Better Proposals

Overview

Better Proposals is a cloud-based proposal software founded in 2015 that helps freelancers, agencies, and service businesses create professional proposals, collect e-signatures, and process payments in one workflow. The platform provides 250+ pre-designed templates covering consulting, marketing, design, development, and professional services.

Core capabilities:

• Proposal Templates: 250+ professionally designed templates reduce creation from 2 hours (manual Word/PowerPoint) to 15 minutes (select template, customize branding)
• E-Signature: Built-in electronic signature collection (no separate DocuSign subscription needed)
• Payment Collection: Stripe + PayPal integration enables one-click payment processing within proposals
• Real-Time Analytics: Track proposal opens, time-on-page, section engagement (know exactly when prospect viewing)
• Team Collaboration: Unlimited users on Premium plan ($29/user) for shared template library and proposal feedback
• Custom Branding: Add logo, brand colors, custom fonts, branded URL (yourcompany.betterproposals.io)

Typical use case: A marketing agency with 5 salespeople previously spent 2 hours per proposal manually formatting in Word/PowerPoint (10 proposals/month × 2 hours = 20 hours/month = 100 hours/month team-wide). After switching to Better Proposals, team uses templates to create proposals in 15 minutes (10 proposals × 15 min = 2.5 hours/month = 12.5 hours/month team-wide) → Saves 87.5 hours/month (worth $4,375-8,750 @ $50-100/hour) vs $145/month subscription (5 users @ $29/user) = 30-60x ROI. Conversion rate improved from 35% to 72% due to professional templates and real-time follow-up.

Better Proposals differentiates via best value (lowest price $19-29/user with highest conversion rates 70%+) and specialized focus (proposal-only tool vs PandaDoc's broader document automation). The platform targets freelancers, consultants, agencies, and service businesses sending 5-50 proposals/month per user.

Used by 15,000+ teams including freelance consultants, marketing agencies, design studios, development shops, and professional service firms.

Cost comparison (5-user team):

• Better Proposals Premium: $145/month ($29/user × 5) = $1,740/year
• Proposify Team: $245/month ($49/user × 5) = $2,940/year
• Qwilr Business: $175/month ($35/user × 5) = $2,100/year
• Savings: $1,200/year vs Proposify, $360/year vs Qwilr

Time-saved ROI calculation:

• Manual proposal creation: 2 hours per proposal (Word/PowerPoint formatting)
• Better Proposals: 15 minutes per proposal (template-based)
• Time saved: 1.75 hours per proposal
• Value: 20 proposals/month × 1.75 hours × $75/hour (avg fully-loaded cost) = $2,625/month saved vs $29/month cost = 90x ROI

Conversion rate impact:

• Manual proposals: 30-40% acceptance rate (industry average)
• Better Proposals: 70%+ acceptance rate (user-reported)
• Additional deals: 20 proposals @ 40% difference = 8 extra deals/month
• Value: 8 deals × $5K avg deal size = $40K/month additional revenue attributed to higher conversion rates

Best value: Premium $29/user for teams (unlimited users, team collaboration, custom branding). Starter $19/user sufficient for solo freelancers not needing team features.

When to upgrade:

• Starter → Premium: When you add 2nd team member (Premium becomes cheaper: 2 users @ $29 = $58 total vs 2 Starter plans @ $19 each = $38 total, but Premium adds team collaboration worth premium)
• Premium → Enterprise: When you need Salesforce native integration or have 10+ users requiring white-label branding

1. 250+ Proposal Templates (Cut Creation from 2 Hours to 15 Minutes)

Better Proposals' template library reduces proposal creation from 2 hours manual work (Word/PowerPoint formatting, design, layout) to 15 minutes (select template, customize branding, add pricing).

Template categories:

• Marketing & Advertising: Social media management proposals, SEO services, content marketing, PPC campaigns
• Design & Creative: Website design, branding packages, graphic design services, video production
• Development & Technology: Web development, mobile app development, software consulting, IT services
• Consulting: Business consulting, strategy consulting, HR consulting, financial advisory
• Professional Services: Legal services, accounting, real estate, insurance

Template customization:

• Branding: Add logo, brand colors (#HEX codes), custom fonts, background images
• Content: Drag-and-drop editor to add/remove sections, edit text, insert images/videos
• Pricing: Interactive pricing tables with automatic calculations (qty × price = total, apply discounts, add taxes)
• Legal: Terms & conditions, SLAs, project scope, deliverables, timelines

Typical use case: Freelance consultant previously spent 2 hours crafting custom proposals in Word (formatting headings, creating pricing tables in Excel, exporting to PDF, emailing manually). After using Better Proposals, selects "Business Consulting" template → Customizes company name/logo (2 min) → Edits scope of work section (5 min) → Updates pricing table (3 min) → Adds e-signature block (1 min) → Sends proposal link (1 min) = 12 minutes total vs 2 hours manually → Saves 1 hour 48 minutes per proposal (worth $90-180 @ $50-100/hour).

