Comparison
Bonsai alternative: Scopivo for solo freelancers.
Both tools cover the solo freelancer workflow. The differences come down to cost, whether vendor branding shows up on client documents, and how much accounting you want bundled into the tool.
Free, with limits. No credit card to start. Your own Stripe, zero branding on client documents.
The cost math (solo freelancer)
Both tools price differently across tiers. Below is what a single freelancer actually pays per year at each tool's no-branding and at-its-cheapest tier, on annual billing.
Free plan
Scopivo
$0
1 client, 1 project, 3 invoices a month. No time limit
Bonsai
None
7-day trial, then full price (Basic to Premium)
Cheapest paid plan
Scopivo
$190/yr
Pro annual (saves 17% vs $228 monthly)
Bonsai
$108/yr
Bonsai Basic (with Bonsai branding on docs)
Paid plan without vendor branding
Scopivo
$190/yr
Branding never appears on any plan
Bonsai
$348/yr
Premium tier required
Bonsai figures are annual-billing prices per user, as of September 2026. Scopivo Pro: $19/mo or $190/yr annual.
Side-by-side
| Capability | Scopivo | Bonsai |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free for a full year | 7-day trial, then a paid plan |
| Monthly cost per user | Free plan with limits; Pro is $19/mo (or $190/yr saves 17%) | Basic $9, Essentials $19, Premium $29, Elite $49 (3-user minimum) billed annually; $15, $25, $39, $59 billed monthly, as of September 2026 |
| Vendor branding on client documents | Your logo and brand color on client pages and PDFs, on any plan | "Remove Bonsai branding" starts at Premium ($29/mo billed annually), as of September 2026 |
| Solo annual cost without branding | $0 on Free (with limits), $190/yr on Pro | $348/yr (Premium, billed annually) |
| Multi-user support | Built for solo freelancers | Yes; priced per user on every tier |
| Audience focus | Solo freelancers | Broad: freelancers, agencies, consultancies |
| Payment processor | Stripe Connect, your own account, no platform fee | Bonsai charges processing fees that vary by payment method; see their help center |
| Mobile apps | Web-first, mobile-optimized | iOS, Android and macOS apps on all tiers |
| Bookkeeping / accounting tools | Focused on the client-work workflow | Expense tracking from Essentials; QuickBooks and Xero on Premium and Elite |
Bonsai pricing and plan details were checked against hellobonsai.com/pricing on . Prices and promotions change, so confirm on their site before you decide.
Where Scopivo wins
A Free plan, not a seven-day trial
Bonsai's trial is seven days, then you choose a paid plan. Scopivo's Free plan has no clock and no card: one active client, one active project and three invoices a month. That is real client work before you pay anything, for as long as it takes to decide whether the tool fits your practice.
Your brand on every proposal, contract, and invoice
Every Scopivo client page shows your logo and brand color with no Scopivo upsell, on any plan, including Free. Bonsai lists “Remove Bonsai branding” as a Premium ($29/mo billed annually) and Elite ($49/mo per user, 3-user minimum) feature, as of September 2026. For solos who want it removed, Scopivo Pro ($190/yr) is $158 less per year than Bonsai Premium ($348/yr). Two honest caveats: Scopivo client links live on scopivo.com (there is no custom domain), and outbound emails are sent from Scopivo's address under your business name with a small “via Scopivo” footer.
Your Stripe, no platform fee
Scopivo uses Stripe Connect: clients pay your Stripe account directly, Stripe charges its standard processing fees, and Scopivo takes a 0% platform fee and never holds your money. Bonsai's pricing page says it charges processing fees for online payments that vary by payment method (as of September 2026); read their help center for the current rates before you compare.
Built for the workflow, not the bookkeeping
Scopivo focuses on proposals, contracts, invoicing, and time tracking. Bonsai bundles expense tracking and QuickBooks and Xero sync on its higher tiers, which is genuinely convenient if you want it all in one tool but slower to set up and harder to learn if you only need the client-work workflow.
Where Bonsai wins
Honest comparison means naming where Bonsai is the better fit. If any of these matter to you, stay on Bonsai.
Bookkeeping and accounting integrations
Bonsai includes expense tracking from Essentials up and QuickBooks and Xero integrations on Premium and Elite (as of September 2026). If you actively use those, the all-in-one is genuinely convenient. Scopivo doesn't replace your accounting tool.
