Bonsai vs Zoho Books
Bonsai and Zoho Books are both accounting & finance tools. Bonsai is aimed at freelancers and agencies, while Zoho Books is aimed at small businesses. Bonsai costs less, from $15/mo versus $20/mo for Zoho Books. Only Zoho Books has a free plan.
Contracts, proposals, invoices and time tracking for freelancers
Affordable accounting with a free tier
| Pricing | Paid · $15 | Freemium · $20 |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $20/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 7 days | 14 days |
| Built for | Freelancers, Agencies | Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2016 | IN · 2011 |
| 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 Zoho Books if
SMBs seeking value and multi-country compliance.
- Excellent value
- Free plan for small businesses
- Strong compliance coverage
Look elsewhere if: US businesses tied to QuickBooks-savvy accountants.
Bonsai vs Zoho Books 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
Zoho Books
- Free$0Revenue under $50K/yr, 1 user + accountant, 1,000 invoices/yr
- Standard$20/org/mo$15/mo billed annually; 3 users
- Professional$50/org/mo$40/mo billed annually; 5 users, inventory, projects
- Premium$70/org/mo$60/mo billed annually; 10 users, custom modules
- Elite$150/org/mo$120/mo billed annually; full inventory management
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
Zoho Books · Key features
- Invoicing, quotes and recurring billing
- Bank feeds and reconciliation
- Inventory and projects
- Multi-country tax compliance
- Client portal and workflows
- Zoho suite integration
Cons
- UI can feel busy
- Best inside Zoho ecosystem
- Support variable
Bonsai vs Zoho Books: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or Zoho Books?
Bonsai starts at $15/mo and Zoho Books at $20/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Bonsai and Zoho Books have a free plan?
Bonsai has no free plan, a 7-day free trial. Zoho Books has a free plan.
Which is better for small businesses, Bonsai or Zoho Books?
Zoho Books lists small businesses as a core audience, while Bonsai is aimed more at freelancers and agencies.