--- title: "Bonsai Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Bonsai the right Time Tracking solution for you? Explore 95 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/238825/Bonsai/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" --- Bonsai 4.6 (95) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/238825/Bonsai/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated August 26th, 2026 # Reviews of Bonsai Ease of use 4.6 Customer Service 4.3 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews VM Vesna M Copywriter and Messaging StrategistMarketing and Advertising, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “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.“ November 19, 2024 VM Vesna M Copywriter and Messaging StrategistMarketing and Advertising, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “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.“ November 19, 2024 LS Lars S Director, DeveloperMarketing and Advertising, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “I believe bonsai offers us a unique CRM en planning system that is extremely well integrated with expense management, invoicing, contracting and much more.“ September 19, 2024 VM Vesna M Copywriter and Messaging StrategistMarketing and Advertising, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “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.“ November 19, 2024 CA Claudia A Founder and Creative DirectorDesign, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “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.“ October 29, 2024 JP S OwnerIndustrial Automation, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “I pay nearly $500 a year for their basic business services, and they charged me an additional $300 in transaction fees for my first two transactions and would not let me access the fund for over two weeks.“ March 28, 2024 KS Katie S Operations ManagerLeisure, Travel & Tourism, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “Bonsai brings proposals contracts invoicing and time tracking into one clean workspace.“ August 25, 2025 NW Nicole W OwnerDesign, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “Free trial was not long enough to get a feel for the entire experience of invoicing and receiving payment.“ September 6, 2024 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 95 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Charles Abraham R. Owner Graphic Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Why I use Bonsai" May 11, 2023 5.0 Its been a game changer and it helped me scale my bsuiness. Pros Bonsai is easy to get started, and I was up and running in no time. I like how easily I am able to create and send invoices to my clients. Cons I wish there were a chat widget feature that I could install on my website similar to Sharpspring or HubSpot. Perhaps some collaboration with Webflow. Review Source LE Lauren E. Founder Legal Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Bonsai is the easiest CRM I've ever used!" September 25, 2024 5.0 9/10. I just started my business and tried several other CRM platforms for days and got no where. With Bonsai, I had my entire set up done in less than an hour. It's very intuitive and easy to use. Pros Bonsai is user friendly yet it has all the necessary features and is uncomplicated. I am able to integrate the needed applications to conduct business and keep everything in one place. Cons Bonsai integrates with my google calendar and gmail. This allows me to use it to send/receive emails and to schedule, however it doesn't allow me to view my calendar or email box. This is not as much of an issue regarding emails but having to navigate outside of the program for the calendar is not the best functionality. The other con is that I cannot preview the client portal as they see it; this function would make it simple to walk them through it when onboarding them (or to create a video doing so). Alternatives considered [Odoo](https://www.capterra.com/p/135618/Odoo/) Reason for choosing Bonsai Odoo was noisy and required knowledge of how it works to set up. Bonsai was simple yet offered the integrations and features I needed. Switched from [ClickUp](https://www.capterra.com/p/158833/ClickUp/) Ease of use. Click up had all these work arounds that were difficult to integrate. Bonsai is user friendly and very intuitive. This means as my team grows, no training will be required. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Owner Industrial Automation Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Nothing Good to Say About Bonsai" March 28, 2024 1.0 Pros Nothing likable about this brand or product. Cons Bonsai / Hello Bonsai is absolutely terrible. They charge ridiculous transaction fees and then hold your money up for weeks after the payment has been made. Absolutely infuriating, they have massively screwed up my business. I wish I had known this before signing up with them. I pay nearly $500 a year for their basic business services, and they charged me an additional $300 in transaction fees for my first two transactions and would not let me access the fund for over two weeks. I canceled my account with them as soon as I learned about their predatory practices. Literally, any other service would be better than Bonsai. In addition, Bonsai support is practically non-existent. I have never paid so much for a service and not been able to get an actual person on the phone to try to resolve even the most basic issues. Review Source BK Balaji K. CIO Computer Software Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Digital market agency CRM " October 16, 2024 4.0 Pros sales automation, projects management, tasks management Cons lack of some feature on client portal, clients not sync with quickbooks Reason for choosing Bonsai features like client portal, where clients can also interact like upload the files, support ticket, check status on projects Review Source DV Daniela V. Founder Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "So far so good! " July 8, 2024 5.0 So far so good. Love the UX, willing to giving it more time to try but maybe will have to switch to "rounded". Pros one tool for all needs: CRM, Invoicing, scheduling. One stop shop. Cons I can't believe they charge extra for the tax solution when the whole differentiator is beingthis one-stop shop. Also, couldn't connect my bank account and credit card for expenses tracking. Alternatives considered [Rounded](https://www.capterra.com/p/172907/Rounded/) Reason for choosing Bonsai CRM functionalities, but considering moving to rounded, since cheaper and really good for tax purposes (without charging an additional fee for it or asking you to have quickbooks integration). Switched from [Wave](https://www.capterra.com/p/178021/Wave-Apps/) Wave stopped working for companies outside the US. Review Source CL C L. Managing Legal Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Excellent customer/client management for solo starting out, hope Bonsai grows with small biz" December 8, 2023 4.0 I'm glad to have found this platform, have appreciated the ways it streamlined some of my business and remain excited about its potential. I've looked at many industry specific platforms for my service industry and they all were clunky or extremely expensive. I don't need industry-specific software though, I just need a clean, easy to use project / client management platform where I can send invoices/contracts and schedule client appointments. Bonsai has some stand-out features, among the best are its scheduling and client portal (to allow clients to view an invoice or uploaded files). Bonsai works great with apple/mac/iphone OS calendar and is very useful for client onboarding / invoicing. I would love to see Bonsai develop additional features for growing businesses, even if that involved a modest add-on fee (so long as the add-on fee didn't get carried away,) Pros There is a lot to appreciate with Bonsai starting with a very nice graphical interface. Most features are super easy to roll out (with the notable exception that incoming payments are frozen for the first 2 weeks plus). The online scheduler works excellently and plays very nicely with macs. The client portal is very attractive and an easy way to share invoices / files. There are lots of great starts to automate common tasks (e.g., when a client signs a contract, send the invoice) I felt like Bonsai is a 10/10 (or close) for a very small solo just getting started. If you have a handful of clients / projects a month and work alone, this will justifiably wow and make things beautifully smooth. Cons Solo / freelancers are Bonsai's target. Many features just don't seem to work for or consider a small business with any employees. It also doesn't seem to have features suitable to handle businesses with high volume of anything (no way to track/run reports) Although there are options to add "team" members for a monthly fee, Bonsai doesn't really recognize that a business owner might need to set user permissions or have employees involved in some but not every aspect of a business. For example, users can only be designated "partners" with access to every financial detail or "collaborators" who can do next to nothing in the platform besides view an already created project. I need an assistant to create projects, send out contracts and invoices but not be given a key to the company's entire financials. Currently there is no way to do this. Contracts cannot be sent without a company signature and the signature cannot be pre-populated. We're still trying to work around these limitations. Bookkeping automatically logs processing fees as expenses and can track other manually inputted expenses but cannot track multiple bank accounts / check writing, payroll, etc. Alternatives considered [CaseFox](https://www.capterra.com/p/121682/CaseFox/)[8am MyCase](https://www.capterra.com/p/115613/MyCase/)[Daylite for Mac](https://www.capterra.com/p/116272/Daylite-for-Mac/)[Bookly](https://www.capterra.com/p/180137/Bookly/) Reason for choosing Bonsai Bonsai has a much cleaner interface, very easy entry (easy to navigate, no steep learning curve), dramatically smoother syncing with ical for macs and