Template performance analytics:

• Track which templates have highest acceptance rates (e.g., "Marketing Agency Retainer" template = 78% acceptance, "One-Time Project" template = 62% acceptance)
• Optimize template library based on data (use high-performing templates more, retire low-performers)
• A/B test template variations (test pricing presentation, section order, visual design)

Template benefits vs manual:

• Design quality: Professional layouts created by designers vs amateur Word formatting
• Consistency: All proposals maintain brand standards vs inconsistent manual documents
• Speed: 15 minutes vs 2 hours creation time (85% faster)
• Conversion: 70%+ acceptance rates vs 30-40% manual proposals (40-point improvement)

2. Real-Time Proposal Analytics (Track Opens, Time-on-Page, Engagement)

Better Proposals' real-time analytics show exactly when prospects open proposals, how long they spend on each section, and which pages they revisit - enabling timely follow-up while engaged.

Analytics tracked:

• Open notifications: Instant email/Slack notification when prospect opens proposal (know exact time they're viewing)
• Time-on-page: See how long prospect spent on each section (8 minutes on pricing page = strong interest, 30 seconds on terms = skipped legal)
• Section engagement: Track which sections viewed, skipped, or revisited (revisited pricing 3 times = actively evaluating)
• Device used: Desktop vs mobile vs tablet (mobile view = on-the-go review, desktop = serious evaluation)
• Location: Geographic location of viewer (IP-based) for regional sales insights

How real-time analytics improve conversion:

Before Better Proposals:

• Send proposal via email PDF → Wait 3-5 days → Follow up blindly ("Did you have a chance to review?") → Prospect hasn't opened yet or reviewed days ago → Missed optimal follow-up window

After Better Proposals:

• Send proposal link → Receive notification "Prospect opened proposal at 2:15pm, spent 12 minutes, viewed pricing 3 times" → Call prospect at 2:30pm while they're engaged ("I saw you're reviewing the proposal - happy to answer questions about the pricing options") → Close deal same day vs waiting days

Typical use case: Marketing agency sales rep sends proposal Friday 10am → Receives notification Friday 2pm "Prospect opened proposal, spent 15 minutes, focused on pricing table" → Calls prospect at 2:15pm (while still engaged): "Hi Sarah, saw you're reviewing the proposal - I can walk through the pricing tiers if helpful" → Prospect asks clarifying questions → Rep adjusts pricing live → Prospect accepts same day → Deal closed within 4 hours vs typical 3-5 day email back-and-forth.

Analytics-driven optimization:

• Low time-on-page (< 2 min): Proposal not engaging → Simplify content, add visuals, shorten sections
• High pricing page revisits (3+ views): Price objection → Offer flexible payment terms, volume discounts, tiered options
• Mobile views (60%+ traffic): Optimize for mobile (larger fonts, vertical layouts, simplified tables)

Competitive advantage:

• Know exact moment prospect reviewing proposal (vs competitors sending blind email PDFs with no tracking)
• Follow up at optimal time (while engaged vs days later when they've moved on)
• Tailor conversation based on data ("I noticed you spent 10 minutes on the deliverables section - want to discuss scope?")

3. One-Click Deal Closing (E-Signature + Payment Integration)

Better Proposals' integrated e-signature + payment collection enables clients to review proposal, sign agreement, and pay invoice in one workflow (< 5 minutes) vs traditional process (sign DocuSign, receive separate invoice, pay via check/wire transfer = days).

