# Bonsai Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about Bonsai Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Time Tracking products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/238825/Bonsai --- # Bonsai Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on March 13, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. Independent research methodology Capterra’s researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. 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[Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/) [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Bonsai ## What is Bonsai? Bonsai is a one-stop platform for agencies, consultancies and professional service providers. It is designed to provide businesses with a complete and real-time overview of their business. Bonsai helps you deliver projects on time and budget, collaborate efficiently with your team and clients, and monitor your business's utilization to get clarity on your team's efficiency & profitability. ## What is Bonsai used for? [Billing and Invoicing](https://www.capterra.com/billing-and-invoicing-software/)[Contract Management](https://www.capterra.com/contract-management-software/)[Time Tracking](https://www.capterra.com/time-tracking-software/) Recognitions Shortlist Best ease of use Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 95 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 93% Neutral 2% Negative 5% Starting price $9 Per User, Per Month Free trial available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... - Billing and Invoicing / 2026 - Business Management / 2026 - Advertising Agency / 2025 - Contract Management / 2025 - Forms Automation / 2025 - Gantt Chart / 2025 Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... - Advertising Agency / 2025 - Billing and Invoicing / 2025 - Business Management / 2025 - Coaching / 2025 - Contract Management / 2025 - CRM / 2025 - Forms Automation / 2025 - Gantt Chart / 2025 - Law Practice Management / 2025 - Legal Billing / 2025 - Professional Services Automation / 2025 - Project Management / 2025 - Project Tracking / 2025 - Proposal Management / 2025 - Scheduling / 2025 - Small Business CRM / 2025 - Task Management / 2025 - Time and Expense / 2025 - Time Clock / 2025 - Time Tracking / 2025 - Workflow Management / 2025 Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Bonsai?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=https://www.hellobonsai.com&name=Bonsai) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Bonsai 4.6 (95) VS. [4.6 (1,456)](https://www.capterra.com/p/127994/Jobber/reviews/) Starting Price $9 Per User, Per Month Starting Price $39 Flat Rate, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.6 (95) Ease Of Use 4.6 (7,685) Value For Money 4.3 (86) Value For Money 4.4 (6,595) Customer Service 4.3 (81) Customer Service 4.6 (6,300) ## Bonsai alternatives Highest Rated [4.7 (1,727)](https://www.capterra.com/p/105428/Clio/reviews/) Starting price $49.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.7 (680)](https://www.capterra.com/p/162588/HoneyBook/reviews/) Starting price $36.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) [4.3 (8,451)](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/reviews/) Starting price $38.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 86% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) [Xero](https://www.capterra.com/p/120109/Xero/) [4.4 (3,295)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120109/Xero/reviews/) Starting price $25.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 88% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/120109/Xero/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/238825/Bonsai/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Bonsai Overview ### What problems does Bonsai solve? Bonsai solves scattered admin work for freelancers, consultants, and small service teams by unifying proposals, contracts, e-signatures, time tracking, invoicing, and client communication. It reduces manual billing, missed payments, end-of-week timesheet catch-up, and email back-and-forth, while giving agencies and solo operators clearer visibility into project progress, cash flow, and profitability. Answer based on 74 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Bonsai? Bonsai is most used by business owners, founders, and CEOs who need one system to manage client work, contracts, invoicing, and cash flow. Creative professionals such as graphic designers, art directors, and copywriters use it to streamline proposals, project tracking, and time-based billing for freelance and studio operations. Answer based on 95 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is Bonsai built for? Bonsai is built for small businesses, with 100% of reviewers coming from that segment, and it is used most in Marketing and Advertising at 29%. It also fits Design firms at 20% and Information Technology and Services businesses at 7%, aligning with SMBs, agencies, consultancies, and mid-size businesses. Answer based on 95 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Bonsai? Bonsai includes core business tools like invoicing, contracts, proposals, and time tracking, plus client management through a client portal and CRM. Differentiating features include recurring invoices, electronic signature, expense tracking, and basic project management with task boards, scheduling, and workflow automation for freelancers and small businesses. Answer based on 48 reviews Pricing ### How much does it cost and what fees or limitations are included? Bonsai starts at $9/user/month for