Software vs. a marketplace
Houzz Pro is a consumer marketplace with business tools attached. Workroom is pure studio software with one job: running your firm. A marketplace is built to bring you the next lead; it is not built to tell you what the last one earned, what you owe, or to which jurisdiction. That difference shows up in every feature below.
Three things Houzz Pro customers discover
You're funding their marketplace
A significant portion of your Houzz Pro subscription funds your listing in a consumer marketplace — driving leads for Houzz, not operations for you.
The business tools are secondary
Houzz Pro's project management, invoicing, and procurement tools exist to retain subscribers — not as the core product focus. It shows in their depth.
The accounting gap
Houzz Pro doesn't integrate with QuickBooks in a meaningful way. Workroom syncs natively, both directions — your books stay where your accountant works.
Trusted by the studios doing the work
| What matters | Workroom | Houzz Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Core purpose | ✓ Design studio operations | Consumer marketplace + lead gen |
| Target user | ✓ Professional design studios | Homeowners + pros (dual-sided) |
| Marketplace / lead gen | None — pure studio software | Core product feature |
| QuickBooks integration | ✓ Full, native two-way sync | ✗ Not available in a meaningful way |
| Profit margin tracking | ✓ Per-project, real-time | ✗ Not available |
| Invoicing | ✓ Full invoicing suite | Basic invoicing |
| Purchase orders | ✓ Full PO & delivery tracking | Limited |
| Project management | ✓ Purpose-built for design | Basic task management |
| Procurement management | ✓ Full procurement suite | Product tracking only |
| Client portal | ✓ Professional, branded to your firm | Tied to the Houzz platform |
| Product sourcing | ✓ Clip from any URL | Houzz marketplace only |
| Resource Vault | ✓ Templates & tools included | ✗ Not available |
Based on publicly available information and what switching customers tell us. Products evolve — verify details against current versions.
“A marketplace is paid when you get a lead. We are paid when your firm runs better. Those two things pull in different directions, and you can feel it in the product.”
Choose Workroom if you…
- Run your firm — rather than list it
- Need real procurement and delivery tracking
- Want QuickBooks accounting integration
- Source from unrestricted vendors, any URL
- Prefer a professional portal under your brand
- Focus on delivery over lead generation
Houzz Pro may suit you if you…
- Prioritize lead generation above operations
- Are actively building an early-stage client base
- Rely on Houzz directory inquiries
- Source primarily from Houzz vendors
- Want simplified combined lead + project tools
Run one real project through both
Take a current project — real specs, real trade vendors, real deposits — and run it through Workroom. Designers tell us they get up to 20 hours a week back for actual design. The difference shows up by the second purchase order.