One-click closing workflow:

1. Client receives proposal link via email
2. Opens proposal on mobile/desktop (no login required)
3. Reviews proposal content, pricing, deliverables
4. Scrolls to bottom → Clicks "Accept & Pay" button
5. E-signs agreement (type name, draw signature, or upload image)
6. Enters payment details (Stripe credit card or PayPal checkout)
7. Clicks "Submit" → Deal closed, payment processed automatically

Total time: < 5 minutes vs traditional multi-day process

Payment integration benefits:

Stripe Integration:

• Accept credit/debit cards directly in proposals (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
• Stripe fees: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (standard Stripe pricing, Better Proposals takes no cut)
• Funds deposited to your Stripe account within 2 business days
• Supports payment plans (collect 50% upfront, 50% on delivery)

PayPal Integration:

• Alternative checkout for clients preferring PayPal (especially international clients)
• PayPal fees: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (US domestic), higher for international
• Instant PayPal balance credit (vs waiting for bank transfer)

E-signature features:

• Legally binding: Complies with eIDAS (EU), ESIGN Act (US), UETA regulations
• Audit trail: Records signer IP address, timestamp, device used for legal proof
• Multi-signer: Collect signatures from multiple stakeholders (client + manager approval)
• Reminders: Automated email reminders if proposal not signed within 3 days

Typical use case: Design agency sends website redesign proposal ($15K project) → Client reviews on mobile during commute → Likes proposal, clicks "Accept & Pay" → E-signs agreement → Pays $7,500 deposit (50% upfront) via Stripe → Agency receives notification + payment within 5 minutes → Deal closed same day vs traditional process (send DocuSign for signature → wait 2 days → send separate invoice → wait 5-10 days for check/wire transfer = 7-12 day closing cycle).

Conversion impact:

• Friction reduction: One-click closing vs multi-step traditional process (fewer steps = higher conversion)
• Mobile optimization: 60%+ prospects review proposals on mobile (integrated payment enables mobile closing vs "I'll pay when I'm back at my desk" = lost deals)
• Immediate commitment: Capturing payment during peak interest moment (when they're reviewing proposal) vs losing momentum waiting for separate invoicing

4. Team Collaboration (Unlimited Users on Premium Plan)

Better Proposals' unlimited users on Premium plan ($29/user) enables entire team to collaborate on proposals, share template library, and provide feedback before sending to clients.

Team collaboration features:

Shared Template Library:

• Entire team accesses same 250+ templates + custom company templates
• Marketing team creates brand-approved templates → Sales team uses for proposals (ensures brand consistency)
• Top performers' templates shared across team (replicate what works)

Proposal Review Workflow:

• Sales rep creates proposal → Assigns to manager for review → Manager comments on pricing, scope, terms → Rep revises → Manager approves → Rep sends to client
• Prevents sending proposals with errors, unapproved pricing, or off-brand messaging

Team Analytics:

• See team-wide proposal performance (total sent, total accepted, avg acceptance rate, revenue generated)
• Identify top performers (Rep A = 85% acceptance rate, Rep B = 55% acceptance rate → Coach Rep B using Rep A's templates/approach)
• Track pipeline (20 proposals sent last week, 5 accepted, 15 pending, $100K total value)

Role-Based Permissions:

• Admin: Full access (edit templates, manage users, view all proposals, adjust pricing)
• Manager: Review/approve proposals, view team analytics, edit templates
• Sales Rep: Create proposals from templates, send to clients, track individual proposals
• View-Only: See proposal library and analytics without editing capabilities

Typical use case: Marketing agency with 5 sales reps + 1 sales manager shares Premium plan ($145/month for 6 users = $24/user avg) → Manager creates 10 brand-approved templates for common service packages → Reps use templates to create proposals in 15 minutes → Manager reviews high-value proposals ($20K+) before sending → Team tracks performance dashboard (this month: 45 proposals sent, 32 accepted = 71% conversion rate, $280K revenue generated) → Collaboration ensures brand consistency, pricing approval, and team learning vs siloed individual sales reps using inconsistent proposals.

Team ROI:

• Template reuse: 1 manager creates template (2 hours) → 5 reps use 20 times each (100 proposals) → Saves 100 × 1.75 hours = 175 hours team-wide vs everyone creating custom proposals
• Quality control: Manager review catches pricing errors (avoid $10K underpriced proposal), scope creep (clarify deliverables before client accepts)
• Knowledge sharing: Top performer's 85% acceptance rate template shared across team → Lifts team avg from 55% to 70% (+15 points)

5. Custom Branding (White-Label Proposals)

Better Proposals' custom branding enables agencies and consultants to create fully branded proposals matching their company identity (vs generic Better Proposals branding).

