoneyBook compare on mobile app experience?
Both Podium and HoneyBook receive significant criticism for their mobile app experience. Podium users report constant sign-outs, intermittent functionality, crashes when sending media, and difficulty with basic navigation R1R5R12R32. HoneyBook users frequently experience bugs, freezing, crashes, slow loading times, and a lack of editing capabilities on mobile, with many finding it unusable on iPads .
Which app has better customer support?
Neither Podium nor HoneyBook are consistently praised for their customer support; both receive numerous complaints. Podium users describe support as horrible, very poor, unresponsive, and unhelpful, with issues often going unresolved R4R9R20R28. HoneyBook users find support staff kind but unhelpful, often relying on AI and failing to address the correct problems, leading to frustration and unresolved issues .
Are there any hidden fees or predatory contract terms?
Yes, both apps have users reporting issues with pricing and contracts. Podium users frequently warn about 'gotcha clauses' and predatory auto-renewal policies that lock them into contracts for another year if not canceled within a specific, narrow window R16R34R36R38. HoneyBook users complain about high transaction fees on top of their monthly subscription, and some note price increases without significant new features .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Podium 4/5 · US SELECT ALL PICS OPTION: PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GIVE US AN OPTION TO SELECT MULTIPLE PHOTOS TO UPLOAD AT ONCE INSTEAD OF ONE AT A TIME THEN THE APP WILL BE PERFECT PLEASE
  2. [R9] Podium 3/5 · US Good product, horrible customer service!: I have mixed feelings about Podium. We have used Podium close to a year and when it comes to customer communication, they are awesome. I love having the universal inbox and have all of my customer interactions in one place. Being able to see messages from my website, FB Messenger, Google Messenger, and incoming leads all in one place is awesome. I also sig
  3. [R10] Podium 1/5 · US Avoid podium like the plague: Been using the platform for a few years. The ai is trash. Their only suggestion is purchase their own crm. So they want me to pay more to maybe let the ai work? The company is only focused on going public they don’t care at all about their customers or employees for that matter. Highly suggest going elsewhere for any business. Just waiting for my contract to end to le
  4. [R19] Podium 5/5 · US Love Podium!: Podium has boosted our Google reviews and greatly improved customer engagement
  5. [R5] Podium 4/5 · US Signs me out constantly: Great product, easy to use but unfortunately signs me out everyday to every hour it seems. Would give it 5 stars if it weren’t for that inconvenience.
  6. [R6] Podium 3/5 · US Much better on desktop: The desktop version is quite good. Easy to use, simple payment processing, dede t rates. The app, not so much. Aside from quick responses it really isn’t useful.
  7. [R14] Podium 5/5 · US Vp: Easy to function helps businesses a lot
  8. [R31] Podium 5/5 · US Easy to use: Love the ease of use on my phone
  9. [R1] Podium 2/5 · US Issue-ridden: Constant outages, never getting notified of when a text is actually coming in, and a whole bunch of other issues. Only reason I continue to use Podium important.
  10. [R3] Podium 3/5 · US Has its ups and downs - Small blue collar businesses read: Podium has definitely had its ups and downs for our small landscaping business. There are positives to the platform, and it has helped organize communication and reviews better than normal texting in some ways, but we’ve also noticed several areas where it significantly lacks. One of the biggest issues is reliability in areas with poor ce
  11. [R7] Podium 1/5 · US Review ability issues: App works intermittently, not reliable for clients to give reviews 100% of time
  12. [R16] Podium 2/5 · US READ YOUR CONTRACT CAREFULLY!The Podium contract: The Podium contract has a “Gotcha clause,” you cannot cancel unless you do so at least 30 days before but not more than 90 days before your contract renewal. I’ve paid Podium for 5 years and tried to cancel. I missed the window and now have to pay $480 a month for ten more months. The way the contract is written I thought it was just the first yea
  13. [R17] Podium 5/5 · US Game changer: Has truly made all operations run more efficiently
  14. [R24] Podium 2/5 · US Not what I was sold: I was told this thing was going to make me money! Gonna get me like 3-4 installs a month! This system has actually cost me money! It definitely has not made me what I was made to believe! I have had several customers say it’s rude which is funny after I tell them it’s AI and I have had several tell me they hate it! There are a handful who don’t care either way but there’s 0 cu
  15. [R34] Podium 1/5 · US Predatory Contract Terms: Lots of promises and sneaky practices earn this a giant “beware”. What started out as a pricey website chat app morphed into an app that combined my personal calendar with my business calendar. When I was going to cancel, the rep suggested I try a few more “features” that I wasn’t taking advantage of. Little did I know that he was dragging me past a hidden cancellation p
  16. [R4] Podium 1/5 · US Very poor service: Asked for help to upload documents for a dispute on the podium platform was give a run around and that have to only uploaded on the portal and the support staff could not help. Making the customer work for everything
  17. [R20] Podium 1/5 · US HORRIBLE Service After The Sale: Originally happy with it but the tool has gone totally off the rails and I can’t get our sales rep to return a call or email. Have tried his manager, no reply. Our product rep has sent messages to them internally, no reply. Until Stephen Nord or his manager return our call, this review will stand. I wouldn’t encourage anyone sign up for this as they’ll abandon yo
  18. [R28] Podium 1/5 · US owner Water Heater PDQ.com: Extremely dissatisfied, been asking for over two months to cancel my account I’m losing on average three calls a day Management is unresponsive. I’m going to see legal council as I have exhausted practical patience to this problem.
  19. [R12] Podium 3/5 · US App now crashes: We’ve been using Podium for our business to keep in touch with customers. At first we were able to send videos. Next thing we knew they wouldn’t go through. Now we can’t even try to send a video, every time we do the app crashes. We send updated photos to our clients and haven’t been able too for about a week now. Very inconvenient! Please fix this. The crashing for sending photo
  20. [R32] Podium 1/5 · US App: App is not user friendly. Often cannot find customers by searching their name, must use address instead. Even then the name of the person in our office pops up instead of theirs. Button for camera says ‘photo’ instead of camera. This is different from every other keyboard. These are just 3 of many things that users struggle with your app. Every one at my workplace hates it so much we
  21. [R36] Podium 1/5 · US Predatory: This company was not easy to work with. If you’re not good with computers beware. The AI Software needs to be trained. Set up is difficult and support is poor. They auto renew your 12 month contract if you don’t cancel.
  22. [R38] Podium 1/5 · US I’d give 0 stars if I could!: If you’re a small biz or just starting out, I do NOT RECOMMEND PODIUM!!! They’ll put you in a 1 YEAR CONTRACT, even if you explain to them you’re a new biz + don’t really have a budget for it, + will still convince you you need their services, + just to ‘try it for a few months’. They’ll still have you sign something, for ‘permission to help’, that’ll be your 1 Ye

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store