What does the cheapest plan include, and is there a free plan?

Bonsai does not offer a free plan. Our most affordable option is the Basic plan at $9/user/month (billed annually). This plan is designed for solo freelancers who need core organization tools, specifically covering unlimited time tracking and task management. It helps you organize your daily workflow and track billable hours before you need to send formal invoices or process client payments.

When should I upgrade from the Basic plan to Essentials or Premium?

Upgrade to the Essentials plan ($19/user/month) when you need to bill clients directly, as it unlocks our invoicing and payment processing features. If you manage complex client accounts or multiple team members and require advanced reporting, upgrade to the Premium plan ($29/user/month) to access deep project insights and profitability metrics.

How much do I save with annual billing versus monthly billing?

Our listed prices:$9/user/month for Basic, $19/user/month for Essentials, and $29/user/month for Premium:reflect our annual billing discount, which saves you up to 20% compared to paying month-to-month. Paying annually secures the lowest rate and ensures uninterrupted access to your invoicing, time tracking, and project management tools all year long.

How does Bonsai's per-seat pricing scale as my team grows?

Bonsai scales predictably at a flat rate per user. For example, on the Essentials plan, adding a collaborator costs an additional $19/month (billed annually). Each seat gets full access to the features of your selected tier, whether that is Basic's task management or Premium's project insights, making it easy to calculate your software expenses as you hire.

Does Bonsai offer special discounts for startups, nonprofits, or students?

We support the community by offering custom discounts for registered nonprofits, student freelancers, and early-stage startups. To apply, sign up for a trial of any plan:Basic ($9/mo), Essentials ($19/mo), or Premium ($29/mo):and contact our support team with proof of your status to have the discount applied to your annual subscription.

What are the hidden costs of Bonsai beyond the subscription price?

Beyond the Bonsai subscription, organizations typically budget for implementation and data migration, user training and onboarding, premium support tier upgrades, required add-on features, third-party integrations, and annual true-up costs from seat overages. These costs can add 20-80% to the base subscription price depending on team size and deployment complexity.

Does Bonsai charge for implementation or setup?

Bonsai may charge for professional services, data migration, and initial configuration, particularly for enterprise deployments. These costs are typically not listed on the public pricing page and are negotiated separately. Request a total cost of ownership estimate before signing.

Is Bonsai pricing stable or does it change frequently?

Bonsai pricing has been stable over the last 90 days based on our monitoring. We verify pricing on a rolling 30-day cadence and log all changes in our public changelog.

Home›Accounting›Bonsai›Pricing

Bonsai Pricing Plans and Tiers 2026

An all-in-one suite for freelancers to manage proposals, contracts, time tracking, invoicing, accounting, and taxes.

AccountingFlat RatePrice verified May 21, 2026From $25/mo

·3 plans·★★★★☆4.3/5 G2

Full Review →

Alternatives to Bonsai →Compare with others →

Plans Analysis Worth It?True Cost Price History Alternatives FAQ Sources

All Plans & Pricing

High confidence· Verified May 21, 2026

7-day free trial

Starter

$25/mo

Best for: professional teams

✓Unlimited projects and clients
✓Invoices and payments
✓Proposals and contracts
✓Expense tracking
✓Time tracking and task management
✓Client CRM

Start Plan →

Professional

$39/mo

Best for: professional teams

✓Everything in Starter
✓Custom branding
✓Client portal
✓Workflow automations
✓Zapier and QuickBooks integrations
✓Calendaring and scheduling

Start Plan →

Business

$79/mo

Best for: professional teams

✓Everything in Professional
✓Subcontractor management
✓Hiring assistants
✓3 team seats included
✓White-labeled client portal
✓Talent pool

Start Plan →

Pricing Analysis

Overview

Bonsai - All-in-one product for freelancers: invoicing, contracts, accounting, and tax. 3 tiers from $9 to $29/user/mo (billed annually). Basic covers Time tracking, Task management, while Premium adds Everything in Essentials and Project insights. At $9/mo, Bonsai undercuts the $34/mo category average by 74%. For comparison, Patriot Software starts at $17 and FreshBooks at $23. The gap between Basic ($9) and Premium ($29) is significant - the 3x multiplier only makes sense if you need Everything in Essentials.

Cost Per User

Starter$25/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Professional$39/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Business$79/mo

Flat rate: cost doesn't scale with team size

Which Plan Is Right for You?

Basic$9/user/mo (billed annually)

$9/user/mo (billed annually) gets you Time tracking, Task management, Unlimited projects, CRM. Team of 5 = $45/mo, team of 10 = $90/mo. Entry point - cheaper than the $34/mo category average.

Essentials$19/user/mo (billed annually)

$19/user/mo (billed annually) gets you Everything in Basic, Invoices & payments, Proposals & contracts, Client portal. Team of 5 = $95/mo, team of 10 = $190/mo. The middle ground - enough for growing teams without enterprise overhead. Saves $10/user/mo (billed annually) vs. Premium.

Premium$29/user/mo (billed annually)

$29/user/mo (billed annually) gets you Everything in Essentials, Project insights, Gantt view, Workload management. Team of 5 = $145/mo, team of 10 = $290/mo. 53% more than Essentials - justified only if you need the extras.

vs. Category Average

Bonsai$25/mo

Category avg$40/mo

38% below the accounting average

Our Verdict

Rated 4.4/5, Bonsai at $9/mo is a value pick in its category. Start with Basic ($9/user/mo (billed annually)). Upgrade to Essentials only after you've confirmed Everything in Basic will get used. Also compare against Patriot Software ($17/mo) before deciding.

Is Bonsai Worth the Price?

Strengths

5 points

1Integrated client CRM, proposals, contracts, and invoicing
2Automated expense tracking and tax estimates from bank accounts
3Bonsai Cash: a no-fee business bank account with virtual cards
4Built-in time tracking that converts directly to invoices
5Legally-vetted contract and proposal templates save time

Considerations

5 points

1Accounting features are basic; not a full QuickBooks replacement
2Mobile app has more limited functionality than the web version
3No multi-currency support within a single client account
4Limited integrations with third-party apps beyond Zapier/Stripe
5Steep learning curve due to the sheer number of features

Ideal For

Solo freelancers and small agencies

Which plan fits you

Basic — $9/user/mo (billed annually) gets you Time tracking, Task management, Unlimited projects, CRM.

Essentials — $19/user/mo (billed annually) gets you Everything in Basic, Invoices & payments, Proposals & contracts, Client portal.

Premium — $29/user/mo (billed annually) gets you Everything in Essentials, Project insights, Gantt view, Workload management.

Pricing Takeaway

★ 4.3/5

38% below category avgCategory avg: $40/mo

Beyond the subscription: what to budget for

List price covers the subscription. Total cost of ownership for Bonsai typically includes additional line items that don't appear on the pricing page.

Implementation

Setup, data migration, initial configuration

Training

Onboarding, certification, admin enablement

Premium Support

SLA upgrades, dedicated CSM, 24/7 access

Required Add-ons

Features gated behind higher tiers or paid extras

Integrations

Third-party connectors, API usage, custom builds

Annual True-Up

Seat overages, usage spikes, contract reconciliation