15 Best Proposal Management Software of 2023 – Full Review

Introduction

Do you spend hours creating a proposal from scratch? Do you refrain from using templates because you can’t find one suitable for your needs? What if you could customize the pre-built proposal templates?

For freelancers and small business owners, proposals are a way to build a solid client base strategically.

Small business owners can streamline their sales documents and approach multiple clients at the same time with the help of proposal management software.

Moreover, they aren’t just limited to creating proposals. There’s a lot more that proposal software can help with. Read ahead to know more.

What is proposal management?

Proposal management is the process of managing your business proposals. A proposal is a document that mentions a plan or suggestion for a service offered.

A business proposal is, thus, put forward to a prospective client. It’s a blueprint of your company’s services, pricing, product information, etc.

Proposal management is the art of managing different proposals in a single place. This ensures the right people can fetch and send suitable recommendations at the right time.

It’s a project management cycle that begins with creating a proposal, on-time submission, and effectively tracking it until it’s accepted/rejected.

What is proposal management software?

Proposal management software is software used to create and manage business proposals. Its user-friendly interface helps you write and build better proposals. You can make a proposal from scratch or use a ready-made template.

Apart from this, proposal management software also helps keep track of your sent proposals. It notifies you when the proposal is viewed, accepted, or rejected.

Automation features like data merging are a top proposal management software feature one shouldn’t miss out on for creating sales documents that require adding product specifications to your proposals.

These are the 15 Best Proposal Management Software of 2023 – Full Review

1. Prospero

Prospero offers a comprehensive proposal software solution that enables anyone to create stunning proposals effortlessly. With its user-friendly drag-and-drop proposal creation dashboard, the process is streamlined and efficient.

Additionally, Prospero provides robust tracking capabilities to manage sent proposals in a centralized location.

By incorporating critical features like approval processes, resource management, and document automation software, Prospero empowers businesses to enhance their proposal management workflow easily.

Key Features:

• Ready-made templates: Over 103 templates to create your unique proposal.
• Proposal tracking analytics: Excellent metrics on each proposal
• Content Library: Prospero has a built-in content and element generator
• Collaboration: Enables sharing of proposals with team members with a single click.
• Integrations: Allows integrations with several third-party apps.

Pros:

• Ability to add digital signature proposals – draw, type, or upload.
• Provides a 14-day free trial.
• Provides live chat support, available with both free and paid plans.
• It lets you control who can view the proposals with the user’s role feature.
• There is no cap on the number of proposals you create.

Pricing:

• Free for 14 days
• 1 to 24 users: $8/month to $192/month, billed annually.
• Custom pricing: 25+ users

2. Bonsai

Bonsai is a comprehensive business management software that empowers businesses with efficient client management, project management, financial management, resource management, and document automation solutions.

Bonsai allows businesses to streamline their approval process and leverage a powerful proposal software solution within their client management products.

Key Features:

• Proposal creation process: It’s a four-step process – draft, confirm, send, and accept.
• Service packages: Let you add multiple service options and charges within the same proposal.
• Proposal tracking: Get notified when the proposal has been read, accepted, and started.
• Proposal templates: Proposal library of free 1000+ fully editable and customizable templates.
• Secures deposits: Secure your accepted proposal through deposits that need to be made by the client.

Pros:

• Bonsai has quote, brief, Word templates, and proposal templates.
• Creates a professional-looking proposal in seconds with the help of a content library.
• Send the proposal directly and get electronic approval or send it via a link.
• Provides a 7-day free trial.
• It helps you store the history of proposals and their different versions.

Pricing:

Get a custom quote after creating an account.

3. Better Proposals

Better Proposals is a sophisticated proposal software solution designed to revolutionize your proposal management. With Better Proposals, you can effortlessly create compelling proposals, quotes, online brochures, contracts, statements of work, and client sign-offs.

This innovative solution also offers streamlined approval processes, ensuring efficient resource management and seamless approval workflows.

Key Features:

• Proposal templates: It has over 79 free proposal templates covering several industries like cleaning, coaching, design, education, legal, IT, real estate, etc.
• Visual styles: The templates are available in several visual styles, like pre-written, short length, long length, dark theme, signature block, etc.
• Proposal tracking: Gives real-time tracking details when the clients read, accept, sign, and send the proposal back.
• Integrations: Collaborate and communicate by embedding CRM apps, live chat apps, Zapier, payments apps, and more.
• Device responsiveness: Better Proposals allows building and tracking proposals on mobile and tablets.

