Bonsai

Bonsai (hellobonsai.com) is an all-in-one business platform built for freelancers and small agencies. It combines contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and client management in one place. The tool solves the problem of juggling multiple disconnected apps to run a freelance business.

Features

• Contracts and E-Signatures: Users can build contracts from pre-made templates. Clients sign digitally without needing extra tools like DocuSign.
• Invoicing and Payments: Bonsai generates invoices linked to contracts. It accepts payments via Stripe and PayPal, with processing fees around 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
• Time Tracking and Project Management: Users log hours against specific projects. A Kanban board lets teams move tasks across pending, in-progress, and done columns.
• Client Portal: Clients get a branded portal to view project progress, approve deliverables, and communicate. Custom intake forms collect client data during onboarding.
• Bonsai Tax (Expense Tracking): This built-in feature tracks income and expenses in one place. It helps freelancers organize finances and prepare for tax season without spreadsheets.

Use Cases

• For Solo Freelancers: Designers, writers, and developers can send contracts and invoices from one dashboard. This removes the need for separate billing and e-signature tools.
• For Consultants: Hourly consultants can track time against projects and auto-generate invoices. This cuts billing time significantly compared to manual methods.
• For Small Agencies: Teams can manage multiple clients using the CRM and client portal. White-label branding on higher plans supports a professional agency image.
• For New Freelancers: Those just starting out can use proposal templates to pitch clients quickly. The structured workflow guides users from lead intake to final payment.

Bonsai is a capable all-in-one platform for freelancers who want contracts, billing, and project tracking in one tool. Its per-user pricing model makes it less cost-effective for growing teams beyond three or four people.