affordable monthly price. Review Source JE Jackie E. Graphic Designer Graphic Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Bonsai keeps me a loyal customer!" May 15, 2023 5.0 Bonsai has been very essential to my freelance career when I was part time to now being a full time freelancer. When starting out, I just needed the essential tools - invoicing, accounting, time tracking, contracts and proposals - which Bonsai offered immediately. Down the line, they added new features that boosted what I can also add to my workflow management such as forms, scheduling and now a cool project board view besides the generic list view! It allowed me to have a business debit account while major banks require small businesses to be active for a certain amount of time before qualifying for a business account. Overall - NO FRILLS, but still A GEM. Pros Very straightforward, simple and user-friendly. Everything a freelancer or contractor needs to keep their small business financially organized is in Bonsai. Cons I hope the mobile and desktop app would be expanded. The browser app is cool, but I would love to just click onto an app icon to access my dashboard without having to get on Chrome. Might also be great to have a client be able to access and view their mini portal on Bonsai without creating an account - this way they can view the active project I'm working on with them and access invoices. Switched from [QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) Quickbooks didn't have all the other features that Bonsai offered Review Source MA Mike A. Owner Internet Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Bonsai improved my business 100%" March 19, 2023 5.0 Before Bonsai I was using many programs for proposals, CRM, invoicing, and contracts. Since switching to Bonsai I honestly have to say that I have saved several thousand dollars per year and my life has been much easier and more organized. Bonsai has systems that have automation so if a customer does one particular item the Bonsai system will automatically send an email with a form that I would like my customer to submit. Bonsai is definitely a game changer and I would highly recommend any business owner to look at their system and hopefully see the benefits that they can receive by using Bonsai. Pros Bonsai makes everything extremely streamlined and very easy and user-friendly. From the time I input a lead to creating the proposal to invoicing the customer and finalizing the project, Bonsai makes everything hassle-free and extremely easy. Cons The only suggestion I would have or like to see for Bonsai would be for them to allow me as the business owner to arrange the look and feel of how my customer dashboard is arranged. Alternatives considered [Salesforce Sales Cloud](https://www.capterra.com/p/61368/Salesforce/) Reason for choosing Bonsai Bonsai is made for the small to medium size business owner and there was no need for the outrageously over priced salesforce CRM. Review Source SB Sarah B. Owner Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Love Bonsai and would recommend" March 13, 2023 5.0 Pros What's NOT the most impactful LOL! I use Bonsai for EVERY PART OF MY PROJECT ( well that, and the Google Drive). From storing client information, to creating projects, invoices, time tracking, invoices, contracts et all... Bonsai has really streamlined the administration side of my small business. They are also SUPER quick to respond with support when needed. Huge Fan of Bonsai and happy I chose them over everyone else <3 Cons I would love to be able to add my accountant to the accounting area without having to add her as a partner... and I love the idea of the cash feature and envelopes just wish you could make this work with an external bank as I prefer to run my business account separate to the Bonsai system Alternatives considered [FreshBooks](https://www.capterra.com/p/142390/FreshBooks/) Reason for choosing Bonsai I found it to be a little more intuitive than the other products I was checking out. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer CEO Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Try it, it's been helpful" August 7, 2024 5.0 It's been really great for contracts, project tracking, and invoices Pros It made starting my business so much easier! Cons Some of the screens were a bit counterintuitive. Alternatives considered [Fiverr](https://www.capterra.com/p/239416/Fiverr/) Reason for choosing Bonsai it had so many efficient products and aspects Review Source MS Matthew S. Visual Designer Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great all-in-one tool" May 18, 2023 5.0 Pros I like being able to streamline proposal creation and manage proposals, contracts, invoices, and tasks in one app. Cons Initially, setting up tasks and adding in custom hours worked (vs recording them) was a little unclear, but I figured it out. Switched from [Wave](https://www.capterra.com/p/178021/Wave-Apps/) I didn't really feel like Wave offered much besides invoicing, but I also didn't explore much. Primarily, a colleague of mine recommended it. Review Source LW Lee W. Business