Basic, with Essentials at 19, Premium at 29, and Elite at 49; a free trial is available. Reviewers say it can replace separate accounting tools and offer good value, but others call it expensive, cite rising prices, and mention an extra $100/year tax add-on. Answer based on 16 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Bonsai integrate with? Bonsai integrates with 12 third-party tools, including scheduling, communication, storage, CRM, accounting, and automation platforms. Key integrations include Calendly, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Sheets, QuickBooks Online, HubSpot CRM, Slack, Trello, ClickUp, Xero, and Zapier. Answer based on 13 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Bonsai offer? Bonsai provides live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos to help teams get started. Live online sessions and webinars support guided training, while documentation offers written reference material and videos provide self-paced instruction for learning product features and setup steps. Answer based on 3 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Bonsai offer, and how do users rate the experience? Bonsai offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, knowledge base, 24/7 live rep, and chat. Users often describe support as helpful, knowledgeable, and reasonably fast, with some getting answers within a day or faster. Others report inconsistent response times, unresolved billing or payment issues, and frustration when urgent problems take days. Answer based on 31 reviews ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Invoice Creation 4.7 (48) 75.00% of 48 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create invoices from scratch or have recurring invoices Payment Processing 4.3 (42) 61.90% of 42 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Accept, record, and reconcile financial transactions Online Invoicing 4.7 (39) 61.54% of 39 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create, send, and view electronic invoices Electronic Signature 4.7 (38) 57.89% of 38 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Digitally sign online documents Invoice History 4.7 (23) 56.52% of 23 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Store and view prior invoices for each account/client Digital Signature 4.6 (21) 42.86% of 21 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Electronic signing method that validates the authenticity and integrity of a digital document Bonsai 208 features An @mention is a way to tag or notify a specific person about a message/post Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems Built-in accounting to manage ledger, accounts payable/receivable, financial reports, etc. Integrate with a third-party accounting system Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems Iterative project Management approach that involves technologies such as Kanban, Scrum, XP, APF, XPM and more Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges Manage various aspects of appointments including booking, rescheduling, canceling Schedule appointments via a calendar Manage the process of evaluating documents or requests submitted for approval Assign issues and tasks based on availability or required skills Automatically create schedules based on business needs or employee availability and qualifications Setup and send recurring or automated bills Automatically formats data in a predetermined way Monitor and analyze the availability of resources to help plan and streamline the service delivery to clients A way to visually represent data via blocks the length of which correlates with the values they represent Track billable hours and/or non-billable expenses for work performed Track the list of items required to be billed/invoiced to clients Create, manage, and send invoices or bills to customers Gateway through which end users can view past bills and pay current invoices Setting up the amount/charge for per hour of work by a company or professional Create, update, and manage bookings, itineraries, and reservations Forecast, allocate funds, organize financial resources and report & analyze project's income and expenditure Create budgets based on historical data and future projections Helps automate and manage information, tasks, and procedures by establishing routines and patterns associated with processes Track and manage schedules and meetings via an integrated calendar Synchronize with other calendars to view mutual availability and schedules Notifications/alerts for upcoming events or tasks Monitor service demand and performance to plan for adequate resources that meet business needs Organize and group data or items based on various criteria Manage contact details and communication with clients Private online space that lets businesses securely share documents and provide information access to clients Track employees' arrival and departure timings for payroll purposes Provides a channel for team members to share media files, communicate, and work together A way to visually represent data where different categories of items are marked with different colors Leave comments and notes on documents for others to view Manage and track all internal and external communication conducted via calls, email, text, or chat Track the current status and completion of activities, tasks, goals or deliverables via progress indicators Configure existing workflows to meet your organization's needs Automated reminders and confirmations for booked appointments and events via text or email Centralized database of stakeholders and their contact information such as