Better Proposals launched in 2016 as a UK-based proposal software company aimed at freelancers and agencies. It’s not the cheapest tool in its category, not the most feature-complete, and not the most enterprise-focused. What it is: a well-built proposal tool that does the core job reliably without the enterprise overhead of PandaDoc or the learning curve of Dubsado.
Here’s an honest assessment of what it delivers.
What Better Proposals includes
Templates
Better Proposals has over 100 proposal templates spanning web design, marketing, video production, consulting, SEO, development, copywriting, photography, and more. The templates are professionally designed and available to edit from day one.
Template quality is one of the most consistent positives in user reviews. You’re not starting from a blank page or a generic document. The templates reflect real proposal structures that have been refined over years of use, and you can see immediately what sections to include for your type of work.
Proposal editor
The editor is drag-and-drop with text blocks, image blocks, video embeds, and pricing tables. It’s not as flexible as Qwilr’s web-based interactive format, but it’s more capable than a basic PDF generator. You can create multi-section proposals with cover pages, case studies, pricing tables, and signature blocks.
The learning curve for the editor is moderate. Most freelancers report being able to build their first usable proposal within 30–60 minutes, though building a truly polished version takes longer the first time.
Analytics
When a client opens your proposal, you get a notification. The analytics dashboard shows:
- When the proposal was opened and by whom
- How long the client spent on the proposal total
- Time spent per page or section
- Whether they returned to view it again
This analytics layer is one of Better Proposals’ genuine differentiators. Knowing that a client spent 12 minutes on your pricing page but only 30 seconds on your case studies tells you something about what they’re evaluating. Knowing they’ve opened the proposal 3 times in the past 24 hours tells you they’re actively considering it.
E-signature
E-signature is included on all plans. Clients can sign directly in the browser on desktop or mobile. The signature is legally valid in the US, UK, EU, and most international markets (ESIGN, UETA, eIDAS compliant).
Payment collection
Better Proposals includes Stripe and GoCardless integration for collecting a deposit or full payment at the time of signing. A client can review the proposal, sign it, and pay a retainer in one flow. This is a meaningful feature for freelancers who require upfront payment before starting work.
Integrations
Better Proposals integrates with Stripe (payments), HubSpot and Pipedrive (CRM), Slack, Zapier (for connecting to other tools), and several others. The integration depth is adequate for most freelancers and small agencies.
Pricing breakdown
Starter — $19/month
- 5 proposals per month
- All templates
- Analytics and tracking
- E-signature
- Payment collection
- Custom domain
Premium — $29/month
- Unlimited proposals
- Everything in Starter
- Priority support
Enterprise — $49/month
- White-label (remove Better Proposals branding entirely)
- Custom domain with full branding
- Team collaboration features
The 5-proposal cap on Starter is the main decision point. If you regularly send more than 5 proposals per month, the $19/month Starter tier isn’t viable — you’ll either hit the cap or downgrade your prospecting to stay under it. The $29/month Premium is the realistic tier for active freelancers.
Where Better Proposals falls short
No invoice management. Once a proposal is accepted and signed, the Better Proposals workflow ends. You create invoices elsewhere. For freelancers who want proposal-to-invoice conversion in one system, this is a meaningful gap.
No scheduling. Unlike HoneyBook or Dubsado, Better Proposals doesn’t include booking or scheduling. Discovery call scheduling requires a separate tool.
Template customization has limits. While the templates are good, customizing the underlying layout significantly can feel constrained. The editor is flexible but not as open-ended as building from scratch.
5-proposal Starter limit. The per-month cap means actively prospecting freelancers need to either track their sends carefully on the cheapest plan or pay $29/month. Most freelancers who use Better Proposals seriously are on Premium.
How it compares to Waco
The key difference between Better Proposals and Waco is where the workflow ends. Better Proposals stops at accepted proposal. Waco continues to invoice.
Both tools offer proposal creation, open tracking, and e-signature. Better Proposals has the deeper template library and more developed analytics. Waco’s advantage is that an accepted proposal converts to an invoice in the same tool — the full pre-project document flow is in one place without switching to Wave, FreshBooks, or another invoicing tool.
For freelancers who already have an invoicing system they like and want the best standalone proposal tool, Better Proposals is worth the $29/month. For freelancers who want proposals and invoices integrated at a lower price, Waco handles both.
Who Better Proposals is right for
- Freelancers who send 5–20 proposals per month and want professional templates without starting from scratch
- Marketing agencies where proposal quality directly reflects the agency’s brand
- Consultants closing $5K–50K+ engagements where the proposal itself is part of the sales process
- Freelancers who already have a separate invoicing system and want the best standalone proposal tool at a reasonable price
Who might do better elsewhere
- Freelancers who want proposal + invoice + contract in one system: Waco or Bonsai
- Freelancers who want CRM automation around proposals: Dubsado or HoneyBook
- Freelancers who want the interactive web-page proposal format: Qwilr
- Freelancers who need enterprise CRM integration: PandaDoc
Better Proposals is a focused, well-built tool. That focus is both its strength and its limit.
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