Softwr

Software · head to head

Bonsai vs Prospect

Bonsai logo

Bonsai

Software

All-in-one business management for freelancers and agencies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prospect logo

Prospect

Software

VR for architectural visualization

From
$225/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; Prospect no longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonsai and Prospect actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonsai and Prospect differ
AttributeBonsaiProspect
Starting priceOn request$225/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebVR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest)
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: 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 Prospect does not also cover.

Only in Prospect

  • BIM visualization
  • Real-scale viewing
  • Collaboration
  • Annotations
  • Revit
  • SketchUp
  • Rhino
  • Navisworks

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.

Prospect

  • VR Gamingnot Bonsai
  • AR Marketingnot Bonsai
  • Virtual Trainingnot Bonsai
  • 3D Visualizationnot Bonsai
  • Immersive Experiencesnot 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

Prospect

  • No longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions
  • Acquisition by The Wild in 2021 resulted in product discontinuation and transition to Workshop XR
  • No ongoing development, bug fixes, or feature updates since acquisition

Pricing, plan by plan

Bonsai

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bonsai review.

Prospect

$225/month
  • Team$350/month
    • Multiuser VR collaboration
    • Design review tools
    • Voice communication

Which should you pick?

Choose Bonsai if

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

Bonsai review

Choose Prospect if

  • You need bim visualization.
  • You work on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
  • You also want real-scale viewing.
Prospect review

Questions people ask

Is Bonsai or Prospect better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonsai starts at On request and Prospect at $225/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or Prospect?
Bonsai starts at On request and Prospect at $225/month.
Does Bonsai or Prospect run on more platforms?
Bonsai runs on Web. Prospect runs on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
What can Bonsai do that Prospect cannot?
Prospect covers BIM visualization, Real-scale viewing, Collaboration, Annotations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Prospect: What is Prospect by IrisVR?

Prospect was an immersive VR application that converted 3D design files from Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and Navisworks into virtual reality walkthroughs with one click. It enabled AEC teams to conduct design reviews, collaborate in VR, and present projects to clients immersively.

Source
Prospect: Is Prospect still available?

No. Prospect by IrisVR was acquired by The Wild in February 2021 and has been discontinued. Autodesk Workshop XR is now the recommended successor for AEC teams migrating from Prospect.

Source
Prospect: How was Prospect priced?

Prospect's Team plan cost approximately $350 per workstation per month when billed annually. Earlier pricing information from 2020 showed starting prices around $225. Custom enterprise pricing was available.

Source
Prospect: What VR headsets did Prospect support?

Prospect was compatible with major VR headsets including Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and later Meta Quest. Support depended on the runtime and connection method available.

Source
Prospect: What was Prospect's biggest advantage?

Prospect's one-click conversion from native design files (Revit, Rhino, SketchUp) into immersive VR experiences was its primary value proposition, enabling non-VR specialists to easily create compelling design reviews and client presentations.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Bonsai

More on Prospect

Keep looking

Other head to heads