Bonsai vs Gusto for therapists

Auto-generated from listing data

At a glance

The differences that matter

Side-by-side facts. Rows where the two tools differ meaningfully are highlighted.

Feature	Bonsai	Gusto
Pricing from	Not listed	$49 / mo
Pricing modelSame	paid	paid
HIPAASame	Not listed	Not listed
Free trialSame	Yes	Yes
Target users	Solo private-pay therapists Freelance/independent practitioners Solopreneurs wanting all-in-one admin	Group practices with employees Practices paying 1099 associates Solo therapists making their first hire
Key features	Invoicing and payments Expense tracking Contracts and proposals Accounting and tax tools	Automated payroll runs Federal/state/local tax filing Direct deposit Benefits administration
Integrations	Stripe PayPal Calendars Accounting exports	FreshBooks Xero QuickBooks Heard Many accounting tools

Bonsai

Pricing from: Not listed
Pricing model: paid
HIPAA: Not listed
Free trial: Yes
Target users: Solo private-pay therapists
Freelance/independent practitioners
Solopreneurs wanting all-in-one admin
Key features: Invoicing and payments
Expense tracking
Contracts and proposals
Accounting and tax tools
Integrations: Stripe
PayPal
Calendars
Accounting exports

Gusto

Pricing from: $49 / mo
Pricing model: paid
HIPAA: Not listed
Free trial: Yes
Target users: Group practices with employees
Practices paying 1099 associates
Solo therapists making their first hire
Key features: Automated payroll runs
Federal/state/local tax filing
Direct deposit
Benefits administration
Integrations: FreshBooks
Xero
QuickBooks
Heard
Many accounting tools

Pricing

What you actually pay

Starting prices and what they include. The cheaper tool is not always the better value.

Bonsai

paid

Vendor does not publish a starting price.

Free trial

Contact the vendor for a quote. Hidden pricing is a yellow flag for smaller practices.

Gusto

paid

$49/month

Free trial

Honest assessment

Where each tool wins and loses

Based on hands-on testing. Both tools have real weaknesses worth knowing before you commit.

Bonsai

What works well

Centralizes admin and finances
Contracts plus invoicing
Optional banking
Simple for solos

Where it falls short

Not therapy-specific
Not a PHI/clinical tool
Less deep than dedicated accounting suites
Best for solos

Gusto

What works well

Easy, reliable payroll and tax filing
Handles W-2 and 1099
Benefits and HR add-ons
Integrates with major accounting tools

Where it falls short

Monthly base fee plus per-person cost
Not therapy-specific
Overkill for a solo with no employees
Benefits features vary by state

Take it for a spin

Try them

Both tools offer free trials. The fastest way to confirm a fit is to run one real session through each.

All-in-one business management for solo practitioners and freelancers.

Try Bonsai

Free trial

Visit Bonsai

Payroll, benefits, and contractor payments for group therapy practices.

Try Gusto

From $49/moFree trial

Visit Gusto

About this comparison

This comparison is auto-generated from verified vendor data. We compile pricing, features, and integrations from each vendor's own documentation. For editorial comparisons with hands-on testing, see our editorially reviewed comparisons.

Auto-generated

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