01
Invoices that get paid
Send the invoice from the client's record. When it is paid, the deal is marked won.
Explore Invoices that get paid
CRM
CRM for consultants who sell their own time
Keep every enquiry, discovery call and engagement on one client record, then send the proposal, the contract and the invoice from it.
Free plan, no card needed. Or book a demo.
Your pipeline is your diary and your inbox
Most independent consultants and small firms track deals in their head, a notes app and a long email thread. That works until two proposals are out at once and one goes quiet.
startbuddi gives each enquiry a place: the conversation, the discovery call you booked, the proposal you sent and what happened next. Chip tells you which deals have gone quiet, so the follow-up happens before the client forgets you.
Built for how consulting work is sold
- A booking link for discovery calls that adds the person to your contacts.
- Proposals, contracts and estimates sent from the client record.
- Retainers billed monthly through Paystack or Stripe.
- Every email and WhatsApp message kept on the client, not in one person's phone.
- A client portal for each client, with an onboarding checklist, shared reports and approvals.
For the full picture of running a practice here, see startbuddi for consultants.
- Discovery calls that land in your CRMClients book from your link and appear on your contact list.
- Deals that flag themselvesChip points out the proposals that have gone quiet.
- Contracts and proposalsSend them from the client, then turn the estimate into an invoice.
- Retainers on autopilotA subscribe link, and your payment provider charges each month.
Chip
Chip tells you which proposals went quiet.
Chip watches your deals as conversations stall and invoices get paid, and puts the ones worth a call at the top with a suggested next step.
- "Chip spotted N deals to look at", with Move to {stage}
- Insights: Follow-up reminders, Stalled deals and At risk
- Suggested next actions, like "Share pricing proposal"
Contracts
Proposals and contracts from the client record.
Quote the engagement, get the contract signed and turn the accepted estimate into an invoice without retyping.
- Freelance, Photography, Brand Design, Website Development and Event Planning templates
- Several signers per contract, with x/y signed at a glance
- Drafts, Awaiting signature and Signed, all in one list
Your list
Every client and every conversation in one list.
Filter by owner, source or last contacted, and open any client to see their calls, emails, deals and invoices.
- Saved views: All Contacts, My Contacts, Recently Added, Starred, Opportunities
- Filter by owner, tag, source, lead status or Last contacted
- Board view: drag contacts between lead stages
Same workspace
Your CRM is already connected to the rest of the business.
The same client record is used by your invoices, bookings, projects and follow-ups, so nothing is typed twice.
02
Online bookings
Clients book from your link and land in your contacts with the booking on their page.
Explore Online bookings
03
Follow-ups that run themselves
Follow-ups, reminders and tasks that start when a form, booking or deal changes.
Explore Follow-ups that run themselves
04
Projects your team can follow
Won the work? Start the project, track tasks and share progress with the client.
Explore Projects your team can follow
05
Dashboards and reports
A ready-made Leads and sales dashboard in Analytics: leads by source, form conversion, bookings, pipeline and deals won.
More about Analytics
Plans
A CRM on every plan, including Free
The CRM is on every plan. Free keeps 250 contacts, Starter 2,500, Growth 15,000 and Scale 75,000. The shared inbox, WhatsApp, SMS and automations unlock on Starter.
- Free Included, free forever $0
- Starter Included, 30-day trial $29/mo
- Growth Included, 30-day trial $79/mo
- Scale Included, 30-day trial $199/mo
Keep reading
Solutionstartbuddi for Consultants
ProductMeetings
BlogHow to write a business proposal that wins the job
BlogRetainer agreements: how to sell and bill monthly retainers
Free toolConsulting Services Agreement Template
ProductClient portals
ProductCustomers
ProductContacts & companies
ProductSales pipeline & deals
Questions people ask
Do I need a CRM as a solo consultant?
If you have more than a handful of live conversations, yes. A simple CRM stops follow-ups slipping and keeps every proposal, call and invoice in one place. startbuddi starts free and works for one person.
Can clients book a discovery call and land in my CRM?
Yes. Share your booking link. Each booking creates or updates the contact, with the booking and their answers on their page.
Can I bill a monthly retainer?
Yes. Create a subscription plan in Money Manager and send the subscribe link. Paystack or Stripe charges each renewal.
Can I run client calls from startbuddi?
Yes. Schedule a meeting and clients join from a link in their browser, with no account. From Starter you can record it and let Chip draft the summary, the action items and a follow-up email for you to check.
How much does it cost?
The CRM is free on Free with 250 contacts. Starter is $29 a month and adds the shared inbox, WhatsApp and automations, with a 30-day trial.
Put every client in one place.
Start with your contact list and your WhatsApp chats. Add deals, invoices and follow-ups when you are ready.
Free plan available. Every paid plan starts with a 30-day trial.