Last checked 18 September 2026. Studio Ninja prices are the USD amounts on studioninja.co/pricing. 17hats prices are from 17hats.com/pricing and its SMS add-on pages. Both change; treat this as a snapshot, not a contract.
Short answer
Choose Studio Ninja if you are a photographer (or small studio) who already delivers galleries in Pic-Time, ShootProof, or Fundy and wants a photography job CRM — leads, shoots, contracts, invoices, booking forms, and workflows — at a lower starting price.
Choose 17hats if you run a general small business (or a hybrid studio) and want one tool for contacts, quotes, contracts, invoices, bookkeeping-style reports, optional SMS, Zapier, and The Knot / WeddingWire lead tools — and you are fine paying more plus add-ons.
Neither product is a full Pixieset-style client gallery. Studio Ninja connects to photography gallery tools. 17hats’s client portal is for business documents, not photo proofing.
Pricing snapshot (USD)
| Studio Ninja | 17hats | |
|---|---|---|
| Public starting price | $16 / month (Starter) or $160 / year | $60 / month or $600 / year (one advertised plan) |
| Mid / high published plans | Pro $27 / month ($270 / year); Master $40 / month ($400 / year) | $800 / two years on the same public pricing page |
| Trial | 7 days, no credit card (from SN pricing FAQ) | 7 days (from 17hats pricing FAQ) |
| Users included | 1 (Starter), 3 (Pro), unlimited (Master) | 3 included; extra users listed at $5 / month each |
| Brands included | 1 / 1 / 3 | 2 included; extra brands listed at $10 / month |
| Common add-ons | Plans are the product; gallery tools are separate subscriptions you may already pay | Bank connect $5 / month; online scheduling $5–$10 / month; QuickBooks $5 / month; SMS module $60 one-time + from $10 / month (US/Canada) |
17hats’s pricing page still mentions older “Essentials / Standard / Premier” language and document caps in places, while the hero now says one all-inclusive plan. Confirm current document limits in a 17hats trial if that matters to you.
What each tool is for
| Need | Studio Ninja | 17hats |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Photographers and studios (job / shoot lifecycle) | Small businesses in many industries |
| Leads, jobs, contracts, invoices | Yes | Yes (quotes, contracts, invoices, questionnaires) |
| Workflow / email automation | Yes (workflow automation on all published SN plans) | Yes (to-do and advanced workflows on the public feature grid) |
| Online booking | Online booking forms on all published SN plans | Online scheduling listed as a $5–$10 / month add-on |
| Photography gallery integrations | Homepage lists Pic-Time, ShootProof, and Fundy | Not listed as photography gallery integrations |
| SMS texting | Not offered as a Studio Ninja product on the marketing site | Paid add-on (registration + monthly fragments; US/Canada) |
| Zapier / The Knot / WeddingWire | Not listed on the Studio Ninja homepage | Listed on 17hats pricing / feature grid |
| Mobile apps | iOS and Android apps linked from the Studio Ninja site | Mobile app listed on 17hats pricing |
| Switching CRMs | SN pricing FAQ: migrate current and future jobs free after you subscribe | 17hats documents switching help from Dubsado / HoneyBook on its pricing page |
Who should not switch
- If you need native SMS in the CRM and you are in the US or Canada, 17hats has a path; Studio Ninja does not sell that on its site.
- If you need Zapier or Knot/WeddingWire as a first-class lead source, 17hats documents those; Studio Ninja’s homepage does not.
- If your only problem is an empty calendar, neither CRM creates bookings by itself.
- If you want one login for galleries + CRM, look at tools that bundle galleries. Studio Ninja’s model is CRM + your existing gallery.
Sources
- Studio Ninja pricing — USD Starter / Pro / Master and trial FAQ, 18 Sep 2026
- Studio Ninja homepage — Pic-Time, ShootProof, Fundy; iOS/Android app links
- 17hats pricing — $60 / month, $600 / year, $800 / two years, add-ons, 18 Sep 2026
- 17hats SMS texting — module and monthly fragment pricing