Updated October 2026 · Prices checked October 14, 2026
A Bonsai alternative for freelancers who just need contracts signed
Bonsai (hellobonsai.com) is a freelance and agency suite: projects, time tracking, CRM, proposals, contracts, invoices and payments, priced per user. Contracts start on Essentials at $19 per user per month billed yearly, or $25 billed monthly; the cheaper Basic plan does not include them. eSignSimple only does signatures, from $0 for 3 documents a month, $4.99/month for 25, or $9.99/month for unlimited. If you run projects and billing in Bonsai, keep it. If you mainly need clients to sign, we are the cheaper fit.
Bonsai started as a contract tool for freelancers and grew into a business suite for freelancers, consultants and small agencies. Today it covers time tracking, tasks, a CRM, proposals, contracts, invoices and payments, forms and questionnaires, scheduling, a client portal and expense tracking, with project insights, a deals pipeline and integrations on higher plans. Pricing is per user, and the top Elite plan requires at least three users.
Contracts in Bonsai start from its library of freelance templates or from scratch. Bonsai's own guide describes the flow: you sign first by typing your name, Bonsai prints your email under it, you send the contract, and the client signs next to your signature. You can see when it was delivered, opened and signed, set automatic reminders and ask for a deposit when the client approves. Bonsai also says plainly that it is not a law firm, which we appreciate.
eSignSimple starts from the file you already have. Upload a PDF or Word document, place signature, date and text fields, add one or several signers by email, choose a signing order if needed and send. Signers draw or type their signature in the browser without an account, and the finished document gets an audit trail and a certificate of completion with a SHA-256 hash. We have no time tracking, CRM, invoices or payments.
How does eSignSimple compare with Bonsai?
| Feature | eSignSimple | Bonsai |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | E-signature tool for sending documents and keeping proof | Freelance and agency suite: projects, time, CRM, proposals, contracts, invoices |
| Free plan | Yes, 3 documents/month | No; 7-day free trial |
| Cheapest plan with contracts | $4.99/month (Bronze, 25 documents/month) | Essentials: $19/user/month billed yearly, $25 billed monthly |
| Pricing model | Per account; Gold adds up to 5 senders | Per user; Elite needs 3 users minimum |
| Contract limits | 25/month on Bronze; unlimited on Silver | No contract cap listed |
| Use your own PDF or Word file | Yes (Word converted to PDF) | Contracts built from Bonsai templates or from scratch; PDF upload not described on the pages we read |
| Signers | Several signers, in parallel or in a signing order | You and your client |
| Signature style | Drawn or typed in the browser | Typed name, with your email shown below |
| Tracking | Dashboard, email notifications, certificate of completion | Delivered, opened and signed status; seen receipts and reminders |
| Audit trail | Yes, with certificate of completion and SHA-256 hash | Not described on the pages we read |
| Invoices and payments | No | Yes, from Essentials; processing fees vary by method |
| Time tracking, tasks, CRM | No | Yes, on every plan |
| Templates | Yes, on every plan | Yes, a large library of freelance contract templates |
| API and integrations | REST API v1 and webhooks (Silver and up) | QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier, Calendly and Google on Premium and up |
| Mobile | Mobile web; native iOS and Android apps coming soon | iOS and Android apps |
How much does Bonsai cost?
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $9/user/month billed yearly, or $15 monthly | Time tracking, tasks, unlimited projects and clients, CRM, service library, mobile apps. No proposals or contracts. |
| Essentials | $19/user/month billed yearly, or $25 monthly | Adds invoices and payments, proposals and contracts, all templates, forms and questionnaires, scheduling, client portal, expense and income tracking. |
| Premium | $29/user/month billed yearly, or $39 monthly | Adds project insights, Gantt view, deals pipeline, custom fields, client messaging, reports, no Bonsai branding, integrations. |
| Elite | $49/user/month billed yearly, or $59 monthly | Adds custom permissions, timesheet locking, expense markup and custom data import. Minimum 3 users. |
| Trial | Free for 7 days | Full access. Payment processing fees vary by method (card, ACH); reduced rates for teams of 30+ users. |
Prices checked October 14, 2026 on Bonsai pricing, Bonsai: Contracts, Bonsai blog: How to sign a contract online. Vendors change prices and may show different prices by country and currency, so confirm before you buy.
eSignSimple pricing, for comparison
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 documents a month (a document counts when it is sent), unlimited signers, templates, audit trail and certificate of completion. |
| Bronze | $4.99/month or $39.99/year | 1 sender, 25 documents a month, automatic reminders. |
| Silver | $9.99/month or $89.99/year | 1 sender, unlimited documents, bulk send (up to 200 people per send), web forms, REST API and webhooks. |
| Gold | $19.99/month or $179.99/year | Everything in Silver, team seats for up to 5 senders with shared templates, your logo and brand color, priority support. |
Where is Bonsai the better choice?
