Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Which CRM is Best for Creative Businesses in 2025?

Want to know the better pick between Hello Bonsai and HoneyBook? No worries, I'll do just that in this article. 

Hello Bonsai and HoneyBook are two popular tools in the project management and customer relationship management (CRM) spaces. Businesses and freelancers use them to execute projects, process payments, and also to onboard and manage clients. 

So which is better for your creative business? Or are there other tools better suited for your creative business? 

Let's find out. 

First, a brief overview... 

Hello Bonsai (or Bonsai) was created in 2016 to help freelancers complete projects, manage clients and receive payment. 

Bonsai hasn't deviated much from its origin as its primary focus remains freelancers and small business owners.

It offers solopreneurs and small business owners what they need to run their businesses smoothly—client onboarding, time tracking, invoicing, payment processing and some automation. 

HoneyBook, on the other hand, was created by former freelancers who envisioned a tool which could handle mundane repetitive tasks so that freelancers can focus on the core aspects of their work.

With HoneyBook, you can send customizable proposals and contracts,  track leads and project tasks and send invoices and receive payments.  

Like Bonsai, HoneyBook focuses on freelancers and small businesses. 

Now, let's look more closely at their features. 

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Project Management and Automation 

You'll be able to track projects and tasks in both Bonsai and HoneyBook. Time tracking, an important aspect of project management, is also possible. 

While Bonsai provides a built-in time tracker on both desktop and mobile devices, HoneyBook offers this only on its mobile app. You'll have to track time manually if you're on a desktop. 

What about automation?

Can you automate tasks, send reminders and emails and quicken workflows with ready-made templates using these tools? 

Yes, Hello Bonsai and HoneyBook allow you to set up these automated functions. 

Integration with other apps is also possible in case you decide to improve the platforms’ functionalities further. 

Bonsai integrates with Calendly, Slack, QuickBooks, payment gateways and Zapier, giving you access to a lot of other tools via API. 

However, HoneyBook takes the cake here with more advanced integrations. 

For example, you can connect HoneyBook with Monday, Asana, ClickUp, Looker Studio, Gmail, Zoom, Calendly, Slack, QuickBooks, even Facebook. 

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Client Management

A project management software is incomplete without client management. This feature makes it possible to onboard, manage and communicate with clients. 

Both Bonsai and HoneyBook have this built in. 

You can create new leads and track them, share files and documents, send invoices and request payment. You can do this right from their dashboard. 

Hello Bonsai and HoneyBook offer client portals through which clients can view documents, communicate directly with service providers (via email or text) and see how their projects are progressing.

Bonsai offers unlimited file storage. This is really important for storing the documents and files which come with executing client projects. 

While you can do the same in HoneyBook, the price tier you subscribe to determines how much room you get to have. 

Client portals can be customized to different degrees (on both platforms) with branding elements to boost customer experience. 

The portal offered by HoneyBook is more sophisticated and robust compared to that of Bonsai. 

You can use it to track leads and manage sales pipelines. Detailed client analytics is also possible. 

You'll find Bonsai's lightweight client portal adequate only if your team is small and just needs to track client and project details and basic insights.

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Messaging and e-Mail Notifications

Centralized communication and automated email notifications are features you can't do without. 

So how do these two platforms handle communication? 

While Bonsai's in-app message feature is very good, email notification is limited. You can improve this by pairing the tool with Zapier. Not everybody will be happy with this workaround though. 

HoneyBook, on the other hand, has a well-built in-app message feature as well as highly customized email notification. 

Emails can be triggered based on specific events.

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Invoicing and Payments

You can send clients invoices automatically on Bonsai and HoneyBook. This eliminates the need to do this manually and guarantees invoices are sent on time. Both platforms also have a recurring payments feature to handle long-term retainer clients. 

Payments can be made on both platforms via credit and debit cards, bank transfers and apps such as Stripe and PayPal. 

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Proposals and Contracts

Proposals and contracts outline expectations on the side of the client as well as yours. This is important in the event of a contract breach or perhaps, legal action. 

Both platforms approach this a bit differently. 

HoneyBook bundles everything (contract, invoice and payment) together as one proposal to send to clients. 

The idea is to reduce unnecessary back-and-forth between both parties and quickly convert prospects so that the project can begin in earnest. 

To make things even easier and faster, HoneyBook provides pre-loaded proposal templates. 

Bonsai, however, separates proposals and contracts into two documents. There are customizable proposal and contract templates available. 

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Ease of Use

What's a tool if it's not easy to use? A tool may have all the bells and whistles but if you can't easily find your way around it, you'll be frustrated and possibly lose interest. 

HoneyBook and Bonsai deliver in this regard with intuitive interfaces which make for easy navigation. 

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Customer Support and Knowledge Base 

Both platforms offer customer support via chat and email. 

Both also provide an online help center filled with useful articles and tutorials to help with troubleshooting and to answer any questions users might have.

The help centers are comprehensive enough and will help you solve most of the issues you'll face. 

However, while HoneyBook also offers phone support, Bonsai does not.

Factor this in if you're always pressed for time. It's worth noting that phone support is available only on HoneyBook’s price plan. 

Speaking of price plans…

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Pricing comparison

Bonsai has four price tiers on offer: Basic, Essentials, Premium, and Elite. The Basic plan is (true to its name) basic. A conspicuously absent feature is the client portal. Although this plan allows for unlimited clients and projects, the best you can do is simple client and business management, 

Get higher plans if you need integration with other apps and a white-label client portal. Higher plans also allow you to hire and manage subcontractors. 

