Starting freelancers often skip quote software to save money, but free options exist that rival paid plans for basic features. The right quote software saves time, looks professional, and creates a foundation for tracking client proposals and conversion rates.
Wave: The Best Free Quotation Tool
Wave is free forever, no paid tier. Create unlimited quotes, convert to invoices, accept payments, and track finances without a subscription. The interface is simple: add your business name, logo, and contact info, then build templates with your standard pricing and services. Wave calculates currency, taxes, and line items automatically.
The tradeoff is customization. You can’t drastically change colors or fonts; Wave templates are fixed designs. But for most freelancers, they look professional enough. Clients see your name, clear itemization, and totals. Wave integrates with accounting software, so quotes convert to invoices to payments all in one flow.
Payment processing uses Stripe fees (2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction), no platform fee on top. The gap: Wave doesn’t track which quotes convert or how long clients take to sign. You manually track whether proposals become projects.
Square Invoices: Simple and Mobile-Friendly
Square Invoices is free to create and send quotes, with optional paid payment processing. Build a quote on your phone or desktop, email it or send a link, and clients can sign and pay directly. Square’s mobile app is ideal if you quote on-site, appealing to contractors and service providers.
The free version includes basic templates and email delivery. The layout is clean and mobile-responsive, so quotes look good on phones. If they pay through the link, Square charges standard processing fees but no subscription.
The downside: less customization and fewer integrations than Wave. Square works as a standalone but doesn’t connect deeply with accounting systems. If you use Wave or QuickBooks, Square creates reconciliation headaches.
Google Docs and Microsoft Word Templates
Google Docs and Word offer free, customizable quote templates. Search “quotation template” in Google Docs and you’ll find dozens. You get complete design control. But these are static documents, not software.
They don’t automate math, don’t show when clients open quotes, and don’t connect to invoicing or payment systems. You manually enter amounts, calculate totals by hand, and send follow-up emails. Fine for one-off quotes to friends. Inefficient for running a business long-term.
Waco3 for Proposal Tracking
If quotes drive your business, Waco3 combines quotes, invoicing, client tracking, and analytics in one platform. Create a template once, generate new quotes in seconds. Waco3 tracks when clients open quotes, how long they read them, and whether they convert to invoices. This data sharpens your wording and pricing.
The insight: freelancers who track metrics close more deals. You see which clients review quotes in hours versus days. You see which sections get attention and which get skipped. Adjust templates accordingly.
Waco3 also integrates payment processing, so when quotes convert to invoices and get paid, you see the full path in one dashboard. No bouncing between Wave, email, and spreadsheets.
Comparison: Which to Choose
Wave is best for pure free software with no strings attached. It’s genuinely free (not a limited tier), handles invoicing alongside quotes, and integrates with accounting software.
Square Invoices wins for mobile-first quoting and fast signing. If you quote on-site, Square’s mobile app and client signing flow are unmatched at the free level.
Waco3 is for freelancers who want to track proposal conversion and client behavior. The analytics justify the subscription cost when conversion rate drives your business.
Start with Wave if you’re new. It removes friction without forcing payment. After 20-30 quotes, you’ll know if you need deeper analytics. If conversion rate matters, move to Waco3.
Free quote software is good enough to start, but paid software that tracks proposal metrics will help you close more deals over time.
Related: Free Quote Software for Freelancers | Quotation Valid for 7 Days: Wording and Best Practices
Ready to send stronger proposals?
Build, send, and track proposals in one place so follow-up is easier.
Start your free trial →
