Bonsai pricing, features & alternatives

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What Does Bonsai Do?

Bonsai is client and project management software for freelancers and small agencies. It brings proposals, contracts, invoices, time tracking, tasks and a client portal into one place, so the work from first pitch to final payment runs through a single tool.

Common Bonsai Use Cases

• Freelancers sending proposals and contracts to new clients
• Small agencies tracking billable time and invoicing from it
• Consultants who want clients to see files and invoices in a portal
• Studios planning workload across a few team members

Inside Bonsai: The Main Workflow

A typical flow starts with a proposal, which the client accepts online and which turns into a contract they sign electronically. You then set up the project, track time against it and send invoices from the logged hours or fixed fees. Clients see documents and pay invoices through the portal. Premium adds Gantt views, workload planning, a deal pipeline and reports on profitability.

Bonsai Pricing: Which Plan You Actually Need

A solo freelancer on Essentials pays US$19 a month, or US$228 a year on annual billing, and that’s the plan where proposals, contracts and invoices start. Moving to Premium at US$29 a month adds reporting and integrations such as QuickBooks, Xero and Zapier. Elite has a three-user minimum, so it starts at US$147 a month.

Payment processing fees on client payments are separate, so factor those into what you charge.

Where Bonsai Falls Short

• The cheapest plan doesn’t include invoicing or contracts
• Accounting and calendar integrations need Premium
• Elite requires at least three users
• Prices are in USD

Bonsai for Freelancers in India

Indian freelancers billing overseas clients mostly use Bonsai for proposals, contracts and professional invoices. Check which of Bonsai’s payment options work for receiving money in India, or add your bank or payment-link details to invoices instead. If you’re registered for GST, make sure invoices show your GSTIN and the correct treatment for export of services.

Prices are in US dollars, so annual billing also locks your rupee cost for a year.

Who Bonsai Is Best For

Bonsai suits freelancers and small agencies that want one tool for the whole client cycle. Creative businesses focused on client intake and scheduling should compare Dubsado, and agencies selling recurring productised services can look at ManyRequests.