Bonsai vs Tillage for Agencies: Why Teams Need More Than Freelancer Tools

Bonsai is a solid tool. For solo freelancers.

But if you're running an agency—even a small one with 3-5 people—you've probably noticed the cracks. The quoting is manual. The profitability tracking is basic. And when you're juggling multiple team members on a complex project, Bonsai starts to feel like you're wearing shoes that don't quite fit.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: Bonsai wasn't built for you.

It was built for graphic designers working solo. Writers with a handful of clients. Consultants managing their own calendar. And it does that well.

But agencies? Teams? Complex projects with multiple stakeholders, scope creep risks, and thin margins? That's a different game entirely.

Let's break down exactly where Bonsai falls short for agencies—and what to use instead.

The Core Problem: Freelancer Tools Don't Scale

When you're a solo freelancer, your workflow is simple:

1. Client asks for work
2. You send a proposal
3. They sign
4. You do the work
5. You invoice
6. They pay

Easy. Bonsai handles this beautifully.

But agency workflows look more like this:

1. Client requests a complex project (website redesign, brand overhaul, marketing campaign)
2. You need to estimate hours across multiple team members with different rates
3. You need to build in variance buffers because scope always creeps
4. You need to protect your profit margins (not just cover costs)
5. You need a contract that maps deliverables to the quote
6. You need payment schedules (50% deposit, 25% at milestone, 25% on completion)
7. You need invoices that generate automatically from those schedules
8. You need to track whether the project was actually profitable after it's done

Bonsai handles maybe 40% of this. The rest? Spreadsheets. Manual work. Guesswork.

Feature-by-Feature: Bonsai vs Tillage

Let's get specific. Here's how the two platforms compare for agency-critical features:

The pattern is clear: Bonsai gives you the basics. Tillage gives you the intelligence.

Real Scenario: Quoting a $50K Website Redesign

Let's make this concrete. Your agency just got a lead for a $50,000 website redesign. Here's how the quoting process looks in each tool:

In Bonsai:

1. Open a blank proposal
2. Manually type out every line item (discovery, wireframes, design, development, QA, launch support)
3. Guess at hours based on gut feeling
4. Multiply by your hourly rate
5. Hope you didn't forget anything
6. Hope your estimates are right
7. Hope scope doesn't creep
8. Send it and pray

Time spent: 2-4 hours
Confidence level: Medium
Profit protection: None

In Tillage:

1. Click "New Quote"
2. Describe the project: "Website redesign for e-commerce company, 20 pages, custom design, Shopify development"
3. AI generates comprehensive line items with suggested hours and rates
4. Review and adjust as needed
5. Add 15% variance buffer to development (scope always creeps there)
6. Apply your 20% profit margin globally
7. See exactly what you'll earn vs. what you'll charge
8. Send with confidence

Time spent: 15-20 minutes
Confidence level: High
Profit protection: Built-in

The difference isn't just time saved. It's margin protected.

That 15% variance buffer on development? When the client inevitably asks for "just a few more tweaks," you've already accounted for it. Your profit margin stays intact.

With Bonsai, those tweaks eat directly into your profit. Or worse—you end up working for free.

The Profitability Gap

Here's where Bonsai really falls short for agencies: profitability tracking.

Bonsai can tell you:

• How much you invoiced
• How much you got paid
• Basic revenue reports

Bonsai cannot tell you:

• Your actual profit margin per project
• Which services are most profitable
• Whether a specific client is worth keeping
• How much scope creep cost you
• Your effective hourly rate after all the "quick changes"

Tillage tracks all of this automatically.

Why This Matters

Most agencies undercharge by 15-25%. Not because they're bad at business—because they don't have visibility into their actual margins.

You think you're charging $150/hour. But after scope creep, revisions, and that "quick call" that turned into an hour... you're actually earning $95/hour.

Tillage shows you this in real-time. Before you send the quote. Before you sign the contract. Before you do the work.

You can't fix what you can't see.

The Contract Problem

Bonsai has contract templates. They work fine for simple projects.

But for complex agency work, you need contracts that:

• Pull deliverables directly from the quote (no re-typing)
• Include payment schedules tied to milestones
• Generate invoices automatically when milestones are reached
• Collect signatures digitally
• Start the billing process immediately upon execution

Tillage's Contract Wizard does all of this in about 3 minutes:

1. Select a quote to convert
2. Deliverables auto-populate from line items
3. Set your payment schedule (deposit + milestones + final)
4. Add timeline and phases
5. Send for signature
6. Contract signed → deposit invoice generates automatically

No copying. No re-typing. No forgetting to send the deposit invoice.

