The short answer
Choose Tendrly if you want one thing done well — a branded proposal, written for you, that the client approves and pays in a single click — without paying for a whole business suite. Free to start, then $19/month flat.
Choose Bonsai if you want an all-in-one suite — proposals plus contracts, invoicing, time tracking, accounting and taxes — in one subscription and are happy to run your whole business inside it.
Bonsai is an all-in-one suite for freelancers: proposals, contracts, invoicing, time tracking, accounting and tax help, all under one subscription. If you want to run your entire business inside a single app, that breadth is the appeal.
Tendrly is the opposite bet: do one thing — the proposal-to-payment loop — really well, and stay out of the rest. You answer five questions, Tendrly writes and brands the proposal, and the client approves and pays through a built-in Stripe link. Nothing to configure, nothing to learn.
The choice is breadth versus focus. If you already have invoicing and accounting you like, adding Bonsai means paying for a suite to use one part of it. Tendrly is flat-priced for exactly that part — free to start, then $19/month for 25 proposals, at 3.5% + 30¢ only when a proposal is paid.
Tendrly vs Bonsai — FAQ
Is Tendrly an alternative to Bonsai?
For the proposal-and-payment part, yes. Tendrly does not do contracts, accounting or time tracking — it writes a branded proposal and lets the client pay it in one click. If you only need that, Tendrly is lighter and cheaper; if you want the whole business suite, Bonsai is broader.
Does Tendrly do invoicing and contracts like Bonsai?
Tendrly focuses on the proposal-to-payment loop and includes invoice numbering and payment plans, but it is not a full accounting or contract suite. It is designed to pair with tools you already use rather than replace all of them.
Which is better value for just sending proposals?
Tendrly, if proposals and getting paid are all you need — it is free to start and $19/month flat, versus paying for an all-in-one suite. Bonsai wins when you genuinely want everything in one place.
When is Bonsai the better choice?
When you want a single app for proposals, contracts, invoicing, time tracking and accounting, and are happy to run your whole freelance business inside it.