According to a 2023 survey by Statista, 75% of web and cloud-based businesses use white labelling software. The demand for these solutions is still growing, too. It is estimated that the white label market is expected to grow by 12.3% annually in the five years from 2021.
With the use of white labelling becoming the norm, it’s essential for agencies to choose the most suitable tools for them.
In its simplest form, white labelling replaces the name of the software provider with that of the user. A good example would be when an agency uses software for its Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
The agency would subscribe to a CRM package from a software provider, such as Bonsai. Bonsai provides all the back-office software to manage the agency’s CRM needs. They send the emails, create invoices, and communicate with clients.
However, rather than the customer seeing Bonsai’s name on the communication, they see their own agency’s name.
White label tools make it look as if the software is agency’s own, rather than a third-party provider’s.
In the competitive world of digital businesses, maintaining and amplifying your brand's persona is fundamental. Bonsai, a comprehensive business suite, understands that every interaction you have with your clients is an opportunity to reinforce your brand identity. That's why Bonsai's powerful features provide customizable solutions that keep your brand front and center. From tailored invoices, bespoke contracts and proposals to branded client portal, your agency's brand integrity remains consistent and professional with every client communication.
Here are key Bonsai features for custom branding:
By following these steps, you can efficiently sign up for Bonsai, navigate its platform, and create a customized proposal that reflects your brand and meets your business needs. This guide is designed to make the process as straightforward as possible, ensuring that you can focus on what's most important: impressing your clients and growing your business.
Sign up for Bonsai using this link and complete the registration process. You can also create a free account by signing up with Google. You will be asked to provide some basic information about yourself and your agency.
If you have an existing account, you can simply log in to your account then proceed to the next step.
Head to your Settings and click on Branding. You'll be able to add your company logo, font, brand color, choose a header image from the list or import your own. By selecting 'Hide Bonsai branding and show mine', in the White Label Settings, all your documents will be automatically customized with your branding.
If you added your branding in your brand settings, you will automatically see your logo, brand font and color in the new documents you create.
You will also have more customization options, for example, when selecting a Proposal template, you'll see the proposal's Style settings on the right side:
Add your logo and any header images or graphics to personalize the proposal. Customize the header style, title color, text color, and background color to align with your brand identity. For more detailed branding, you can add colors that matches your brand or use a hex code from your branding style guide. Choose a font from the available options to match your brand’s typography.
White label software enables agencies to customize the software they use with their brand name. This brings a vast range of benefits for agencies, including increased brand awareness, free marketing, and saving time.
Here are some of the key benefits agencies can enjoy by using white label software:
Bonsai offer free 24/7 support to all customers, with the option to use a chat facility staffed by live agents at all times (Support (hellobonsai.com))
As an ever-growing industry, there are dozens of white label software solutions available to agencies. Choosing the right one is critical to getting the best value and performance for your organization.
Since white labelling displays the agency’s brand on the software rather than the developer’s, opting for quality software is essential. If the software is poor, bug-ridden, or difficult for clients to use, this will reflect badly on the agency. They won’t know that the software was designed by a separate entity.
An agency’s website, marketing, or payment system is often one of the customer’s first interactions with the agency. If these are of low quality, the client is likely to be wary of using the agency’s services.
Therefore, when selecting a white label software, agencies should take the time to test it and verify its usability from a customer perspective. For example, Bonsai offer all new customers a seven-day free trial, giving agencies the opportunity to see if the software is right for them before committing.
Furthermore, it’s important to consider the value of the white label software. Some providers offer better value than others. Agencies should consider the overall value of what is offered. For instance, Bonsai provides several additional services with their packages, including invoicing and payment software.
Agencies should also consider the length of contract and what, if any, fees apply to terminate it. Flexibility is vital for agencies, so choosing a white label software which can be amended is important. Bonsai offer the flexibility to change or cancel a subscription at any time without fees.
Another aspect to consider when choosing a white label software provider is the level of support they provide. Staff training, onboarding, and customer support are crucial elements of any software. Some providers offer a far more inclusive package than others. Bonsai have a dedicated and easy-to-use online support centre, in addition to their round-the-clock customer service team.
All these aspects should be considered before choosing a white label software to ensure that your agency is getting the product that will benefit it the most.