Switching from Bonsai to Tillage: 3 Steps

If you're convinced Bonsai isn't cutting it, here's how to switch:

Step 1: Export Your Client Data

Bonsai lets you export client information. Download your client list with contact details, project history, and any notes.

Step 2: Import into Tillage

Tillage accepts client imports and can help you set up a custom migration if needed. Most agencies are up and running in under an hour.

What gets imported:

• Client company information
• Contact details (name, email, phone)
• Notes and history
• Active project status

Step 3: Create Your First AI-Powered Quote

Once your clients are in, create your first quote:

1. Select a client
2. Describe the project in plain English
3. Review AI-generated line items
4. Add variance buffers where needed
5. Apply your profit margin
6. Send

That's it. You'll immediately feel the difference.

Need help migrating? Contact us and we'll set up a custom integration for you.

Pricing Comparison

Let's talk money.

Bonsai Pricing:

• Starter: $24/month (limited features)
• Professional: $39/month (most features)
• Business: $79/month (team features)
• 7-day free trial (then you pay)

Tillage Pricing:

• Free Forever: $0/month (unlimited quotes, invoices, clients, contracts)
• Premium: $49/month (AI features, 0% platform fee, team collaboration)

The math is simple:

• Bonsai's team-ready plan: $79/month
• Tillage Premium: $49/month
• You save: $360/year

And Tillage's free plan is genuinely free. Not a trial. Not limited to 5 clients. Unlimited everything, forever.

When Bonsai Makes Sense

To be fair, Bonsai is the right choice for some people:

✓ Solo freelancers with simple projects
✓ Service providers who don't need profitability tracking
✓ Businesses that only need basic proposals and invoicing
✓ Users who prefer an all-in-one tool (accounting, taxes, etc.)

If that's you, Bonsai is fine. Stick with it.

When Tillage Makes Sense

Tillage is the right choice when:

✓ You have a team (even 2-3 people)
✓ You work on complex projects with multiple phases
✓ You need to protect profit margins, not just track revenue
✓ You want AI assistance with quoting (not just templates)
✓ You need contracts that connect to invoices automatically
✓ You're tired of spreadsheets for tracking profitability
✓ You want a free plan that's actually useful

The Bottom Line

Bonsai is a freelancer tool being stretched to fit agency needs. It works, but it's not built for you.

Tillage is built specifically for agencies, consultants, and service businesses that:

• Need to quote complex projects quickly
• Want to protect profit margins automatically
• Require contracts that flow into invoices
• Track real profitability, not just revenue

The question isn't whether you can make Bonsai work for your agency.

The question is: Why are you fighting your tools instead of letting them fight for you?

Ready to Switch?

Try Tillage free. No credit card. No time limit. Import your clients, send your first AI-powered quote, and see the difference.

Start Free Forever →

Or compare Tillage vs Bonsai for a detailed feature breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Tillage different from Bonsai?

Bonsai is designed for solo freelancers with basic proposal and contract features. Tillage is built for growing agencies with AI-powered quote generation, real-time profitability tracking, variance buffers for scope protection, and workflows designed for teams and complex projects.

Can I migrate my data from Bonsai to Tillage?

Yes! You can import your client data and start using Tillage in minutes. Contact us if you need help with a custom migration from Bonsai and we'll set it up for you.

Is Tillage cheaper than Bonsai?

Tillage offers a free forever plan with unlimited quotes and invoices—Bonsai only offers a 7-day trial before requiring payment starting at $24/month. Tillage Premium is $49/month with 0% platform fees on payments. For teams, you save $360/year compared to Bonsai's Business plan.

Does Tillage work for teams?

Yes, and Tillage is actually better suited for teams than Bonsai. While Bonsai is designed for solo freelancers, Tillage is built for agencies with team collaboration, role-based permissions, and workflows that scale with your business.

What if I'm currently using Bonsai?

You can switch anytime. Export your client data from Bonsai, import it into Tillage, and start using agency-grade tools immediately. Most agencies complete the migration in under an hour.

Does Tillage have AI features?

Yes. Tillage uses AI (powered by OpenAI and Claude) to generate comprehensive quotes from plain English descriptions. Describe your project, and AI suggests line items, quantities, and pricing based on your service library and industry standards.