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For most small teams, Quotient is a practical starting point: it lists a $28 starting price and supports online quotes, follow-ups and optional items. Better Proposals costs less to start, but its Starter plan is capped at 10 proposals monthly. Contractors should look at QuoteIQ; MSPs at Quoter or QuoteWerks. Enterprise CPQ and RFP tools may cover more complex workflows, but many publish no price. We rank all 22 options by fit, cost visibility and how clearly their stated use cases match common buyers.
Quick picksThe shortlist
QuotientQuotientBest overall · $28/mo
Better ProposalsBetter ProposalsBest for freelancers · $13/mo
ProposifyProposifyBest for repeatable proposals · $39/mo
QuoteWerksQuoteWerksBest for complex quotes · $44.92/mo- QuoteIQQuoteIQBest for contractors · $24.99/mo
QwilrQwilrBest for sign-and-pay proposals · $35/mo
QuoterQuoterBest for MSP quotes · $299/mo
SequenceSequenceBest for quote-to-cash · $799/mo
ProsperoProsperoBest for basic proposals · $19/mo
IgnitionIgnitionBest for service agreements · Custom
SumoQuoteSumoQuoteBest for roofing quotes · Custom
ResponsiBidResponsiBidBest for online self-quoting · $179/mo
ResponsiveResponsiveBest for RFP teams · $833.33/mo
GovDashGovDashBest for GovCon teams · Custom
SofonSofonBest for guided selling · Custom
DealHub CPQDealHub CPQBest for governed quoting · Custom
Conga CPQConga CPQBest for product bundles · Custom
Model NModel NBest for life sciences · Custom
CloudSense CPQCloudSense CPQBest for telecom quoting · Custom
Vendavo CPQVendavo CPQBest for B2B pricing · Custom
Zilliant CPQZilliant CPQBest for pricing control · Custom
PROS Smart CPQPROS Smart CPQBest for airline retail · Custom
01Compared at a glance
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuotientQuotient | 7.0 | $28/mo | No | 21 days |
| Better ProposalsBetter Proposals | 6.8 | $13/mo | No | 14 days |
| ProposifyProposify | 6.8 | $39/mo | No | 14 days |
| QuoteWerksQuoteWerks | 7.4 | $44.92/mo | No | — |
| QuoteIQQuoteIQ | 7.9 | $24.99/mo | No | 14 days |
| QwilrQwilr | 6.7 | $35/mo | No | 14 days |
| QuoterQuoter | 6.7 | $299/mo | No | — |
| SequenceSequence | 7.1 | $799/mo | No | — |
| ProsperoProspero | 6.5 | $19/mo | No | 14 days |
| IgnitionIgnition | 6.2 | Custom | No | 14 days |
| SumoQuoteSumoQuote | 6.5 | Custom | No | 14 days |
| ResponsiBidResponsiBid | 5.4 | $179/mo | Yes | — |
| ResponsiveResponsive | 6.2 | $833.33/mo | No | — |
| GovDashGovDash | 6.2 | Custom | No | — |
| SofonSofon | 5.0 | Custom | No | — |
| DealHub CPQDealHub CPQ | 6.4 | Custom | No | — |
| Conga CPQConga CPQ | 5.9 | Custom | No | — |
| Model NModel N | 5.8 | Custom | No | — |
| CloudSense CPQCloudSense CPQ | 6.0 | Custom | No | — |
| Vendavo CPQVendavo CPQ | 6.0 | Custom | No | — |
| Zilliant CPQZilliant CPQ | 5.0 | Custom | No | — |
| PROS Smart CPQPROS Smart CPQ | 5.8 | Custom | No | — |
02The picks, in detail
- Best overallQuotientQuotient
Quotient is our broadest starting point for small businesses that send quotes online: it starts at $28 and offers follow-ups and optional quote items. The main cost check is volume; budget carefully if you may exceed 100 monthly quotes. It is less of a fit for buyers who need enterprise CPQ or specialized field-service workflows.
