Bonsai Review: The All-in-One Tool I Used for 3 Months (Then Didn’t)
I tried Bonsai because I was tired of juggling four tools: FreshBooks for invoicing, Google Docs for contracts, Toggl for time tracking, and a spreadsheet for proposals. The idea of one platform that did everything was seductive.
Three months later, I went back to FreshBooks. Not because Bonsai is bad — it’s actually quite good. But “good at everything” lost to “great at the things I use most.” Here’s the full story.
What Bonsai Is
Bonsai positions itself as the complete freelance business suite:
- Proposals and estimates
- Contracts (with e-signatures)
- Project management
- Time tracking
- Invoicing
- Accounting and expense tracking
- Tax estimates
- CRM
Pricing (2026):
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $21/mo | $17/mo |
| Professional | $39/mo | $32/mo |
| Business | $79/mo | $66/mo |
Most freelancers need the Professional plan for tax estimates and workflows.
The Contract-to-Payment Pipeline (Bonsai’s Best Feature)
Here’s what Bonsai does better than anyone:
- Send proposal → client accepts online
- Contract auto-generates → client signs electronically
- Project created → time tracking starts
- Invoice auto-populates → based on tracked time or milestones
- Payment processed → recorded in accounting
This pipeline is seamless. In FreshBooks, I do proposal → (manual contract in separate tool) → project → invoice. In Bonsai, every step flows into the next. No switching apps, no copy-pasting data.
For my first project on Bonsai, the proposal-to-first-invoice process took about 20 minutes to set up. The same workflow across multiple tools took 45-60 minutes.
Bonsai’s Contracts: Genuinely Useful
I was skeptical about contract templates — I figured they’d be basic and legally questionable. They’re actually solid. Bonsai’s templates are reviewed by legal professionals and cover:
- Scope of work
- Payment terms
- Intellectual property rights
- Confidentiality
- Termination clauses
- Revision limits
- Kill fee provisions
You customize the template for each project, and the client signs electronically. The signed contract links to the project, so if there’s ever a dispute, everything’s in one place.
I still use Bonsai’s contract format even though I’m back on FreshBooks for everything else. I downloaded the template structure and adapted it for my own use.
Bonsai’s Tax Estimates
Like QuickBooks Self-Employed, Bonsai calculates your quarterly estimated tax payments based on income and expenses. It considers your filing status, state, and deductions.
The estimates were reasonably accurate — within $200 of my CPA’s calculations. For freelancers who don’t have a CPA, this feature provides real peace of mind.
Where Bonsai Falls Short
Invoicing: Good, Not Great
Bonsai’s invoices are functional but not as polished as FreshBooks. The templates have fewer customization options. The payment flow for clients is slightly more friction-y. My average payment time on Bonsai was 13 days vs. 11 days on FreshBooks. Two days might not sound like much, but across 30+ invoices a year, it adds up.
Accounting: Surface-Level
Bonsai tracks income and expenses and generates basic reports. But it doesn’t do real double-entry bookkeeping like Wave or detailed project profitability like FreshBooks. If you need to hand your accountant a proper P&L with categorized expenses, Bonsai’s exports are less detailed than FreshBooks’ or Wave’s.
The Interface: Too Much Going On
When you log into Bonsai, there are a LOT of menu items: Dashboard, Proposals, Contracts, Projects, Tasks, Time, Invoices, Accounting, Taxes, CRM, and more. For a tool that does everything, there’s a lot to navigate.
I found myself clicking through 3-4 screens to do things that take 1-2 clicks in FreshBooks. The Swiss Army knife has more tools, but each one requires finding the right attachment first.
Price for What You Get
At $39/month for Professional (the plan most freelancers need), Bonsai costs more than FreshBooks Plus ($33/month). The value proposition is that Bonsai replaces multiple tools. But if you’re already on FreshBooks and only need to add contracts, there are cheaper ways to do that (HelloSign at $15/month, or free DocuSign alternatives).
Who Bonsai Is Perfect For
New freelancers starting from zero. If you don’t have any tools yet, Bonsai gives you everything in one place. No research paralysis about which invoicing tool, which contract tool, which time tracker. Just one subscription.
Freelancers who send a lot of proposals. If you’re a consultant, designer, or creative who sends 5+ proposals per month, the proposal → contract → invoice pipeline saves serious time.
Freelancers who need contracts for every project. If you’re working with new clients regularly and need contracts each time, Bonsai’s templates and e-signature are compelling.
Solo service providers who want one login. If managing multiple tool subscriptions and logins frustrates you, consolidating into Bonsai simplifies your workflow.
Who Should Skip Bonsai
Freelancers with established workflows. If you’re already on FreshBooks or Wave and happy with your setup, switching to Bonsai means relearning everything for marginal benefits.
Freelancers who need strong accounting. If detailed bookkeeping and reports matter (for your CPA or for project profitability analysis), dedicated accounting software is better.
Budget-conscious freelancers. Wave (free) + free contract templates + Toggl (free) gives you 80% of Bonsai’s functionality for $0.
My Three Months: The Verdict
Month 1: Excitement. Everything in one place! The proposal → contract → invoice flow is amazing! Tax estimates are handy!
Month 2: Reality. The invoicing isn’t as smooth as FreshBooks. Expense reports aren’t as detailed. I’m clicking through more menus. The all-in-one convenience is offset by each feature being slightly worse than the dedicated tool.
Month 3: Decision. For my workflow (invoicing and bookkeeping are 80% of my financial tool use), FreshBooks is better at the 80%. Bonsai is better at the 20% (contracts, proposals) but that’s not enough to justify switching my primary tool.
The switch back: I exported my data from Bonsai (CSV export), re-imported into FreshBooks, and kept Bonsai’s contract templates as standalone documents. Transition took about 3 hours.
The Bottom Line
Bonsai is the best all-in-one freelance business platform available. If you value having one tool for everything and are willing to accept “good” instead of “great” in each area, Bonsai is your match.
If you prioritize the best possible invoicing (FreshBooks), the best possible free option (Wave), or the best possible tax estimates (QuickBooks SE), you’ll outgrow Bonsai’s version of those features.
The right choice depends on whether you optimize for breadth (Bonsai) or depth (specialized tools). I chose depth. But I understand why many freelancers choose breadth, and Bonsai makes that choice easy.