Bonsai vs Freshbooks vs Kosmo
As a freelancer, you need to be able to keep track of a lot of different things. You have to juggle your time, your finances, your clients, and your projects. It can be tough to stay organized and on top of everything. That’s why we’ve put together a comparison of three of the best project management tools for freelancers.
Let’s take a closer look at Bonsai, Freshbooks and Kosmo to see which one might be the best project management option for your business.
Bonsai vs Freshbooks vs Kosmo Features Comparison
| Feature | Bonsai | Freshbooks | Kosmo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Monthly plans $19, $29 | Monthly plans $15, $25, $50 | Free or $9/month |
| Clients | Unlimited (paid) | 5, 50, Unlimited (paid) | 2 Free, Unlimited (paid) |
| Invoicing | yes | yes | yes |
| Time Tracking | yes | yes | yes |
| Task Management | yes | no | yes |
| Proposals | yes | yes | yes |
| Contracts | yes | no | yes |
| Total Price Per Year | $192 or $288 | $162, $270, $540 | 👍 Free or $90 |
Overall the three platforms offer many comparable features. In the end, users are likely to make their decision based on personal preference and needed features. Kosmo for example offers completely custom contracts that can be signed online as well as invoices that allow you to add your own branding.
Kosmo’s platform is simple to use and intuitive, cutting down on onboarding time so freelancers can continue focusing on what they do best.
Following are a few snapshots of what each platform looks like.
Invoice preview using Bonsai
Project preview using Freshbooks
Custom Contract preview using Kosmo
What is the price difference between Bonsai, Freshbooks and Kosmo?
Bonsai does not offer a free plan and you need to enter your credit card information to use their 14 days trial. They offer a limited plan for $19/month, but if you would like to use all features you need to subscribe to their Plus plan at $29/month. Bonsai also charges you a 1% fee on top of the PayPal and Stripe fees, if you want to use your own PayPal or Stripe account. Learn more about HelloBonsai’s pricing.
Freshbooks does not offer a free plan but comes with a 30-day trial. The monthly plans start out at $15 for the lite version which allows you to add up to 5 clients, but does not provide features like e-signatures or unlimited proposals that come standard with many competing products. The other monthly plans are $25, $50 and custom. The higher your monthly plan the more clients you can manage and the more features are available.
Kosmo’s free plan includes 2 clients, 2 projects, 1 invoice per month and more essential features. Plus, you don’t need to enter your credit card to get started. If your freelancing business grows you can upgrade to the unlimited plan for $9/month. Kosmo also allows you to add your own PayPal and Stripe account and does not charge any processing fees.
The yearly price difference when comparing all three platforms is significant. Bonsai starts at $192/year, but also has a $288/year plan. Freshbooks does not have a free plan and costs either $162, $270 or $540 per year. Kosmo offers a free plan as well as a $90/year pro plan.
Bonsai vs. Freshbooks vs Kosmo: The Final Verdict
Bonsai, Freshbooks and Kosmo are all freelance project management platforms designed to help freelancers (and other businesses) optimize their operations. All three platforms offer similar features that differ on complexity and customization options. In the end it comes down to what the freelancer truly needs to run an efficient business.
Overall, Bonsai provides a lot of functionality at different price points (if you want them all you need to purchase all their add-ons like Bonsai Tax at another $10/month), but the lack of a free plan makes it less appealing to freelancers that don’t have many new clients sign up on a weekly basis. The yearly price of $192 might be a bit too much for many freelancers and the additional 1% fee on PayPal and Stripe payments is another expense to be aware of.
If you don’t work for a large agency and are looking for a clean uncluttered interface, beautiful branded invoices, customizable documents and a competitive price – Kosmo will work best for you. Also, you can use your own payment accounts like PayPal and Stripe. Kosmo does not charge any processing fees on those payments.
Freshbooks can be an option if you are primarily looking for a solution that helps you on the accounting side of your business. Some freelancers might especially miss functions like to-do list style task tracking and a standard freelance contract. Unfortunately, if you need to manage a lot of clients their pricing moves up quickly from $15/month to $25/month and then to $50/month which comes out to a yearly total of $162, $270 or $540.
If you are still undecided take a look at these HelloBonsai alternatives:
- Bonsai vs Harvest
- Bonsai vs Plutio
- Bonsai vs Honeybook
- Bonsai vs Freshbooks
- Bonsai vs Dubsado
- Bonsai vs 17hats
- Bonsai vs Fiverr Workspace
Do you prefer the features of Freshbooks? Checkout these comparisons:
🤖 Why should I sign up for Kosmo?
- Functional free plan with Clients, Projects, Time Tracking, Invoices and everything needed to get new and established freelancers going.
- Simple and easy to use platform.
- Beautiful invoices and proposals.
- Founder level support that cares about your business.
Get Organized & Win More Clients
Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.