What works
- Customers can accept quotes online at any time
- Supports optional items and multiple-choice options
- Scheduled follow-ups and quote-open tracking
What doesn't
- Solo is capped at 100 quotes per month
- Price adjustment above 100 quotes is not published
- Team costs $48/month for up to five members
- Best for freelancersBetter ProposalsBetter Proposals
Better Proposals starts at $13 and covers reusable proposals, signatures, reading notifications and branded client onboarding. Its low entry price comes with a meaningful limit: Starter is for freelancers sending up to 10 proposals monthly, and the summary flags document caps. Check the plan limits and annual pricing details before treating the starting price as your likely cost.
What works
- Interactive proposals shared by web link
- Notifications show sections read, order and duration
- Digital signatures are included on Starter
What doesn't
- Starter is capped at 10 documents monthly
- Premium is capped at 50 documents monthly
- Unlimited documents require the $42 annual Enterprise plan
- Best for repeatable proposalsProposifyProposify
Proposify starts at $39 and is aimed at teams standardizing proposal content, reusing complex sales proposals and managing approvals. That makes it a stronger match for a controlled sales process than for basic quotes. Buyers with straightforward needs may find the extra workflow focus harder to justify; compare the approval and content requirements against the price before switching.
What works
- Reusable templates and centralized content library
- Built-in eSignatures and document tracking
- Approval workflows available on Grow
What doesn't
- Build starts at $39 per user monthly, billed annually
- No free plan; trial lasts 14 days
- Grow costs $65 per user monthly
- Best for complex quotesQuoteWerksQuoteWerks
QuoteWerks starts at $44.92 and is built around complex product quotes, procurement, order tracking and approval workflows. It has a broader quoting use case than basic proposal apps, including MSP teams. The trade-off is per-seat pricing and setup effort, so estimate the total for your team rather than judging it by the starting price alone.
What works
- Unlimited named users and quotes on Essential
- Bundles, templates, and a step-by-step configurator
- Flexible markups, margins, discounts, and customer pricing
What doesn't
- Plans are priced per concurrent user
- Essential lacks online acceptance and e-signatures
- Annual pricing requires an annual contract
- Best for contractors
QuoteIQQuoteIQ
QuoteIQ starts at $24.99 and combines estimates and scheduling with field-service features for home-service contractors. It is a better fit for operators consolidating contractor software than for teams seeking a general-purpose sales proposal tool. Before switching, check the seat and AI-credit limits; the starting price alone does not establish how many users or workflows it will cover.
What works
- Covers estimates, scheduling, invoicing and payments
- Includes aerial measuring and Street View tools
- Customer booking widgets support websites and QR codes
What doesn't
- No free plan; trial lasts 14 days
- Entry tiers limit users and monthly IQ Credits
- Extra seats cost $25 per user monthly on capped plans
- Best for sign-and-pay proposalsQwilrQwilr
Qwilr starts at $35 and suits teams that want polished sales proposals with signing and payment in the same workflow. Salesforce users may also consider its Scale plan. Check document math and the payment workflow before switching, since those are flagged as decision points. Buyers needing only basic quotes may not need this proposal-to-payment approach.
What works
- Interactive proposals combine content and buyer actions
- Buyers can sign and pay within proposals
- Engagement tracking includes real-time notifications
What doesn't
- Starter costs $49 per user monthly, or $35 annually
- Starter monthly billing includes no free documents
- Growth requires five users and annual upfront payment
- Best for MSP quotesQuoterQuoter
Quoter starts at $299 and targets MSPs replacing cumbersome quote templates, teams taking quotes through payment and businesses that want unlimited user seats. Its broad toolkit is more compelling for committed teams than for smaller buyers watching costs. The summary also cautions that complex ConnectWise workflows may be a weaker fit, so verify that integration path before committing.