Pros:

• Features AI-automated suggestions.
• It uses a drag-and-drop builder to create interactive proposals.
• This proposal management tool is available in more than 22 languages.
• Features include live chat, Help Docs, and onboarding calls for support.
• Provides a 14-day free trial.

Pricing:

• Starter: $19 per user/month (up to 5 documents/month)
• Premium: $29 per user/month (up to 50 documents/month)
• Enterprise: $49 per user/month (unlimited documents)

4. HoneyBook

HoneyBook is a comprehensive client flow management tool designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes.

Enhance your communication and collaboration processes with our industry-specific templates, approval process, proposal software solution, resource management, and proposal management solution.

Key Features:

• Use Cases: Features ability to build and design invoices, contracts, and payment pages.
• Proposal templates: Preloaded with 100+ templates that can be customized to individual needs.
• Proposal tracking: Provides good notification for all actions taking place.
• Real-time updates: All updates and changes can be made in one place.
• Mobile accessibility: It is accessible through its iOS and Android apps on mobile devices and tablets.

Pros:

• Provides a no credit-card 7-day free trial.
• It also provides a 60-day refund money-back policy.
• Provides 24×7 live chat and email support.
• All plans support e-signatures, free file setup, invoicing, and payment features.

Pricing:

• Starter: $12.80 per month, billed annually
• Essentials: $25.60 per month, billed annually
• Premium: $52.80 per month, billed annually

5. Jotform

Jotform is the ultimate proposal builder and a robust proposal software solution. With Jotform, your sales team can efficiently create and manage everything from forms, reports, stores, and apps to tables.

Our industry-specific templates and powerful proposal management solution streamline the approval process and optimize resource management. Join the ranks of successful proposal managers and enjoy the cost savings and efficiency Jotform brings to your business.

Key Features:

• Proposal templates: Find proposal templates on Jotform within form templates.
• Proposal Builder: Offers free drag-and-drop builder tool.
• Jotform Approvals: It turns any form into an approval flow for free.
• Mobile app: Jotform has a mobile app that helps you create your proposals on the go.
• Jotform Sign: Offers digital signature.

Pros:

• A Plethora of form themes and widgets to make your proposal visually interactive.
• Provides a 50% discount for NGOs and educational institutions.
• Provides a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• The starter pack is free to use and suitable for individuals.
• Manage proposals and track them on the go through the Jotform app.

Pricing:

• Starter: free (up to 5 forms)
• Bronze: $19.50 per month (25 forms)
• Silver: $24.50 per month (50 forms)
• Gold: $64.50 per month (100 forms)
• Enterprise: Get a custom quote

6. QuoteWerks

QuoteWerks, as the name suggests, is quoting and proposal software. There is a difference between a quote and a proposal, and QuoteWerks knows it well. It provides some exclusive features not found in most other proposal management tools.

Key Features:

• Standardized workflows: Features workflow automation to create quick proposals.
• Data centralization: Offers a centralized repository that makes data easily accessible.
• Pipeline management: Beneficial for sales teams to streamline their customer interactions
• Real-time notification: Receive real-time notifications for all actions by the client.
• Quotevalet: This unique feature increases flexibility to make changes and updates.

Pros:

• Allows 55+ integrations to integrate CRM tools to create proposals quickly and easily.
• Querkwerk’s proposal dashboards provide key metrics and analytics for all recent proposals.
• Useful for sales teams, managers, IT solution providers, manufacturers, resellers, etc.
• One month is free on the annual billing plan.
• We customized pricing plans with add-ons.

Pricing:

• Standard: $15.00 per user/month
• Professional: $21.00 per user/month
• Corporate: $30.00 per user/month

7. Qwilr

Qwilr is a sales proposal management software most suitable for sales teams. Qwilr aims to bridge the gap between buyers and sellers so that the deals are made sooner for the better. It removes the communication barrier by automating the proposal process.

Key Features:

• Free proposal lookbook
• Customizable Templates: Offers a library with pre-built business and customizable templates.
• Proposal analytics: Track all actions for better overall efficiency.
• Interactive Proposal Builder: Build proposals using drag-and-drop building blocks.