Native mobile and desktop apps
Bonsai lists iOS, Android and macOS apps on every tier (as of September 2026). Scopivo is web-first and has no native app. If you prefer working in a dedicated app over a browser tab, Bonsai is more comfortable.
Cheapest tier is cheaper than Scopivo Pro
Bonsai Basic at $9/user/mo annual ($108/year) is cheaper than Scopivo Pro at $190/year (annual). If you don't mind “Powered by Bonsai” on your client documents and you want the lowest sticker price, Bonsai Basic wins once you need more than Scopivo's Free limits. Inside those limits Scopivo costs nothing, and past them Bonsai pulls ahead on price if branding doesn't matter to you.
Multi-user accounts are available today
Bonsai supports adding teammates on every tier (with per-user pricing). Scopivo is built for solo freelancers. If you need shared logins for a co-founder, virtual assistant, or contractor, Bonsai is the better fit.
Migration playbook (two weeks)
Migration fatigue is the single biggest reason freelancers stay on a tool they have outgrown. Here's the sequence we recommend.
- 1
Export your data from Bonsai
From Bonsai's settings, export your contacts, projects, and invoices. Do it while your subscription is active, early in the month rather than on the last day.
- 2
Set up Scopivo in parallel
Sign up for the Free plan. Connect your own Stripe account so payments route directly to you. Upload your logo and pick a brand color.
- 3
Run two weeks of overlap
Finish in-flight projects in Bonsai. Send new proposals through Scopivo. The two-week overlap is the safety margin that prevents mid-project context switches your clients would notice.
- 4
Cancel Bonsai when next month's renewal would hit
Bonsai bills per user, per tier. If you cancel before the renewal date, you stop the next charge cleanly. Confirm in your billing settings that no future charges remain pending.
FAQ
- I'm a solo freelancer. Is Scopivo actually cheaper than Bonsai?
- If you fit inside the Free plan's limits (1 active client, 1 active project, 3 invoices a month), Scopivo is $0 with no time limit, vs $108 to $348 a year on Bonsai's solo tiers. Past those limits it depends on which Bonsai tier you'd be on. Scopivo Pro is $190/yr (annual). On annual billing, as of September 2026, Bonsai Basic is $108/yr, Essentials $228/yr, Premium $348/yr, and Elite $588/yr per user with a 3-user minimum, so Elite isn't a solo option. If Bonsai branding on your client documents is fine and you only need basic features, Bonsai Basic is the cheaper paid option. If you want it removed (Bonsai Premium), Scopivo Pro saves you $158/yr.
- Does Bonsai really put their branding on my proposals?
- Bonsai's pricing page lists 'Remove Bonsai branding' as a Premium and Elite feature, as of September 2026, so on Basic and Essentials you should expect it. Scopivo's client pages show your logo and brand color with no Scopivo upsell, on any plan.
- What about Bonsai's expense tracking and tax features?
- That's the one place Bonsai has more breadth. Scopivo focuses on the workflow side (proposals, contracts, invoices, time). If you actively use Bonsai's QuickBooks or Xero sync (Premium and Elite), you'd lose that on Scopivo, which has no accounting sync. Many solo freelancers use a separate accounting tool (Wave, QuickBooks Self-Employed) and don't touch Bonsai's accounting features, in which case the loss is theoretical.
- Does Scopivo support multi-user accounts?
- Scopivo is built for solo freelancers. If you need to add a co-founder, virtual assistant, or contractor to your account, Bonsai supports that with per-user pricing. We'd rather tell you up front than have you sign up and run into the wall.
- Will my clients notice the switch from Bonsai?
- They will see a new link, and little else. Emails arrive under your business name, sent from Scopivo's sending address with a small "via Scopivo" line in the footer. Client pages open from private links on scopivo.com that show your logo and brand color, with no Scopivo upsell.
- Does the Scopivo Free plan expire?
- No. Free has no time limit. It stays free, with its limits (1 active client, 1 active project, 3 invoices a month), until you choose to upgrade to Pro at $19/mo. Your data stays yours either way: you can export all of your data from Settings at any time.
Compare Scopivo to other tools
Weighing more than one tool? Here's how Scopivo stacks up against the other client platforms freelancers shortlist.
Ready to try Scopivo?
Free, with limits. No credit card. Your own Stripe, your own branding. The flat price stays flat the day you hire.