Owner Management Consulting Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Among the best on the market " February 28, 2023 5.0 I like the platform. I think it’s more compatible with small businesses and is loaded with features to help businesses grow. It has a lot of potential. I love it so far. Pros I have been searching for a one stop solution for a small consulting business as mine. This is the closest to the best there is on the market. It works. I has so many features that others just don’t have. It’s well thought out and well presented. Great software. Cons 1\. Could be integrated with a phone call feature 2. Could have a check deposit feature for the banking aspect 3. Payouts could be a little faster 4. Mobile app could be upgraded to so more from the app. Alternatives considered [Zapier](https://www.capterra.com/p/130182/Zapier/)[Wrike](https://www.capterra.com/p/76113/Wrike/) Reason for choosing Bonsai More practical and better presentation with way more features. Review Source CA Claudia A. Founder and Creative Director Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "I finally have time to actually work on my business!" October 29, 2024 5.0 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 VR Verified Reviewer Photographer and Creative Director Media Production Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Always Raving about bonsai " March 17, 2023 5.0 That being said, the exceptional customer service from Bonsai's team has made a real difference in my experience. They are always available to answer my questions and provide support, which is a rare find in today's digital landscape.Overall, I would recommend Bonsai to any freelancer or small business owner who values high-quality customer service and wants to streamline their workflow. While the price may be on the higher side, the time and effort saved on invoicing and contract management may make it worth it for some. However, those looking for more comprehensive proposal creation and onboarding features may want to explore other options. Pros Bonsai has truly been a game-changer for my freelance business. As a solo entrepreneur, I was struggling to keep track of my finances, contracts, and invoicing, which took up way too much of my time and energy. But ever since I started using Bonsai, everything has become so much more streamlined and effortless.Bonsai's user-friendly platform and intuitive features have made it easy for me to create and customize professional contracts and invoices that perfectly match my branding. Their built-in time tracking tool is a lifesaver, allowing me to track my hours and bill my clients accurately without any hassle.What really sets Bonsai apart, however, is their exceptional customer service. Their team is always available to answer my questions and provide support, and they go above and beyond to make sure that I am happy with their product.Overall, I cannot recommend Bonsai enough to any freelancers or small business owners out there who want to streamline their workflow and save time. Thanks to Bonsai, I have more time and energy to focus on what really matters - growing my business and serving my clients. Cons Bonsai has been a helpful tool for my freelance business, but it does come at a higher price point compared to some of its competitors. While the user-friendly platform and built-in time tracking features have saved me time and effort on invoicing and contract management, I do wish that Bonsai could do more in terms of proposal creation and onboarding new clients. Review Source TA Travis A. Video Editor Motion Pictures and Film Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Bonsai is a Great Service for Freelancers and Small Businesses" May 4, 2023 5.0 Overall, Bonsai provides a great service for Freelancers and Small Businesses. They have all the tools and resources needed to conduct business and get paid. Their invoices are very straightforward so as not to confuse the client's when they receive their invoice. Pros Bonsai has all the tools a freelancer, or small business, may need to contract work. Cons Sometimes it takes a few days to get a response from Bonsai's customer service reps but they have a forms page that has a lot of answers. This form can answer most of the questions you have so you don't have to contact customer service reps. Review Source CS Christopher S. Founder Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Solid Small Business Solution that grows with you." May 20, 2023 5.0 It was a good experience and we will continue to use it. Pros I liked how it kept track of our Tax payments and let us automatically set money aside for taxes. Cons The fact that our clients can't see their tasks. Alternatives considered [HoneyBook](https://www.capterra.com/p/162588/HoneyBook/)[Notion](https://www.capterra.com/p/186596/Notion/) Reason for choosing Bonsai Tax Preparation Switched from [HoneyBook](https://www.capterra.com/p/162588/HoneyBook/)[Square Payments](https://www.capterra.com/p/170278/Square-Payments-Processing/)[Wave](https://www.capterra.com/p/178021/Wave-Apps/) Because Bonsai had Tax