2020 was a crazy year to launch a new business! Not only did we run into a near complete travel shut down, finding business solutions to keep us up and running was a real challenge. Instead of looking to many of the travel industry "solutions", which were a bit outdated we looked to our freelance community for suggestions.
At first, we used a different project management and invoicing tool for our business Then after several of my freelancer friends recommended Hello Bonsai to us, we decided to make the switch.
Here’s my Hello Bonsai Review, which includes an overview of the software, its main features, the pros and cons for our business, and how it compares to other project management and invoicing tools. You can also check out the Hello Bonsai website to learn more about the features and everything the tool has to offer.
Hello Bonsai software is a tool that’s been around for 5 years, during which time they’ve helped more than 250,000 freelancers run their businesses. For us the tool really shows value for us to organize proposals and invoices for our large group trips. Other tools we’ve worked with designed for travel, have been cumbersome. Specifically, we were looking for one platform to create group proposals, contracts and invoices.
The biggest convivence for us is the ability to get customer sign-off at each step. I love Hello Bonsai’sfreelance project proposals feature. This allows us to create, send, and track responses to potential client proposals right from the platform. The process starts by choosing one of their Bonsai freelance proposal templates.
They have a lot of options to choose from based on your niche, such as:
- Content writing proposal template
- Social media marketing proposal template
- Graphic design proposal template
- And more
After choosing project proposal template we customize the document, adding in our services package, project details, and payment options. It’s possible to offer multiple service options for our clients, so they can choose the option they want. Once we send it off, Bonsai will track and notify us when our clients sign it electronically.
Another feature we like to use a lot is their Bonsai contracts. Just like project proposals, we customize them based on your service offering then send them to our clients for e-signatures. Having contracts with Hello Bonsai look professional, set the standard for our client relationships, and helps protect us.
Bonsai invoice is another feature we use. We like their invoicing system because it allows us to accept quite a few payment methods (PayPal, Stripe, credit cards, etc.) and automatically send out reminder emails to our clients.
Hello Bonsai has a LOT of features rolled into one, which is what makes it stand out from other bookkeeping and project management tools including: Projects & Client CRM, Task Management, Expense Monitoring, Accounting & Taxes.
How Much Does Bonsai Cost?
There’s a 14-day free trial and two different Hello Bonsai pricing tiers to choose from, plus some add-ons.
Bonsai Workflow
Cost: $19 per month
The basic plan includes:
- Unlimited Clients & Projects
- Proposals
- Contracts
- Invoicing & Payments
- Client CRM
- Project Management
- Task & Time Tracking
- iOS, Android, Chrome, & Mac Apps
Bonsai Workflow Plus
Cost: $29 per month
The premium plan includes everything in Workflow, plus:
- White-labelled client experience
- Client forms and questionnaires
- Workflow automation
- Subcontracting (client-mode)
- Calendly integration
- Client portal
- Priority support
You can add multiple users to come on as collaborators for free or invite users for full account access for an additional $9/month. If you want Bonsai Tax features for freelance work, add $10/month.
I think Hello Bonsai is the best time tracking, client management and invoicing software for freelancers. That’s why I decided to write this review and describe these details. It’s also the only single software that includes the collection of features that it does. You can use 4 or 5 different tools to approximate the functionality Bonsai offers, but you’ll still end up missing features. Having everything in one software tool can help freelance businesses streamline many processes. You can see for yourself by purchasing Hello Bonsai here.
Bonsai is also the only tool that’s specifically designed for freelancers. That means they work hard to understand our unique needs and build software that can help us. Bonsai’s a valuable tool, which solved a specific problem for our business. I highly recommend Hello Bonsai to any looking for a solution to their proposal and contracting needs.