TLDR (Summary)
Plutio ($19/month) is the strongest pick because proposals convert directly into projects, tracked hours become invoice line items, and contracts stay linked to the original scope, all at a flat rate with no per-seat fees. PandaDoc has a free e-signature plan but handles no invoicing or project management. Better Proposals starts at $13/user/month but the proposal dead-ends at a signed PDF. Proposify caps sending at 5 documents per month on its Basic plan.
Below, 8 tools compared on e-signatures, pricing models, template quality, and whether signed proposals connect to what comes next.
Essential features in freelance proposal software
Freelance proposal software needs to do more than lay out pricing in a nice template. The tool that wins the most work is the one that gets proposals out the door fast, collects a legally binding signature, and connects the signed scope to the rest of the workflow.
E-signatures and legally binding acceptance
Every tool on this list includes some form of e-signature, but the depth varies. Some platforms offer e-signatures on free plans (PandaDoc), while others lock signing behind paid tiers. Freelancers sending 5 or more proposals per month need e-signatures that don't add friction for the client, so the fewer clicks between "send" and "signed," the better.
What happens after signing
Most proposal tools treat the signature as the finish line. The proposal gets signed, and then the freelancer re-enters scope details into a separate project management tool, creates a fresh invoice, and manually tracks hours against deliverables that already existed in the proposal. Platforms where the signed scope carries into a workspace with time tracking and invoicing already wired in skip that double entry entirely.
Pricing model: per-seat vs flat rate
Dedicated proposal tools charge per user per month. A freelancer on Proposify's Team plan at $41/user/month or Qwilr at $35/user/month pays more as the team grows. Flat-rate platforms charge one price regardless of team size or client count, which keeps costs predictable as the workload scales.
Templates and branding
Template libraries vary from 10 starter layouts to hundreds of industry-specific designs. The quality of the template builder matters too: some editors handle drag-and-drop smoothly, while others require workarounds for basic text formatting. Branding control (custom fonts, colors, domain) also differs by plan and platform. The monthly subscription matters less than the gap between "proposal signed" and "project started," because every hour spent re-entering scope into separate tools is an hour not spent on billable work.
All-in-one freelance platforms with proposals
All-in-one platforms bundle proposals with project management, invoicing, contracts, and time tracking, so the signed proposal feeds directly into the tools that handle delivery and billing. The starting price is higher than standalone proposal apps because the entire post-signature workflow comes included.
Plutio ($19/month)
Best for: freelancers who need proposals that convert to projects with time tracking, contracts, and invoicing in one workspace | Capterra: 4.6/5 | G2: 4.6/5
Plutio's proposal builder lets freelancers create branded proposals, collect e-signatures, and turn a signed proposal into a live workspace without re-entering scope details. Billable hours pull straight into invoices, contracts remain attached to the original proposal, and clients follow progress through a portal without sending status-update emails. The solutions page maps out every step from proposal to final payment. Flat pricing at $19/month (Core) means adding team members or clients doesn't change the bill, and the Pro plan at $49/month adds a custom domain for the client portal.
- Signed proposals become projects with scope, deliverables, and deadlines carried over
- Time entries flow into invoice line items without manual data transfer
- Contracts stay linked to the proposal and project through delivery
- Flat-rate pricing ($19/month Core, $49/month Pro) with no per-user fees
- No free plan, 14-day trial gives full access to test every feature
- Custom domain requires Pro ($49/month) or Max ($199/month)
HoneyBook ($16/month, annual billing)
Best for: creative freelancers who combine proposals, contracts, and payment requests in one client-facing document | Capterra: 4.7/5 (390 reviews) | G2: 4.5/5
HoneyBook's Smart Files merge proposals, contracts, and payment requests into a single document, so clients sign and pay from one page. The Starter plan at $16/month (annual) handles proposals and basic client management. Automation triggers require the Essentials tier at $32/month (annual billing), and a recent price increase of up to 89% raised costs across all plans. Project management, task boards, and time tracking are missing entirely, so as the Plutio vs HoneyBook comparison shows, work that follows the signed proposal needs a separate platform.
- Smart Files combine proposals, contracts, and payment in one client view
- E-signatures included at every tier
- Scheduling tools on Essentials plan ($32/month, annual)
- No time tracking on any plan
- No project management, task boards, or dependencies
- Automation locked behind Essentials ($32/month), not available on Starter
Bonsai ($9/month, annual billing)
Best for: freelancers who need attorney-reviewed contract templates bundled with proposals and invoicing | Capterra: 4.6/5 | G2: 4.3/5
Bonsai bundles proposals, attorney-reviewed contracts, and invoicing at every paid tier starting at $9/month (annual). Freelancers can send a proposal, attach a contract, and collect payment from one workflow. Bonsai includes basic project management, but portal branding remains limited and there's no custom domain option. The Plutio vs Bonsai comparison details these per-seat trade-offs alongside portal branding limits.