Pros:

• Highly intuitive, user-friendly medium to create proposals.
• Automates proposal creation by gathering valuable data insights from CRM tools.
• Provides a 14-day free trial on the business plan.
• Add e-signature and a dynamic pricing table to proposals.

Pricing:

• Business: $35 per user/month (up to 9 users)
• Enterprise: $59 per user/month (10+ users)

8. Proposify

Proposify is a well-known proposal software trusted by over 8,000 B2B businesses. It is a comprehensive proposal, quoting, contract management, and electronic signature software. It is considered one of the best proposal management software tools.

Key Features:

• Automate proposal data feeding: It enables feeding data into proposals using automation.
• Centralized content library: Access entire proposals in a single, easy-to-access location.
• Advanced Insights: Get necessary metrics and notifications related to proposals.
• Streams: This is a signature feature that helps organize the signed contracts.
• Templates: Offers 75+ well-curated templates from award-winning proposals.

Pros:

• Proposify lets you add digital signatures seamlessly through the drag-and-drop method.
• Proposify easily integrates with your favorite CRM app.
• The templates can be customized using Proposify’s intuitive design editor.
• Controls the visibility of your proposal by allowing the selection of approvers.
• Get live updates on your proposals through notifications and reminders.

Pricing:

• Team Plan: $49 per user/month
• Business Plan: Get a custom quote

9. Bidsketch

Bidsketch is another dedicated proposal management tool that has helped customers earn over $2 billion. Bidsketch claims to cut your proposal time in half. It also provides a 14-day free trial.

Key Features:

• Custom proposal designs: It enables embedding images and videos into the proposal.
• Proposal Feed Options: It allows adding fee plans to proposals for increased profit.
• Client landing page: Client landing pages are created more focused on getting better leads.
• Automate client workflows: Send messages to clients automatically.
• E-signature: Clients can draw their e-signature directly on the proposal.

Pros:

• Enables proposal tracking by notifying users when any action is taken.
• It lets you use your company subdomain (bidsketch.mycompany.com).
• Handles numerous clients at the same time.
• Provides a centralized repository.
• Facilitates integration with Salesforce, Basecamp 3, etc.

Pricing:

• Solo yearly: $23 per month (1 user)
• Team yearly: $47 per month (up to 3 users)
• Business annually: $119 per month (up to 8 users)

10. Nusii

Nusii provides professional proposal management solutions to help small business owners streamline their document workflows and create professional-looking proposals.

With its outstanding proposal-building features, Nusii is dedicated to managing and generating proposal documents, ensuring that more than 6,000 companies win proposals.

Key Features:

• Brand consistency
• Proposal notifications: Get notified about each client action on your proposal
• Reusable content: It saves your best text and pricing content in an easily reachable place
• Integrations and API: Integrate Nusii with most of the favorite apps
• Proposal templates: Nusii contains 500+ templates suitable for different market niches.

Pros:

• Nusii provides a 14-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee.
• All data is protected through 256-bit SSL encryption.
• Provides free support through chat and email.
• Puts no cap on the number of clients reached through a plan.
• Allows adding an e-signature to proposals.

Pricing:

• Freelancer: $290 per year (1 user)
• Agency: $490 per year (5 users)
• Business: $1290 per year (10 users)

11. PandaDoc

PandaDoc was initially known for its e-signature services. However, it also extends its services to include free proposal-making software.

It helps to automate sales documents, marketing proposals, hiring proposals, legal documents, audit proposals, unique sales process maps, and more.

Key Features:

• Drag and drop editor: PandaDoc helps build quick proposals using building blocks in its other plans.
• Content Library: Choose from its 750+ templates to send proposals quickly.
• Real-time notifications: Offers real-time notifications accessed through its app, Gmail, and more.
• Interactive proposals: Get suggestions within the proposal with automatic follow-up reminders.
• Content locking: Control who can view and edit the proposal content using the feature.

Pros:

• Integrates with a plethora of CRM tools.
• Provides a 14-day free trial and a free plan limited to single users.
• Access proposal metrics and more using the PandaDoc mobile app.
• Custom branding is available in business and enterprise plans.
• PandaDoc is SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and GDPR compliant.

Pricing:

• Free: for one user
• Essentials: $19 per user/month (for two users)
• Business: $49 per user/month (unlimited users)
• Enterprise: Get a custom quote.