names, address, phone number etc. Manage, organize, and store contact information Centralized repository to store content and assets Create, edit, and revise contracts/written agreements Forecast of the expenses necessary for project completion Accept and process credit card transactions Built-in customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities or integration with a third-party CRM system A collection of customer information such as contact details, demographics, previous interactions, etc. Add customized logos and colors to align with company branding Customize data fields to support various needs and use cases Customize contracts and forms to collect specific information Invoices that can be tailored according to company's branding, payment terms and personalized information Alter the layout and content of reports Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements Import and export data to and from software applications Specify or track the date/time a project, task, etc., is due for completion Track and manage task relationships and dependencies Electronic signing method that validates the authenticity and integrity of a digital document Automated or logic-based workflows that assist in the creation of electronic documents Custom forms to streamline repetitious aspects of a document Store, manage, and track all electronic documents in a centralized location Review and analyze existing information across documents Store and organize documents in a centralized system Customizable sample documents that contain placeholder text or a standard layout that can be repeated for each new file Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components Ability to identify, sort on and alert participating parties about the approaching date by which action has to be taken Electronically collect payments for goods or services Digitally sign online documents Reminders sent via email Electronic storage of staff/employee contact information and job status in a centralized repository Track employee schedules, availability, and performance across projects and tasks Track and measure time worked for employees Estimate expected cost based on various factors before a project begins A list of events with their respective dates Plan an event's time and location Plan, pay and track business related expenses. Monitor and record expenses such as purchases or charges incurred Collecting, analyzing, and utilizing feedback from users or customers to improve a product or service Create, save, and store files Public or private sharing of digital files such as documents, audio/video, images, and more Evaluate units, projects, budgets, and other finance-related data to gauge their performance and potential risk Plan, manage, and track the financial activities of an individual or organization Primarily serving architecture, engineering, and construction industry professionals Software is specifically designed to address the needs of professionals in the law industry Designed for small businesses Form predictions based on past and present data/trends Create and design new forms from scratch using templates and design tools, or scan and convert existing forms into the system Store, manage and track all forms in a centralized location Visual representation of project's schedule, sequence and duration of tasks, benchmarks and dependencies Automatically find mutually available meeting time slots across multiple calendars Business model that charges based on the amount of time spent on an hourly basis Track interaction history by documenting conversations for contacts Create invoices from scratch or have recurring invoices Store and view prior invoices for each account/client Captures invoice data and maintains comprehensive records for auditing and reporting purposes Creation, processing, verification, and execution of invoices till the payment is made Record and follow the progress of every issue Visualization tool to organize and optimize tasks and track their status at every stage of workflow Quantifiable metrics to track objectives, gauge milestones, and evaluate the success of a particular activity Tracking the status of previously identified performance measurements Predict labor requirements based on past and present data/trends Manage the process of attracting and converting business prospects into leads Store information about leads or contacts and track, manage and nurture them throughout the sales process Manage and track employee attendance Automate workflows and trigger campaigns based on customer actions Monitor task progress and planned accomplishments to better manage project status Access the system via a mobile application Clients can submit payments via mobile devices Observe and track the demand, usage, progress or quality of a system, product, or user Supports simultaneous creation and work on multiple Kanban boards Manage and handle various international currencies Different tiers of pricing and billing for different employees and situations Ability to handle several projects simultaneously Drag and drop/visual interfaces that allow non-tech users to build without writing code Book meetings and appointments through a website or digital platform Create, send, and view electronic invoices Accept and process online payment transactions Track employee and task times using internet connection Manage and record overtime hours for hourly employees Accept, record, and reconcile financial transactions Level of completion within a task A set of indicators that tracks the performance of networks, applications, systems, teams, etc. Pre-defined templates within