Sales & CRM · Ranked by price to features
9 Best Proposal Software for Freelancers of 2026
By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 25, 2026
Moxie is the best proposal software for freelancers in 2026, with proposals, contracts, invoices and payments from $10 a month billed annually; Bonsai suits freelancers and small studios that also track time and projects, at $19 per user per month on Essentials; the cheapest option is PandaDoc's free plan for 5 documents a month.
- Tools ranked
- 9
- With free plan
- 1
- Cheapest paid plan
- Moxie, $10
- per month
By the numbers
- 74.9 millionA record 74.9 million Americans worked independently in 2026, according to MBO Partners' State of Independence survey.MBO Partners
- 38%Skilled freelancers made up 38 percent of US knowledge workers in Upwork's 2026 survey, up from 28 percent a year earlier.Upwork
- $40 to $50Editorial Freelancers Association members reported a median rate range of $40 to $50 per hour for copyediting fiction in 2025.Editorial Freelancers Association
- 34%Freelancers doing AI work on Upwork earned 34 percent more per hour than those not using AI, based on 2026 platform data.Upwork
- 58%58 percent of self-employed US adults said their income varied from month to month in 2025, compared with 28 percent of people who worked for someone else, according to the Federal Reserve's household survey.Federal Reserve Board
- $373Fiverr's annual spend per buyer reached $373 as of September 30, 2026, up 12.9 percent from $330 a year earlier.Fiverr
Comparison table
| Tool | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moxie | 01 | 8.9 | 9.4 | $10per month | No |
| Bonsai | 02 | 8.7 | 8.6 | $19per user per month | No |
| HoneyBook | 03 | 8.6 | 8.2 | $29per month | No |
| Better Proposals | 04 | 8.5 | 8.8 | $13per month, 1 user | No |
| PandaDoc | 05 | 8.4 | 8.6 | $19per seat per month | Yes |
| Dubsado | 06 | 8.3 | 8.5 | $27.92per month, billed as $335 per year | No |
| Prospero | 07 | 8.2 | 8.6 | $12per month, 1 member | No |
| Nusii | 08 | 7.7 | 7.4 | $29per month, 1 user | No |
| Qwilr | 09 | 7.7 | 7.0 | $35per user per month | No |
Click a column to sort. Prices are the cheapest paid plan quoted from each vendor's US pricing page; "Check price" means the US price check is pending.
How this ranking works
One method for every tool. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests. Value carries the most weight.
Full methodThis list is for freelancers and small studios that want to send a proposal, get the contract signed and collect a deposit without paying for three separate tools. We compared documented features and published prices on each vendor's own pages. Rankozo weights value at 40%, features at 35% and ease of use at 25%, so a low monthly price with proposals, contracts and payments on the entry plan ranks above polished tools built for sales teams. All nine vendors showed USD prices from our location.
The verdict
For most solo freelancers, an all-in-one client tool beats a dedicated proposal app. Moxie Starter costs $10 a month billed annually and already covers proposals, quotes, contracts, invoicing and payments. Bonsai puts proposals, contracts and payments on Essentials at $19 per user, and HoneyBook includes them on Starter at $29 a month for US, Canadian, UK and Australian businesses. If you only need better-looking proposals with signatures and deposits, Better Proposals Starter at $13 a month is the cheapest dedicated option, and PandaDoc's free plan handles 5 documents a month.
- 01Top value
Moxie
8.9/10A business tool for freelancers that combines proposals, contracts, invoicing, projects, time tracking and scheduling.
Price
$10per month
Starter $10 a month billed annually ($120 a year) or $12 monthly; Pro $20 a month annually; Teams $32 a month annually for up to five team members
“$10/month $120 charged annually USD” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 9.4
- Features (35%)
- 8.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.4
Best forSolo freelancers who want proposals, contracts and payments in one low-cost subscription.
Moxie ranks first because its $10 Starter plan, billed annually as $120, already includes proposals, quotes and contracts alongside invoicing and payment tools, client and project management, time tracking, a sales pipeline, forms and meeting schedulers. Paying monthly costs $12, and Moxie says it does not want to lock freelancers into yearly contracts. That combination gives a solo freelancer the full path from first pitch to paid invoice for less than most dedicated proposal apps charge. The limits show up once you want polish or automation: the white-label client portal, custom domain, workflow automations, QuickBooks integration and API access through Zapier, Make and webhooks sit on Pro at $20 a month billed annually. Small studios can move to Teams, which covers up to five team members for $32 a month billed annually. There is no free plan, but the 14-day trial and Moxie's published scholarships lower the barrier for new freelancers.