- Attorney-reviewed contract templates ready to customize
- Proposals, contracts, and invoicing bundled at $9/month (annual)
- E-signatures included on all plans
- Limited portal branding with no custom domain
- Per-member pricing on team plans adds cost when scaling
- Basic project management with no Gantt charts or dependencies
Moxie ($12/month)
Best for: freelancers who want CRM and invoicing first, with proposals on the base plan | Trustpilot: 4.8/5 (520 reviews)
Moxie (formerly Hectic) includes CRM, invoicing, and proposals on the Starter plan at $12/month. The client portal unlocks at Pro ($25/month), where clients can track deliverables under the freelancer's branding. Flat-rate pricing keeps costs predictable at every tier. Most user reviews live on Trustpilot and AppSumo rather than G2 or Capterra, and the Plutio vs Moxie comparison covers the review gap alongside the Teams plan's 5-member cap at $40/month.
- CRM, invoicing, and proposals included at $12/month
- Flat-rate pricing at every tier
- Client portal available on Pro ($25/month)
- Client portal requires Pro plan ($25/month), not included on Starter
- Teams plan caps at 5 members
- Limited G2 and Capterra presence for review verification
All four platforms include billing alongside proposals, but only Plutio carries the signed scope into a project where billable hours land on the invoice and the contract follows the project through delivery. HoneyBook merges proposal and payment into one document but drops off at project management and time tracking. Bonsai bundles contracts at $9/month but limits portal branding. Moxie locks the client portal behind a $25/month upgrade.
Dedicated proposal tools
Dedicated proposal tools focus on the proposal itself: templates, design, tracking, and e-signatures. The trade-off is that the proposal doesn't connect to invoicing, project management, or time tracking, so freelancers using these tools need separate apps for everything that follows the signature.
Proposify ($29/user/month, annual billing)
Best for: freelancers who need detailed proposal analytics and approval workflows | Capterra: 4.4/5 (298 reviews) | G2: 4.6/5 (1,000+ reviews)
Proposify is built around proposal creation, sending, and tracking. The Basic plan at $29/user/month (annual) includes templates, e-signatures, and proposal analytics, but limits sending to 5 documents per month with a maximum of 2 users. The Team plan at $41/user/month (annual) removes the sending cap and adds approval workflows. Multiple Capterra reviewers describe the text editor as glitchy and difficult to format, and billing, hours, and project tracking all require separate subscriptions.
- Proposal analytics show when clients open, view, and forward documents
- Template library with content sections that can be reused across proposals
- E-signatures included on all plans
- Basic plan caps sending at 5 documents per month
- No invoicing, time tracking, or project management
- Text editor reported as glitchy by multiple Capterra reviewers
PandaDoc (Free plan available / $19/user/month annual)
Best for: freelancers who need free e-signatures with unlimited document creation | Capterra: 4.5/5 | G2: 4.7/5
PandaDoc's free plan includes unlimited document creation and e-signatures, which makes it the only tool on this list where sending and signing proposals costs nothing. The Starter plan at $19/user/month (annual) adds templates, analytics, and payment collection. The Business tier at $49/user/month unlocks CRM integrations and custom branding. The workflow ends at the signed document, with no path to project tracking, hours logging, or billing. PandaDoc's free tier covers that sending-and-signing step for freelancers who already have billing and PM tools elsewhere.
- Free plan with unlimited document creation and e-signatures
- Starter plan includes templates and analytics at $19/user/month
- Payment collection available on paid plans
- No invoicing, time tracking, or project management on any plan
- Custom branding locked behind Business tier ($49/user/month)
- Per-user pricing increases cost for freelancers with collaborators
Better Proposals ($13/user/month, annual billing)
Best for: freelancers who want conversion-focused proposal templates at a low per-user price | Capterra: 4.8/5 (165 reviews)
Better Proposals targets conversion rate: templates are structured to push clients toward signing quickly. The Starter plan at $13/user/month (annual) includes e-signatures and a library of modern templates. The Premium tier at $21/user/month adds custom domains and removes Better Proposals branding. The template builder covers basic layouts, though some Capterra reviewers describe it as clunky when building proposals from scratch. Invoicing, time entries, and project management sit outside the platform entirely.
- Conversion-focused template designs at $13/user/month (annual)
- E-signatures included on all plans
- Custom domain on Premium ($21/user/month)
- No invoicing, time tracking, or project management
- Template builder reported as clunky for custom layouts
- Per-user pricing adds up when collaborators join
Qwilr ($35/user/month, annual billing)
Best for: freelancers who want interactive web-based proposals instead of static PDFs | Capterra: 4.6/5 (379 reviews)
Qwilr creates interactive, web-based proposals that clients view as live pages instead of downloadable PDFs. Built-in e-signatures and real-time tracking show exactly when clients open and scroll through proposals. The Business plan at $35/user/month (annual) covers most features. Enterprise at $59/user/month requires a minimum of 5 users. Qwilr covers the proposal presentation layer, but invoicing, project management, and time tracking need separate platforms entirely.