a library for common cases such as contracts, websites, emails, and more Predict future data based on historical data sets Arrange tasks based on the level of priority or urgency Streamlining repetitive tasks and activities through automated and predefined workflows Statistical data that helps identify improvement areas, delays or interruptions, and output of an employee Document and report the progress of ongoing projects Reporting on how each user, task or process has advanced since its initiation Business model that bills clients an amount based on the project/task/job performed Plan and coordinate all the resources, costs and time needed to execute assignments Organize and schedule projects Defining the project's scope, deliverables, schedules, resources, budget, critical path, dependencies and constraints Identifying critical tasks that make up a project and assigning start and end dates for each Pre-designed project plans that can be customized Measure time to completion or hours worked for projects Monitor the progress of projects from start to finish Create, manage, or update project workflows. Estimate or forecast of a future scenario based on the study of present trends Create proposals based on costs of labor and materials Integrates with QuickBooks Generate quotes or estimates for customers Receive data and information in real time Active monitoring of systems, applications, or networks Notifications that are delivered to users as soon as an event occurs Active reporting of data and metrics Based on availability, instantly confirm or deny a request when a new booking is made Receive system updates as soon as any changes are made Upload, track, and submit receipts in a central database Schedule repeating appointments based on a duration of time Set the frequency of a task's occurrence Automated process of charging customers at regular intervals for repeated access or use of a product or service Timed notification for any upcoming task, deadline, appointment, or activity Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data Track task progress, milestones, delays, or other key information and generate reports on them for evaluation Assign available resources (human and/or non-human) to various projects and tasks Process of planning, scheduling and executing the optimal and effective use of human capital across projects Allocate and manage resources, such as employees, equipment, facilities, and other assets Identifying desired outcomes and important milestones and creating a plan on how to achieve them Set & manage permission levels based on user roles and restrict access to only authorized individuals Automates and streamlines business processes by creating a sequence of predefined rules and actions that govern the flow of work Pipeline view and tracking lead status Plan availability and assign specific time slots for tasks and resources Search and filter data across systems to locate required information by entering keywords or certain criteria Group leads or contacts based on their specific characteristics Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information Private client session notes for coaching, therapy, etc. UI looks like a spreadsheet Security protocol that ensures secure, encrypted communication over the internet, safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction Split and manage tasks into individual components Ability to accommodate the methodology that incorporates frequent work reassessment and continuous short periods of focused work. Gauge satisfaction and receive information for improvement and success Attach digital tags to documents and assets for identification, search, or monitoring purposes UI looks like task board Edit task information and all related elements Import tasks from external sources Create, manage and track all task activities and progression Track the status and progress of tasks Track and manage the scheduling of tasks Add labels or tags to tasks Calculate tax and make deductions on gross income from sources like wages, investments or self-employment Implementation of various strategies to manage tax obligations via planning and maintaining compliance Financial planning for tax purposes Allow multiple team members to edit and work on the same document Organizing a group of people to accomplish a task Create, save, and re-purpose templates for emails, forms, etc. Sample files or documents that could be customized as needed or used as is Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes Log and record hours worked and costs spent to assist in billing and invoicing Measure and track time including hours worked and paid time off (PTO) Track time worked per client Track time worked per project Manage a detailed schedule of a product plan Track the amount of time spent on a job or task A digital list of items that need to be completed Sequential approach (i.e. Waterfall) in which users break down and plan an entire project before the launch Manage user accounts, profiles, roles, permissions, and other details across applications, devices or networks Track the frequency of asset usage Request, track, and manage time off requests and vacation time Interact with data visualization elements, such as charts and graphs, to drill down into data Create, design, and visually represent processes within the software Graphical representation of data or processes Web form that allows users to enter data that is sent and processed for different reasons Alter the default workflow to meet your organization's needs Create, design and manage workflows for repetitive tasks Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.3 (95) 4.3 Based on 95 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.3 (86) Free Trial [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/238825/Bonsai/pricing/) Basic $9.