The Bonsai alternative with flat team pricing
Bonsai charges for every seat. Rileno covers your whole team for one price and adds Remi, an AI notetaker that turns client calls into project requirements.
Bonsai details checked on 25 October 2026.
The short version
Bonsai is a capable all-in-one with deep project management, contracts and payments, priced per user. Rileno charges one flat price for unlimited team members, includes a client portal on every plan, and adds an AI notetaker, which Bonsai does not have. As your team grows, the per-seat difference adds up quickly.
Choose Rileno if
- Your team is growing and per-seat pricing is getting expensive
- You want an AI notetaker on your client calls
- You want a client portal on every plan, including free
- You want no processing fees on what clients pay you
Choose Bonsai if
- You need Gantt charts and workload planning across a large team
- You need contracts and online card payments in the same tool today
Rileno vs Bonsai, feature by feature
| Feature | Rileno | Bonsai |
|---|---|---|
| Paid plans from | $15/mo $12/mo billed yearly | $15/user/mo Basic, $9 billed yearly; invoicing starts on Essentials |
| Free plan | Yes Free forever, up to 5 clients | No 7-day free trial |
| Team pricing | $39/mo flat Unlimited team members on Agency Pro | Per user Every seat billed at the plan rate |
| Fees on your client payments | None Clients pay you directly; Rileno never touches the money | 2.9% + 30¢ per card 1% ACH; an extra 1% platform fee via Stripe or PayPal |
| Client portal | Yes On every plan | Yes Essentials and above |
| AI notetaker that joins your calls | Yes Remi, for Zoom, Google Meet and Teams | No |
| Requirements extracted from meetings | Yes | No |
| Projects, milestones and tasks | Yes | Yes Including Gantt and workload views |
| Quotes and invoices | Yes With PDF export | Yes Essentials and above |
| Contracts and e-signature | No | Yes Contracts on Essentials and above |
| Booking links | Yes Synced with Google Calendar | Yes Essentials and above |
| Online card payments | No By design — payments are recorded, not processed | Yes |
Bonsai information is from its public website as of 25 October 2026 and may have changed since. Sources: Bonsai pricing, Bonsai payment fees.
What actually differs
Why agencies switch from Bonsai
One price for the whole team
Bonsai bills per user: five people on Essentials is $125 a month. Rileno’s Agency Pro is $39 a month for unlimited team members.
Remi takes the meeting notes
Bonsai has no meeting notetaker. Remi joins your Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls, writes them up, and files the client’s requirements on the project.
Your clients’ money stays yours
Payments through Bonsai carry card and ACH fees. Rileno does not process payments: clients pay you directly and you record it, with nothing taken off the top.
Rileno vs Bonsai: common questions
Something else on your mind? Ask us directly.
Is Rileno cheaper than Bonsai for a team?
Usually, yes. Bonsai is priced per user, from $15 per user per month on Basic and $25 on Essentials. Rileno Agency Pro is $39 a month in total, for unlimited team members.
Does Bonsai have an AI notetaker?
Not as of our last check. Bonsai’s AI offering connects AI assistants to Bonsai. Rileno includes Remi, which joins your calls and writes up the transcript, summary, decisions and requirements.
Does Rileno have Gantt charts?
No. Rileno tracks projects through requirements, milestones and tasks. If Gantt charts or workload planning are essential, Bonsai covers them.
Does Rileno have a free plan?
Yes. Rileno is free for up to five clients, including the client portal. Bonsai offers a 7-day trial.
More comparisons
Bonsai is a trademark of its respective owner. Rileno is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bonsai.