What works
- Quote flow includes acceptance, e-signature, and payment
- Reusable templates, sections, bundles, and optional items
- Product catalog supports distributor pricing and configurable products
What doesn't
- Starts at $299/month on a 12-month term
- Standard plan caps published quotes at 75 monthly
- Activation fee amount is not published
- Best for quote-to-cashSequenceSequence
Sequence starts at $799 and is aimed at startups under $1 million in revenue, teams consolidating quote-to-cash workflows and businesses with complex billing terms. Its breadth may suit buyers trying to bring more of the commercial process together, but the entry price is high compared with proposal-focused tools. Higher tiers are bespoke, so get a tailored quote before comparing total cost.
What works
- Covers quoting, billing, receivables, and revenue recognition
- Supports usage, seats, hybrid pricing, and contract amendments
- Extracts commercial terms from signed contracts
What doesn't
- Growth starts at $799 per month
- Core and Scale prices are bespoke
- Annual pricing is not published
- Best for basic proposalsProsperoProspero
Prospero starts at $19 and covers freelancer proposals, reusable templates and basic e-signatures. That is a straightforward use case for buyers who do not need a larger sales platform. The value is harder to assess if you need multiple signers: the summary flags a two-signer cap and unclear annual pricing. Check both before moving an existing proposal process.
What works
- $19 per month for the listed Pro plan
- Unlimited proposals on Pro
- 100+ ready-made templates
What doesn't
- No free plan is listed
- Pro is positioned for individual freelancers
- Pro includes only two signers
- Best for service agreementsIgnitionIgnition
Ignition is aimed at service firms managing recurring client agreements, automating proposals through payment collection and renewing agreements in bulk. Its workflow coverage is attractive for firms that need those steps connected, but a public starting price is not available on the vendor's site. Ask for the full quote, including any costs tied to your agreement volume, before comparing it with simpler tools.
What works
- 14-day free trial
- Proposals let clients accept services and add upsells
- Payment details collected upfront for automated billing
What doesn't
- Plan prices aren't published in the published text
- Price Insights add-on billing options are unclear
- Listed prices exclude tax
- Best for roofing quotesSumoQuoteSumoQuote
SumoQuote focuses on roofing teams standardizing quotes, using multiple quote layouts and bundling proposals with JobNimbus. Those specifics make it more relevant to roofing operations than to general sales teams. Pricing is custom, so the value is difficult to judge from public information alone. Ask for a quote based on your layouts and workflow before shortlisting it on features.
What works
- Roofing-focused quote creation
- Standardize quotes across the sales team
- Add branding and inspection photos
What doesn't
- Monthly and annual prices are unpublished
- Heavy includes only five users
- Extra Heavy users cost $48 per month
- Best for online self-quotingResponsiBidResponsiBid
ResponsiBid is designed for home-service businesses that want standardized quotes, online self-quoting and lead follow-up. The published information lists a free plan and a starting price of $179, while warning buyers to check plan details before paying $179 or $229 monthly. Confirm which features and limits apply to the plan you are considering.
What works
- Free Startup plan is listed
- Customers can request quotes online
- Pipeline tracks pending and approved quotes
What doesn't
- Paid plans start at $179 per month
- Feature allocation by plan is unclear
- Annual pricing and discounts are not published
- Best for RFP teamsResponsiveResponsive
Responsive starts at $833.33 and targets teams handling recurring RFPs, maintaining shared answer libraries and coordinating response workflows. That makes it a specialist option, not a default proposal app for small businesses. The published information flags unclear total cost and no relevant Reddit feedback, so request a complete quote and confirm the workflow scope before comparing it with other RFP tools.
What works
- AI drafts answers from company content
- Supports RFPs, RFXs, questionnaires, and buyer questions
- Emerging includes unlimited response projects
What doesn't
- Emerging starts at $10,000 per year
- User license costs are not published
- Growth and Enterprise prices are not published
- Best for GovCon teamsGovDashGovDash
GovDash is designed for teams consolidating GovCon workflows, supporting proposal compliance and coordinating multiple GovCon functions. That breadth may suit organizations buying around government contracting rather than general proposal creation. Pricing is not published on the vendor's site, and Reddit feedback is mixed. Treat it as a cautious shortlist and ask for pricing and workflow-specific references.