HoneyBook's pricing structure is somewhat similar to Bonsai's. One major difference is that you get to have a client portal in the lowest price tier although it costs a bit more than Bonsai's basic plan. 

Similarly, you'll have to move up the ladder to get integrations, workflow automation and an AI assistant.

Bonsai vs HoneyBook: Verdict

Bonsai is designed to be an all-in-one tool to help service-based businesses manage projects and clients in a centralized space. 

It's user-friendly and has decent time and task management features, but it lacks the depth of features of a dedicated project management tool. Its client management, analytics and automation capabilities are pretty basic. 

That's why it's better suited for freelancers and small businesses with very simple project management needs. 

HoneyBook is a more advanced tool. It offers what you'll need to convert and retain leads.

It's powerful enough to automate workflows which saves you time and effort. 

However, HoneyBook falls short in some very important areas. For example, it lacks customization options for branding and workflows. 

Also, you'll have to go hunting for third-party integrations to bring HoneyBook's expense and account tracking capabilities up to speed. 

So if you own a sizable business (especially in the creative space) handling multiple clients and projects, you'll find yourself wanting a more robust all-weather project management tool—an all-rounder. 

If this is your situation, what are your options? 

Look for a tool with the following features…

Features Creative Teams Should Look for in a Project Management Software

At Creative businesses, there are a lot of moving pieces. Creative teams juggle multiple clients and projects working hard to beat tight deadlines. 

The project management tool you settle for must have certain features and meet certain criteria. 

It should at the barest minimum, automate workflows to help your team work faster and stay organized and efficient. 

It should also improve client communication among team members and with clients, and simplify payments. 

And…

These processes should happen in one place and not in separate tools. 

The truth is not every client portal software is designed to handle creative workflows.

Therefore, if you run a design, branding or marketing business, here are the most important features to look for in a project management solution... 

Can It Handle Creative Workflows? 

A general project management tool might perform certain aspects of project and task management (eg. task tracking) quite well, but creative businesses need more much.. 

Therefore look for software which supports...

Design approvals

A system which makes it possible for clients to review and approve designs directly within the platform. Not one which is overly reliant on long email threads.

Client feedback tools

Features that allow clients to leave comments on designs making revisions faster and clearer.

Brand asset storage

A place where client design files and documents can be stored so your team and clients can easily access them anytime.

Not all project management tools can meet these unique creative needs.

ManyRequests, however, does. It was built specifically for agencies that work with design files, creative feedback and branding assets.

Better Customization for Branding

Your agency’s brand should stand out, even in the software you use. Many client portal software have rigid layouts and limited branding options.

The right software should allow you to:

• Add your logo and brand colors to the client portal.
• Customize client invoices and contracts to match your branding.
• Set up a white-label experience, so clients get to see your agency—not the software provider.

With a platform such as ManyRequests, you have full control over your branding. This ensures a professional and consistent client experience.

Streamlined Invoicing and Payment Processing

Handling payments manually or using separate invoicing software creates extra work. A great project management tool should include:

• Automated invoices that generate based on project milestones or recurring services.
• One-click payment tracking so you know who has paid and who hasn’t.

Instead of switching between multiple platforms for project management and invoicing, you're better off with an all-in-one system which provides everything you need in one place.

For example, ManyRequests combines both. This makes it much easier to get paid on time.

Better Client Portal Experience

Your client portal shouldn't just be visually appealing, it should also be easy to use. If clients find it confusing or outdated, it reflects poorly on your business.

There the software you choose should provide:

• A clean, user-friendly dashboard where clients can track projects, submit requests and communicate with your team.
• File sharing and storage for easy access to past projects.
• Messaging and notifications so clients stay updated without needing constant emails.

ManyRequests is designed with both creative businesses and their clients in mind. This makes for a smooth and professional experience that builds trust.

Seamless Integration with Creative Tools

Creative teams work with design software, marketing tools and cloud storage daily.

Choose a project management platform which connects with...

• Design tools such as Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud to speed up design approvals.
• File storage platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox to keep everything organized.
• CRM and automation tools to streamline lead tracking and client communication.

ManyRequests supports these integrations. This makes creative workflows smoother and reduces the need for manual work.

If this sounds good to you, get a 14-day free trial here and enjoy all of its features at zero costs to you. 

You also get to see if it's a good fit for your creative business. 

All right, let's wrap it up. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best use cases for Bonsai and HoneyBook?

Bonsai and HoneyBook are general project management platforms targeting freelancers and small business owners with simple project management needs.

Are Bonsai and HoneyBook suitable for creative businesses? 

Bonsai and HoneyBook lack certain features needed to streamline creative workflows such as design approvals, client feedback and integration with creative tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma. A platform made specifically for creative businesses such as ManyRequests is a better fit since it has all these features. 

Conclusion

First, thank you for reading to the end. It means a lot. 

So we started out looking at the features, strengths and weaknesses of Hello Bonsai and HoneyBook. 

As you've seen, Bonsai and HoneyBook are very good products with compelling features. 

But they're general project management tools built for general business needs, not creative teams. They cater more to freelancers and small businesses with basic needs. 

They lack unique features which creative businesses can't do without. 

So if you need a platform that handles client requests, design approvals, branding, invoicing and payments all in one place, ManyRequests is a strong option.

It’s designed to help creative teams work faster, collaborate better and impress clients—all without switching between multiple tools.

Many creative teams are already using it. Check out their stories here. And if you'd like to join the party, click here.

Yes, take ManyRequests for a spin. It's all yours for 14 full days, at least. 

Okay that'd be it. Thank you once again. See you on the next one. Bye. 

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