Short answer: the best proposal tool is the one that matches how you sell. Sales teams that live in a CRM usually do best with PandaDoc or Proposify. If you want interactive, web-page proposals, look at Qwilr or Better Proposals. Freelancers and small agencies often get everything they need from Nusii, Bidsketch or HoneyBook. If your budget is zero, PandaDoc’s free plan, Canva Free or Google Docs will get a proposal out the door, but you give up tracking and automation. Most paid tools offer a free trial of 14 to 30 days, so test two or three on a real deal before you commit.
We first published this list in 2019. Since then the market has changed a lot. Quote Roller is gone (its old domain now redirects to PandaDoc), e-signatures and payments have become standard, and “interactive proposals” that open as a web page have largely replaced static PDFs. This guide was fully rewritten in October 2026. Every fact in the comparison table was checked on the vendor’s own website on 12 October 2026.
What is proposal software?
Proposal software (also called a proposal tool or online proposal builder) helps you create, send, track and close sales proposals from one place. Instead of writing a document in a word processor, exporting a PDF and attaching it to an email, you build the proposal from reusable templates and content blocks. You then send it as a link and see when the client opens it. The client can sign, and often pay, without printing anything.
The main gains are speed (less copy-and-paste), consistency (every proposal uses current pricing and branding), visibility (you know whether the client actually read the pricing page), and a shorter path from “yes” to signed contract.
What to look for in proposal software
Almost every product on the market now claims templates and e-signatures, so compare on the details that actually change your workflow:
- Templates and a content library. Can you save case studies, team bios, terms and pricing blocks once and drop them into any proposal? This is where most of the time savings come from.
- Legally binding e-signatures. Check whether signatures are included on the entry plan or only on higher tiers, and whether you can collect more than one signature.
- Interactive pricing. Pricing tables or quote blocks where the client can tick optional extras or change quantities. This makes upselling easy and cuts down on revision rounds.
- Tracking and analytics. Open notifications, time spent per section and reminders. Knowing that a prospect read the pricing three times yesterday tells you when to call.
- Payments. Can the client pay a deposit straight from the proposal (for example through Stripe or PayPal)? For service businesses this removes a whole invoicing step.
- Integrations. CRM sync (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zoho), Zapier and accounting tools. On many products CRM integrations only start on the second plan, so check before you buy.
- Pricing model and limits. Per-user or flat team pricing, document or “active proposal” caps, and whether you can remove the vendor’s branding or use your own domain.
- Ease of use for the client. Send yourself a test proposal and open it on a phone. If it is awkward for you, it is awkward for your buyer.
Proposal tools compared (checked 12 October 2026)
The table only lists what each vendor states on its official website. Prices are the entry-level figures shown on the official pricing page in US dollars, before tax. They change often and can differ by region, so always confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
| Tool | Best for | Free plan / trial | Entry price shown | Proposal features stated by the vendor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PandaDoc | Sales teams, CRM-driven quoting | Free plan ($0, document limit) + 14-day free trial | Starter $19/seat/month, billed annually | Templates, e-signatures, payment collection; pricing tables and CRM integrations from the Business plan |
| Proposify | Agencies and sales teams that need control and approvals | 14-day trial, no card needed | Build $35/user/month billed annually ($49 monthly) | Unlimited templates, e-signatures on every plan, content library, document analytics, interactive quoting (optional fees, quantities) |
| Qwilr | Interactive, web-page proposals | 14-day free trial of Starter, no card required; no free plan | Starter $35/user/month billed annually | Web-page proposals, interactive quotes, e-signature, engagement analytics, payments (QwilrPay), HubSpot/Pipedrive/Zoho integrations |
| Better Proposals | Small businesses that want interactive pricing on a budget | 14-day free trial, no card required | Starter $13/user/month billed annually ($19 monthly) | E-signatures, interactive pricing tables, payment integrations, content library, notifications and analytics; CRM integrations from Premium |
| Nusii | Freelancers and small creative agencies | 14-day free trial | Freelancer $29/month ($290/year) | Unlimited templates, online e-signing, notifications, analytics, PDF export; payment and CRM integrations from the Agency plan |
| Bidsketch | Freelancers and consultants | 14-day free trial | Solo $29/month ($23/month billed yearly) | Proposal analytics, e-signatures, your own domain, real-time collaboration |
| HoneyBook | Service businesses that want proposals, contracts and invoices in one tool | Free trial (30 days per the FAQ), no card required | Starter $29/month, billed yearly | Proposals and contracts, invoices and payments in a single client flow |
| Canva | Visually designed proposals on a zero budget | Canva Free plan | Free plan; paid plans listed on its pricing page | Proposal templates, drag-and-drop editor, download as PDF, share an editable link with collaborators |
Quick notes on each tool
PandaDoc is the broadest platform here. It covers proposals, quotes, contracts, forms and payments, and integrates with HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive. It is also the only tool in the table with a permanent free plan. That plan is limited, and the features that matter most for sales proposals (pricing tables, CRM sync) start on the Business tier.
