Assembly vs Bonsai: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Assembly and Bonsai to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Assembly
6.3/10
Assembly, formerly Copilot, is a branded client portal for service businesses. It combines messaging, a lightweight CRM, billing, files, tasks and an AI app builder.
Bonsai
5.2/10
All-in-one client work platform for agencies, consultancies and freelancers that combines projects, time tracking, CRM, proposals, contracts and invoicing.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.3/10 | 5.2/10 |
| Customization | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | $49/mo Starter | $15/user/mo Basic |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | $150/mo Basic |
| Features | ||
| Team messaging | Not listed | |
| File sharing | Not listed | |
| Client collaboration | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Task lists | ||
| Gantt charts | ||
| Task management | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Workflow automation | Not listed | |
| Collaboration tools | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Reporting | Not listed | |
Assembly vs Bonsai cost by team size
Assembly costs less at 1 user.
| Team size | Assembly | Bonsai |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree | $15/moBasic |
| 5 users | Contact for pricing | $75/moBasic |
| 10 users | Contact for pricing | $150/moBasic |
| 25 users | Contact for pricing | $375/moBasic |
| 50 users | Contact for pricing | $750/moBasic |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Assembly
- Has a free plan (Bonsai does not)
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Security score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for accountants and bookkeepers (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (5/10 vs 2/10)
Why choose Bonsai
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Cost score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Includes Gantt charts, which Assembly lacks
- Includes Time tracking, which Assembly lacks
Pros & Cons
Assembly
Pros
- Reviewers say a non-technical team can launch a polished, branded client portal quickly.
- Messaging, a CRM, invoicing, contracts, forms and files share one client login.
- A free plan and no-contract self-serve billing make it easy to test.
- SOC 2 Type II, AES-256 encryption at rest and a HIPAA BAA on Advanced suit regulated firms.
Cons
- Project management is basic, with no Gantt charts or dependencies.
- There is no native time tracking or scheduling.
- Automations lack conditional branching, and there is no native mobile app.
- Reviewers report a high cost and friction with international invoicing.
Bonsai
Pros
- One tool covers the whole client cycle, from proposal and contract through time tracking to invoice, so small firms need fewer separate tools.
- Annual billing cuts per-user prices sharply, for example from $15 to $9 on Basic.
- Reviewers say the proposal, contract and invoice templates look professional without customization.
- The client portal and client messaging let external clients see tasks and documents.
Cons
- Reviewers say its task and project management features are thin compared with dedicated PM tools.
- Integrations are limited to a few apps and are only available from the Premium tier.
- Users report payment holds and slow or inconsistent support responses.
- Per-seat pricing gets expensive as teams grow, and Elite requires at least 3 users.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Assembly scores higher on our CRM criteria: 6.3/10 against 5.2/10 for Bonsai. The largest gap is in Security: 8/10 for Assembly and 5/10 for Bonsai.
Assembly has a free plan; Bonsai does not list one.
Assembly is the better fit for accountants and bookkeepers: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 4/10 for Bonsai.
Bonsai has Gantt charts and Time tracking, which Assembly lacks.
