Bonsai vs Mercury
Bonsai and Mercury are both accounting & finance tools. Bonsai is aimed at freelancers and agencies, while Mercury is aimed at small businesses and developers. Bonsai costs less, from $15/mo versus $29.90/mo for Mercury. Only Mercury has a free plan.
Contracts, proposals, invoices and time tracking for freelancers
Banking built for startups
| Pricing | Paid · $15 | Freemium · $30 |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $29.90/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
| Built for | Freelancers, Agencies | Small businesses, Developers |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2016 | US · 2017 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Bonsai if
Freelancers and small agencies.
- All-in-one for freelancers
- Professional templates
- Integrated payments
Look elsewhere if: Larger agencies needing PSA depth.
Choose Mercury if
US-incorporated startups.
- Fast, founder-friendly onboarding
- No monthly fees on core
- Excellent UI
Look elsewhere if: Non-US entities.
Bonsai vs Mercury pricing
Bonsai
- Basic$15/user/mo$9/mo billed annually; time tracking, tasks, CRM
- Essentials$25/user/mo$19/mo billed annually; invoices, proposals, contracts, portal
- Premium$39/user/mo$29/mo billed annually; Gantt, workload, reports, integrations
- Elite$59/user/mo$49/mo billed annually; 3 users minimum, custom permissions
Mercury
- Mercury$0Banking, cards, invoicing, bill pay, expense management
- Plus$29.90/moRecurring invoices, ACH debit invoicing; 15% off annually
- Pro$299/moRelationship manager, NetSuite categorizations
Bonsai · Key features
- Proposals and contracts
- E-signature
- Projects and tasks
- Time tracking
- Invoices and payments
- Client portal and accounting
Cons
- Jack of all trades
- Accounting basic
- Team features on higher tiers
Mercury · Key features
- Business checking and savings
- Debit and credit cards
- Treasury and yield
- Invoicing and bill pay
- International wires
- API and integrations
Cons
- US entities only
- Cash deposits limited
- Not a full-service bank
Bonsai vs Mercury: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or Mercury?
Bonsai starts at $15/mo and Mercury at $29.90/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Bonsai and Mercury have a free plan?
Bonsai has no free plan, a 7-day free trial. Mercury has a free plan.
Which is better for small businesses, Bonsai or Mercury?
Mercury lists small businesses as a core audience, while Bonsai is aimed more at freelancers and agencies.