With so many factors for agencies to take into account when choosing a white labelling software, it can be difficult to know where to start.
To make it easier, we’ve have compiled a list of the top 10 providers available to agencies in 2024.
Bonsai is a business relationship management company that offers a range of services to agencies. White label tools provided by Bonsai come as part of a package with numerous features.
Bonsai’s package offers the ability to remove their branding from an agency’s client portal. As such, agencies can benefit from a fully branded portal to increase their brand awareness, whilst using Bonsai’s industry-leading software.
One of the main factors which sets Bonsai apart from its competitors is that it offers an all-in-one portal. With just one software package, agencies can manage their invoicing, billing, payments, and time tracking in one place.
Bonsai’s financial management services enable fully automated invoicing. Agencies can use existing templates for their invoices which are created and issued automatically. The templates cover a wide range of industries and services, meaning agencies don’t need to create their own. With Bonsai’s white labelling software, when the customer receives the invoice, it appears as if it has been created by the agency, complete with their branding.
In addition to initial invoicing, Bonsai’s software can send automatic reminders, and also add late-payment fees should the agency wish to charge them.
When a customer pays their invoice, they’re directed to Bonsai’s payment system. Like the invoice, this is fully branded with the agency’s image. Payments are handled by Bonsai’s secure payment portal, which allows payment by credit card, PayPal, or ACH payments.
For longer term projects, recurring payments can be easily set up. Agencies can also sell package products with Bonsai’s software, with the option to create tailor-made packages or use a premade template.
Another of the benefits for agencies who choose Bonsai’s white label tools is Bonsai’s time tracking facility. This feature allows for a streamlined project management process. As a result, agencies can easily keep track of the time their staff spend on each project.
Bonsai’s white label software includes a time tracking facility which provides instant, up-to-date reports and integrates with their billing system (Business time tracking software - Bonsai (hellobonsai.com)).
Staff can track and manage their own time too, improving productivity and reducing hours lost. Agencies can instantly access reports which provide an accurate breakdown of where their time is being spent.
Bonsai’s time tracker is fully integrated with their billing system. This makes it simple to create accurate bills, ensuring no time goes unaccounted for. By reducing the time lost to manual tracking and the risk of time being missed off bills, agencies can streamline the process and increase profits.
Bonsai’s billing software is fully automated, integrates with their time tracking facility and is branded for agencies.
This billing software can be integrated with accounting software, including QuickBooks. This further reduces time spent and reduces the risk of bills being missed, or time going unaccounted for.
Offering a one-stop solution for agencies billing needs means using Bonsai removes the need for several subscriptions. For just one monthly payment, agencies get a branded billing, invoicing, payment, and time tracking system.
Bonsai offer a clear and simple pricing structure.
For a set monthly cost, agencies have access to white label tools along with Bonsai’s billing software. This includes the creation and distribution of invoices, payment facilities, and time management software.
Starting from just $32 per month, Bonsai’s prices are amongst the most competitive around. When considering what’s included in the cost, Bonsai’s white label client portal offers great value for agencies.
There are no hidden fees either and getting started is completely free with their seven-day free trial. Subscriptions can be changed or cancelled at any time with no termination or change fees. By signing up to Bonsai, agencies don’t risk being tied into an unwanted, lengthy contract.
Vendasta is a Canadian tech company that offer AI-powered tools for agencies.
Vendasta’s white label services offers a brandable client portal, known as a Business App. This allows agencies access to a fully customized e-commerce platform. Here are some of the key features:
However, Vendasta’s white label package comes with some limitations. Only five team member seats are included, with hefty per-person costs to add extra members of staff. The number of marketing emails is also capped every month. Furthermore, there’s no option for invoiced billing, and only snapshot reports are included without an additional fee. Agencies don’t have access to priority customer support, and onboarding is charged in addition to the monthly fee.
Vendasta’s white label packages start from $499 per month, billed annually at a cost of $5,988.
Zoho offer white label app development for agencies.
Specializing in app development, Zoho offer business apps which improve brand visibility. Here are some of the benefits of white labelled apps:
However, Zoho Creator is limited by the fact they only produce apps, which reduces the scope of use for agencies. Custom domains come at an additional cost.
Zoho also charge extra to rebrand existing apps, meaning agencies would have to pay more to keep their tried and tested software.
