Softwr

Professional Services · head to head

Bonsai vs Plutio

Bonsai logo

Bonsai

Professional Services

All-in-one business management for freelancers and agencies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Plutio logo

Plutio

Professional Services

Run your entire business in one place

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bonsai has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Plutio core plan limited to 9 active clients and no team contributors
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bonsai and Plutio actually diverge.

Attributes where Bonsai and Plutio differ
AttributeBonsaiPlutio
Starting priceFree$19/month
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Professional Services).

What people use each for

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

Bonsai

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

Plutio

  • Managing projects with Kanban boards, Gantt charts, calendarsnot Bonsai
  • Creating invoices, proposals, and contracts with e-signaturesnot Bonsai
  • Tracking billable hours and scheduling client appointmentsnot Bonsai
  • Building client intake forms and sharing project progress portalsnot 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

Plutio

  • Core plan limited to 9 active clients and no team contributors
  • Core plan AI credits at 800/month is significantly lower than Pro at 2,500
  • Max plan at $199/month is a high entry point for larger teams

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

Plutio

$19/month
  • Core$19/month
    • Up to 9 active clients
    • No team contributors
    • 800 AI credits/month
  • Pro$49/month
    • Unlimited active clients
    • 30 contributors included
    • 2,500 AI credits/month
  • Max$199/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • 10,000 AI credits/month
    • 2 TB storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Bonsai if

  • You want to start without paying.
Bonsai review

Choose Plutio if

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

Plutio review

Questions people ask

Is Bonsai or Plutio better?
Neither clearly leads. Bonsai starts at Free and Plutio at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bonsai or Plutio?
Bonsai has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bonsai and $19/month for Plutio.
Does Bonsai or Plutio run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Bonsai for free?
Yes. Bonsai has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Plutio starts at $19/month.
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 Plutio is typically brought in for.

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
Plutio: How much does Plutio cost?

Plutio offers three pricing tiers: Core at $19/month, Pro at $49/month, and Max at $199/month. Annual billing is also available with approximately 2 months in savings compared to monthly payments.

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
Plutio: Does Plutio offer a free trial?

Yes, Plutio offers a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card is required to start the trial.

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
Plutio: What are the limits on Plutio's Core plan?

The Core plan supports up to 9 active clients with no team contributors, includes 800 AI credits per month, and provides 100 GB of storage. For unlimited clients or more contributors, the Pro plan ($49/month) is required.

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
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