- ✓Lowest published price for a full proposal to payment workflow at $10 a month
- ✓Monthly billing available at $12, with no annual lock-in
- ✓Teams plan covers up to five team members at one price
- ✕Workflow automations and the QuickBooks integration need the $20 Pro plan
- ✕No permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial
- ✕A white-label client portal and custom domain are Pro features
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Starter, $10 a month billed annually or $12 monthly
- Proposals and contracts:
- Included on Starter
- Team plan:
- Teams, up to five team members, $32 a month billed annually
- Discounts:
- Location-based and need-based scholarships
Bottom line: The best value for a solo freelancer who wants proposals, contracts and invoices together. Upgrade to Pro only when you need automations or a branded portal.
- 02
Bonsai
8.7/10Client, project and finance software for freelancers and agencies, with proposals and contracts from the Essentials plan.
Price
$19per user per month
Basic $9 per user per month billed annually without proposals; Essentials with proposals, contracts and payments $19 per user per month billed annually ($25 monthly)
“Essentials $19 /user/month The essentials for an end-to-end client and project management” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.6
- Features (35%)
- 8.9
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.4
Best forFreelancers and small studios that want proposals tied to time tracking, projects and invoicing.
Bonsai is a strong pick when proposals are one step in a longer billable workflow. Essentials costs $19 per user per month billed annually, or $25 monthly, and adds proposals, contracts, all templates, invoices and payments, forms, scheduling, a client portal and expense tracking on top of Basic's time tracking, tasks, CRM and unlimited projects. Billing covers retainer and subscription invoices, multi-currency billing and attaching time entries, which helps consultants who bill monthly against a signed scope. Freelancers should not be misled by the $9 Basic plan: it has no proposals or contracts. Premium at $29 per user adds a deals pipeline, profit and productivity reports, branding removal and integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier, Calendly and Google. The trial lasts 7 days, shorter than most tools on this list, and the per-user price grows with every studio hire.
- ✓Proposals, contracts and invoicing share one client record
- ✓Retainer and subscription invoices suit recurring clients
- ✓Strong project and time tracking for billable work
- ✕The $9 Basic plan does not include proposals or contracts
- ✕Removing Bonsai branding requires Premium at $29 per user
- ✕Per-user pricing adds up for studios
- Free plan:
- No, 7-day free trial
- Cheapest plan with proposals:
- Essentials, $19 per user per month billed annually or $25 monthly
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Basic, $9 per user per month billed annually
- Branding removal:
- Premium, $29 per user per month billed annually
Bottom line: A good fit for freelancers who bill time against signed proposals. Budget for Essentials, not Basic, if proposals are the reason you are buying.
- 03
HoneyBook
8.6/10A client flow platform for service businesses with proposals, contracts, invoices and payments on every plan.
Price
$29per month
Starter $29 a month billed annually ($36 monthly); Essentials $49; Premium $109 billed annually
“$ 29 /month (billed annually) $36 15% off Starter” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 8.2
- Features (35%)
- 9.0
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.8
Best forUS, Canadian, UK and Australian freelancers who sell service packages and want clients to book and pay in one step.
HoneyBook has the most complete set of client-facing files on this list, and its $29 Starter plan, billed annually or $36 monthly, includes proposals, contracts, invoices and payments, all professional templates, a client portal and up to 2 live lead forms. HoneyBook proposals let clients pick services and pay, so a photographer or consultant can send one file that covers the package, the signature and the deposit. Card payments carry fees starting at 2.9% plus 25 cents, and ACH is also supported. It ranks third rather than first because Starter costs nearly three times Moxie's entry plan, and the scheduler, automations, SMS reminders, QuickBooks Online integration and branding removal need Essentials at $49 a month billed annually. The bigger filter is geography: HoneyBook only supports professionals based in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. A 60-day money-back guarantee lowers the risk of trying it.
- ✓Proposals, contracts and payments on the $29 Starter plan
- ✓Unlimited clients and projects on every plan
- ✓60-day money-back guarantee
- ✕Only available to businesses in the US, Canada, UK and Australia
- ✕Automations and the scheduler need Essentials at $49
- ✕Starter shows Powered by HoneyBook branding
- Free plan:
- No, all plans start with a free trial
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Starter, $29 a month billed annually or $36 monthly
- Card processing:
- Fees starting at 2.9% + 25 cents
- Availability:
- US, Canada, UK and Australia
- Guarantee:
- 60-day money-back guarantee
Bottom line: The most polished proposal to payment flow for service businesses in supported countries. Expect to move to Essentials once you want automations.