12. WebMerge

Formstack WebMerge (formerly WebMerge) is a leading proposal management software that excels in automating document workflows.

Its advanced features for generating professional-looking proposals simplify the process of managing and generating proposal documents.

By streamlining approval processes and offering robust proposal management capabilities, it has empowered over 25,000 organizations to increase workplace productivity.

Key Features:

• Pre-built templates: Offers templates for sales quotes, budgets, conference calls, etc.
• Good Integration: Offers integration with several tools, like Slack, AWS, Dropbox, etc.,
• Document security: Offers 256-bit encryption, SSL, and firewall technology.
• Drag and drop builder: Offers drag and drop builder and personalizes it to make it unique.
• Mobile accessibility: Offers the ability to access proposals on the go with its iOS and Android mobile apps.

Pros:

• Formstack provides a 14-day free trial.
• Enable data routing by passing data to multiple documents simultaneously.
• Add payment apps to your proposal like Paypal, Stripe, Authroize.net, Chargify, etc.
• Sharing proposals via email or using your favorite CRM tool is easy.
• It also provides separate SalesForce native plans with advanced automation features.

Pricing:

• Forms: $50 per month (1 user)
• Documents: $92 per month (2 users)
• Platform: $209 per month (3 users)
• Enterprise: Get a custom quote.

13. Venngage

Venngage may not be a dedicated proposal-making tool, but it is a design platform that lets you build proposals independently. It has already helped 40,000+ businesses with proposal-making.

Key Features:

• Customizable proposal template: Offers over 7500 library of templates.
• Use visualizations: Features a drag-and-drop editor with the ability to add icons, emotions, etc.
• Upload your images: Offers the ability to add images, like a brand logo.
• Collaboration: Provides the ability to share proposals using email or a link.
• Online support: Provides quick 24×7 online chat support.

Pros:

• Venngage, like Canva, also lets you customize your proposal’s color scheme and fonts.
• It provides a free plan for individuals but is limited to five designs.
• Smart features let you create repeated content with ease.
• Each icon and photo can be customized in diverse ways.
• Provides access to a lot of free icons and widgets.

Pricing:

• Free: $0
• Premium: $10 per user/month
• Business: $24 per user/month
• Enterprise: Starting from $499 per month (10+ users)

14. Zomentum

Zomentum is a revenue-generation platform that lets you create award-winning proposals and quotes.

Headquartered in the USA and with its Research team based in India, Zomentum caters to businesses of all sizes.

Key Features:

• One tool for all: Design, create workflows, and add e-signature using a single tool.
• Proposal metrics: Get insights into document status in real-time.
• Drag and drop builder: Use drag-and-drop building blocks to create interactive proposals.
• Automate data entry: Use ‘Merge Tags’ to pull recurring data details from CRM tools into proposals.

Pros:

• Enables adding an expiration date, PIN, mark approval rules, and auto-email reminders.
• Allows integration of payment gateways like Stripe, ConnectBooster, and more.
• Offers the ability to accept online payments through several debit and credit cards.
• Provides 24×7 free support, complimentary onboarding, and no setup fee.

Pricing:

• Launch: $109 per month (2 users)
• Expand: $129 per month (2 users)
• Growth: $189 per month (2 users)
• Custom: Get a custom quote (10+ users)

15. Right-Proposal

Right-Proposal by MiTek Wright Soft is professional sales proposal software for contractors and manufacturers.

However, it requires at least one of its other programs to operate (Right-J, Right-N, Right-F-280, or Right-CommLoad). It is an exceptional proposal management process.

Key Features:

• Use cases: It is specially made for HVAC contractors and professionals in the HVAC industry.
• Custom templates: Offers customizable templates with the ability to add objects like logos, etc.
• In-built word processor: Allows the in-built word processor to include related details about the products and parts and extract them automatically from proposals.
• Collaboration: Offers the ability to share proposals via email or print them in PDF form.

Pros:

• Contractors can create comprehensive proposals by extracting data from other Right Suite load calculations.
• Right Suite Universal modules, like Right J, Right N, etc., can be integrated with Right Proposal and help fetch related data seamlessly.
• Enables adding necessary information into proposals like project cost, budget, equipment options, duct design, etc.
• The updated version can calculate proposal cost variables and provide a payback analysis.
• Provides two licensing options: SAAS and permanent.

