7 Best Hello Bonsai Alternatives in 2026

So you're ready to say goodbye to Hello Bonsai, and you're on the hunt for a new tool? But you experience a slight anxiety taking over. Your mind goes into overdrive:

Hello Bonsai is a great starting tool for freelancers and solo service providers. However, the minute your business starts to grow or you want more flexibility in the kind of customer experience you provide, it might feel like you've hit a wall.

You start to realize you don't have many of the features you need to take your business to the next level. 

Features that many other competitors tools and project management software tools for agencies offer. This guide breaks down the top seven alternatives to Hello Bonsai, from lightweight client onboarding tools to more top-notch professional service automation software and everything in between. Check them out and find the one that matches your business model and needs.

1. ActiveCollab – Best Overall Hello Bonsai Alternative

ActiveCollab is an all-in-one ecosystem for any type of service business. It provides one solution for multiple needs, including project management, team collaboration, client management, and business management.

What makes ActiveCollab the best Hello Bonsai alternative

ActiveCollab and Hello Bonsai are similar in the sense that they are both all-in-one business management software platforms. However, where they differ is in their core feature set and the depth of those features.

With ActiveCollab, you can expect to get:

• More full-fledged features for running agency operations (think workload management software, resource and capacity planning, and profitability tracking)
• Stronger project management capabilities (think unlimited projects, task dependencies, and multiple project views)
• Interconnectedness of features (tracked task time feeds into workloads, project budgets, and timesheets, which can then be used to generate client invoices)
• Team & client communication tools (think in-task or in-project comments and mentions as well as in-app messages for casual conversations)

Who is ActiveCollab for?

While Hello Bonsai targets freelancers and solopreneurs, ActiveCollab has been built for projects at agencies and consultancies. It's particularly good for teams and service businesses that need the infrastructure and tools to help them scale their internal processes and operations.

Here are some of the teams and businesses that can really benefit from ActiveCollab's platform:

• Client-facing businesses (marketing & creative agencies, design studios, business consultancies)
• Professional teams looking for comprehensive, all-in-one business management software
• Businesses in need of a joint workspace for their clients and teams
• Service businesses in need of a business management software and project management tool that will help them scale

ActiveCollab's best features

With ActiveCollab, you'll get a load of handy features any service business model will appreciate, but some of its best features include:

• Time tracking & project monitoring - You have a standard stopwatch timer, task time estimates (which you can then compare to actual time logs), timesheets, and billable and non-billable hours for tasks.
• Workload management & capacity planning - Set custom hours for each employee and manage allocation of project tasks to make sure your resource planning is optimal, so you prevent burnout
• Client management & access - Invite clients to collaborate directly on projects and select the level of access they have to view and edit tasks.
• Project budgeting & profitability dashboards – Set project budgets, log time and expenses, and track spend in real-time. View the health and status of each project so you can keep on top of your agency's success metrics instantly with the project overview dashboard.
• Client invoicing & payments – You get access to Integrated invoicing and payments (Stripe & PayPal).

2. Honeybook

Honeybook is another all-in-one tool for client workflow and business management. It's basically designed to help service businesses streamline client onboarding, proposals, invoicing, and client communication.

What makes HoneyBook the best Hello Bonsai alternative

Honeybook and Hello Bonsai have lots in common when it comes to day-to-day client management. They both offer end-to-end tools with strong automation workflows and user-friendly interfaces.

However, where HoneyBook stands out is in creating a seamless and professional client experience from the moment they enquire about your services to the moment their payment lands in your account.

With HoneyBook, you'll get the following:

• Strong custom automations and a branded client journey
• More professional client-facing tools, like interactive proposals and branded documents
• Advanced client communication with messaging, scheduling, contract management, questionnaires, and payments, all connected
• Lead management software and pipeline tracking for businesses that rely on bookings

Who is HoneyBook for?

While Hello Bonsai leans into freelance businesses across industries, HoneyBook is built for service businesses that want to systemize their entire client management lifecycle.

HoneyBook will work great for:

• Creative service providers that operate on a booking system (photographers, event planners, and coaches)
• Boutique studios that need a smooth client onboarding process
• Freelancers who want to professionalize their service offering and client journey
• Service providers looking for proposals, contracts, scheduling, and payment tools in one place

HoneyBook's best features

There are a couple of things HoneyBook does really well. Some of its strongest features include:

• Branding, smart files & interactive proposals – Create branded proposals with the works, including pricing, contracts, timelines, and invoices.
• Automations & lead nurturing – Set up automations for reminders, follow-ups, and onboarding steps so every lead moves nicely through the pipeline with less admin from your end.
• Scheduling and booking tools – Have clients book a time or session using your availability calendar without the need to communicate via email.

