Ivy, Mydoma, and Studio Designer have long been established tools in the design industry, each offering unique features tailored to interior designers. With Ivy now fully integrated into Houzz Pro and Mydoma having joined forces with Studio Designer as of July 2024, these platforms continue to evolve. For clarity, we’ll refer to them as Ivy by Houzz Pro, Studio Designer, and Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma throughout this article.
In this post, we’ll break down the features, pricing, and reviews of each software to help you determine which might be the best fit for your business. Whether you’re focused on project management, financial tracking, or marketing tools, understanding the strengths of each platform will guide your decision.
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What are the main differences between Ivy, Mydoma, and Studio Designer?
Ivy by Houzz Pro, Studio Designer, and Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma share several core features, including tools for design work and project management. However, they differ significantly in three key areas: financial tracking, marketing capabilities, and pricing.
Studio Designer stands out with its robust built-in accounting system, offering comprehensive tools like accounts receivable, accounts payable, and detailed financial reporting. In contrast, Ivy by Houzz Pro relies on QuickBooks integration and provides only basic financial reports.
Ivy by Houzz Pro excels in marketing features, with built-in tools such as custom websites, targeted ads, and lead generation—features Studio Designer (including Studio Designer’s Starter plan powered by Mydoma) doesn’t currently offer.
In terms of pricing, Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma is the most budget-friendly choice. However, with its lower price come fewer features, making this plan best for newer solo designers and small firms.
Ivy VS Mydoma VS Studio Designer: Features
Ivy started as a project management tool. Now, its features are combined with those of Houzz Pro, offering a comprehensive solution for design professionals. Here are some of the top features you can expect from an Ivy by Houzz Pro subscription:
- Floor planning, mood boards, and 3D rendering
- Web clipper tool
- Visual project tracker
- Schedule tool
- Client dashboard and collaboration
- E-signatures and approvals
- Change order forms
- Invoices
- Online payment processor
- Quickbooks integration and financial reports
- Time and expense trackers
- Marketing perks (custom website, targeted ads, lead generation, etc.)
Since merging with Mydoma, Studio Designer’s higher-tier plans include:
- Mood boards and floor planning
- Photorealistic 3D rendering
- Customizable task management boards with collaboration and time-tracking capabilities
- Sourcing and procurement tools
- Shoppable product lists
- Team and vendor collaboration
- Client portal and branded client documents
- Proposals and invoice capabilities
- Credit card and ACH payment processing
- QuickBooks integration
- Accrual accounting
- Design-specific financial reports, overhead and expense tracker, and cash flow and tax calculations
- Accounts receivable and accounts payable
- General ledger with automatic recording for proposals, invoices, and payments
Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma combines what was formerly Mydoma, with a light version of Studio Designer, to create a feature compilation that suits newer solo designers and small firms:
- Mood boards, floor plans, and photorealistic rendering
- Product sourcing
- Client collaboration
- Project management tools
- Lead generation
- Upgrade opportunities to help designers easily shift into Studio Designer plans as their businesses grow
Ivy VS Mydoma VS Studio Designer: Pricing
Ivy by Houzz Pro plans start at $99 per month for the Essentials plan. The Pro plan costs $159 per month. Both plans are billed annually, and additional users cost $60 each per month.
Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma costs $64 per month.
For Studio Designer’s upgraded plans, you can choose from the following: Essentials ($69 per month), Enterprise ($79 per month), and Premier ($99 per month). Additional users require a full subscription of their own.
Ivy VS Mydoma VS Studio Designer: Online Reviews
Ivy by Houzz Pro has 3.7/5 stars and 22 reviews on Capterra. It has no reviews on G2.
MyDoma has 4.2 out of 5 stars and 80 reviews on Capterra. On G2, it has one 4-star review.
Studio Designer has 3.3/5 stars and 3 reviews on Capterra. It has no reviews on G2.
Ivy VS Mydoma VS Studio Designer: Customer Support
Ivy by Houzz Pro offers live customer support, on-demand training sessions, how-to guides and video tutorials, and a subscriber forum. The app also has a built-in chat feature.
Studio Designer (including the Starter Plan Powered by Mydoma) has an online help center filled with articles, guides, and videos. Subscribers also have access to weekly webinars and expert-led courses. Enterprise and Premier accounts have access to live chat and phone calls, but Starter and Essentials-level subscribers don’t have access to human support.
Which platform should you choose?
When deciding which software best suits your business, revisit their key differences—such as accounting capabilities, marketing tools, and pricing structures.
- Studio Designer: Ideal for those managing all accounting tasks in-house, offering robust financial tools tailored to design businesses.
- Ivy by Houzz Pro: A better fit if marketing takes precedence, with seamless QuickBooks integration for financial tracking.
- Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma: A budget-friendly, all-in-one option for those just starting out or seeking a streamlined solution.
Review the pricing plans carefully, especially if you have a team. Add up the total cost, as additional seat pricing can vary widely between platforms.
If none of these tools meet your needs, it might be worth exploring other options.Our comprehensive software guides, Design Project Management Tool and Business Software, can help.
Frequently asked questions
For affordability, Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma takes the lead as the most budget-friendly option.
For solo designers and small teams, Studio Designer’s higher-tier plans are generally more cost-effective than Ivy by Houzz Pro. However, the pricing gap narrows for larger teams, as Ivy by Houzz Pro charges $60 per additional seat, while Studio Designer requires paying the full plan fee for each team member.
Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma is designed for solo designers and small firms. It’s more affordable and prioritizes the tools and features that small businesses need most.
Due to the financial savings, small firms will likely prefer Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma. For an even better value per dollar, consider DesignFiles.
Studio Designer is typically the best fit for large teams, as it allows most, if not all, accounting to be done in-house. However, if manageable marketing costs feel more important, Ivy by Houzz Pro may be a better choice.
Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma isn’t designed for large firms.
The ideal all-in-one software for interior designers
Although Ivy by Houzz Pro, and Studio Designer, and Studio Designer Starter Powered by Mydoma are efficient tools, they’re not going to be everyone’s perfect fit (especially with the uncertainty that comes with recently-merged companies).
If you’re looking for an all-in-one design business software that isn’t going through a transition, we recommend DesignFiles. On top of a likelihood to recommend rating of 90%, the software has 4.6 stars on Capterra and 4.5 on G2.
DesignFiles’ features include:
- Mood boards, floor planner, and 3D renders
- Built-in, customizable product library
- Browser extension product clipper
- Ability to shop items and add affiliate links
- SideDoor integration
- Spec/FFE schedules
- Project calendars
- Task management
- Time tracker
- Presentation slide decks
- Digital contract creation and sending/signing
- Customizable questionnaires
- Client portal for document sharing, feedback, and payments
- Team collaboration capabilities (including project-side discussions with clients and team members)
- Ability to sell online design packages
- Branded PDFs for client presentations
- Quotes, invoices, and the ability to accept online payments
- Basic financial reports and Quickbooks integration
DesignFiles offers robust customer support designed to troubleshoot issues and help strengthen your business. Resources include an online library of video tutorials and articles, live training sessions, webinars, and human-based chat support. Additionally, its active user community of nearly 11,000 members provides a valuable space for advice and collaboration.
When it comes to pricing, DesignFiles is more affordable than Ivy by Houzz Pro, Studio Designer, and Studio Designer Powered by Mydoma. Subscriptions start at $49 per month for e-designers and $69 per month for full-service businesses, with additional seats available at a rate of $25 per month.
Are you ready to learn more about DesignFiles? Sign up for a trial account today. Your first project is free.