Branding customization:

Visual Branding:

• Logo: Upload company logo (PNG, SVG, JPEG) displayed on proposal header
• Brand Colors: Set primary/secondary colors (#HEX codes) for buttons, headings, accents
• Custom Fonts: Upload brand fonts or select from Google Fonts library (match website typography)
• Background Images: Add brand imagery, hero images, section backgrounds

URL Branding:

• Custom Domain: yourcompany.betterproposals.io vs generic betterproposals.io/proposal/12345
• Vanity URLs: proposals.yourcompany.com (CNAME DNS setup) for fully white-label experience

Email Customization:

• Sender Name: Proposals sent from "Sarah Smith, ABC Agency" vs "Better Proposals"
• Email Templates: Customize notification emails with brand messaging, imagery, footer
• Reply-To: Client replies go to your email (not Better Proposals support)

Typical use case: Design agency wants proposals to match brand identity → Uploads logo, sets brand colors (#FF6B35 orange, #004E89 blue), selects Brandon Grotesque font (matching website) → Sets custom domain proposals.abcagency.com → Sends branded proposal → Client receives "Professional proposal from ABC Agency" (no mention of Better Proposals) → Fully white-label experience builds brand credibility vs generic tool branding undermining professional image.

Branding benefits:

• Brand consistency: Proposals match website, business cards, social media (cohesive professional image)
• Credibility: Branded proposals perceived as more professional vs generic templates (increases trust)
• White-label: Agency can resell proposal service to clients (e.g., "We provide branded proposal creation for your sales team" using Better Proposals backend)

Competitive comparison:

• Better Proposals Premium: Custom branding included at $29/user
• Proposify Team: Custom branding included at $49/user (69% more expensive)
• PandaDoc Business: Custom branding at $49/user (69% more expensive)
• Better value: Save $20/user/month for same branding capabilities

Choose Better Proposals if:

• You're budget-conscious ($19-29/user saves $240-480/year vs Proposify $49/user)
• You want fastest time-to-value (15 min to first proposal vs learning curve with Proposify)
• You need unlimited team users (Premium $29/user for whole team vs per-seat pricing)
• You prioritize conversion rates (70%+ vs Proposify 60-65%)
• You don't need Salesforce (HubSpot integration sufficient)

Choose Proposify if:

• You need Salesforce integration on mid-tier plan (vs Better Proposals Enterprise upgrade)
• You want pixel-perfect design control (highly branded creative proposals)
• You need mobile app (create/edit proposals on iOS/Android vs web-only)
• You can justify $49/user premium (61% more expensive than Better Proposals $29/user)
• You prioritize design over value (Proposify = creative agency tool, Better Proposals = value-focused)

Freelancers / Solo Consultants (1 person)

Best plan: Starter ($19/month) Why: Single user sending 5-20 proposals/month. No team collaboration needed. Lowest cost entry point.

ROI calculation:

• Manual proposals: 2 hours each × 10 proposals/month = 20 hours/month
• Better Proposals: 15 min each × 10 proposals/month = 2.5 hours/month
• Time saved: 17.5 hours/month × $75/hour = $1,312/month value vs $19/month cost = 69x ROI

Use case: Freelance consultant sending project proposals to SMB clients. Uses "Business Consulting" template, customizes scope/pricing (15 min), sends proposal link. Client reviews on mobile, signs and pays 50% deposit via Stripe within 24 hours. Closes deals 5x faster (1 day vs 5-7 day traditional process).

When to upgrade: Upgrade to Premium ($29/month) when you hire your first sales assistant or VA to help create proposals (need 2+ users + team collaboration features).

Small Agencies / Teams (2-10 people)

Best plan: Premium ($29/user) Why: Unlimited users, team collaboration, custom branding. Best value for teams vs per-seat pricing competitors.

Team ROI calculation (5-person team):

• Cost: $145/month ($29/user × 5) = $1,740/year
• Time saved: 5 reps × 20 proposals/month × 1.75 hours saved = 175 hours/month team-wide
• Value: 175 hours × $75/hour = $13,125/month (worth $157K/year) vs $1,740/year cost = 90x ROI

Additional conversion value:

• Manual proposals: 35% acceptance rate
• Better Proposals: 72% acceptance rate (+37 points)
• Additional deals: 100 proposals/month × 37% improvement = 37 extra deals/month
• Revenue: 37 deals × $5K avg = $185K/month incremental revenue attributed to higher conversion

Use case: Marketing agency with 5 sales reps shares template library (10 brand-approved service packages). Manager reviews high-value proposals ($20K+) before sending. Team tracks dashboard showing 71% team avg conversion rate. Reps follow up within 10 minutes of proposal opens using real-time notifications.