Pricing:

SAAS licensing: $75 per user per year

Features to consider when choosing proposal management software.

Speed:

The best advantage of proposal software is the speed you can create proposals. The proposal programs let you build proposals in half the time.

Moreover, these proposals are interactive and professional, thus leaving a lasting impression on the clients.

Accuracy:

Look for proposal management software that includes accurate proposal templates. Do not choose a plan until you find suitable proposal templates that are accurate for your needs.

Automation:

Automation is a crucial feature to look for in proposal software. Automation automatically fetches the data to be entered into your proposal from integrated tools.

This prevents you from entering recurring company information and product details repeatedly. This also aids in error-free and quick proposal-making.

Brand Consistency:

Brand consistency is essential to allow your proposals to look unique and not like they have been created from software.

A brand consistency feature in proposal management software ensures the proposal has your company logo and email domain to maintain branding. This is undoubtedly useful for small businesses to leave their mark.

Content Library: A content library is a must. The majority of proposal management tools have a content library.

Such a library houses ready-made proposal templates you can use in a hurry. They can even be customized using the drop-and-drag builder.

Primary Benefits of Proposal Software

Improved Efficiency:

Proposal software increases the efficiency of your business operations. They help you send multiple proposals at the same time. Also, the more you convert leads through proposals, the better.

Enhanced Collaboration:

Proposal software also helps share and send proposals to the desired parties effectively. Such software has built-in collaboration tools that let you send your proposals via email or link. You can also integrate various chat tools for better communication with your clients.

Getting projects started faster:

Sending online proposals, it’s the faster means of getting new clients. Also, sending interactive and intuitive proposals with added images and an e-signature makes your proposal stand out.

Thus, proposal software helps you send proposals faster and gets your proposals accepted more quickly.

Increased Visibility:

Proposal software provides extra visibility to your proposal simply by making your proposal stand out.

Moreover, the proposal tracking feature provides real-time updates when your approval is viewed and accepted. This helps you maintain your visibility before your client as a trusted human.

Increased Accuracy:

You can leverage proposal management software features like automation, data merging, pre-built templates, and CRM tool integration to increase the accuracy of proposal creation.

Data merging is also a helpful feature as it reduces manual errors and also speeds up the task of data entry when filling out proposals.

Enhanced Collaboration:

Proposal software also helps share your proposals with team members and approvers and even lets you accept live changes within the proposal. PandaDoc allows approvers to make suggestions by adding comments to the proposal document.

Improved Customer Experience:

Professionally created proposals to improve the customer experience. Real-time notification tracking, adding e-signature, and getting all necessary proposal metrics help elevate the customer experience with your client.

Knowledge Preservation:

The proposal-writing process is tedious. Proposal software helps you save all necessary service or product details in a centralized repository.

You can access all your proposals in one place. You can preserve knowledge by keeping your best content and pricing within the app. Nusii offers the same with its reusable content feature.

Increased Stakeholder Engagement:

Proposal management software helps you engage with your client better through its collaboration and integration features.

Real-time proposal tracking also enables you to respond to accepted proposals quickly. This all facilitates increased stakeholder engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Q. What is the best overall proposal software?

BidSketch is the best overall proposal software for small business owners. Nusii is also good proposal software if there are no budget constraints.

Q. What is RFP management software?

RFP or Request for Proposal management software isn’t similar to proposal management software.

Proposal management software helps create proposals, whereas RFP management software helps managers and teams handle the proposal response process. While proposal tools are for service providers, RFP software is for service seekers.

Q. What is the right proposal management software?

The right proposal management software helps you track proposals, build proposals, add e-signature, initiate branding, and easily integrate with CRM tools.

Executive Summary

Proposal management software is essential for proper proposal management. From branding, data merging, document automation, and real-time updates to much more, proposal management software goes beyond creating proposals.

From the free version to the paid plans, we have listed all the top proposal management software available in the market.

PandaDoc and JotForms are the only two proposal software programs that provide a free version. Free trials are available for the majority of the proposal software.

Prioritize the critical features before picking the proper proposal tool that suits your needs. For instance, if you are an HVAC contractor, look no further than Right Proposals.

Proposify, Prospero, Honeybook, and BetterProposals are all worth paying extra attention to as the best proposal management software.