If you’ve spent any time customizing your Dubsado forms without CSS, you’ve likely hit a wall with what’s possible using only the built-in design tools. The truth is, Dubsado’s built-in design tools are functional, but they’re limited. If you’ve ever wished your proposals looked more like your website, or that your client experience felt more polished, CSS might be the missing piece.
Whether you’re aiming to elevate your proposal designs or streamline your client experience to match your brand, understanding what CSS can do (and what it can’t) is key to making the right decision for your business.
First, What Is CSS?
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the code used to style websites. It can be used inside of Dubsados forms including proposals, questionnaire, contracts, subagreements, and lead captures. This is unique to Dubsado because other CRMs do not offer this option.
In Dubsado, CSS allows you to:
- Change fonts and colors beyond the default options (so if you have purcahased fonts for your brand it would allow you to add them to your forms!)
- Add layered images, change Dubsado’s default proposal, contract, and invoice header, and add more dimension
- Ability to change short answer field styling
- Access to additional design elements
- Make your forms look and feel like your website
Without CSS, you’re limited to Dubsado’s native form builder elements. While there are lots of great design elements in Dubsado’s new form builder, it is still limited and not the same as a website.
Curious about making beautiful proposal in Dubsado that are code-free? Check out this YouTube Video or shop my code-free templates.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a CSS Pro
Not all CSS solutions are created equal. Before you invest in custom styling, ask:
- Where is the code hosted? Some CSS providers host code off-platform, which means you’ll need to log into another tool to make updates or even small text changes.
- How will I make edits later? If you plan to update your images, change copy, or swap offers, you’ll want to know whether you can do that easily, or if you’ll need to go through a designer again.
- Does this setup support conditional logic? If your form needs to show or hide sections based on what someone selects (for example, a “yes/no” question that reveals new options), make sure the design doesn’t break when logic is applied. Dubsado does not currently have conditional logic built into there forms. There is no way to do this without using code.
Asking these questions upfront can save you a lot of headaches later.
Trusted CSS Options for Dubsado
There are a few companies that specialize in custom Dubsado form styling:
- Forms & Flows (my personal go-to)
- Dub-Ins
- Search & Grow
- Only Codez
What do I choose to use?
I personally use Forms & Flow because their CSS lives inside Dubsado, so there’s no extra platform to manage and no extra subscrption. You can update images, copy, and sections directly in Dubsado without needing to edit it elsewhere. I don’t like to add additional costs for my clients, and I love that is lives inside of Dubsado.
OnlyCodz is a new business offering easy to edit templates that are cost effective! It’s simple to edit the template on their platform and then just copy and paste it into your form!
You can’t go wrong with any of these platforms! I like to use a mix of CSS and Dubsado’s native elements to create beautiful forms!
Is CSS in Dubsado Right for Me?
It depends on how you use your forms. Ask yourself:
- Do I want my proposals and lead forms to reflect my brand like a custom website would?
- Is the aesthetic of my proposal important to convert clients?
- Am I prepared to learn how to make small updates (like switching images if needed), or rely on someone who can?
- Do I want to manage another platform to maintain my proposals?
- Am I ok with potentiall adding another subscrption?
- Do I need features like conditional logic?
- Does my current form design support the elevated experience I want to deliver?
If you answered yes to most of those, CSS might be your next move.
At the end of the day, investing in CSS for your Dubsado forms makes your client experience more dynamic, on-brand, and aligned with the rest of your business. Otherwise, you’re limited to what Dubsado can do out of the box.
If you’re ready to create beautiful proposals in Dubsado? Let’s chat. I can point you toward the right solution so you can stop fighting your forms and start impressing your clients.
Your expertise belongs in your craft more than your CRM. Bringing in a pro to do the strategic thinking and heavy lifting means that you’re never stuck Googling, experimenting, or muddling through something that only kind of works.
When you book a Dubsado setup for your business, we get to skip right over any implementation growing pains or learning just for learning’s sake. As a Certified Dubsado Specialist, I build exactly what you need, and then show you exactly what you need to do to keep the system running smoothly.
