Recorded client sign-off
Timestamped, version-bound approvals through a link — no client account needed.
Comparison · Proofmark vs Bonsai
Proofmark vs Bonsai for Freelance Delivery
Bonsai is genuinely good at what it's built for. This page is an honest look at where Bonsai fits, where Proofmark fits, and when you'd use both.
What Bonsai is actually for
Bonsai is a freelancer admin suite: contract templates, proposals, invoicing, time tracking, expenses, even tax estimates. As back-office software for a freelance business, it covers a lot of ground well. Delivery, though, is outside its center of gravity — Bonsai doesn't lock your final files behind payment, record version-bound approval of the work itself, or hand you a verifiable delivery certificate.
Who this is for
- Freelancers deciding how to deliver final client work
- Current Bonsai users hitting its limits at handover time
- Studios formalizing approval-and-payment gates
- Anyone comparing delivery workflows before committing
How it works
- 1
Create the project handover
Client, scope, and deliverables in one place, with a signed agreement if you want one.
- 2
Send one link
Your client reviews previews and signs off — recorded with a timestamp against the exact version.
- 3
Payment unlocks finals
Payment-gated files stay locked server-side until you confirm payment.
- 4
Keep the proof
Certificate with SHA-256 hashes, a public verification URL, and a full event timeline.
Payment-gated delivery
Final files unlock when payment is confirmed. Enforced at download time.
Proof certificates
Verifiable records of approval, delivery hashes, and payment state per handover.
Revocable access
One click cuts off a handover link and its downloads, instantly.
Proofmark vs Bonsai
Where each tool concentrates its value:
| Bonsai | Proofmark | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Freelance back office: contracts, invoices, taxes | The handover: approval → payment → unlock → proof |
| Contracts | Template library with e-signing | Scope agreements signed and attached to the live project |
| Work approval | Not modeled | Recorded sign-off bound to the delivered version's hash |
| File delivery | Not a delivery tool | Private, gated, hashed, logged |
| Payments | Invoicing with processing | Payment state gates file access; 0% commission, your channel |
| Proof of delivery | None | Certificate + public verification + proof packet export |
Bonsai and Proofmark barely overlap: one runs your paperwork, the other runs your delivery. Plenty of freelancers use Bonsai for admin and Proofmark for the moment the work changes hands.
Frequently asked questions
I already have contracts in Bonsai — do I need Proofmark agreements?
Not necessarily. Keep contracting where you like; Proofmark's agreement step is optional. The unique value is downstream: recorded approval, gated files, and the certificate.
Does Proofmark track time or expenses?
No — and it won't. It's a delivery tool, not an admin suite.
Which should a new freelancer start with?
Depends on your pain. Losing hours to admin → Bonsai. Losing money and nerves at delivery (unpaid finals, disputed approvals) → Proofmark.
Send your first handover link in minutes
Free plan includes one full handover — approval link, payment-gated files, and a proof certificate.
Create your free account