Potential downsides of HoneyBook

HoneyBook is one of many Hello Bonsai alternatives on the market that match up fairly well and offer similar capabilities. However, there are a couple of areas where HoneyBook might not be enough for some teams.

Here are some of its main downsides:

• It doesn't offer detailed project management tools or task management
• It lacks resource, workload, and capacity management features
• It's designed for solo operations (primarily), but could work for micro teams of 2-3 people

3. SuiteDash

SuiteDash is another one of our top Hello Bonsai alternatives because it's one of the most comprehensive all-in-one tools for client and business management. It offers a CRM and is heavily focused on providing customization options so you can tailor the client experience any way you want.

What makes SuiteDash the best Hello Bonsai alternative

Even though both tools market themselves as all-in-one solutions, they actually target different needs and business sizes. While Hello Bonsai goes for the solo service provider, SuiteDash's platform offers everything a complex service business could need or want when it comes to managing its clients and workflows.

Here's what you can expect to get with SuiteDash:

• Advanced client portal customization, where each one is tailored to the client’s needs
• More advanced CRM capabilities than Bonsai, with automations as well as pipeline and deal tracking
• Project management, invoicing, messaging, file storage, and client collaboration
• More team management tools for businesses with more than one team member

Who is SuiteDash for?

With a much longer list of features, SuiteDash is built for small to mid-sized service teams that want to streamline and consolidate their workflows and operations in one system.

SuiteDash will be a good choice for:

• Service providers that need structured client portals
• Businesses looking for a tool that will let them customize onboarding workflows and CRM pipelines
• Larger businesses that need to manage large volumes of client files, assets, or deliverables
• Any business that works on repeatable service processes or has standardized onboarding

SuiteDash's best features

When you hop onto SuiteDash's site and click on their "All-in-One" menu dropdown, you're head is bound to start spinning. They offer a huge selection of functionalities, so selecting the top few is a hard gig.

But here are its best features:

• Custom client portals – You get to create dedicated client portals for communication, file sharing, approvals, invoices, and project updates.
• CRM & automations – Manage leads via a CRM pipeline and set up workflow automations and sequences to guide clients throughout their entire journey.
• Learning & content portals – Set up and offer courses, digital content, and client resources directly within the platform.

Potential downsides of SuiteDash

As one of the possible Hello bonsai alternatives, SuiteDash actually offers a lot more in terms of control and features. However, this comes at a price, and that price comes in the form of onboarding and user adoption.

Here are some of the main things you should consider when looking into SuiteDash as a possible client management platform option:

• Steep learning curve when compared to simpler and more user-friendly tools like ActiveCollab or Hello Bonsai
• If you prefer a plug-and-play or out-of-the-box system, you won't get that here
• It's a heavy tool with lots of options you might not need
• It doesn't boast strong, traditional project management tool features

4. Monday

Next on our list of Hello Bonsai alternatives is Monday, the task management tool known for its fancy spreadsheet-like platform that takes things to the next level. It's a visual work management software tool that's been designed to help teams plan, manage, and automate project tasks, while staying aligned.

What makes Moday the best Hello Bonsai alternative?

Monday and Hello Bonsai a different tools in many respects. Hello Bonsia offers simple business admin for freelancers, while Monday provides a set of comprehensive project and work management features so teams can build systems and processes with structure that provides visibility and collaboration across departments.

Here's what you can expect to get with Monday:

• Serious project and workflow management capabilities that you can scale
• Advanced customization of boards to manage tasks, pipelines, clients, and internal operations
• Workflow automation, where you can set rules for how work items move along from start to finish
• Long list of integrations with other tools, including Slack, Gmail, Google Drive, Teams, Zapier, and more

Who is Monday for?

While Hello Bonsai is best suited for solo player teams working with individual clients, Monday is set up to work a mix of business models and sizes, from smaller creative teams to larger companies, businesses, and organizations that need to share their projects and workflows across departments.

Monday is a good fit for:

• Small and large creative studios and product development teams
• Service businesses with multiple client projects that need customizable workflows
• Companies that want a visual project management tool that they can tailor to their operations
• Teams looking for a project management tool with automations or integrations

Monday's best features

Like SuiteDash, Monday also offers a long list of features, but their focus is more on productivity and cross-team collaboration tools rather than client management solutions.

