Lumière Ledger vs Bonsai
These are different jobs. Bonsai is freelance operations: contracts, proposals, and client workflow. Lumière Ledger has a lead pipeline and client list, but its center is the money side: a transaction ledger, mileage, gear depreciation, and tax review. If your gap is paperwork with clients, Bonsai is the closer fit. If your gap is the books, this is.
Lumière Ledger sits between a basic expense tracker and full accounting software. Pick a profile — Photographer, Freelancer, or Small Business — and only the tools for that work stay in front of you. Bank sync is optional. Hand entry works. It is not a replacement for a CPA.
| Lumière Ledger | Bonsai | |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts and proposals | No | Yes |
| Invoicing | Yes | Yes |
| Client list and lead pipeline | Yes | Yes |
| Tax-ready ledger | Yes | Secondary |
| Mileage and gear | Yes | No |
| Profiles | Yes | No |
| Price | Free to start. Bank sync $4.99/mo. Core $9/mo, Studio $19/mo. | Bonsai subscription |
Bonsai wins for contracts, proposals, and client workflow. Lumière Ledger wins if you need cleaner books for taxes, with a simple lead pipeline and client list alongside. Lumière Ledger does not do contracts or proposals.
Built in Las Vegas for a photography business, then opened to other kinds of work. Prices above are Lumière Ledger’s own plans as shown on lumiereledger.com: Free, Sync at $4.99/mo for live bank sync, Core at $9/mo, and Studio at $19/mo. This page does not quote Bonsai’s current price.
Open Lumière Ledger and pick a profile first — Photographer, Freelancer, or Small Business. You only see the tools that fit. No credit card to start.
Start free