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for freelancers.
Bonsai bundles the paperwork side of freelancing into one subscription. If you mainly need to send proposals, contracts and invoices and track your hours, you can do all of that with free tools and keep the subscription money.
Bonsai
Paid plans, from about $25/month for freelancers
As of October 2026, per NerdWallet. Check their site for current pricing.
Autoleads free tools
$0
No sign-up, no card, no watermark. Your files stay on your device.
Your free Bonsai replacement stack
Bonsai is an all-in-one business app for freelancers: proposals, contracts, invoices, time tracking and accounting. These free tools cover the same day-to-day jobs.
Proposal generator
A structured client proposal with scope, timeline and price. Copy or save as PDF.
Use it freeContract generator
A plain-English freelance agreement covering scope, payment, revisions and IP.
Use it freeInvoice generator
Professional invoices with your logo, tax and payment details. Download as PDF.
Use it freeTime tracker
Track hours by client and project, see your week, export a timesheet or invoice the hours.
Use it freeQuote generator
Send clients a clean, itemised quote or estimate as a PDF in a minute.
Use it freeSign a PDF
Draw, type or upload your signature, place it on any PDF and download the signed copy.
Use it freePayment reminder generator
Polite-to-firm emails for late invoices, matched to how overdue they are.
Use it free
Bonsai vs free tools
What you get, and what you give up, side by side.
| Feature | Bonsai | Free tools |
|---|---|---|
| Proposals | Yes | Yes |
| Contracts | Yes | Yes |
| Signing documents | Yes | Simpler |
| Invoices and quotes | Yes | Yes |
| Time tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Payment reminders | Yes | Simpler |
| Online card payments | Yes | No |
| Client portal | Yes | No |
| Accounting and tax tools | Yes | No |
| No account needed | No | Yes |
Why freelancers look for a Bonsai alternative
- You only use a few features but pay for the whole suite every month.
- Plans are priced per user, so costs grow as soon as you bring someone in.
- You want documents you can download and keep, not locked in another account.
Use the free tools if…
- You send a handful of proposals and invoices a month.
- You already take payment by bank transfer, PayPal, Wise or a payment link.
- You'd rather not pay a monthly fee for paperwork.
Stick with Bonsai if…
- You want clients to sign and pay online in one place.
- You need bookkeeping, expenses and tax estimates in the same app.
- You want reminders and follow-ups sent automatically.
Bonsai alternative FAQ
Is there a free alternative to Bonsai?
Yes. Autoleads' free tools cover proposals, contracts, quotes, invoices, receipts, time tracking and PDF signing in the browser, with no account. What they don't do is take card payments or run a client portal.
Can I move my Bonsai templates over?
Copy the text of your proposal or contract into the matching generator. The structure (scope, not-included list, payment terms, revisions) maps across directly.
How do clients pay without Bonsai?
Add your payment details or a payment link (Stripe, PayPal, Wise) to the invoice. Your client pays you directly, so there's no extra platform fee from us.
More free tools
Bonsai is a trademark of its owner. Autoleads is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Bonsai. Feature and price details are based on public information as of October 2026 and may have changed; check Bonsai's website for current details.