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Bonsai vs QuickBooks

Bonsai logo

Bonsai

Software

All-in-one business management for freelancers and agencies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
QuickBooks logo

QuickBooks

Software

Smart, simple online accounting software for small business

From
$30/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; QuickBooks chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonsai and QuickBooks actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonsai and QuickBooks differ
AttributeBonsaiQuickBooks
Starting priceOn request$30/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
FoundedUnknown1983

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 QuickBooks does not also cover.

Only in QuickBooks

  • Income & expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Payment processing
  • Financial reporting
  • Tax preparation
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Bill management
  • Mobile apps

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.

QuickBooks

  • Bookkeepingnot Bonsai
  • Invoicingnot Bonsai
  • Expense trackingnot Bonsai
  • Financial reportingnot Bonsai
  • Tax preparationnot 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

QuickBooks

  • Chart of Accounts is capped on every QuickBooks Online tier except Advanced; Simple Start, Essentials and Plus all have a limited entry count
  • Even the top Advanced tier caps bulk invoice uploads at 1,000 transaction lines per batch
  • Payroll is a separate paid add-on billed per employee per month (USD 6 to 10 depending on plan) on top of the base subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Bonsai

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bonsai review.

QuickBooks

$30/month
  • Simple Start$30/month
    • Income & expense tracking
    • Invoice & payments
    • Tax deductions
  • Essentials$60/month
    • Everything in Simple Start
    • Bill management
    • Time tracking
  • Plus$90/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Inventory tracking
    • Project profitability
  • Advanced$200/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Dedicated account team
    • 25 users

Which should you pick?

Choose Bonsai if

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

Bonsai review

Choose QuickBooks if

  • You need income & expense tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want invoicing.
QuickBooks review

Questions people ask

Is Bonsai or QuickBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonsai starts at On request and QuickBooks at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or QuickBooks?
Bonsai starts at On request and QuickBooks at $30/month.
Does Bonsai or QuickBooks run on more platforms?
Bonsai runs on Web. QuickBooks runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What can Bonsai do that QuickBooks cannot?
QuickBooks covers Income & expense tracking, Invoicing, Payment processing, Financial reporting.
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