When to upgrade: Upgrade to Enterprise when you reach 10+ users and need Salesforce native integration or white-label reselling capabilities.

SMBs / Mid-Market (11-100 people)

Best plan: Enterprise (custom pricing) Why: Salesforce integration, SSO, dedicated support, white-label options for larger teams.

Enterprise features:

• Salesforce native integration: Create proposals from Salesforce opportunities, sync proposal activity to Salesforce timeline, update deal stage on signature
• SSO: Integrate with Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace for centralized authentication
• Dedicated support: Priority email + phone support vs standard email-only support
• White-label: Fully remove Better Proposals branding, custom domain, resell to clients

Not recommended for enterprises: Better Proposals lacks advanced CPQ features for complex product configurations. Teams selling configurable products with tiered pricing, approval workflows, and quote-to-cash automation should use PandaDoc Enterprise or DealHub CPQ instead.

Best use case: Service businesses (consulting firms, professional services) with 20-50 salespeople sending simple proposals (hourly rates, project-based pricing, retainers) vs complex product configurations.

Better Proposals is the best value proposal software for freelancers, agencies, and SMB service businesses wanting 70%+ conversion rates without enterprise pricing. At $19-29/user/month (vs competitors $35-65/user), Better Proposals saves $192-432/year per user while delivering superior conversion performance (70%+ acceptance rates vs industry average 30-40%).

Why Better Proposals wins: 250+ professional templates cut proposal creation from 2 hours (manual Word/PowerPoint) to 15 minutes (select template, customize, send) = 1.75 hours saved per proposal translating to 35 hours/month for 20 proposals (worth $1,750-3,500 @ $50-100/hour fully-loaded cost) vs $29/month subscription = 60-120x ROI. Integrated e-signature + payment collection enables one-click deal closing (client reviews, signs, pays in <5 minutes) vs traditional multi-day process (separate DocuSign + invoicing). Real-time analytics show exactly when prospects open proposals, how long they spend on each section - enabling timely follow-up while engaged (vs sending blind emails days later).

The catch: No Salesforce integration on standard plans (requires Enterprise custom pricing vs Proposify/PandaDoc with Salesforce on mid-tier). Lacks advanced CPQ features for complex product configurations (tiered discounting rules, approval workflows) - teams needing CPQ should use PandaDoc Enterprise or DealHub. Traditional document approach vs Qwilr's interactive web pages with embedded videos/ROI calculators (less engaging for tech-savvy prospects).

Best for: Freelance consultants sending 5-20 proposals/month ($19/user Starter plan = 69x ROI from time saved), agencies with 3-10 salespeople ($29/user Premium = unlimited team users, 90x ROI from time saved + 40-point higher conversion rates), service businesses (marketing, design, development, consulting) wanting professional branded proposals with e-signature + payment at lowest price point.

Not for: Enterprise teams needing Salesforce integration on standard plans (use Proposify/PandaDoc), companies requiring advanced CPQ for complex products (use PandaDoc Enterprise/DealHub), teams wanting interactive multimedia proposals (use Qwilr for web-page experience vs traditional documents), high-volume transactional sales (100+ proposals/day - Better Proposals optimized for consultative selling 5-50 proposals/month).

Better Proposals' unlimited users on Premium plan ($29/user) makes it cheapest team solution available (5 users @ $145/month vs Proposify $245/month = save $1,200/year). The 70%+ conversion rates (vs 30-40% manual proposals) generates $185K/month incremental revenue for 5-person team sending 100 proposals/month (37% improvement × 100 proposals × $5K avg deal size).

Rating: Gold Medal - Best value proposal software with highest conversion rates (70%+ vs industry 30-40%) at lowest price point ($19-29/user vs competitors $35-65/user). 250+ templates cut creation time 87% (15 min vs 2 hours manual). Integrated e-signature + payment enables one-click deal closing (< 5 min client-side). Real-time analytics enable timely follow-up while prospects engaged. Unlimited users on Premium plan ($29/user) = cheapest team solution. Limitation: No Salesforce on standard plans (Enterprise upgrade required), lacks advanced CPQ for complex products, traditional document approach vs interactive multimedia proposals.