preparation. Review Source LJ Lee J. CEO Writing and Editing Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "I am satisfied a large part due to customer service." April 28, 2023 4.0 It was \[sensitive content hidden\] at first but again i appreciate the customer service that \[sensitive content hidden\] provided! He was incredibly helpful and the reason i continue to use this platform. Pros I love the customer service and once they get back with you they seem genuinely interested in providing solutions. Cons I was locked out of my account because I no longer had access to my to my old phone and should have been able to verify another way. Instead I had to reach out to support when the function could have simply been an additional option using the interface. I also feel like the processing fees from my contract being $40 and $50 bucks I should have 24 hour support but I understand. Review Source BB Ben B. Founder & Director Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Long-time user" April 15, 2023 4.0 Pros It is very easy to use. The customer service is excellent. It works near-perfect for my invoicing, expense-tracking, proposals, and contracts. Cons I wish the project management feature were more built out. If this were the case, we wouldn't have to use an external tool (AirTable) in addition to Bonsai. Also, the mobile app doesn't have all the sections or features that the desktop version does. Review Source SM Sharina M. Principal Designer and Owner Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Poor Customer Support and Horrible Payment Processing" October 9, 2023 5.0 Never had an issue before until a client I recently acquired that Bonsai has held my funds since October 5th and it is as of to date October 9th not been resolved and no hopes of it being resolved quickly. Pros Invoicing, time tracking and also like the organization and link to Intuit and Quickbooks. Cons High processing fees for payment and HORRIBLE timing to release payment. No Customer service number to speak with a human. Poor turn around response, believe it to be AI Generated. Disgusting customer service resolution and unacceptable responses to major concerns regarding payments. Review Source SK Sage K. Freelance Designer Graphic Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Freelance Gamechanger" March 13, 2023 5.0 Timetracking helps me make sure my pricing aligns with my scope and estimates. Tasks keep the list out of my mind and on track. Invoicing keeps my clients on track! Pros Before Bonsai I was using many different apps and ways to keep myself biz on track. Between spreadsheets, hello-sign, storing invoices and contracts in folders, and not really tracking my time, I was all over the place! Bonsai has improved my workflow, lessened my anxiety around invoicing, and made running my business (freelance graphic designer) much more streamlined! Cons I tried to download the bonsai App but couldn't, so I use the browser version. I also would like there to be a way to have a "deposit paid" line on invoices that isn't listed as a discount. Reason for choosing Bonsai Seemed simpler and more aligned with my needs Review Source JM Jonathan M. CEO & Founder Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great Product" March 13, 2023 5.0 Pros Bonsai has one of the best platforms for proposals and has changed the game for our business Cons The cost for the platform seems to keep rising and is a touch much for having a lot of functions that we dont use. Review Source AM Adrienne M. Owner Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Perfect for my Business!" March 13, 2023 5.0 Pros Bonsai is very easy for me to use and helps make running an efficient business a breeze. Cons No complaints. Bonsai has worked great for what my business needs. Review Source CE Camille E. Head designer Graphic Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Amazing project management system " March 13, 2023 5.0 Pros I enjoy using the proposal and contract feature. I am able to send my clients a detailed proposal about my services and prices and have them easily sign a contract to protect myself and the client. Cons I wish the scheduling feature was more customizable as far as blocking off time or opening a specific date without having to open that day of the week entirely. Review Source KC Krys C. CEO Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Highly recommend!" March 21, 2023 5.0 Very amazing! Recommended to small businesses & freelancers Pros Highly recommend Bonsai for proposals, e-signed contracts, invoicing and much more! Cons Invoice customization to the fullest is needed and edit columns Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Too much manually work Review Source EM Elizabeth M. Software Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Great for New Freelancers" May 18, 2023 5.0 Pros I loved that it had everything I need for my new business in one place. Cons It would be great if there could be a tutorial for the financial side. It took me a bit to find everything that was available. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.