Softwr

Professional Services · head to head

Bonsai vs Harvest

Bonsai logo

Bonsai

Professional Services

All-in-one business management for freelancers and agencies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Harvest logo

Harvest

Professional Services

Time tracking software for teams that care about where their time goes

From
Free
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; Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonsai and Harvest actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonsai and Harvest differ
AttributeBonsaiHarvest
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Professional Services).

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 Harvest does not also cover.

Only in Harvest

  • Time tracking
  • Expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Project budgets
  • Team capacity
  • Detailed reports
  • Mobile apps
  • Browser extension

What people use each for

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

Bonsai

  • Freelance project trackingnot Harvest
  • Client invoicing and proposalsnot Harvest
  • Team time and expense managementnot Harvest

Harvest

  • Time tracking against projects and clientsnot Bonsai
  • Turning tracked time into invoicesnot Bonsai
  • Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot Bonsai
  • Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot Bonsai
  • Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot 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

Harvest

  • The free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • Team reporting and unlimited projects require the Teams plan at $9 per seat per month
  • Profitability reporting, timesheet approvals and custom reports need Enterprise at $14 per seat per month
  • SAML single sign-on is Enterprise only
  • QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe integrations are withheld from the free plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Bonsai

Free
  • Basic$15/user/month
    • Time tracking, task management, unlimited projects
    • 10-100 GB storage
  • Essentials$25/user/month
    • Invoicing, proposals, contracts, client portal
    • 100 GB storage
  • Premium$39/user/month
    • Reporting, workload management, Gantt view
    • 500 GB storage
  • Elite$59/user/month
    • Custom permissions, timesheet locking, Xero integration
    • 500 GB storage

Harvest

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 seat
    • Time tracking
    • Invoicing
  • Teams$9/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Team reporting
    • Accounting integrations (Stripe, QuickBooks, Xero, Deel)
  • Enterprise$14/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Unlimited custom reports
    • Profitability reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Bonsai if

  • You want to start without paying.
Bonsai review

Choose Harvest if

  • You need time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
Harvest review

Questions people ask

Is Bonsai or Harvest better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonsai starts at Free and Harvest at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or Harvest?
Bonsai starts at Free and Harvest at Free.
Does Bonsai or Harvest run on more platforms?
Bonsai runs on Web. Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Bonsai for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bonsai best used for?
Bonsai is most often used for freelance project tracking, client invoicing and proposals, team time and expense management. Of those, freelance project tracking and client invoicing and proposals are not what Harvest is typically brought in for.
What can Bonsai do that Harvest cannot?
Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bonsai: What is Bonsai's starting price per user?

Bonsai's Basic plan starts at $15 per user per month (or $9 per user per month when billed annually), including time tracking and task management.

Source
Harvest: How much does Harvest cost?

Harvest offers a free plan for 1 user and Teams plan starting at $9/seat/month (billed annually at $108/seat for 20% savings). Enterprise plan starts at $14/seat/month.

Source
Bonsai: Does Bonsai offer a free trial?

Yes, Bonsai offers a 7-day free trial with full, unlimited access to the platform before requiring a paid subscription.

Source
Harvest: Is there a free version of Harvest?

Yes, Harvest's free plan includes 1 seat with time tracking, invoicing, expense tracking, and 2 projects.

Source
Bonsai: What is the minimum number of users for Bonsai's Elite plan?

Bonsai's Elite plan requires a minimum of 3 users at $59 per user per month (or $49 annually).

Source
Harvest: What is included in the Enterprise plan?

The Enterprise plan includes unlimited custom reports, profitability reporting, timesheet approvals, activity logs, and SAML-based SSO at $14/seat/month.

Source
Bonsai: How much storage does each Bonsai plan include?

Basic and Essentials plans include 10-100 GB storage; Premium and Elite plans include 500 GB storage per user.

Source
Harvest: Does Harvest offer a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual billing provides 20% discount, reducing the Teams plan to $108/seat/year and Enterprise plan to $168/seat/year.

Source
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