We create, send and track online project proposals to potential clients easily. There are many templates and customizing features to make our proposals look professional and we receive feedback on progress of our proposals. We are able to track expenses on project, we get tax estimates and recurring payments are done automatically in the system. Bonsai is also available across platforms so we input data and get insights wherever we are.
Bonsai has so many hidden features that one to make full use of them needs to be trained and it costs us to train our staff.
We easily manage projects from online proposal creation, time tracking on a project, invoicing and expense tracking. Most of these are automated in Bonsai.
I love everything about Bonsai! It is undoubtedly the tool I've relied on the most to help launch myself as an independent consultant. I love how easy the software is to create proposals, contracts, invoices, time tracking, and generally how beautiful the design is. I love the pricing as well, which I feel is a great value for everything I get in return.
One downside to Bonsai is that it is not as strong on the tax accounting / financial analysis side as my business bank services are. I wish they would expand their software to also help capture business expenses, receipts, etc. so it's truly a one-stop-shop for my entire business.
I've solved the problem of not having any other easy means of generating contracts, time tracking, and invoices. I've realized many benefits, including generating new business as seamlessly as possible and making sure I am paid on time regularly.
As a designer and small business owner, I have tried SO MANY invoicing and payment platforms. All of them claim to be the best for a variety of reasons. After switching to Bonsai I can safely say I finally found the best. Not only is their platform easy to use and user-friendly, but they automate helpful pieces of the payment process and my favorite part is you can charge your customer the CC processing fees. The money I save on processing fees alone MORE than covers my Bonsai subscription cost. It's a no-brainer.
I'm not sure there is anything worth noting that I don't like at this point honestly.
Reminding customers of their pending invoices is super helpful. But I think the main problem they solve for me is allowing me to charge my customers for the credit card fees. This allows me to get paid faster and the savings MORE than cover the cost of my Bonsai subscription so it's a win-win.
Conceptually it's very strong. It has all the features to run a creative business, unfortuantely I have a laundry list of problems.
Disappointed so far.... I'm having quite a bit of trouble, but I'm staying the course for now because conceptually this app fits my needs, but here's my problems so far: 1. Technical and Formatting Issues: • Inability to adjust certain images within the title page; automatic downscaling of images. • Images on mobile devices are cut off, stretched, or contorted. • Issues with image stretching and formatting in proposals, affecting visual quality. • Images often appear pixelated or of low quality when uploaded to the platform. 2. Customer Service and Support: • Slow response times (1-3 days) from customer service. • Partial or inadequate addressing of issues raised. • Unresponsive telephone support; calls go unanswered. 3. Billing and Pricing Transparency: • Double charged within a 30-day period. • Unclear additional charges for adding a partner and activating features. • Forced payment for account feature access. 4. Platform Functionality and Management: • Sent proposals don’t automatically move to the ‘sent’ column; manual adjustment required. • The cell phone app lacks editing capabilities and clarity on useful features. • No straightforward testing process for proposals; must send to self for testing. • Resets in white glove branding feature after account adjustments, leading to unintentional branding presence. • Inadequate preview functionality; does not fully display client’s view. 5. Delivery and Tracking: • Partial delivery of proposals to recipients. • Unreliable read receipt functionality. • No confirmation of proposal receipt or review by recipients.
Nothing yet.
The ease of creating proposals, contracts & invoices has saved me so much time. I love that you can add unlimited clients as I run a lot of audits at this stage of my business, and clients don't sign on to continue sometimes or come back in a few months/years, so I end up adding a bunch of clients - something that other systems charged per client. Also, I love the time tracking. Even internally to know how I'm tracking on projects has changed my business and how I integrate with humans I get to work with on projects or retainers. Sending out contracts and proposals and invoices that clients can sign right from their email has been amazing, and being able to do all that in 1 place without integrating three other things has been so wonderful. I genuinely have Bonsai completely integrated into my consultation. Lastly, their support is fantastic.
As a Canadian, the taxes section is not something I can use, and I've tried to attach my expenses through Bonsai. Still, the credit card I'm using doesn't connect to their 3rd party system, so I'm getting different credit cards and procedures to be able to connect better with them and be able to track my business with Bonsai.
Using one system versus four also surfaces the metrics and pieces that I need for my consultation. I'm more productive, and my performance in my business has increased because of using Bonsai.
The app is particularly interesting because it enables you to collaborate with others, manage your time spent on projects, and create and track assignments. The ability to send invoices with a variety of options and accept payments online via various payment services is another fantastic feature.
The premium packages can be rather expensive, therefore it would be useful if there was a way to customise the programme to meet specific needs. Another drawback for me is the lack of a mobile app. Additionally, Baonsais customer service has consistently disappointed me, which is frustrating given that it is a technology company.
when managing tasks and keeping track of billable hours. Ive been able to focus more on my actual work because of it. I and other small business owners have found the resources offered by Bonsai to be quite helpful. Bonsai is a superb business management solution that makes workflow for independent contractors, business owners, and small business owners much simpler. For individuals who value productivity and a smooth workflow, despite its somewhat higher price tag, it is a worthy investment due to the capabilities and resources it provides.
I can easily issue online-payable invoices from the account where my money sits in checking. It's extremely convienet and simple. Importantly, I can choose to pass the cc processing fee on to my client.
The graph that they display to chart income and expenses is hard to read, and not very helpful.
Bonsai serves a one-stop shop for running a small freelance business.
After tons of research, I pulled the trigger and purchased Bonsai. In the past I've used Freshbooks and Quickbooks, and what I enjoy most with Bonsai is the updated and modern look-and-feel. I know that when I send my proposals, contracts, or invoices, my clients will get a simple and easy to pay invoice. I recently added the tax and accounting software, and I'm really excited that I no longer have to manually track income and expenses in a spreadsheet. It lays everything out in the dashboard, and I can easily see how much money I've made each month or quarter!
The one thing that I've struggled with with Bonsai is the onboarding process. I think Bonsai could really benefit from some recorded training material walking new users through each specific portion of the product.
I'm now able to quickly and easily send pre-populated contracts for my clients to sign, that way we're both covered. As mentioned above, I also really like the accounting and tax software.