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - Unlimited projects - Tasks & Time Tracking - CRM - Service library - iOS & Android app - Unlimited clients Essentials $19.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - Everything in Basic plus: - Invoicing & Payments - Proposal & Contracts - Forms & Questionnaires - Scheduling - All Templates - Income tracking - Expense Tracking Premium $29.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - Everything in Essentials plus: - Project insights - Workload management - Gantt view - Custom fields & properties - Client portal - Profit & Productivity reports - Remove Bonsai branding - Integrations (QuickBooks, Zapier, Calendly, Google) Elite $49.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - Everything in Premium plus: - Custom permissions - Request management - Staffing management - Timesheet locking - Add markup to expenses - Hubspot integration - Custom data import - Dedicated onboarding Value for money 4.3 (86) 4.3 Based on 86 reviews ## Integrations [ Google Drive](https://www.capterra.com/p/161425/Drive/)[ Slack](https://www.capterra.com/p/135003/Slack/)[ Trello](https://www.capterra.com/p/211559/Trello/)[ Gmail](https://www.capterra.com/p/202338/Gmail/)[ Google Sheets](https://www.capterra.com/p/169718/Google-Sheets/)[ QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/)[ ClickUp](https://www.capterra.com/p/158833/ClickUp/)[ HubSpot CRM](https://www.capterra.com/p/152373/HubSpot-CRM/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.3 (81) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.3 (81) 4.3 Based on 81 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.6 Based on 95 reviews Filter by rating 5(73) 4(15) 3(2) 2(2) 1(3) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent AU Anonymous User Self employed Facilities Services ### "Excellent for freelancers! (& Teams)" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 September 29, 2025 Overall my experience has been great! This software has saved me a lot of time because I can individually manage all of my projects aspects from this one software. Pros What I like most about Bonsai is I can visually see all my work projects, together all on one one page. Cons I have only used Bonsai for a short time period and have yet to find something that I dislike about Bonsai. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. BO Bryanna O. Office Manager Chemicals ### "Bonsai Review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 September 19, 2025 Our overall experience with Bonsai has been lovely so far. We can create estimates to send to our customers, invoices and even get the signature electronically! Pros What we like best about Bonsai is that it is basically a one stop shop! Bonsai has everything that we are looking for with our company, Invoicing, security and the electronic signatures which we are very excited for. Cons There really is not anything that we least like about Bonsai. If i were to say anything at all it would be that we don't use everything they have to offer, which we will, we just haven't gotten there yet. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. KS Katie S. Operations Manager Leisure, Travel & Tourism ### "Great for invoicing " 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 6/10 August 25, 2025 Bonsai is a strong all in one system for freelancers and small service teams who want to run proposals contracts and payments without juggling multiple apps. It is quick to learn and it keeps cash flow and client communication organized. If you need heavy duty CRM or full accounting features you will still pair it with other tools but for everyday operations it delivers a smooth streamlined experience. Pros Bonsai brings proposals contracts invoicing and time tracking into one clean workspace. The templates and e signature make it fast to send professional paperwork. I like the recurring invoices retainers and automatic payment reminders. The client portal keeps messages files and approvals in one place which cuts down on email ping pong. Cons Pricing can climb as you add teammates or advanced features. Project management is fine for simple tasks but it is not as deep as a dedicated tool. Report customization is limited and invoice layouts do not offer a lot of design freedom. Multi currency and tax settings may require manual tweaks if you work across regions. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. David C. Founder Information Technology and Services ### "Bonsai Is The Best All-Around Product For Managing a Freelancer / Small Business" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 10, 2025 I've been using Bonsai for over five years now and over that time have taken a look at the competition to see if maybe they're better or cheaper. Spoiler alert: they're not! Bonsai has everything you need to run a freelancer or small business operation all in the same UI, without having to add apps or move into different interfaces. Pros I've tried just about all the products out there for managing proposals, contracts, invoicing and more as a freelancer, and Bonsai is still the one for me. It's priced less than the competition but gives you more features, and the UI is much better than others. Cons The mobile app is great for viewing things and doing quick adds. About the main thing that it doesn't do as well is time tracking—can't be as granular on the project specifics in the mobile app as I can on the desktop app. Alternatives considered [Better Proposals](https://www.capterra.com/p/153794/Better-Proposals/) [HoneyBook](https://www.capterra.com/p/162588/HoneyBook/) [Dubsado](https://www.capterra.com/p/206389/Dubsado/) [17hats](https://www.capterra.com/p/144328/17hats/) [FreshBooks](https://www.capterra.com/p/142390/FreshBooks/) Reasons for choosing Bonsai Many of the competing products didn't have as much ability to offer clients granular options in proposals and didn't let me put in as much content on the proposals—just single line items instead of paragraphs. Some platforms required adding apps (often at extra cost) to do things that are natively built in to the Bonsai UI. Just a much better overall user experience for me as the freelancer and also for my clients. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RM Rodney M. Contractor Business Supplies and Equipment ### "Never give up , doit better " 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 2.0 2.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 2/10 July 28, 2025 Well since I was victim of scam , I have been doing and learning a lot in how install the right app in mi IMac , you should doit as well Pros Very recently to this but I will give good tips, what exactly is what I like most and what is not good this app Cons In the begging is a little complicate when you do the first installation , so I almost quick , but I got good advice from friends Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. IB Ibrahim B. CEO Marketing and Advertising ### "Hello Bonsai a stable proposal platform that can use AI" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 24, 2025 Overall, it is a stable platform and has been constantly updated. I hope they will focus on agencies rather than freelancers. I also hope they would integrate other payment software for flexibility Pros Bonsai Is an All-Around great platform for a marketing agency. Its winning point is its proposals and upsell capability Cons Still Lacks Native Integrations. It sends you to Zapier for many. I Also Wish they would integrate AI for workflow like many other competitors. Alternatives considered [HoneyBook](https://www.capterra.com/p/162588/HoneyBook/) [Wayfront](https://www.capterra.com/p/199996/wayfront/) [Agiled](https://www.capterra.com/p/206203/Agiled/) Reasons for choosing Bonsai It's stable with the least amount of bugs for the price point. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. HG Heldor G. Marketing Manager Mental Health Care ### "All-in-One Tool!" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 March 20, 2025 Using Bonsai has been a smooth ride, it is user-friendly and well-designed, though pricing may be a concern for some. Pros The automated workflows save a lot of time, and the pre-built contract templates are a great feature! Cons The pricing can be a bit high, especially since some advanced features require higher-tier plans. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AM Andrea M. Vice President, Instructional Design Services E-Learning ### "Great Time-Tracking Features and Easy to Use" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 January 16, 2025 Overall, I found Bonsai to be a very good program for tracking both billable and non-billable time spent on projects. Features like the in-app timer, when I remembered to use it, were great and could track my time for me automatically. This significantly reduced the time I had to spend filling out timesheets manually at the end of each week. I found the timesheets function in Bonsai to be pretty intuitive and easy to navigate. The ability to report on time spent for an individual or the entire team was also quite useful and easy to generate. Overall, I was quite pleased with the time tracking features in Bonsai and my experience with the software was very good. Pros I really liked the in-app task timer feature. It was particularly useful on days where I needed to split my time between 2 or 3 different tasks. Cons Bonsai allows you to track time down to the task level. While the ability to see and report on time spent at that level of detail can provide some great insights, it can also quickly become cumbersome for users to report their time at that level of detail. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VM Vesna M. Copywriter and Messaging Strategist Marketing and Advertising ### "A cohesive, customizable all-in-one software for proposals, contracts, and invoices" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 November 19, 2024 I've been using Bonsai since 2021. I've thought about moving platforms a few times, mostly looking for something cheaper that also allows me to use my own branding, but I always end up sticking with Bonsai in the end because it allows me to customize so many other things — which, in the end, are more important to me. In the 3+ years I've used Bonsai, I've never had issues with payment processing, invoice/proposal/contract links, etc. I've never had any mishaps with it, and my clients seem to like everything I send from there. Bonsai has actually helped me look professional and prepared. Pros Things I love about Bonsai: (1) Using one tool for proposals, contracts, and invoices It's great to be able to use one tool to manage all 3 major transactional events with clients. It also makes you look like a professional when the things you send to your client all have a cohesive look and feel. (2) The granular level of customizations available for proposals, contracts, and invoices - Proposals are highly customizable. You can start with a template (and there are