- 04
Better Proposals
8.5/10A dedicated proposal tool for creating, sending and tracking proposals, quotes and contracts with signatures and payments.
Price
$13per month, 1 user
Starter $13 a month billed annually ($19 monthly) for 1 user and 10 documents a month; Premium $21 per user per month billed annually
“$ 13 /month, annually $19/month, monthly” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.8
- Features (35%)
- 8.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.6
Best forFreelancers who want professional-looking proposals with signatures and deposits but already have an invoicing tool.
Better Proposals is the cheapest dedicated proposal tool on this list. Starter costs $13 a month billed annually or $19 monthly for 1 user, and includes legally binding digital signatures, interactive pricing tables, payment integrations, a content library and notifications with analytics. Clients pay through Stripe, GoCardless or PayPal, so you can take a deposit the moment a proposal is accepted. The page lists over 260 free document templates, which helps freelancers who do not want to design from scratch. The trade-off is scope and volume. Starter sends up to 10 documents a month, which is fine for most solo freelancers but tight in a busy season, and custom domains, CRM integrations, Zapier and the API need Premium at $21 per user. There is no invoicing, time tracking or project management, so you will still need a separate tool for recurring bills.
- ✓Cheapest dedicated proposal plan we found at $13 a month billed annually
- ✓Signatures and payments included on Starter
- ✓Over 260 free document templates
- ✕Starter sends up to 10 documents a month
- ✕Starter is limited to 1 user
- ✕No invoicing, time tracking or project tools
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Starter, $13 a month billed annually or $19 monthly
- Send limit on Starter:
- Up to 10 documents a month
- Payment processors:
- Stripe, GoCardless or PayPal
Bottom line: The best choice if you want a proposal tool rather than a full client system. Pair it with your current invoicing app.
- 05
PandaDoc
8.4/10A document and e-signature platform with a free plan, pricing tables and payment collection.
Price
$19per seat per month
Free plan with 5 documents a month; Starter $19 per seat per month billed annually; Business $49 per seat per month billed annually
“Starter $19 per month, billed annually” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.6
- Features (35%)
- 8.0
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.6
Best forFreelancers who send a handful of proposals and contracts a month and want to start free.
PandaDoc is the cheapest way to start, because its free plan lets you create 5 documents a month with a drag and drop editor, real-time tracking and notifications. Starter at $19 per seat per month billed annually removes the document cap and adds unlimited uploads and e-signatures, and the plan comparison lists pricing tables, payment collection, auto reminders and an audit trail. For a freelancer that covers sending a proposal, getting it signed and taking payment. PandaDoc is built mainly for sales teams, though, and several items freelancers care about sit on Business at $49 per seat: custom branding, the content library, custom quotes and CRM integrations. Starter also caps you at 5 templates. There is no invoicing, time tracking or project management, so PandaDoc works best as a signing and proposal layer next to your accounting tool.
- ✓Permanent free plan with e-signatures and tracking
- ✓Unlimited documents from the $19 Starter plan
- ✓SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance listed
- ✕Custom branding and the content library need Business at $49 per seat
- ✕Starter allows up to 5 templates
- ✕No invoicing or project management for ongoing client work
- Free plan:
- Yes, 5 documents a month
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Starter, $19 per seat per month billed annually
- Templates on Starter:
- Up to 5
- Free trial:
- 14 days, no credit card
Bottom line: Start here if you send fewer than 5 proposals a month and want to pay nothing. Move to a client management tool once you need invoices too.
- 06
Dubsado
8.3/10Client management software for service businesses with contracts, invoicing, forms, client portals and workflows.
Price
$27.92per month, billed as $335 per year
Starter $335 per year (about $27.92 a month); Premier $525 per year with public proposals, scheduling and workflows
“All prices are in USD Features Starter Plan $335/yr Premier Plan $525/yr” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 21 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.5
- Features (35%)
- 8.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 7.6
Best forFreelancers and small studios that want deep workflow automation and pay yearly.
Dubsado suits freelancers who want to automate the whole client process and are happy to pay once a year. Starter costs $335 a year, about $27.92 a month, and includes unlimited projects and clients, invoicing and payment plans, form and email templates, client portals and email integration. Contracts and proposals are core features, but public proposals that clients can view and track, automated workflows, scheduling, bookkeeping integration and Zapier are on Premier at $525 a year. For a small studio, the user policy is a strong point: Dubsado includes 3 additional users for free and charges $25 a month for 4 to 10 users. Extra brands cost $10 a month each, which helps people running more than one business. The 21-day trial gives full Premier access without a card. The cost of all that flexibility is setup time, since workflows take longer to build than in Moxie or HoneyBook.