- Interactive web-based proposals with real-time viewing analytics
- Built-in e-signatures on all plans
- Embeddable pricing tables and interactive quotes
- $35/user/month starting price, highest per-user cost on this list
- No invoicing, time tracking, or project management
- Enterprise tier requires minimum 5 users at $59/user/month
Dedicated proposal tools handle the sending and signing step well, but every one of them ends at the signed document. Proposify caps free sending at 5 documents per month. PandaDoc offers free e-signatures but nothing beyond the PDF. Better Proposals charges per user without connecting to billing. Qwilr costs $35/user/month for proposals alone. Freelancers using any of these four still need separate apps for invoicing, hours, and project tracking.
Feature comparison at a glance
All 8 tools compared on pricing, e-signatures, what happens after the proposal is signed, invoicing, and whether the pricing charges per seat.
| Tool | Price (solo) | E-signatures | After signing | Invoicing | Per-seat? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plutio | $19/mo flat | Included | Converts to project | Included | No |
| HoneyBook | $16/mo (annual) | Included | Smart File only | Included | No |
| Bonsai | $9/mo (annual) | Included | Basic PM | Included | Teams only |
| Moxie | $12/mo | Included | Portal at $25/mo | Included | No |
| Proposify | $29/user/mo | Included | None | No | Yes |
| PandaDoc | Free / $19/user/mo | Free plan | None | No | Yes |
| Better Proposals | $13/user/mo | Included | None | No | Yes |
| Qwilr | $35/user/mo | Included | None | No | Yes |
Plutio is the only tool on this list where the signed proposal kicks off a project, billable hours land on the invoice automatically, and the contract travels with the deliverables through completion, all at $19/month with no per-seat charges. Every dedicated proposal tool charges per user and ends at the signed PDF.
Picking the right freelance proposal software
The right proposal tool depends less on the proposal builder and more on what needs to happen after the client signs. A standalone proposal app covers the pitch, but everything from scope tracking to billing still needs a separate tool.
If proposals need to feed into projects and invoicing
Plutio turns signed proposals into workspaces where time entries feed directly into billing and the contract follows the deliverables. Bonsai connects proposals to contracts and basic project management at $9/month (annual) but has limited portal branding. Both include billing, so the path from signed scope to paid invoice, covered in the freelance invoicing guide, doesn't require a second subscription.
If budget is the main concern
PandaDoc's free plan covers e-signatures and unlimited document creation at no cost. Bonsai starts at $9/month (annual) with proposals, contracts, and invoicing included. Better Proposals comes in at $13/user/month. Moxie starts at $12/month with proposals and CRM bundled. For freelancers on a tight budget, the question is whether a free or cheap proposal tool plus separate invoicing and PM apps costs less than a flat-rate platform that bundles everything.
If proposal presentation matters most
Qwilr's interactive web-based proposals suit freelancers whose pitch needs to reflect the quality of the work. Better Proposals focuses on conversion-oriented designs. Proposify includes a template library with reusable content blocks. All three charge per user and cover only the proposal layer, so the freelance proposals guide helps structure content for higher win rates regardless of which tool sends the document.
If the team is growing
Per-user pricing on Proposify ($29-$41/user/month), PandaDoc ($19-$49/user/month), and Qwilr ($35-$59/user/month) multiplies with each new team member. Plutio's flat rate at $19/month doesn't change when collaborators join. Moxie's Teams plan supports up to 5 members at $40/month. Bonsai adds per-member costs on team tiers.
Freelancers who choose based on what happens after the signature, not just the proposal builder itself, avoid paying for a second set of tools to handle projects, billing, and contracts down the line.
Common proposal software mistakes freelancers make
The most expensive proposal software mistake isn't picking the wrong tool. The mistake is picking a tool that only handles one step and then paying separately for everything that comes after.
Paying per seat for a tool that only sends proposals
Proposify at $29/user/month, Qwilr at $35/user/month, and PandaDoc at $19/user/month all charge per person for proposal features alone. A freelancer who brings on a subcontractor or virtual assistant doubles the bill for a tool that doesn't handle invoicing, hours, or project tracking. Flat-rate platforms, as the freelance contracts guide explains, charge the same price whether one person uses the account or five.
Choosing software that doesn't connect to invoicing
Proposify, PandaDoc, Better Proposals, and Qwilr all end at the signed PDF. The freelancer then opens a separate invoicing tool, re-enters the project scope and pricing, and manually matches hours to deliverables. Platforms where the proposal flows into billing cut out the manual transfer between "signed" and "paid."
Over-designing proposals instead of sending them
Template builders with extensive customization options can turn a 20-minute proposal into a 2-hour design project. Freelancers who spend more time formatting proposals than writing them often have lower send rates, which matters more than template design. A proposal that goes out today wins more work than a pixel-adjusted version sent next week.
Ignoring what happens after the signature
The proposal is the starting line, not the finish line. When the signed scope doesn't carry into project management, the freelancer reconstructs deliverables, deadlines, and pricing from scratch. When time tracking isn't connected, logged hours sit in one tool while the invoice lives in another. The real cost isn't the proposal software subscription. The real cost is the disconnect between what the client agreed to and the tools that handle delivery and billing.