Some of Monday's best features include:

• Visual project boards – Set up your workflows via customizable boards the way you want and switch between views and timelines.
• Automations & customization – The ability to set up triggers, automations, and workflows the way you need and like is one of Monday's greatest selling points.
• Collaboration tools – While there's no in-app chat, you can leave comments on updates, tag people in tasks, and share files all within the platform.

Potential downsides of Monday

Monday offers loads of flexibility and options, but not every business needs this level of customization.

Some of the main cons you might find with Monday include:

• Customized workflows mean you need to have someone managing the admin side of the workspace so it performs properly.
• It's not the most affordable option for growing teams, as pricing increases as you add more users or want access to advanced features
• It doesn't offer invoicing, payments, or financial management tools (unless you turn to third-party integrations)

5. Asana

Asana is a simple project management tool built for teams that want to plan and organize tasks, as well as streamline collaboration and track project progress to the finish line. The nice thing about this task management tool is that it has a clear structure and gives everyone visibility of work items underway.

What makes Asana the best Hello Bonsai alternative

First of all, Asana and Hello Bonsai focus on different core purposes. Hello Bonsai will let yu build proposals, send contracts and invoices and track time, while Asana will give you a project management platform that lets you take care of workflow coordination and team operations.

Here's what you can expect to get with Asana:

• All the project and task management tools you need to run structured workflows
• A bunch of project views, including list, timeline, Kanban, calendar, and workload
• Advanced workflow and automation capabilities so you can map complex processes
• Collaboration and proofing features, including task dependencies and approvals
• The ability to manage internal projects, client projects, and cross-team workflows in one place

Who is Asana for?

We've said it before, Hello Bonsai is best for freelancers working on individual projects, but Asana can work as a freelance business process management software, as well as a larger team solution.

Asana is a solid option for:

• Creative marketing, design, and product teams of all sizes
• Teams looking for a system with task accountability and workflow structure
• Organisations that are highly dependent on cross-functional collaboration across departments
• Businesses looking to systemize and standardize work processes to reduce operational inefficiencies and save time

Asana's best features

Asana will take care of all sorts of team task management, and its feature set caters to teams with simple and complex workflows.

Some Asana's top features include:

• Task dependencies & custom fields – Set up tasks and connect them in the sequence they need to follow, and tailor projects with customer data points for tracking.
• Forms & automations – Standardize your work intake process and then create workflow automation rules to everything flows smoothly to delivery.
• Portfolios & goals – Set up goals or milestones for your team's projects and create portfolios for higher-level project progress tracking.
• Multi-homing – You can add one task to multiple projects without duplicating it, so all necessary stakeholders have visibility.

Potential downsides of Asana

While Asana is a popular tool that gives you more control over your workflows through advanced features (especially when it comes to project management), its biggest downside is that it's not an all-in-one business management tool like Hello Bonsai.

Some of the downsides you might need to consider include:

• There is no built-in invoicing, payments, proposals, or client contracts
• You'll need to turn to integrations if you want time tracking and project budgeting
• For workload and portfolio features, you'll need to get higher-tier plans, which will increase pricing
• For financial, client, and resource management, you'll need to rely on other tools

6. Accelo

Accelo is a powerful tool, but that's because it's not just project management software; it's actually a Professional Services Automation (PSA) platform. Built for service businesses like agencies, consultancies, and IT firms, it gives you advanced project tracking, resource planning, billing automation, and business performance insights.

What makes Accelo the best Hello Bonsai alternative

Accelo and Hello Bonsai are different in the sense that they serve businesses at different stages of maturity. Bonsai is designed for simple and solo end-to-end client management. Accelo is built for well-established businesses that need deep operational control, billing automation, as well as advanced project and resource management.

Here's what you can expect to get out of Accelo:

• Centralize all your project deliverables with client retainers, sales pipelines, scheduling, invoicing, and reporting.
• Several advanced automation options for retainers and invoice generation
• Full visibility of financials, from project estimates to work delivery and final profitability
• Do your resource planning, employee utilization monitoring, and workload management
• Set operational workflows through permissions, billing rules, and service-level automation

Who is Accelo for?

Accelo is a great tool for service for businesses that operate with teams, have recurring work, and complex financial structures.

