A simpler Bonsai alternative for freelancers
Bonsai has grown into a full business management platform. It handles clients, projects, tasks, time tracking, invoicing, expenses and more, and it now serves teams as well as solo freelancers. That’s great if you want everything in one place. It’s a lot of software if you came for a way to send quotes, get them signed and get paid.
CloveDesk is the lighter alternative. It’s a client portal for freelancers built around the part clients actually see: the quote, the signature, the files and the invoice.
Why freelancers look for a Bonsai alternative
Bonsai does a lot well. The reasons people look elsewhere tend to be these:
- You only use a slice of it. If you never touch Gantt charts, resource planning or task boards, you’re navigating a lot of menus to reach the three things you use.
- It’s grown beyond solo work. Bonsai now speaks to agencies, firms and teams. A solo freelancer may prefer a tool that stays focused on one person running their own clients.
- The cost is tied to everything, not to what you use. With CloveDesk, pricing is flat and simple, with no per-transaction fees.
- Your clients just want to look and sign. A simple link beats asking them to find their way around another system.
If that sounds like you, a smaller tool may be a better fit.
What CloveDesk does differently
The short version is below. The features page has the full list, and the how it works walkthrough shows every step with screenshots.
Built around the client, not the project plan
Every client gets a private workspace holding their projects, quotes, invoices, documents, files and expenses. Each project moves through its own stages, so you can see what’s in progress and what’s waiting on the client without managing a task board.
Clients need no account and no password
Your client gets a link by email and opens their portal straight away. They can approve a quote, ask for changes or decline it, sign documents, download files and comment on them. There’s nothing to register and no password to forget, which means fewer “I couldn’t get in” emails.
Quotes and contracts that get signed
Build a quote with line items, notes, terms and an expiry date, in many currencies, or upload your own PDF. Clients sign by drawing or typing on any device. You get a signed PDF with a certificate page and an audit trail, and both of you receive a copy. Every version of a quote is kept in its revision history.
Send any document to anyone
Universal E-Sign lets you send any PDF to any person through a private link, with an address book of your contacts. Handy for NDAs, agreements and approvals, including for people who aren’t ongoing clients.
Invoices with a Pay button, with the money going straight to you
Turn an approved quote into an invoice in one step. Add your payment links from PayPal, Stripe, Wise and similar, and your client sees a Pay button on the invoice, in the email and on the PDF. CloveDesk never holds the money. Overdue invoices are flagged automatically, and you can send reminders yourself or let them go out on a schedule.
See what your client has looked at
You can see when a quote, invoice or document was opened and when your client last visited the portal. A dashboard shows everything waiting on a client, with one-click reminders.
Share files on purpose
Upload files of many types to a workspace or project and choose which ones your client can see. Unfinished work stays private. Comment threads sit on each file, versions are kept, and you can email the client when something new is ready.
Expenses and profit per client
Log costs per client or project, in many currencies, and see revenue and costs on your dashboard and for each workspace. The guide to freelance expense and profit tracking shows how to use this to work out which clients really pay off.
Branded as you
Your business details appear on quotes, invoices, emails and the portal. Add your logo and brand colors so what your client receives looks like it came from your business.
CloveDesk vs Bonsai at a glance
| CloveDesk | Bonsai | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Freelancers who want a simple client portal | Service businesses, from freelancers to teams, managing clients, projects and finances together |
| Quotes, contracts, invoices | Yes | Yes |
| E-signatures with audit trail | Yes | Yes |
| Client login needed | No, clients use an emailed link | Clients use a client portal |
| Expense tracking | Yes, per client and project | Yes |
| Time tracking and timesheets | No | Yes |
| Task management and Gantt charts | No, projects move through stages | Yes |
| CRM, forms and scheduling | No | Yes |
| Accounting integrations | No | Yes |
| Receiving payments | Your own payment links, money goes to you directly | Built-in payments |
| Team roles | No, one person per account | Yes |
| Setup effort | Light, send your first quote the same day | Heavier, more modules to configure |
Where Bonsai is the better choice
We’d rather you choose the right tool than the wrong one. Bonsai is stronger if:
- You bill by the hour. Time tracking and timesheets are built in. CloveDesk doesn’t track time.
- You manage detailed projects. Tasks, Gantt charts and resource planning are Bonsai territory.
- You want a CRM, forms and scheduling in the same tool. CloveDesk starts once a client has said yes.
- You connect your accounting software. Bonsai integrates with accounting tools. CloveDesk doesn’t.
- You work with a team. Bonsai supports roles and multiple users. CloveDesk is one person per account.
If that describes your work, Bonsai is a solid home. If it doesn’t, you’re probably carrying features you’ll never open.
Who CloveDesk suits best
CloveDesk is a good fit if you:
- work solo and charge by the project rather than by the hour
- find clients by referral, social media or email, and don’t need a sales pipeline
- want quotes, contracts, files and invoices to look professional without a long setup
- have clients who don’t want another account
- prefer a calm, uncluttered tool that does a few things properly
Designers, photographers, developers, copywriters and consultants use it this way. If you’re comparing several tools, the HoneyBook alternative and Dubsado alternative pages cover those comparisons too.
Switching from Bonsai
You don’t have to move everything at once. A sensible order:
- Let active projects finish where they are. No need to disrupt a client mid-project.
- Start new clients in CloveDesk. Create a workspace, add a project and send the first quote.
- Bring returning clients over as they come back. Set them up when they have something new.
- Export what you want to keep. Download signed agreements and invoices from Bonsai before you close the account.
- Set your payment links, terms and branding once. After that, every quote and invoice reuses them.
Most freelancers can send their first quote the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Is CloveDesk a full Bonsai replacement?
For quotes, contracts, signatures, files, invoices and expenses, yes. For time tracking, task management, CRM and accounting integrations, no. If you rely on those, CloveDesk works better alongside your other tools than instead of Bonsai.
Does CloveDesk track time?
No. CloveDesk is built for project-based work, where you quote a price and invoice it. If you bill hourly, you’ll want a time tracker alongside it, or Bonsai may suit you better.
Do my clients need an account?
No. They open a link from their email. No password, no sign-up.
Can my clients pay through CloveDesk?
Clients pay through the payment links you add, such as PayPal, Stripe or Wise. They see a Pay button on the invoice, in the email and on the PDF. The money goes directly to you, and CloveDesk never handles it.
Are the signatures legally valid?
Signed documents come with a certificate page and an audit trail. E-signature rules vary by country and document type, so check what applies where you work.
Can I use my own contract and invoice PDFs?
Yes. You can upload your own quote or invoice PDF and still send it through the portal.
Can I try it before paying?
Yes, you can start free and test it with a real client.
Ready for a client portal without the project software?
Create a workspace, send a quote, and see how it feels for you and your client. Still comparing? The other alternatives pages are linked in the footer.