In contrast, other solutions like Bonsai offer a full custom portal with their white label tools.
Zoho’s packages start from $8.14 per month.
Productive offer business management solutions specifically designed for agencies.
The main benefit for agencies using Productive is that their client portals are simple to use. An unlimited number of clients can be added easily and agencies can control what customers can see.
However, whilst white label tools are available, they’re only accessible to agencies who select a bespoke package.
Productive’s Ultimate package includes white label tools. The prices for this package are not made public.
Other options have clearer pricing structures and there are never any hidden fees. With full transparency, it is easy for agencies to budget and forecast.
HoneyBook provide customized domains. Their client portals offer a space for customers to view details of their project and the associated files.
HoneyBook allows agencies to create a branded HoneyBook domain or link their existing domain.
However, HoneyBook’s back-office software is fiddly and far from user-friendly. The process to add branding to your domain is a long-drawn-out one. When using a Honeybook domain, their name is still included in the URL even after white labelling is applied. If using an existing portal, a subdomain needs to be created before white labelling is applied.
Prices start from $16 per month.
Client Portal offers agencies a branded client portal. Their portals are fully customized and are designed for agencies across a wide range of fields.
They offer agencies a client portal with:
Client Portal doesn’t include billing, payment, or time tracking facilities. This means agencies who choose them for their white label tools will need separate subscriptions for these services.
Client Portal price their packages by site, with options for single-site or multi-site licenses. Their more useful multi-site package costs $399 per year.
Agencies should consider that, in addition to this cost, they will have to pay for their other services separately.
Plutio offer full CRM services. Their white label tools offer agencies the chance to remove Plutio branding from their client portals.
One of the main benefits of Plutio’s software is that it is fully customizable. They offer a wide range of services in one place:
However, agencies should note that white label tools come as an add-on to all but the most expensive package. In addition, Plutio domains include the .plutio suffix.
For a package which includes white label tools, time tracking, billing, invoicing, and payments, the cost is $99 per month.
Note that agencies that choose Bonsai for their client portals will pay only a third of this cost and benefit from even more inclusions.
Copilot offer an e-commerce facility with a customizable client portal.
Copilot comes with many features which may be useful for agencies. These include:
However, it should be noted that Copilot doesn’t provide a full CRM service. Copilot branding is only removable with the most expensive, premium package.
For a package which includes white label tools, agencies will need to pay $119 per month. This cost only includes one user, and the number of clients and storage space is limited.
Agencies who select Bonsai for their white label software, for example, benefit from unlimited users and clients. Bonsai also provides fully automated billing and invoicing, which Copilot users aren't offered.
Recently rebranded from Nimbus, Fusebase provide uncoded mini websites to enable white labelled interaction with clients.
Fusebase offers branded client portals which provide a space for:
It should be noted that, unlike Bonsai, Fusebase doesn’t offer invoicing, billing, or payment solutions.
Fusebase is priced by user. White label tools are only available with the most expensive package. This costs $30 per month, per user.
Agencies who select Fusebase would receive better value with a service like Bonsai. For $2 per month extra, agencies supported by Bonsai can add unlimited users.
Clinked offer a branded client portal with options for agencies to select how much branding they wish to add.
Clinked is unique as it offers the opportunity to choose between two levels of customization.
Clinked doesn’t offer a facility for invoicing or handling payments. Therefore, agencies should consider whether they would benefit from Bonsai’s white label software which includes this service. Bonsai clients benefit from access to a secure, fully branded payment portal.
Clinked have four packages available, all include white label tools. The cheapest option, with very limited users and storage, is $100 per month.
Having reviewed the top 10 white label client portals available to agencies, it’s clear that some offer much more than others.
However, only Bonsai offers a complete client portal with full white label tools. This package also includes invoicing and payment services. Additionally, Bonsai clients can benefit from time tracking software. All these features integrate to create an automated client portal, reducing wasted time and lost money.
Combined, Bonsai’s services offer agencies an all-in-one client portal, removing the need for separate subscriptions.
By choosing Bonsai for their white label tools, agencies will be able to give clients a hassle-free experience. This presents a strong and professional brand image, leading to increased client satisfaction.
With clear and concise pricing, no hidden fees and a seven-day free trial, Bonsai offers the top white label software for agencies in 2024.