Head-to-headPrices checked 24 October 2026By Shaish Guni, ApeiroCraft
Bonsai vs HoneyBook in 2026
Both cover proposals, contracts, invoices, scheduling and a client portal. Bonsai charges per person and adds time and expense tracking; HoneyBook charges per account and processes your client payments itself. That split decides more than any feature does.
Written by ApeiroCraft, which makes a competing product. Bonsai and HoneyBook are compared on their own published terms; ApeiroCraft appears only in the separate section at the end.
The short answer
- Bonsai is priced per user: $15, $25, $39 or $59 a month, or $9 to $49 billed yearly. Proposals, contracts and invoicing start at Essentials ($25, or $19 yearly).
- HoneyBook is priced per account: Starter $36 a month ($29 yearly), Essentials $59 ($49), Premium $129 ($109). Proposals and invoicing are on Starter.
- HoneyBook processes card payments itself, from 2.9% + 25¢ on its plan table or 2.7% + 10¢ in its fees section. Bonsai says its processing fees vary by payment method and prints no rates on its pricing page.
- Bonsai's trial is 7 days; HoneyBook's is 30 days with no card.
- HoneyBook is available only in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
At a glance
| Bonsai | HoneyBook | |
|---|---|---|
| How the bill grows | Per user | Per account, plus a cut of every card payment |
| Published price | $15–$59 per user/mo, or $9–$49 per user/mo billed annually | $36–$129/mo billed monthly ($29–$109 billed yearly) |
| Free plan | No — 7-day trial | No — 30-day trial |
| Five people, per month | $195/mo (5 × $39 Premium) | Not publicly stated |
Plan by plan
| Bonsai | HoneyBook | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | Per user, per month | Per account, by plan |
| Cheapest plan with proposals and invoices | Essentials: $25/user/mo, or $19 billed yearly | Starter: $36/mo, or $29 billed yearly |
| Top plan | Elite: $59/user/mo, or $49 yearly; 3-user minimum | Premium: $129/mo, or $109 yearly |
| Yearly discount | “Up to 4 months free” | “Save up to 18%” |
| Free trial | 7 days | 30 days, no card |
| Card payments | Fees vary by payment method; no rates on the pricing page | Through HoneyBook: from 2.9% + 25¢ (plan table) or 2.7% + 10¢ (fees section); ACH 1.5% |
| Team | Every person is a paid user | None listed on Starter; up to 2 on Essentials; unlimited on Premium |
| Client portal | From Essentials | Every plan |
| Scheduling | From Essentials | From Essentials |
| Time tracking | Every plan | Not on its plan table |
| Expense and income tracking | From Essentials | Not on its plan table |
| Accounting integration | QuickBooks and Xero from Premium | QuickBooks Online from Essentials |
| Remove vendor branding | From Premium | From Essentials |
USD list prices, excluding tax, read off Bonsai's pricing page and HoneyBook's pricing page on 24 October 2026. Where a vendor's page doesn't state something, the cell says so rather than guessing. Spotted a change? Tell us.
What each costs at 1, 3 and 5 people
For one person, Bonsai is cheaper on the plans most freelancers need. Essentials is $25 a month or $19 billed yearly, against HoneyBook Starter at $36 or $29.
Bonsai multiplies with headcount. Three people on Essentials are $75 a month ($57 yearly); five are $125 ($95). Five on Premium, the plan with integrations and the deals pipeline, are $195 ($145).
HoneyBook doesn't multiply, but it has team limits by plan. Its plan table lists up to 2 team members on Essentials and unlimited on Premium, so a team of three or more is probably looking at Premium: $129 a month, or $109 billed yearly, however many people use it. Check how HoneyBook counts the account owner before you decide. At around five people, HoneyBook Premium and Bonsai Essentials cost about the same; past that, HoneyBook's flat price wins.
Fees on client payments
HoneyBook processes payments itself. Its pricing page gives two starting card rates: 2.9% + 25¢ in the plan table and 2.7% + 10¢ in the processing-fees section. Bank transfers are 1.5% and instant deposit adds 1%. On a $3,000 card payment that is $87.25 or $81.10.
Bonsai's pricing page says it charges processing fees for online payments that vary by payment method, such as card or ACH, and points to a help article for the breakdown. It prints no rates, so we have not quoted any.
Setup and trial
HoneyBook gives you 30 days without a card, and a full refund within the first 60 days. Bonsai gives 7 days of full access, then asks you to choose a plan and enter card details.
Seven days is short to move a client list and send a first proposal. If you are trialling Bonsai, prepare your templates and client details before you start the clock.
Bonsai offers onboarding for teams of 10 or more users and a reduced rate for teams over 30. HoneyBook's Premium plan includes priority support.
Which one to pick
Pick Bonsai if
- You bill by the hour and want time tracking on every plan.
- You work alone and want the lowest price for proposals and invoicing: $19 a month on yearly billing.
- You want expense and income tracking in the same tool as your invoices.
Pick HoneyBook if
- You have a team of five or more and want one price however many people log in.
- You want a longer trial before committing.
- You want card and bank payments handled inside the tool, at published rates.
- You want scheduling, automations and QuickBooks on the middle plan.
Questions
- Is Bonsai cheaper than HoneyBook?
- For one person, yes: Bonsai Essentials is $25 a month ($19 billed yearly) against HoneyBook Starter at $36 ($29). Bonsai is priced per user, so the gap closes as you add people. Five people on Bonsai Essentials are $125 a month, roughly HoneyBook Premium's $129. Checked on both pricing pages on 24 October 2026.
- Which plan do I need for proposals?
- On Bonsai, Essentials: Basic has no proposals, contracts or invoices. On HoneyBook, every plan, starting with Starter.
- Do Bonsai and HoneyBook charge payment processing fees?
- Both do for online payments. HoneyBook publishes its rates: card fees from 2.9% + 25¢ on its plan table or 2.7% + 10¢ in its fees section, ACH at 1.5%. Bonsai's pricing page says its fees vary by payment method and links to a help article rather than printing rates.
- Is there a free plan on Bonsai or HoneyBook?
- No. Bonsai has a 7-day trial and HoneyBook a 30-day trial with no card. Both are paid after that.
- Can I use HoneyBook outside the US?
- Only in Canada, the UK and Australia as well. HoneyBook serves businesses in those four countries; the UK and Australia were added on 28 May 2026. Bonsai's pricing page doesn't list a country restriction.
A third option
Where ApeiroCraft fits
ApeiroCraft wrote this page, and we make a competing product. That is why it is down here and not in the table.
ApeiroCraft sits between the two on pricing: flat per account like HoneyBook, but with a free plan and paid plans that start lower. Solo is $19 a month for up to three people, Team is $79 for five and Agency $149 for twenty. Proposals with read tracking and e-signature, invoices, a CRM and tasks are on every plan, and invoices carry your own payment link, so we never process your payments.
It has no time tracking, no expense tracking, no scheduler and no client portal. If you bill hourly, Bonsai covers that and we don't.