What works
- Combines opportunity search, capture, proposals, pricing and contract tracking
- Searches public notices, private portals and forecasts
- Builds compliance matrices and proposal drafts
What doesn't
- Seat prices and credit allotments are not published
- Starter is annual; Growth requires an annual commitment
- Growth starts at eight Full seats
- Best for guided sellingSofonSofon
Sofon is a focused CPQ and quote-to-cash option for companies selling customer-specific products, teams needing guided selling and businesses formalizing complex sales. That specialization is more relevant than a basic proposal app for product configuration needs. Its price and customer feedback are too thin in the published information to verify value, so get a detailed quote and confirm fit.
What works
- Combines quote-to-cash and CPQ
- Supports quotations and contracts
- Includes guided selling
What doesn't
- Starting price is not published
- Monthly and annual terms are not published
- No free plan is listed
- Best for governed quotingDealHub CPQDealHub CPQ
DealHub CPQ is aimed at teams consolidating revenue workflows, automating governed quotes and managing subscriptions and billing. It may suit buyers who need more than proposal creation, but pricing is not published on the vendor's site. Without a public price, value is difficult to compare; request a full quote that covers the workflows and users you expect to include.
What works
- Combines CPQ, contracts, subscriptions, and billing
- Agents apply pricing and approval rules
- DealRoom supports buyer-seller quote collaboration
What doesn't
- Pricing is not published
- Monthly versus annual billing is unspecified
- No free plan is listed
- Best for product bundlesConga CPQConga CPQ
Conga CPQ targets teams quoting complex product bundles, managing involved pricing workflows and sending proposals across channels. It is a specialist option for complex quoting rather than a general-purpose proposal tool. Pricing is not published on the vendor's site, making value hard to judge before a sales conversation. Ask Conga for a price tied to your bundle and approval needs.
What works
- Configures complex products and services
- Automates order configuration and quote creation
- Creates proposals across direct, partner, and online sales
What doesn't
- Pricing is custom and not published
- Seat and usage limits are not published
- No standard plan tiers are listed
- Best for life sciencesModel NModel N
Model N covers life sciences commercialization, gross-to-net processes and revenue operations coordination. That makes it relevant to manufacturers with specialized commercialization needs, not most businesses shopping for proposal software. Pricing and buyer feedback are not available on the vendor's site, so its value is difficult to verify. Shortlist it only if those industry workflows match your requirements.
What works
- Covers revenue management and gross-to-net processes
- Supports pricing, incentives, and contracts
- Includes compliance management and reporting
What doesn't
- Starting price is not published
- Monthly and annual billing terms are not published
- Pricing requires a custom enterprise quote
- Best for telecom quotingCloudSense CPQCloudSense CPQ
CloudSense CPQ is built for telecom enterprise sales, B2B2X and wholesale quoting, and Salesforce-based quote-to-order workflows. Those capabilities point to a specific enterprise use case, not general proposal creation. Pricing is not published and the published information contains no user discussion to help assess value. Confirm the quote-to-order fit and contract cost before moving forward.
What works
- Multidimensional pricing for complex sales
- Guided negotiation and discount management
- Lifecycle changes, amendments and renewals
What doesn't
- Starting price is not published
- Billing terms are not published
- No plan details are listed
- Best for B2B pricingVendavo CPQVendavo CPQ
Vendavo CPQ is aimed at enterprise B2B pricing teams handling complex quote approvals, rebates and agreements. It may suit organizations with governed pricing needs, but the published information gives no published price or user feedback to verify value. Ask for the full contract cost and confirm how its quoting and approval workflows map to your existing process.
What works
- Quote creation and approvals are listed capabilities
- Deal guidance provides an optimal price range
- Price management addresses changing market conditions
What doesn't
- Starting price is not published
- Monthly and annual billing terms are not published
- No plan details are provided
- Best for pricing controlZilliant CPQZilliant CPQ
Zilliant CPQ is positioned for enterprises standardizing B2B pricing, governing pricing execution and evaluating pricing intelligence. That focus is more specific than proposal management, so buyers should verify that its quoting features cover their needs. Pricing is not published on the vendor's site; confirm both the product scope and contract cost before comparing it with broader CPQ options.
