Honest comparison
HazelTab vs Bonsai
Full freelancer suite or focused proposal-to-payment tool?
Last updated: May 2026
Bonsai is best for
US-based freelancers who want contracts, invoicing, time tracking, expense management, and tax prep bundled together. Especially useful if you need quarterly tax estimates.
HazelTab is best for
Freelancers globally who need a focused, affordable proposal-to-payment tool without paying per-user for features they don't use. Best if you handle taxes separately.
Feature comparison
Feature
Bonsai
HazelTab
Professional proposals
E-signatures
Payment collection
Stripe / PayPal
Stripe
Deposit + balance invoicing
Client portal
Proposal templates
Open/view tracking
Time tracking
Expense tracking
Tax prep (US)
Starting price
$19/user/mo
$9/mo flat
Pricing
Bonsai
From $19/user/mo
Essentials plan. Premium $39/user/mo. Elite $79/user/mo. Free plan available (limited).
- •Proposals & contracts
- •Invoicing
- •Time tracking
- •Expense tracking
- •Tax prep & estimates (US)
- •Client CRM
- •Payment processing via Stripe
HazelTab
$9/mo
Flat price. Everything included.
- Unlimited proposals & invoices
- Legally-binding e-signatures
- Deposit + balance invoicing
- Client portal
- Proposal templates
- Live open/view tracking
- 18+ currencies
- PDF export
Which should you choose?
Choose Bonsai if...
- •You need time tracking and expense management
- •You're US-based and want built-in tax prep
- •You want contracts with legally-vetted templates
- •You need a full freelancer business suite
Choose HazelTab if...
- You only need proposals, signatures, and payments
- You're outside the US (Bonsai's tax features are US-only)
- You want $9/mo flat, not $19+/user/mo
- You prefer a client portal with live proposal tracking
Common questions
Can I migrate from Bonsai to HazelTab?+
There's no automated migration. HazelTab covers the proposal→sign→pay pipeline but doesn't replace Bonsai's time tracking or tax features. Some freelancers use both: Bonsai for time/expenses/taxes, HazelTab for proposals and payments.
Does HazelTab have contract templates like Bonsai?+
HazelTab has reusable proposal templates, but not standalone contract templates. Your proposal IS your contract — it includes terms, scope, line items, and a legally-binding signature. One document instead of two.
Is Bonsai's per-user pricing a problem?+
At $19/user/month, Bonsai costs $228/year for one person — more than double HazelTab's $108/year. If you only need proposals and payments, you're paying extra for time tracking and tax prep you might not use.
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Pricing and features accurate as of May 2026. Bonsai is a registered trademark of its respective owner.