an honest comparison

Billbooks vs Bonsai

Bonsai is an all-in-one freelancer suite priced per seat. Its usable invoicing tier is $25 per user a month, and every teammate is another full seat. If you mainly need to invoice, Billbooks does that at a flat $7.95.

At a glanceBillbooksBonsai
Entry invoicing price $7.95 $25/user
Per extra user Included Full seat
Payment QR Included Not offered
Reconciliation Included Not offered

Just invoicing, without buying the whole suite

Bonsai is an all-in-one freelancer suite, proposals, contracts, CRM, scheduling, and invoicing, priced per seat. Its usable invoicing tier is Essentials at $25 per user a month, and every teammate is another full seat. If you mainly need to invoice, Billbooks does that at a flat $7.95 without the per-head cost.

  Billbooks Bonsai
Entry price for invoicingBillbooks Basic vs Bonsai Essentials $7.95/mo flat $25/user/mo (Essentials)
Cost to add a user Included up to plan limit Another full seat
Bank reconciliation Included on Basic Not offered
QR code to pay Not offered
Appointment scheduler
Digital signatures
Automatic payment reminders
Multi-currency invoicing Essentials and up

Bonsai pricing as of August 2026 is per user: Basic $15, Essentials $25, Premium $39, Elite $59 per user per month, with annual billing lower. Clients are unlimited on all plans. Per Bonsai documentation, unlimited invoices, online payments, and multi-currency begin at the Essentials tier, so the realistic invoicing entry is $25 per user per month. Bonsai does include a native scheduler and legally-binding e-signatures on contracts and proposals; it does not offer bank reconciliation (it auto-categorizes expenses and syncs to QuickBooks or Xero) or an on-invoice payment QR code. Sources: hellobonsai.com/pricing, billbooks.com/pricing.

Why people pick Billbooks for invoicing

No per-seat tax

Billbooks includes team access on your plan. Bonsai charges a full seat for every teammate, so a three-person team on its invoicing tier is around $75 a month.

A fraction of the price for billing

If you just need to invoice, $7.95 flat beats paying $25 per user for a suite of proposals, CRM, and contracts you may not use.

Payment QR and reconciliation included

Scan-to-pay on the invoice and bank reconciliation come built in, both of which Bonsai does not offer.

Where Bonsai may suit you better

To be straight with you: Bonsai is a genuinely strong all-in-one for freelancers, proposals to e-signed contracts to projects to invoices in one flow, plus a CRM and a native booking scheduler. Its legally-binding contract e-signatures are a real strength. Billbooks is for people who mainly want focused, unlimited invoicing at a flat price, without paying per seat for the wider suite.

Focused invoicing, flat price, no per-seat cost.

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Billbooks pricing, in full view

A flat price with team access, not a charge per seat.

Trial
Free for 30 days
Free
no credit card needed
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1 User
5 Clients
100 Items
3 Projects
5 Invoices & Estimates
Most popular
Basic
For freelancers
$7.95 /mo per org
 
Choose Plan
2 Users
100 Clients
650 Items
50 Projects
Unlimited Invoices & Estimates
Standard
For small business
$14.95 /mo per org
 
Choose Plan
5 Users
500 Clients
1,000 Items
500 Projects
Unlimited Invoices & Estimates
Professional
For growing teams
$29.95 /mo per org
 
Choose Plan
10 Users
Unlimited Clients
Unlimited Items
Unlimited Projects
Unlimited Invoices & Estimates
Every paid plan includes unlimited expenses and every feature. Pricing is per organization.
Billed in USD at checkout.
Custom

A plan built for high-volume transactions or business models that do not fit the mold.

Contact Sales
API integration
Self hosted
Custom workflows
Custom reporting
Custom payment gateways
WhatsApp integration
QR codes
Custom templates
Private SMTP
Integrate with your system

What people say about Billbooks

Real reviews from people who send their own invoices

★★★★★

“I used to hate sending invoices and payment reminders. I never imagined a boring, cumbersome task could be this intuitive and fun.”

Zhang Wei
Entrepreneur

★★★★★

“I used to waste hours on invoicing. With Billbooks it is all done before my coffee gets cold, so I focus on growing my store.”

Jenna Carter
Boutique owner

★★★★★

“We are always on the move, and Billbooks keeps our billing just as fast and reliable. No training needed, just invoices out and money in.”

Derrick Simmons
Logistics Manager

You'll love sending invoices from our app

An app so good you will want to get tasks done instead of putting them off. Stay on track and keep your cashflow going.

Billbooks mobile app

Questions

Is Billbooks cheaper than Bonsai? +

Yes, and the gap widens with team size. Billbooks Basic is $7.95 a month flat, while Bonsai usable invoicing tier is Essentials at $25 per user a month. Every Bonsai teammate is another full seat, so three people cost about $75 a month.

What does Bonsai do that Billbooks does not? +

Bonsai is an all-in-one freelancer suite. It includes proposals, contracts with legally binding e-signatures, a CRM and client management that Billbooks does not offer. If you want contracts and proposals in the same tool as invoices, Bonsai does more than Billbooks.

Should I switch from Bonsai to Billbooks? +

Switch to Billbooks if invoicing is the part of Bonsai you actually use, especially with a team, since Billbooks includes users rather than charging per seat. Stay with Bonsai if its contracts, proposals and CRM are doing real work for you.

Is Billbooks a good Bonsai alternative for freelancers? +

Billbooks suits freelancers who want billing without the suite. It costs $7.95 flat against Bonsai $25 per user, and adds bank reconciliation and a payment QR code that Bonsai does not offer. It does not replace Bonsai contracts or CRM.

What does Bonsai charge to add a team member? +

Another full seat. Bonsai prices per user, so a second person on the Essentials invoicing tier is another $25 a month. Billbooks includes 2 users on Basic and up to 5 on higher plans, so adding a colleague does not change the bill until you pass the plan limit.

Does Bonsai support multi-currency invoicing? +

Only from the Essentials tier at $25 per user a month. Billbooks includes multi-currency invoicing on the $7.95 Basic plan, which matters if you bill clients abroad and do not need the rest of the Bonsai suite.

Can I take payment by QR code with Bonsai? +

No. Bonsai does not offer a scan-to-pay QR code on the invoice. Billbooks puts one on the invoice itself, which shortens the gap between a client reading the invoice and paying it, particularly on mobile.

Bonsai does more than invoicing. Why choose Billbooks? +

If you want proposals, contracts, and a CRM in one tool, Bonsai is strong. If you mainly need to invoice and get paid, Billbooks does that at a flat $7.95, where the usable Bonsai invoicing tier is $25 per user a month and every teammate is another full seat.

How does the pricing compare? +

Billbooks Basic is $7.95 a month with team access included. Bonsai is per seat: its Essentials invoicing tier is $25 per user monthly, so a small team adds up quickly.

Does Billbooks have contracts and e-signatures like Bonsai? +

Billbooks includes digital signatures on documents, but the Bonsai legally-binding contract and proposal e-signing is more specialized. If contracts are central to your work, that is a genuine Bonsai strength. For invoicing, Billbooks adds reconciliation and a payment QR code Bonsai lacks.

Do I get a scheduler with Billbooks? +

Yes, a scheduler is included. Bonsai also has one; the difference is mainly price and focus.

Can I switch from Bonsai? +

Yes. Set up clients and start invoicing in minutes, with a 30-day free trial and no credit card required.

Just the invoicing, at a flat price

30-day free trial. No credit card required.

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