- A complete freelance back office: time tracking, tasks, projects, CRM, proposals, invoices and payments in one account.
- Invoices and online payments, with deposits requested when a client approves a contract. We cannot take payments.
- A large library of freelance contract templates written for specific trades and project types.
- Integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier, Calendly and Google on Premium and up; we offer only an API and webhooks.
- Native iOS and Android apps available today, while ours are still coming soon.
- Agency features such as workload management, Gantt views and permissions as your team grows.
Why do people switch to eSignSimple?
You pay per user for a suite you don't use
Contracts need at least Essentials at $19 per user per month billed yearly ($228 a year for one person). eSignSimple Silver is $89.99 a year for unlimited documents, Bronze $39.99 a year for 25 a month, and Free covers 3. See pricing.
Bring your own contract
Upload the PDF or Word file you already use, or a client's own agreement, and place fields on it. No need to rebuild it inside a template editor.
More than two signers
Add every party who must sign, in parallel or in a signing order. Useful for partnerships, subcontractors and clients with several decision makers.
A certificate you can show later
Each completed document comes with a certificate of completion listing signers, timestamps, IP addresses and a SHA-256 hash of the final PDF, on every plan including Free.
Who should pick which?
| Pick eSignSimple if… | Pick Bonsai if… |
|---|---|
| You track time and invoice in other tools and only need contracts and NDAs signed. | You want time tracking, projects, proposals, contracts and invoices in one place. |
| Your documents are finished PDF or Word files, or involve several signers. | Clients should approve a contract and pay a deposit in one flow. |
| You want a flat price that does not grow with each user, or a free plan. | You run a small agency and need integrations with QuickBooks, Xero or Zapier. |
How do you switch from Bonsai to eSignSimple?
- Download PDF copies of your signed Bonsai contracts so your records stay complete.
- Turn your favorite Bonsai contract into a Word or PDF file, or start from our freelance contract template.
- Sign up for eSignSimple with Google, upload the file and drag signature, date and text fields into place.
- Save it as a template, then add signers by email for each new client and send.
- Move invoicing to your accounting tool, or drop to Bonsai Basic if you still want its time tracking.
Our take
Bonsai is a good choice for freelancers who want their whole business in one app, and its contract templates are a helpful start if you have never written one. If you use its invoicing, time tracking and proposals, the contract feature is part of a package that makes sense.
If contracts are the only reason you pay, per-user pricing for a full suite is the expensive way to get a signature. eSignSimple is cheaper, works with any PDF or Word file and gives you a certificate of completion for every document. Compare also HoneyBook and Dubsado, and see our consulting agreement template.
We compare published features and prices from each vendor's own website and list the sources above. Where we could not verify something, we say so. Bonsai is a trademark of its owner; eSignSimple is not affiliated with it. See how we protect documents on our security page and what each plan includes on pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bonsai cost?
On October 14, 2026, Bonsai listed Basic at $9, Essentials at $19, Premium at $29 and Elite at $49 per user per month billed yearly, or $15, $25, $39 and $59 billed monthly. Elite needs at least 3 users.
Which Bonsai plan includes contracts?
Proposals and contracts start on Essentials. The Basic plan covers time tracking, tasks, projects and CRM but not contracts, according to Bonsai's pricing page.
Does Bonsai have a free plan?
No. Bonsai offers a 7-day free trial. eSignSimple has a permanent free plan with 3 documents a month.
Can eSignSimple replace Bonsai's invoicing and time tracking?
No. We only handle documents and signatures. Many freelancers pair a signing tool with an accounting app instead of a full suite.
Are e-signed freelance contracts valid?
Yes. In the US, the ESIGN Act and UETA give electronic signatures the same effect as handwritten ones for most contracts; the EU, UK, Canada and Australia have similar rules. See are electronic signatures legally binding?
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