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Software · head to head

Bonsai vs Fyle

Bonsai logo

Bonsai

Software

All-in-one business management for freelancers and agencies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fyle logo

Fyle

Software

Real-time expense management that works with your cards

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bonsai elite plan, the only tier with custom permissions, timesheet locking and Xero integration, requires a 3 user minimum at $49/user/month; Fyle billed per active user, defined as anyone who creates an expense or has a connected card with transactions in the month, so headcount does not predict the bill

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonsai and Fyle actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonsai and Fyle differ
AttributeBonsaiFyle
Starting priceOn request$29/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bonsai

Nothing recorded that Fyle does not also cover.

Only in Fyle

  • Real-time card tracking
  • Automatic receipt matching
  • Expense policies
  • Approval workflows
  • Mileage tracking
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • Sage Intacct

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bonsai

No use cases recorded yet. See the Bonsai review.

Fyle

  • Expense reporting and corporate card reconciliationnot Bonsai
  • Enforcing spend policy and approvals before reimbursementnot Bonsai

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bonsai

  • Elite plan, the only tier with custom permissions, timesheet locking and Xero integration, requires a 3 user minimum at $49/user/month
  • Invoices, proposals, contracts and the client portal are withheld from the entry Basic plan and only unlocked on Essentials at $19/user/month
  • Monthly billing costs noticeably more than annual, for example $15/user/month versus $9/user/month annually on Basic
  • Free trial is limited to 7 days

Fyle

  • Billed per active user, defined as anyone who creates an expense or has a connected card with transactions in the month, so headcount does not predict the bill
  • The Growth plan carries a 5 user minimum and the Business plan a 10 user minimum, so the entry cost is set by the floor rather than the team
  • API access and the Sage Intacct and NetSuite integrations require a paid tier
  • ACH reimbursements and project expense tracking sit above the entry plan
  • Both published plans are billed annually
  • Enterprise pricing is custom and aimed at organisations with 250 or more employees

Pricing, plan by plan

Bonsai

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bonsai review.

Fyle

$29/month
  • Standard$8/month
    • Real-time card feeds
    • Receipt matching
    • Basic approvals
  • Business$12/month
    • Advanced policies
    • Custom workflows
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited users
    • API access
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Bonsai if

Nothing in the data separates Bonsai from Fyle on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Bonsai review

Choose Fyle if

  • You need real-time card tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want automatic receipt matching.
Fyle review

Questions people ask

Is Bonsai or Fyle better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonsai starts at On request and Fyle at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or Fyle?
Bonsai starts at On request and Fyle at $29/month.
Does Bonsai or Fyle run on more platforms?
Bonsai runs on Web. Fyle runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What can Bonsai do that Fyle cannot?
Fyle covers Real-time card tracking, Automatic receipt matching, Expense policies, Approval workflows.
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