The question that matters for a VA isn't which tool has more features, it's how many separate client identities you're running through it. Dubsado has real multi-brand support; Bonsai does not. Here is the full comparison, verified against both vendors.
Last verified: August 28, 2026
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If you're a virtual assistant choosing between Dubsado and Bonsai, the question that actually matters isn't which has more features, it's how many separate client identities you're running through this tool. Dubsado is the only one of the two with a real multi-brand feature, built specifically for VAs who operate under each client's own branding rather than their own. Bonsai has no equivalent: every client lives inside one shared Bonsai identity.
| Attribute | Dubsado | Bonsai |
|---|---|---|
| Plan structure | 2 tiers: Starter, Premier | 4 tiers: Basic, Essentials, Premium, Elite |
| Starting price (relevant tier) | $525/year (Premier); Starter is $335/year but lacks automation and scheduling | $19/user/month (Essentials, billed annually) or $25/month billed monthly |
| Multi-brand / sub-account support | Yes: additional brands $10/month each, separate branding under one subscription Recurring | None: no sub-account or multi-brand feature at any tier |
| Client capacity | Unlimited projects and clients, both plans | Unlimited projects and clients, all tiers |
| Time tracking | Not offered: no built-in time tracker on either plan | Included, unlimited, on every tier including Basic |
| Mobile app | Included, both plans | iOS and Android, all tiers |
| Automation / workflows | Conditional, node-based automated workflows (Premier only) | Basic if/then triggers, fewer options than Dubsado |
| Client portal | Included, both plans | Included from Essentials tier up |
| Setup time | Vendor estimate 1 to 2 weeks; VA-specific reports of 2 to 4 weeks for multi-branch automations | Usable within a day on pre-built templates |
| Free trial | 21 days, full Premier-tier access | 7 days, full unlimited access |
Pricing and feature details verified directly against each vendor's public pricing page on 2026-08-23. Figures match the sibling Bonsai vs Dubsado page, re-confirmed unchanged the same session. Both vendors change plans and pricing periodically. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site before buying.
Multi-brand support is the split that matters most. An independent guide written specifically for VAs on Dubsado put it directly: "Multi-brand is the most VA-specific feature Dubsado offers," letting a VA run each client's outward-facing forms, proposals and invoices under that client's own name for $10/month per additional brand, on one Dubsado subscription. Bonsai has nothing comparable: there's no way to give one client's workspace a different name or logo from another's inside a single account. The same guide is blunt about the limit on Dubsado's side too, though: it "is not designed for managing several unrelated client accounts as an agency dashboard," multi-brand covers branding, not a true multi-tenant agency view. (source)
Setup time scales badly with client count on Dubsado. The same reviewer's estimate, "two to four weeks for a system with multiple branching workflows," is a real cost for a VA planning to replicate a workflow across several clients' brands. Bonsai's simpler if/then automation is less powerful but is usable within a day, which matters more for a VA onboarding a new client every few weeks than it does for a business setting up once and rarely touching the config again.
The realistic price comparison isn't Starter vs Basic. The same VA guide is explicit that "Premier at $525 a year is the working plan for a VA. Starter cannot automate anything," so the honest Dubsado comparison point is Premier ($525/year, roughly $44/month before any multi-brand add-ons), not its cheaper advertised Starter tier. On the Bonsai side, Basic ($15 to $19/user/month) leaves out invoicing, contracts and scheduling, so Essentials ($19 to $25/month) is the realistic floor there too.
Time tracking still favors Bonsai for hourly-billing VAs, the same way it did in our Bonsai vs Dubsado for solo consultants comparison: Dubsado has no built-in time tracker on either plan, so a VA billing hourly across clients would need a separate tool regardless of which CRM they pick.
Part of the best CRM, invoicing & scheduling tools for solo service providers hub. See also Bonsai vs Dubsado for solo consultants, the same two tools compared for hourly-billing consultants rather than multi-client VAs. And Dubsado vs 17hats for solo photographers, more comparisons in the same cluster of tools for solo service providers.