Bonsai vs Wave — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Bonsai starts at $15/mo. Wave starts at $19/mo. Bonsai is $4/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Wave.
All-in-one business management for freelancers (contracts + invoicing + time tracking + CRM + tax). Positioned as the alternative to running Bonsai + QuickBooks + HelloSign separately. Distinctive for bundling the freelance stack into one subscription. Restructured to 4 tiers: Basic $15 / Essentials $25 / Premium $39 / Elite $59 per user/mo. Acquired by Zoom Nov 5, 2025 (closed Dec 2025); pricing held post-acquisition. Popular with independent consultants, designers, and creators who bill 3-20 clients but hate juggling separate tools for contracts, invoicing, and accounting.
Free accounting software from Canada, acquired by H&R Block for $537M in 2019. Positioned as the alternative to QuickBooks for freelancers and micro-businesses that can't justify a paid accounting subscription. Distinctive for its genuine forever-free accounting/invoicing (competitors moved everything to paid). Monetizes through payments (2.9% + 60¢), payroll ($20-$40/mo), and advisor services. Popular with side hustlers, freelancers, and micro-businesses under $50K annual revenue.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Bonsai monthly | Bonsai annual | Wave monthly | Wave annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | — / Starter | — | — | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Basic / Mobile Receipts | $15 | $9 | $8 | Free |
| Mid tier 1 | Essentials / — | $25 | $19 | — | — |
| Mid tier 2 | Premium / — | $39 | $29 | — | — |
| Pro / power | Elite / Pro | $59 | $49 | $19 | $15.83 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Bonsai is worth it if… Bonsai is the all-in-one back office for solo freelancers and small agencies (1-15 people) — proposals, contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and CRM bundled instead of stitching separate tools. Basic covers solo freelancers; Essentials adds workflows and integrations; Premium scales team accounting; Elite adds white-label and priority support.
Wave is worth it if… US/Canada freelancers and solo entrepreneurs who want completely free accounting + invoicing + receipt scanning — particularly for early-stage founders bootstrapping before they need QuickBooks. Free forever for core accounting and invoicing; charges per transaction for payments and payroll.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — Bonsai is flat rate, Wave is freemium.
Choose Bonsai over Wave if…
Choose Bonsai if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (flat rate, from $15/mo).
- You match the profile Bonsai is built for: the all-in-one back office for solo freelancers and small agencies (1-15 people) — proposals, contracts, invoicing, time tracking, and CRM bundled instead of stitching separate tools.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Wave if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (freemium, from $19/mo).
- You match the profile Wave is built for: US/Canada freelancers and solo entrepreneurs who want completely free accounting + invoicing + receipt scanning — particularly for early-stage founders bootstrapping before they need QuickBooks.
- You need a general-purpose finance & accounting option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Bonsai | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Entry price | $15/mo | $19/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | Flat Rate | Freemium |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Checked September 28, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 28, 2026. Tracked daily.