These are the types of businesses it will work well for:

• Any type of agency, consultancy, or IT services, and engineering firms
• Teams of any size that need resource management, workload, and utilization insights
• Businesses that operate on retainer service models or manage ongoing service contracts
• Finance-conscious teams that need visibility into project viability
• Operations that want to connect and centralize sales, operations, project delivery, and billing

Accelo’s best features

Accelo offers a good deal of advanced team, client, and project operation tools. Some of its best features include:

• Advanced project management – Track milestones, budgets, billable hours, timelines, and profitability at any project phase.
• Resource scheduling and utilization – Forecast workloads, assign tasks based on availability, and keep an eye on team capacity and employee utilization rates.
• Automated billing and retainers – Set up recurring retainers, automate client invoices, set billing rules, and track client payments.
• CRM and sales pipeline – Get leads, manage deals, create client quotes, and turn won deals directly into active projects.

Potential downsides of Accelo

Accelo is super powerful, and it can deliver a lot, but it also comes with some downsides.

The main cons you should keep in mind include:

• A complex interface that might need some time and training for teams to adopt (especially if they are not familiar with PSA software)
• You will need to invest some time in the initial setup and configuration
• Because it's targeting larger teams, the price is also at the higher end
• Might not be a good fit for small teams or early-stage businesses

7. Dubsado

The last in our list is Dubsado. This is a client management/business automation platform that focuses on providing a smooth client journey and a good level of customization options.

What makes Dubsado the best Hello Bonsai alternative

When you compare the two tools, Dubsado and Hello Bonsai overlap in a number of ways. However, Dubsado gives you more flexibility. While Bonsai is simple and easy to use, Dubsado makes sure you can build an entirely personalized client experience.

Here's what you can expect to get with Dubsado:

• More customizable client-facing tools, workflows, and automation sequences t
• Branded, better client onboarding through forms, questionnaires, and proposals
• A slightly more flexible scheduling tool that connects to your workflows
• More control over how clients receive and interact with documents

Who is Dubsado for?

While Bonsai is perfect for freelancers who want simplicity, Dubsado is designed for service providers who need customizable workflows, stronger client journeys, and more advanced automation.

So Dubsado will work well if you are a:

• Creative service business offering photography, design work, or personal coaching
• Boutique studio that operates with a particularly detailed onboarding process
• Business that depends on forms, questionnaires, custom documents, or email sequences
• Freelancer looking for a fully branded client onboarding experience

Dubsado’s best features

Dubsado gives you a bunch of client management and automation tools.

Some of the best ones include:

• Advanced automations – Set up automatic emails, reminders, scheduling, task steps, and multi-stage client processes.
• Dedicated client portal – Give your clients a dedicated hub for messages, documents, contracts, and invoices.
• Combined scheduling & payment – Let your clients book or schedule sessions and pay the moment they do.
• Invoicing & payments plans – Create service packages, send invoices, and set payment plans, all while letting your clients pay online.

Potential downsides of Dubsado

Even though Dubsado gives you lots of workflow customization and automation options, that remains its main focus, which means it lacks robustness in other areas service providers may need in a business management tool.

Some things to keep in mind before you choose Dubsado include:

• The tool is not ready-made, you'll need to dedicate time to initial setup and workflow automaitons
• It doesn't include team-based project management features
• Resource planning, workload management, and team collaboration features are basic

Why growing service businesses choose ActiveCollab

Choosing the right Hello Bonsai alternative in 2026 comes down to knowing your business needs and understanding the types of features that will help it grow. We've got some great tools on this list. Some are made for seasoned freelancers who want to take things up a notch. Others have been built to cater to the needs of small and medium-sized teams who need to organize and run client work efficiently.

But if you're running a service business that’s growing, hiring, and juggling multiple client projects at once, you’ll want (and need) something a bit more tailor-made for an established service business.

You'll need a centralized platform that keeps your operations, team, and clients connected. You'll need time tracking tied to workloads, projects, and profitability because that's the only way you'll know how to allocate your resources and price your next project. When you get a tool that has all these pieces talking to each other, you can officially say you run an efficient (and profitable) service business.

That’s where ActiveCollab comes in. It gives you the connected ecosystem you need that pulls every part of your work into one place. Everything from project planning to team and client communication, to budgeting, invoicing, and real-time profitability tracking is all there. Designed for agencies, studios, and consultancies that need structure without the complexity of heavier PSA tools, it keeps to your pace and helps you scale.

So if you're looking for a Hello Bonsai alternative that actually grows with your business, give ActiveCollab a go. Sign up for our 14-day free trial or book a demo to meet with one of our people so they can show you how the tool will help your service business operations get into tip-top shape!