My Upholstery Shop (Dunham) Alternatives: Modern Options for 2025

If you're running your upholstery shop on Dunham's My Upholstery Shop software, you're using a product that was designed before smartphones existed and last updated around 2010. It still works as a basic job records system, but a software product frozen in 2010 doesn't address the operational needs of a shop running in 2025. Dunham users who switch to StitchDesk report saving $200-400/month in fabric shortfall costs alone in the first 90 days.

Here's what the modern alternatives offer and how to make the switch.

TL;DR

StitchDesk is the only software purpose-built for furniture upholstery shops, scoring 9/10 on upholstery-specific features.
Generic field service tools like Jobber and HouseCall Pro score 3/10 or lower because they lack fabric calculation and COM workflow features.
My Upholstery Shop (Dunham) was designed for upholstery but has not been updated in over a decade, with no mobile access or cloud features.
Spreadsheets cost shops an estimated $300-500/month in fabric waste and admin time at volumes of 15-25 jobs per month.
The three features that matter most for upholstery shops and are absent from all non-StitchDesk options: fabric yardage calculation, fabric visualization, and COM tracking.
Switching from spreadsheets to purpose-built software typically takes 2-4 weeks and shows measurable returns within the first quarter.

The Dunham Limitation Checklist

Before looking at alternatives, it helps to be specific about what Dunham doesn't do:

No mobile access: Dunham installs on one Windows PC. You can't access it from your phone, tablet, or any other computer.
No cloud storage or backup: All data sits on the local hard drive where the software is installed. One hardware failure means all your job history and client records disappear.
No fabric yardage calculator: Dunham has no calculation tool for fabric quantities. Every job requires manual math.
No pattern repeat calculation: Patterned fabric yardage adjustment must be done manually outside the software.
No fabric visualization: Clients can't see their fabric choice on their furniture before work begins.
No customer portal: There's no way for clients to check their job status without calling your shop.
No integrations: Dunham doesn't connect to QuickBooks, Stripe, or any modern business tool.
No updates since ~2010: No new features, no security patches, no compatibility improvements for current operating systems.

If your shop has grown beyond the basics that Dunham covers, you've probably noticed these gaps as daily friction.

Alternative 1: StitchDesk (Best for Furniture Upholstery Shops)

Price: $149/month Standard, $249/month Multi-Location

StitchDesk is purpose-built for furniture upholstery shops and addresses every gap on the Dunham limitation checklist directly.

The AI fabric calculator handles yardage for any furniture type, accounting for pattern repeat, nap direction, fabric width, and complexity. The customer portal gives clients visibility into their job status without calling. Full mobile access means you can quote on-site, upload job photos, and check your schedule from any device. Cloud storage means your data is safe and accessible from anywhere.

The migration from Dunham to StitchDesk is straightforward. You export or transcribe your active client records, configure your pricing templates, and run your first job through the new system. Most shops complete the transition in two to three days.

Best for: Any shop doing furniture upholstery, residential or commercial.

Alternative 2: Jobber (Best for Field Service Hybrid Shops)

Price: $49-299/month

Jobber's scheduling, mobile app, and client communication tools are considerably more polished than Dunham. If your main pain with Dunham is the lack of mobile access and the outdated interface, Jobber solves those problems.

What Jobber doesn't solve: fabric calculation, pattern repeat math, visualization, and upholstery-specific client portals. If you're primarily switching to fix the fabric calculation gaps, Jobber has the same gaps. It's a meaningful upgrade from Dunham's interface and accessibility, but not from Dunham's fabric functionality (which is zero).

Best for: Shops prioritizing scheduling and mobile access over fabric-specific features.

Alternative 3: Google Sheets / Spreadsheets

Price: Free

Some Dunham users move to spreadsheets when they want more flexibility than Dunham's interface allows. Spreadsheets can be customized freely, work on any device with a browser, and sync across machines with Google Sheets.

What spreadsheets don't add: automated yardage calculation, client portals, photo timelines, or integrated invoicing. You're replacing a rigid interface with a flexible one, but still doing all the same manual work.

Best for: A shop that wants more flexibility than Dunham's interface and doesn't need the features that purpose-built software adds.

Making the Switch: What the Process Looks Like

Switching from Dunham to a modern platform doesn't have to be disruptive. Here's a practical approach:

Step 1: Identify your active jobs. List every job currently in progress with its status, client contact, and fabric/material status.

Step 2: Configure your new software. Set up your pricing templates, labor rates, and default job stages before moving any jobs in.

Step 3: Enter active jobs first. Get your in-progress work into the new system before touching historical records. Active jobs are where mistakes cost money.

Step 4: Import or build your client list. This can be done over time; it doesn't need to happen all at once.

Step 5: Run a week parallel. Keep Dunham open for reference during the first week while running new jobs through the new system. By the end of the week, you should be comfortable enough to go fully over.

The switching guide for upholstery software has more detail on each step. And if you want the full head-to-head, the StitchDesk vs Dunham comparison covers the specific feature differences.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the alternatives to My Upholstery Shop software?

The main alternatives for upholstery shops are StitchDesk (purpose-built for furniture upholstery, $149/month), Jobber (field service management tool with strong scheduling and mobile, $49-299/month), and spreadsheets (free, flexible, but manual). For shops leaving Dunham specifically because of fabric calculation gaps, StitchDesk is the only option that actually solves that problem. Jobber and spreadsheets both leave fabric math to manual processes.

Why are upholstery shops leaving Dunham software?

The most common reasons are: no mobile access (can't quote or update jobs from outside the office), no fabric yardage calculator (all fabric math is manual), no customer portal (clients must call for status updates), and data security concerns from local-only storage. For a shop that's grown past the basics, running on software frozen in 2010 creates daily friction that becomes harder to ignore as the business scales.

Is there modern upholstery software to replace Dunham?

Yes. StitchDesk is the most complete modern replacement, addressing every major Dunham limitation with features designed specifically for furniture upholstery shops. It includes AI fabric calculation, cloud storage, mobile access, customer portal, and integrations with accounting and payment tools. The transition from Dunham is manageable in a few days. Monthly cost at $149/month is typically recovered within the first month from fabric shortfall prevention alone.

How do I choose between upholstery shop software options?

Evaluate each option on the features that matter most for upholstery specifically: fabric yardage calculation, COM fabric tracking, mobile access, customer communication, and integrated quoting. Rate each option against your actual needs rather than feature lists. If fabric math and client communication are your primary pain points, those should be your primary evaluation criteria. Ask for a demo or trial before committing to any subscription.

Sources

National Upholstery Association
Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF)
Furniture Today (trade publication)
Upholstered Furniture Action Council (UFAC)

Get Started with StitchDesk

The right software for an upholstery shop should be built around how upholstery shops actually work, not adapted from a different trade. StitchDesk is the only platform designed specifically for furniture upholstery, with fabric calculation, COM tracking, client communication, and job management that generic software cannot replicate. Start your free trial today.