Proposify targets teams that need consistency and control: content libraries, roles and permissions, and approval workflows on the team plans. Its interactive quoting lets buyers choose optional items or change quantities, a simple way to build in upsells.
Qwilr treats every proposal as a live web page rather than a document. That makes it the natural choice if “interactive proposals” is what you are after. Buyers can review the page, accept, sign and pay without leaving it, and you get notified when they engage.
Better Proposals has the lowest entry price among the dedicated tools in this table. The entry plan already includes interactive pricing tables and payment integrations, but it is capped at 10 sent documents per month and one user. CRM integrations start on the next plan up.
Nusii and Bidsketch are lean, freelancer-friendly tools with flat monthly pricing. They work well if you send a handful of proposals a month and do not need deep CRM automation. Note that Nusii’s Freelancer plan limits you to five active proposals.
HoneyBook is not a pure proposal tool. It is a client-management platform for service businesses that combines proposals, contracts, invoices and payments into one booking flow. That is useful if the proposal is only the first step of a longer client process.
Canva, Google Docs and Microsoft Word are not proposal software in the strict sense. They have good templates and are free or already paid for, but they offer no proposal analytics, interactive pricing or one-click acceptance. Google Docs now offers eSignature inside Docs for agreements, which helps for simple deals.
Is there good free proposal software?
“Free proposal software” usually means one of three things, and it pays to know which one you are getting:
- A permanent free plan with limits. PandaDoc’s free plan is the main example among dedicated tools. It is fine for occasional documents and signatures, but the sales features sit on paid tiers.
- A free trial. Proposify, Qwilr, Better Proposals, Nusii and Bidsketch offer 14-day trials, and HoneyBook’s FAQ mentions 30 days. Several say no credit card is needed. A trial is the best way to test a tool on a live deal.
- General free tools. Canva Free and Google Docs give you good-looking templates at no cost. You will need to handle tracking, follow-up and payment yourself.
For an affordable option as a freelancer, a common path is to start with Canva or Google Docs. Once you send proposals every week, move to a low-cost plan such as Better Proposals Starter, Nusii Freelancer or Bidsketch Solo. At that point a single extra won deal per year usually covers the subscription.
How to choose the right proposal tool
Start from your sales process, not the feature list. These rules of thumb cover most cases:
- Solo freelancer, a few proposals a month: Nusii, Bidsketch or Better Proposals Starter. Flat pricing, quick setup, e-signatures included.
- Marketing or creative agency: Proposify or Better Proposals for reusable content and interactive pricing. Choose Qwilr if presentation and engagement tracking are central to how you win.
- B2B sales team on a CRM: PandaDoc, Proposify or Qwilr on a plan that includes your CRM integration. Check Salesforce support carefully, because it is a higher-tier or premium feature on several products.
- Home services and local businesses (contractors, photographers, event planners): HoneyBook or a tool with deposits built in, so the client can approve and pay on the spot from a phone.
- No budget yet: PandaDoc Free, Canva Free or Google Docs, plus a simple spreadsheet to track who has your proposal and when to follow up.
Then run a short trial. Rebuild your best recent proposal in two tools, send it to a colleague, open it on a phone, sign it and check how the data reaches your CRM or accounting system. The tool your team finds quickest after that test is usually the right one.
How to write a winning proposal (in any tool)
Software speeds up the work, but the content wins the deal. A structure that works for most service proposals:
- Open with the client’s problem, not your company. One or two short paragraphs showing you understood their goal, their deadline and what is at stake.