quite a few good ones) and customize and edit it any way you like. - You can also save your own proposals as reusable templates for future clients. - I love that the proposals have various formats for project-based packages (like allowing the client to select multiple options or making the client pick only one of several options, or not offering options at all ... it really allows you to structure your proposal in the way YOU do business). - I like that both proposals and invoices can be edited \*after\* you send them. So if a client wants to negotiate one last thing, you don't have to cancel the proposal/invoice and start over. You can edit the existing one and the link you sent them still works. - I like that I can decide whether I want to send a proposal/contract/invoice as a link in my own email or send out an "automated" looking email straight from Bonsai. I've tried both ways and both work very well. - I love the ability to completely customize fields in my invoices. Many invoice software out there doesn't allow for a lot of customization, but customization in invoicing is ultra important to me because every project is different. - I like the ability to attach a pdf to the invoice (like bank wire information if the client prefers to pay with that over a credit card payment). - For contracts you have so many different template options, it's easy to find one that matches your needs as closely as possible and then you can even convert it to a fully editable contract where you can add or remove entire clauses and make your own. Then you can save your contract as a template for future clients. - Auto-reminders for invoices are optional. I like that I can turn it on or off on a per-client basis. - There are also lots more customizations for invoices like the ability to do scheduled recurring invoices. It makes me feel like Bonsai can handle whatever business models and client projects I evolve through. (3) The ability to bill in multiple currencies. - I was shocked to discover so many invoicing platforms force you to use your own local currency (e.g., Honeybook). I'm in Canada, but many of my clients are in the U.S. and in Europe, and I prefer to bill in USD. So a multi-currency billing platform was a must for me. (4) Support is decent. - You have to use chat to access customer support, but I have always found them to respond by the next day at the latest. Cons Things I dislike or don't love about Bonsai: (1) I don't care for the calendar and project management features. I'm really picky about my booking calendar and need lots of features. So I feel like Bonsai's pricing went up for features I don't even need or use. For that reason, I ended up downgrading my Bonsai to a lower tier to make it more affordable again — which meant I had to give up custom branding. Bonsai should allow custom branding in the lower tier. The middle tier should include things like the calendar and project management and more CRM features. Don't force people to upgrade to a more expensive tier just to use custom branding. (2) For proposals, I wish Bonsai would make the currency visible to the client. A couple of my clients were confused and asked me if I was charging CAD or USD because on my side of Bonsai, I can see the currency, but on the client's side, they cannot see it. So now I have had to add a note on all my proposals "All currency is x." Bonsai should fix this. Yes, the invoice always shows it, but the proposal should show it as well! (2) The reporting is very confusing to non-USD users. When I look at my dashboard and Bonsai gives me graphs and stats about my earnings, the dropdown menu is not intuitive, and I've had to ask support to help me understand what it means. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CA Claudia A. Founder and Creative Director Design ### "I finally have time to actually work on my business!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 29, 2024 Pros Bonsai has been a game-changer for my freelance business! It's like having a personal assistant that handles all the tedious admin work. The templated contracts save me a lot of time on paperwork, and I love how everything updates automatically when payments come in, or projects move forward. Their automated workflows help me set up when documents and updates get sent to clients. Everything is streamlined, from project management to time tracking, helping me stay profitable. Plus, their customer service is exceptional. Always helpful and responsive when I need them. They listen to my feedback and consider feature requests, making me feel valued as a customer. I can finally focus on what matters: growing my business. Definitely worth the investment! Cons As a solo-preneur, taking time to learn new software can be challenging, especially with so many features to explore. But Bonsai has a very intuitive interface, so I got comfortable with everything in just a few days. Worth the effort! Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/238825/Bonsai/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [QuickBooks Online vs Bonsai](https://www.capterra.com/compare/190778-238825/QuickBooks-Online-vs-Bonsai)[Odoo vs Bonsai](https://www.capterra.com/compare/135618-238825/Odoo-vs-Bonsai) [HoneyBook vs Bonsai](https://www.capterra.com/compare/162588-238825/HoneyBook-vs-Bonsai)  Independent research methodology Capterra's researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/proprietary-data-research/) How Capterra verifies reviews Capterra carefully verified over 2.5 million+ reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. 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