- ✓3 additional users free, useful for small studios
- ✓Payment plans let clients pay in installments
- ✓21-day free trial with full Premier access
- ✕Public proposals, workflows and scheduling need Premier at $525 a year
- ✕Starter allows 1 active lead capture form
- ✕Setting up workflows takes more time than simpler tools
- Free plan:
- No, 21-day free trial of Premier
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Starter, $335 per year
- Plan with public proposals:
- Premier, $525 per year
- Users:
- 3 additional users free; 4 to 10 users $25 a month
- Extra brands:
- $10 a month per brand
Bottom line: A strong yearly option for small studios that want automation and free extra users. Plan on Premier if proposals are central to your sales.
- 07
Prospero
8.2/10Proposal software for freelancers and agencies with unlimited proposals, e-signatures and an AI writing assistant.
Price
$12per month, 1 member
From $12 a month with annual billing; $19 a month billed monthly for one member
“Start from $12 a month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.6
- Features (35%)
- 7.4
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.6
Best forFreelancers who send many proposals and want no send caps at a low price.
Prospero is a dedicated proposal tool that does not count your sends. The pricing page lists a price from $12 a month, with annual billing saving 37% against the $19 monthly price for a single member. Every plan includes unlimited proposals and proposal emails, auto reminders, a content library, more than 100 templates, an interactive pricing module, version history and PDF export. Signatures work on desktop and mobile and record a timestamp, IP and device info, with support for two signers. A generative AI assistant changes tone or length, rewrites text and generates images. Analytics show acceptance rate and how long a proposal link was open. Payments rely on integrations with Stripe, QuickBooks, FreshBooks or Xero rather than built-in invoicing, so Prospero fits freelancers who already have an accounting tool. It ranks below Better Proposals because the feature set beyond the proposal itself is thinner.
- ✓No cap on proposals
- ✓100+ templates and a content library
- ✓Low price for a dedicated proposal tool
- ✕Payments run through a Stripe integration rather than built-in invoicing
- ✕No project management or time tracking
- ✕E-signature supports two signers
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Cheapest paid plan:
- From $12 a month billed annually, $19 monthly
- Proposal limit:
- Unlimited
- Templates:
- 100+
Bottom line: A good low-cost pick for freelancers who send a high volume of proposals. Keep your current invoicing tool for billing.
- 08
Nusii
7.7/10Simple proposal software for freelancers and agencies with e-signatures, templates and analytics.
Price
$29per month, 1 user
Freelancer $29 a month or $290 a year for 1 user and 5 active proposals; Agency $49 a month for 3 users; Business $129 a month for 5 users
“Nusii has three plans: Freelancer is $29 a month for 1 user, Agency $49 a month for 3 users and Business $129 a month for 5 users.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 7.4
- Features (35%)
- 7.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.8
Best forFreelancers who want a simple proposal editor and send only a few proposals at a time.
Nusii keeps proposal writing simple, with unlimited templates and clients, PDF export, notifications, analytics, personal branding and legally binding e-signatures on every plan. The Freelancer plan costs $29 a month or $290 a year for 1 user, and email from your own domain plus Zapier and chat integrations are included. For this list, the Freelancer plan has two gaps that matter. It caps you at 5 active proposals, and payments, CRM integrations, automatic reminders, branding removal and a custom domain are only on Agency, which costs $49 a month for 3 users. That means a solo freelancer who wants to collect a deposit at signing pays the Agency price. Small studios get better value from Agency, which includes 3 users and 20 active proposals, with extra users at $19 each. Nusii ranks last because cheaper tools on this list include payments on their entry plan.
- ✓Simple editor with little training needed
- ✓Agency plan includes 3 users for $49 a month
- ✓Yearly billing gives 2 months free
- ✕Freelancer plan allows 5 active proposals
- ✕Payments and automatic reminders are not on the Freelancer plan
- ✕Freelancer plan cannot remove Nusii branding
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Freelancer, $29 a month or $290 a year
- Active proposals:
- 5 on Freelancer, 20 on Agency, 50+ on Business
- Extra users:
- $19 per user on Agency, $29 per user on Business
Bottom line: Pleasant to use, but the Freelancer plan lacks payments. Small studios should compare the Agency plan with Moxie Teams and Dubsado.
- 09
Qwilr
7.7/10Interactive web-based proposals and quotes with e-signatures, analytics and built-in payments through QwilrPay.
