Is Bonsai worth the price?
Bonsai's pricing is fair, especially for solo professionals or small teams.
The Basic tier at $9/user/month offers a solid foundation, while the Premium tier at $29/user/month provides significant value with advanced features. It's best for freelancers and small service businesses looking for an all-in-one platform.
Pricing Plans
Free TrialBasic
$9/user/month
- Time tracking
- Task management
- Unlimited projects
- CRM
- Service library
- iOS & Android app
- Unlimited clients
Essentials
$19/user/month
- Everything in Basic plus
- Invoices & Payments
- Proposals & Contracts
- All templates
- Forms & Questionnaires
- Scheduling
- Client portal
- Expense tracking
- Income tracking
Premium
$29/user/month
- Everything in Essentials plus
- Project insights
- Workload management
- Gantt view
- Deals pipeline
- Custom fields & properties
- Client tasks & messaging
- Profit & Productivity reports
- Remove Bonsai branding
- Integrations (QuickBooks, Zapier, Calendly, Google)
Elite
$49/user/month
- Everything in Premium plus:
- Custom permissions
- Timesheet locking
- Add markup to expenses
- Xero integration
- Custom data import
- 3 users minimum
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Elite tier requires 3 users minimum
Integrations only available on Premium+
No free tier available
Yearly billing for best rates
Which Plan Do You Need?
Freelancers needing project & client management
Small agencies streamlining operations
Service businesses seeking integrated tools
How Bonsai Compares to Competitors
Compared to HoneyBook, which starts around $39/month for a single user, Bonsai's Essentials tier at $19/user/month offers a more affordable entry point with similar core features like proposals and invoicing. While ClickUp has a robust free tier, its paid plans for comparable features can quickly exceed Bonsai's Premium tier, making Bonsai a more cost-effective all-in-one solution for service businesses.
Bonsai Pricing FAQ
How much does Bonsai cost?
Bonsai starts at $9/user/month on the Basic plan. It offers 4 paid tiers ranging from $9/user/month up to $49/user/month.
Does Bonsai have a free plan?
Bonsai does not offer a permanent free plan. However, a free trial is available.
Does Bonsai offer a free trial?
Yes, Bonsai offers a free trial. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.
What is the cheapest Bonsai paid plan?
The cheapest paid plan for Bonsai is "Basic" at $9/user/month. Key features include: Time tracking, Task management, Unlimited projects.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Bonsai?
Yes. Popular alternatives to Bonsai include Hive, ClickUp, Teamwork, Productive. Free alternatives include Hive, ClickUp, Teamwork. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
How much does Bonsai cost for a team of 10?
For a team of 10 users on the Basic plan, Bonsai costs about $90/month, or $1,080/year. Larger teams may qualify for volume discounts on annual billing.
Cheaper alternatives to Bonsai
Direct competitors with similar features. Many offer free tiers or lower per-seat pricing.
