Bonsai Alternative: Due On Time vs Bonsai
Bonsai is an all-in-one tool for service businesses: proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking and invoicing. Due On Time is a simpler Bonsai alternative if invoicing is what you need: unlimited invoices, automatic reminders and Pay now for $12 a month, while invoicing on Bonsai starts at $19 a user a month billed yearly.
Bonsai facts checked on 1 November 2026 on Bonsai's own website; sources are listed below. Prices and features change, so check their site before you decide.
Bonsai vs Due On Time at a glance
| Bonsai | Due On Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Per user: Basic $15/month ($9 yearly, no invoicing), Essentials $25 ($19 yearly), Premium $39 ($29), Elite $59 ($49, 3 users minimum) | Free plan; Starter $12/month ($120/year); Pro $27/month ($264/year) |
| Free plan | No. 7-day trial, card needed | Yes: unlimited invoices and PDF downloads, up to 3 clients, no email sending. Free invoice generator with no sign-up. |
| Card payment fee | 2.9% + $0.30 with Bonsai Payments; +1% with Stripe or PayPal; +2.5% across currencies | Stripe's own fees for your country, paid from your Stripe account; Due On Time adds 0% |
| Automatic payment reminders | Yes, fixed: 1 week and 1 day before, then 1 week and 2 weeks after; they stop 16 days after the due date | Yes, by email after the due date: up to 3 per invoice on Starter, unlimited on Pro |
| Automatic late fees | Yes, monthly until paid | Yes, on Pro: flat or a percent of the unpaid balance, once or repeating, with an optional cap |
| Recurring invoices | Yes, plus subscriptions that charge a saved card | Yes, weekly to yearly, on Starter and Pro (no automatic card charge) |
| Proposals and contracts | Yes, Essentials and up | No |
| Time tracking and projects | Yes | No |
| Currencies | 100+ | 15 currencies |
| Mobile app | iPhone and Android | No app; works in the phone browser |
What is Bonsai?
Bonsai, a Zoom company, is business software for agencies, consultancies and freelancers, with CRM, proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, invoicing and bookkeeping.
Where Bonsai is better
- Everything from proposal to payment: proposals, contracts with e-signatures, a client portal and scheduling.
- Time tracking, projects, tasks and profitability reports.
- Subscriptions that charge a client's saved card, and retainers.
- 100+ currencies and QuickBooks and Xero sync (Premium).
Where Due On Time is better
- Lower price: Starter is $12 a month, against $19 to $25 a user a month for Bonsai's first plan that can invoice.
- A free plan with unlimited PDF invoices; Bonsai becomes view-only when you stop paying.
- Reminder schedules that keep going past two weeks: the Gentle preset sends on day 20, and Pro allows any days.
- No extra platform fee for using Stripe: Pay now always runs on your own Stripe account.
Should you choose Bonsai or Due On Time?
Pick Bonsai if you want proposals, contracts, projects and time tracking in the same tool as your invoices, or you run a team.
Pick Due On Time if you are a freelancer who already has the work agreed and wants simple invoicing, automatic follow-ups and online payments for less.
Read how automatic reminders, recurring invoices and Pay now work.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bonsai cost for invoicing?
Bonsai's Basic plan does not include invoices. Invoicing starts with Essentials at $25 a user a month, or $19 billed yearly, according to Bonsai's pricing page.
What is a cheaper alternative to Bonsai?
For invoicing, Due On Time's Starter plan is $12 a month with unlimited invoices, automatic reminders, recurring invoices and Pay now. It does not include proposals, contracts or time tracking.
Does Due On Time track time like Bonsai?
No. Enter your hours as the quantity on an invoice line, from your own time log.
Does Bonsai charge extra to use Stripe?
Bonsai's help center says using Stripe or PayPal instead of Bonsai Payments adds a 1% platform fee. Due On Time adds no fee to Stripe's own fees.
Sources
All checked on 1 November 2026.