Price
$35per user per month
Starter $35 per user per month with annual billing; Growth $55 per user with a 5-user minimum; Scale $75 per user with a 10-user minimum
“Starter Essential tools for individuals and small teams Starting at... $ 35 USD per user/month Annual billing” Quoted from the pricing page, November 10, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 7.0
- Features (35%)
- 8.4
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.0
Best forStudios that sell higher-value projects and want web-page proposals with interactive quotes.
Qwilr turns proposals into interactive web pages, which can help a studio stand out on larger bids. Starter costs $35 per user per month with annual billing and includes unlimited pages, quote blocks with tiered plans, an ROI calculator, an accept block, e-signatures, an audit trail, PDF export and QwilrPay, which collects partial, full or recurring payments directly on the page. Starter also lists HubSpot, Zoho and Pipedrive integrations and analytics on how buyers engage. The problem for freelancers is cost and fit. Starter is the highest entry price on this list, and custom branding, automations and identity verification sit on Growth at $55 per user with a minimum of 5 users. Automated document creation through the API is billed per document. Qwilr has no invoicing or project tools, so it works best for studios whose proposals are large enough to justify the price.
- ✓Proposals feel like web pages rather than PDFs
- ✓Recurring payments can be collected from the proposal
- ✓Unlimited pages on every plan
- ✕Starter at $35 per user is the most expensive entry plan here
- ✕Custom branding needs Growth with a 5-user minimum
- ✕Monthly Starter plans do not include free automated documents
- Free plan:
- No, free trial available
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Starter, $35 per user per month with annual billing
- Growth plan:
- $55 per user per month, minimum 5 users
- Payments:
- QwilrPay for partial, full or recurring payments
Bottom line: Worth the price for studios sending high-value proposals that benefit from interactive quotes. Solo freelancers will find better value higher on this list.
What to check before you pay
Check that the entry plan includes proposals
Some cheap plans leave proposals out. Bonsai Basic at $9 per user covers time tracking and projects, but proposals and contracts start on Essentials at $19. Dubsado Starter at $335 a year lacks public proposals, which sit on Premier at $525. Moxie, HoneyBook, Better Proposals and Prospero include proposals on their lowest paid plan.
Decide if you need invoicing or just a deposit
Client management tools such as Moxie, Bonsai, HoneyBook and Dubsado send the proposal, the contract and the follow-up invoices from one record. Dedicated proposal tools such as Better Proposals, Prospero, Qwilr and PandaDoc collect payment at acceptance through Stripe or similar processors, but you keep a separate tool for recurring invoices.
Watch document and proposal limits
Volume caps decide whether a cheap plan works. Better Proposals Starter sends up to 10 documents a month, Nusii Freelancer allows 5 active proposals, and PandaDoc's free plan creates 5 documents a month. Prospero, Moxie and HoneyBook do not publish proposal caps on their entry plans.
Price the team you will have next year
Small studios should compare per-user and flat pricing. Moxie Teams covers up to five team members for $32 a month billed annually, Dubsado adds 3 users for free, and Nusii Agency includes 3 users for $49 a month. Bonsai, Better Proposals, Qwilr and PandaDoc charge per user, so costs rise with each seat.
FAQ
What is the cheapest proposal software for freelancers?
PandaDoc has a free plan that creates 5 documents a month with e-signatures. The cheapest paid plan with proposals, contracts and payments is Moxie Starter at $10 a month billed annually, and the cheapest dedicated proposal tool is Prospero from $12 a month or Better Proposals Starter at $13 a month billed annually.
Which proposal tools also handle contracts and invoices?
Moxie, Bonsai, HoneyBook and Dubsado send proposals, contracts and invoices from one client record. Moxie includes all three on its $10 Starter plan, HoneyBook on its $29 Starter plan and Bonsai on Essentials at $19 per user. Dedicated tools such as Better Proposals, Prospero and Qwilr collect payment at acceptance but do not replace an invoicing tool.
Is HoneyBook available outside the US?
HoneyBook says it supports professionals located in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Freelancers elsewhere should look at Moxie, Bonsai, Dubsado or a dedicated proposal tool such as Better Proposals.
Which proposal software works best for a small studio?
Moxie Teams covers up to five team members for $32 a month billed annually, and Dubsado includes 3 additional users for free on its $335 a year Starter plan. Nusii Agency includes 3 users for $49 a month. Bonsai, Better Proposals, PandaDoc and Qwilr charge per user.
How did we rank these tools?
We compared documented features and published prices on each vendor's own pages and scored value, features and ease of use from 0 to 10. The overall score weights value at 40%, features at 35% and ease of use at 25%. Prices were checked in USD on November 10, 2026.
Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.
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