Best Bonsai Alternatives in 2026
The top Bonsai alternatives are Zoho Invoice, FreshBooks and Wave: 15 freelance invoicing software our editors would look at instead of Bonsai, in our ranking order.
Bonsai: An invoicing option for freelancers who want project, client, and payment tools together. Where it falls short: invoicing and payments start at the essentials plan.
Switching from Bonsai? For most freelance invoicing software buyers the best Bonsai alternative is Zoho Invoice, built for freelancers and small businesses wanting free invoicing. On a budget, Billdu starts at $4.99/mo, against $9/user/mo for Bonsai.
Why People Look for a Bonsai Alternative
- Invoicing and payments start at the Essentials plan
- The lowest annual price requires annual billing
- Elite requires a three-user minimum
- Paid from $9/mo — Billdu is $4.99/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallZoho Invoice9.3
Freelancers and small businesses wanting free invoicing
Visit Zoho Invoice - Lowest priceBilldu8.3
Paid plans from $4.99/mo
Visit Billdu - Best free optionZoho Invoice9.3
Has a free plan
Visit Zoho Invoice
All 15 Bonsai Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forFreelancers and small businesses wanting free invoicing
- Better than Bonsai:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 8.8
A free invoicing tool with recurring billing, payment reminders and broad integrations.
- Recurring invoices
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Zoho Invoice -
Best forEstablished freelancers managing billing and client work
- Better than Bonsai:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.8
A broad invoicing and client-work toolkit, priced above a basic billing app.
- Time tracking
- Client portal
- Expense tracking
9.1/10★★★★★Visit FreshBooks -
Best forLow-cost invoicing and bookkeeping
- Better than Bonsai:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.8
Free invoicing with paid automation for payments, bank transactions, and expenses.
- Expense tracking
- Online payments
- Recurring invoices
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Wave -
Best forUK freelancers needing accounting and tax tools
A UK-focused invoicing and accounting package with tax workflows and mobile apps.
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
- Online payments
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit FreeAgent -
Best forFreelancers who want flexible free or self-hosted invoicing
Flexible invoicing with a free tier, payment tools, and hosted or self-hosted options.
- Recurring invoices
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Invoice Ninja -
Best forFreelancers needing multilingual invoices and payments
- Better than Bonsai:
- Paid from: $4.99/mo vs $9/mo
Billdu pairs invoicing, estimates and online payments with annual plans from $4.99 per month.
- Online payments
- Recurring invoices
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Billdu -
Best forFinance teams managing complex, multi-entity billing
Deep billing controls for growing teams, at a price most freelancers may not justify.
- Client portal
- Online payments
- Recurring invoices
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Invoicera -
Best forFreelancers managing clients and projects end to end
A broad client-work platform where invoicing is one part of a paid monthly package.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Plutio -
Best forService businesses managing clients and sales workflows
HoneyBook connects invoicing to a broader client and sales workflow.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit HoneyBook -
Best forFreelancers managing projects and client portals
A broad freelancer business toolkit, with client portals and project workflows beyond invoicing.
- Time tracking
- Client portal
- Expense tracking
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Moxie -
Best forFreelancers who want invoicing and client portals
A free plan covers core freelance workflows; Pro Bundle adds recurring invoices and a client portal.
- Time tracking
- Client portal
- Online payments
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Indy -
Best forMobile-first invoicing with accounting sync
Mobile-friendly invoicing with payment tools, reminders, and accounting sync.
- Client portal
- Online payments
- Recurring invoices
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Invoice2go -
Best forProject-based freelancers needing client collaboration
A project-focused invoicing platform that connects billing with time, expenses and client access.
- Time tracking
- Client portal
- Expense tracking
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Kiwili -
Best forEuropean freelancers needing compliant invoicing
Invoicing, time, receipts and e-invoicing in one paid service.
- Time tracking
- Client portal
- Expense tracking
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit FastBill -
Best forFreelancers billing clients in multiple currencies
Multicurrency invoicing, recurring billing and a client portal, with plans starting at $15 monthly.
- Client portal
- Online payments
- Recurring invoices
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit InvoiceBerry
Bonsai Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Bonsai?
Zoho Invoice: #1 in our Freelance Invoicing Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.3 out of 10. A free invoicing tool with recurring billing, payment reminders and broad integrations.
Is there a free alternative to Bonsai?
Yes. Zoho Invoice, Wave, FreeAgent, Invoice Ninja and Indy have a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Bonsai?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Billdu starts lowest, at $4.99/mo.
Why do people look for Bonsai alternatives?
Invoicing and payments start at the Essentials plan; The lowest annual price requires annual billing; Elite requires a three-user minimum.
How do I switch from Bonsai?
Export your data from Bonsai (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Bonsai.
How to Switch from Bonsai
- Export your data from Bonsai (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Bonsai.
Bonsai vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Recurring invoices | Online payments | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Bonsai | $9/user/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 1 | Zoho Invoice | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 2 | FreshBooks | No | $23/mo | Yes | Yes | 9.1 |
| 3 | Wave | Yes | $190/yr | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 4 | FreeAgent | Yes | £10/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.6 |
| 5 | Invoice Ninja | Yes | $14/user/mo | Yes | 8.3 | |
| 6 | Billdu | No | $4.99/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.3 |
| 7 | Invoicera | No | $50/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.2 |
| 8 | Plutio | No | $15/mo | 8.1 | ||
| 9 | HoneyBook | No | $29/mo | 8.0 | ||
| 10 | Moxie | No | $10/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 11 | Indy | Yes | $12.50/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.8 |
| 12 | Invoice2go | No | Yes | Yes | 7.7 | |
| 13 | Kiwili | No | Yes | Yes | 7.6 | |
| 14 | FastBill | No | €9/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.5 |
| 15 | InvoiceBerry | No | $15/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.4 |
Head-to-Head
- Bonsai vs Zoho Invoice
- Bonsai vs FreshBooks
- Bonsai vs Wave
- Bonsai vs FreeAgent
- Bonsai vs Invoice Ninja
- Bonsai vs Billdu
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update