Bonding device for producing bonding connections, in particular wire bonding connections, tape bonding connections and ball bonding connections, on carriers fixed outside the bonding device and having contact surfaces for the bonding connections, in different spatial directions with respect to the respective carrier, the bonding device comprising a base body, a bonding tool which is movable relative to the base body for applying a bonding force to a bonding means placed on the contact surface of the carrier to produce a material bond between the bonding means and the contact surface as a bonding connection, and bonding force generating means for generating a bonding force directed towards the contact surface when the bonding tool is placed on the carrier, wherein the bonding force generating means comprise a bonding force setting device for realizing a predetermined effective bonding force independently of its spatial direction of action.