Bonsai vs QuickBooks Online
Bonsai and QuickBooks Online are both accounting & finance tools. Bonsai is aimed at freelancers and agencies, while QuickBooks Online is aimed at small businesses. Bonsai costs less, from $15/mo versus $38/mo for QuickBooks Online. Only QuickBooks Online has a free plan.
Contracts, proposals, invoices and time tracking for freelancers
Small-business accounting standard in the US
| Pricing | Paid · $15 | Freemium · $38 |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $38/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 7 days | 30 days |
| Built for | Freelancers, Agencies | Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2016 | US · 2001 |
| 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 QuickBooks Online if
US small and mid-size businesses that work with an accountant.
- Most accountants in the US know it
- Huge integration ecosystem
- Comprehensive feature set
Look elsewhere if: Businesses outside the US/UK or with local e-invoicing rules (Xero, Paraşüt).
Bonsai vs QuickBooks Online 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
QuickBooks Online
- Free$01 user
- Simple Start$38/mo1 user; promo 50% off for 3 months
- Essentials$85/mo3 users
- Plus$140/mo5 users
- Advanced$340/mo25 users
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
QuickBooks Online · Key features
- Invoicing, estimates and online payments
- Bank feeds with rules and AI categorization
- Bills, expenses and receipt capture
- Sales tax tracking and reports
- Inventory and project profitability (Plus)
- Payroll add-on and accountant collaboration
Cons
- Repeated price increases
- User limits per tier
- Support quality is inconsistent
Bonsai vs QuickBooks Online: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or QuickBooks Online?
Bonsai starts at $15/mo and QuickBooks Online at $38/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Bonsai and QuickBooks Online have a free plan?
Bonsai has no free plan, a 7-day free trial. QuickBooks Online has a free plan.
Which is better for small businesses, Bonsai or QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks Online lists small businesses as a core audience, while Bonsai is aimed more at freelancers and agencies.