What works
- Pricing intelligence supports faster pricing decisions
- Offers real-time guidance for pricing decisions
- Brings pricing workflows and logic together
What doesn't
- Custom pricing; no public starting price
- Monthly and annual billing terms are not published
- No free plan is listed
- Best for airline retailPROS Smart CPQPROS Smart CPQ
PROS Smart CPQ targets airlines managing offers across channels, optimizing prices against demand and coordinating merchandising and marketing. It is a narrow fit for airline retail, not a general proposal tool. Pricing and the boundaries of the Smart CPQ product are unclear in the published information. Ask which capabilities are included and how the contract is priced before shortlisting it.
What works
- Real-time inventory visibility across channels
- Optimizes offers against demand and capacity
- Builds offers around airline strategy
What doesn't
- Smart CPQ is not named on the homepage
- Monthly and annual prices are not published
- Trial details are not published
03How we chose
We weigh published pricing, plan limits, product documentation and Reddit sentiment because those sources help buyers compare cost, requirements and reported user concerns. We do not claim hands-on testing. For this draft, the published material names the tools and defines the category, but includes no pricing pages, plan details, documentation or Reddit posts. That means we cannot verify product-specific prices, caps or user reports here. We avoid ranking tools on unsupported claims; buyers should confirm current terms with each vendor before deciding.
04Match the software to your sales process
Start with the work you need the software to handle. A proposal, a quote and configurable pricing can overlap, but your team may need one more than the others. Write down the steps from building an offer to sending it and managing the response. Then list requirements such as approval steps, pricing rules, reusable content or connections to systems you already use. Treat those as questions for vendors, not assumed features: the published material does not document which listed tools support them. Ask each vendor to show how your specific workflow would work, and whether the required capabilities come with the plan you are considering. If several people need to create or approve offers, clarify user limits and permissions before comparing prices. A lower starting price is not a useful comparison if it excludes a requirement your team cannot do without.
05Compare total cost and switching effort
Do not compare vendors on a headline price alone. Check whether pricing is public, which plan includes the functions you need, and whether limits apply to users, documents or other usage. The published material includes no prices or plan caps for Quoter, Sofon, Quotient, Sequence, QuoteIQ, Model N, Prospero, Responsive, Ignition, Proposify, Qwilr, DealHub CPQ, Better Proposals, CloudSense CPQ, GovDash, Conga CPQ, PROS Smart CPQ, SumoQuote, QuoteWerks, Zilliant CPQ, Vendavo CPQ or ResponsiBid. Ask vendors to confirm those details in writing. For a switch, also account for the effort of moving templates, pricing rules, approval steps and active proposals. Confirm what can be exported, what needs rebuilding, and whether the vendor provides migration help. These are due-diligence questions, not verified capabilities of any named product.
Questions people ask
Which proposal software is cheapest?
The published material does not include pricing pages or quotes, so we cannot identify the cheapest option. Ask each vendor for the price of the plan that meets your requirements, plus any applicable user or usage limits. Compare the same scope, not just starting prices.
What is the difference between proposal software and CPQ?
The category definition covers creating, sending and managing proposals, quotes and configurable pricing. It does not specify how individual products differ. When comparing them, ask vendors which parts of your workflow they support and whether those capabilities are included in the plan you would buy.
Which tools are best for a small business?
The published material does not provide evidence to rank these tools by company size. A small team can shortlist options by required workflow, budget, user limits and setup effort. Verify each item with the vendor; this material does not publish product-specific limits or pricing.
What should we check before switching?
Ask what proposal content, pricing rules and active work can be exported, what must be rebuilt, and whether migration assistance is available. Confirm plan limits and total cost in writing. These are checks to make with each vendor, not verified claims about the listed products.