Bonsai

Contracts, proposals, invoicing, payments, time, tax, and client management

NOT REALLY · consider alternatives
price $25/mo per seatsubscription / year $300estimated build time not a true replacement; consolation build in one to two daysreplaced by 0 people

Do not mistake the interface for the product. Bonsai's durable value is banking, compliance, trust, which a solo one-shot build cannot reproduce responsibly. The prompt therefore builds only the closest honest personal consolation tool.

Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability

What you give up

  • live bank feeds and payment rails
  • tax and accounting rule updates
  • audited security and recovery
  • multi-user controls and accountant workflows

Why people still pay

Bonsai: People pay because errors touch real money. Bank connections, reconciliation, tax changes, evidence, security, and support are the product.

Your build guide

The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.

Before you start

  • Node.js 22
  • SQLite
  • CSV exports from the user's own accounts
  • Explicit README warning that this is a consolation build, not a production replacement
01
Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + SQLite.
02
Model accounts, source transactions, ledger entries, reconciliations, and reports; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.
03
Interface for this freelance business suite workflow: a local web page with input, progress, review, and export views.
engineering roadmap

Implementation plan

1

Phase 1, architecture and data

Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + SQLite. Model accounts, source transactions, ledger entries, reconciliations, and reports; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.

2

Phase 2, implement

For freelance business suite, create a client record and capture the scope, amount, and version of one proposal.

3

Phase 3, implement

Record proposal acceptance before generating an invoice with integer minor-unit amounts.

4

Phase 4, review and output

Track payment status and export the signed-off proposal, invoice, and activity history.

5

Phase 5, recovery and acceptance

Verify this invariant with a saved fixture: A changed proposal must create a new version; a repeated payment event cannot mark the same invoice paid twice. State the practical limit: live bank feeds and payment rails.

the pro prompt
Build me a focused freelance business suite workflow for the personal core of Bonsai. Requirements:

- Use exactly this stack: Next.js 15 + TypeScript + SQLite. Model accounts, source transactions, ledger entries, reconciliations, and reports; keep stable source IDs and timestamps.
- Paid product context: Contracts, proposals, invoicing, payments, time, tax, and client management. Build only this DIY scope: Build a private freelance business suite ledger that imports user-supplied CSV files, categorizes entries, reconciles balances, and exports reports.
- For freelance business suite, create a client record and capture the scope, amount, and version of one proposal.
- Record proposal acceptance before generating an invoice with integer minor-unit amounts.
- Track payment status and export the signed-off proposal, invoice, and activity history.
- Use a local web page with input, progress, review, and export views. Required input or access: CSV exports from the user's own accounts.
- Acceptance: with one labelled sample, show the input, saved intermediate state, and exported result; verify this invariant: A changed proposal must create a new version; a repeated payment event cannot mark the same invoice paid twice.
- Out of scope: live bank feeds and payment rails; tax and accounting rule updates. Keep this a personal, inspectable workflow.
- Include a README with setup, a sample input, required keys or permissions, data location, and the supported scope.

$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan

share on X ↗

Alternatives to building your own

ERPNextCRM, quotes, contracts, projects, time and invoices in one free ERP; personal tax help remains personal.38kaug 2026open source↗DolibarrProposals, contracts, time and billing in one practical back office; freelancer tax guidance is not included.7.5kaug 2026open source↗

no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real

Bonsai pricing

planmonthlyannual (per mo)what you get
basic$15/user$9/userUnlimited projects, clients, tasks, and time entries; 1 scheduler event type; 10 GB storage
essentials$25/user$19/userUnlimited projects, clients, proposals, contracts, invoices, forms, and scheduler event types; 100 GB storage
premium$39/user$29/userUnlimited core work; advanced reporting, automations, and integrations; 500 GB storage
elite$59/user$49/user500 GB storage; advanced permissions, security, onboarding, and enterprise controls; 3-user minimumMinimum 3 paid users.

free tierno free tier; 7-day trial only

billingmonthly + annual (annual pricing saves up to 4 monthly payments)

hidden costsElite requires at least 3 paid users, so its minimum bill is $177/month or $147/month at the annual rate. Payment processing varies by method; onboarding is separately available for teams of 10+.

pricing sources checked 2026-08-10 · pricing source ↗

Questions about Bonsai

Can you build your own Bonsai with AI?

A full replacement is not the recommended project. Do not mistake the interface for the product. Bonsai's durable value is banking, compliance, trust, which a solo one-shot build cannot reproduce responsibly. The prompt therefore builds only the closest honest personal consolation tool.

What does the Bonsai build prompt cover?

The prompt starts with this scope: Build a private freelance business suite ledger that imports user-supplied CSV files, categorizes entries, reconciles balances, and exports reports. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: live bank feeds and payment rails; tax and accounting rule updates; audited security and recovery. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.

How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?

Start with the Bonsai prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.

How long will this Bonsai project take?

The catalogue estimate is not a true replacement; consolation build in one to two days for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.

What would I give up by replacing Bonsai?

live bank feeds and payment rails; tax and accounting rule updates; audited security and recovery; multi-user controls and accountant workflows. Bonsai: People pay because errors touch real money. Bank connections, reconciliation, tax changes, evidence, security, and support are the product.

What price is this guide comparing against?

The recorded Essentials plan is $25/mo per seat (per user per month), checked 2026-07-31. Check the linked pricing source before buying. Building your own also has hosting, API and maintenance costs; the recorded amount is not a guaranteed saving.

What can I use instead of building Bonsai?

ERPNext: CRM, quotes, contracts, projects, time and invoices in one free ERP; personal tax help remains personal. Dolibarr: Proposals, contracts, time and billing in one practical back office; freelancer tax guidance is not included. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.

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