- Propose a clear solution and outcome. Describe what you will deliver and what will be different for the client afterwards. Use their words and their numbers where you can.
- Define scope and timeline. List deliverables, milestones and what is explicitly out of scope. Ambiguous scope is the main source of later disputes.
- Show proof. One relevant case study, a short testimonial or a before/after metric is worth more than a page of credentials.
- Make pricing easy to understand. Offer two or three packages or optional add-ons rather than a single take-it-or-leave-it number. State exactly what each price includes.
- End with one clear next step. “Sign below and pay the 30% deposit to book the start date” works better than “let us know your thoughts”.
- Follow up based on signals. Use open and view notifications to follow up while the proposal is fresh, ideally within a day of the client’s last view.
Keep it short. A focused proposal of a few pages (or one scrolling web page) is easier to approve than a 30-page document. Put detailed terms in an appendix or a linked agreement.
Interactive proposals: what they are and how to create one
An interactive proposal is a proposal sent as a link that opens like a web page instead of a static PDF. The client can watch an embedded video, expand sections, choose optional services in a pricing table, change quantities, then accept, sign and often pay in the same place. Meanwhile you see what they viewed and when.
Why it matters: buyers can configure the deal themselves, so you spend less time on “can you send a version without X” emails. Optional add-ons are visible and one click away. And engagement data shows which proposals are live opportunities and which have stalled.
How to create an interactive proposal, step by step:
- Pick a tool built for it. In the table above, Qwilr (web-page proposals and interactive quotes), Proposify (interactive quoting), Better Proposals (interactive pricing tables) and PandaDoc (pricing tables on Business and up) all support it.
- Start from a template and replace the generic copy with a short summary of the client’s goal.
- Add rich media where it helps the decision: a 60 to 90 second personal video, a portfolio gallery or a short case study.
- Build the pricing block with a core package plus optional extras the client can toggle, and set quantities where they make sense.
- Turn on e-signature and, if your tool supports it, a deposit payment at acceptance.
- Preview the proposal on mobile and desktop, then send it as a link and switch on view notifications so you can follow up at the right moment.
Connect proposals to the rest of your sales process
A proposal tool works best when it is fed by your CRM and tied to your marketing. Accepted proposals should update deal stages automatically, and open and view data should trigger follow-up tasks. If your pipeline lives in spreadsheets and inboxes, sort that out first. Our team can help you set up and integrate a CRM system so proposals, deals and invoices stay in sync. If you need more qualified leads to send proposals to, see our digital marketing services.
FAQ
What is the best proposal software?
There is no single best tool. PandaDoc and Proposify suit CRM-driven sales teams, Qwilr and Better Proposals are strong for interactive proposals, and Nusii, Bidsketch and HoneyBook suit freelancers and small service businesses. Test two or three during their free trials using a real proposal.
Is there free proposal software?
Yes, with limits. PandaDoc offers a free plan with a document limit, and Canva Free and Google Docs provide proposal templates at no cost. Most dedicated proposal tools, including Proposify, Qwilr, Better Proposals, Nusii and Bidsketch, offer a 14-day free trial rather than a permanent free plan.
What is the most affordable proposal software for freelancers?
Among the tools we checked in October 2026, Better Proposals Starter ($13 per user per month billed annually), Bidsketch Solo ($23 per month billed yearly) and Nusii Freelancer ($29 per month) had the lowest entry prices for dedicated proposal software. Check each plan’s limits on documents or active proposals.
What is an interactive proposal?
An interactive proposal is sent as a link that opens like a web page. The client can view embedded media, select optional services or quantities in a pricing table, then accept, e-sign and often pay in one place, while the sender gets engagement notifications.
Are e-signatures in proposal software legally binding?
Vendors such as Better Proposals describe their e-signatures as legally binding, and electronic signatures are widely recognised in the US and EU. Requirements differ by country and contract type, so check with a legal adviser for high-value or regulated agreements.
Can proposal software integrate with my CRM?
Most can, but often not on the cheapest plan. PandaDoc lists CRM integrations from its Business plan, Better Proposals from Premium and Nusii from Agency. Qwilr’s Starter plan includes HubSpot, Zoho and Pipedrive, with Salesforce on its Scale plan.
