July 5, 2024
10 min read

PandaDoc vs Proposify vs Cone: Finding the Right Proposal Software for You

Compare and evaluate PandaDoc vs Proposify vs Cone as alternatives for management of Proposals.
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Key Takeaways:

  • Automating the proposal creation process reduces errors and saves time.
  • PandaDoc and Proposify are both effective proposal software solutions. Each offers unique features.
  • Cone, another alternative offers the most affordable pricing starting at $8 per user per month with most features like proposals, dynamic pricing tables or quotes, billing and payments.
  • In this article, we see a detailed comparison between Proposify vs PandaDoc and also its competitor Cone to help you choose the best proposal software. 

Selecting the right proposal and invoicing software is like selecting the perfect pair of shoes; it should fit well, be comfortable, and help you achieve your objectives. Proposify and PandaDoc are well-known options in the proposal software market, and they both provide unique features that can improve the efficiency of your business. 

Proposify streamlines the process of drafting expert proposals. It is ideal for companies that wish to bring professionalism and effectiveness into their processes. PandaDoc, on the other hand, offers an abundance of features and versatility to meet all your document requirements.

So which one should you pick to advance your company? Prepare for an in-depth PandaDoc vs Proposify analysis that will assist you in selecting the best option for your company!

PandaDoc vs Proposify: What Does Each One Do?

Proposify and PandaDoc are proposal management software that help businesses streamline creating, sending, and getting proposals signed. 

Proposify streamlines proposal creation with a user-friendly interface, pre-built templates, and branding tools. It excels in creating visually appealing and interactive proposals.

Proposify Core Features:

Proposal Building: For effective proposal creation, both provide drag-and-drop editors, pre-built templates, and content libraries.

Pricing Table: Another special feature of Proposify is its interactive pricing tables, which let users select options and view the associated costs.

E-Signatures: To expedite approval processes, allow clients to sign electronically.

Analytics And Tracking: Utilize tools like open rates and analytics to gain information about the performance of your proposals.

PandaDoc offers Proposal creation, workflow automation, e-signatures, and other document management tools. It is a wise option for companies in need of a complete document management system.

PandaDoc Core Functionalities:

Proposal Building: PandaDoc provides a drag-and-drop editor, pre-made templates, and content libraries for the effective preparation of proposals, much like Proposify.

Collaboration: PandaDoc's version control and commenting tools help teams work together on ideas.

Analytics And Tracking: PandaDoc provides insights into proposal performance with features like open rates and analytics.

Online Forms: A key differentiator is PandaDoc's online form builder. You can create custom forms within proposals to collect additional information from clients or use them for other purposes.

PandaDoc vs Proposify: Features, Breakdown, Benefits, and More

What Is Proposify?

Pandadoc vs Proposify

Proposify is a software designed to help businesses create, manage, and track professional proposals. Proposify aims to simplify the proposal process, enhance brand integrity, and improve efficiency for businesses of all sizes. It offers a range of features to streamline the proposal process, including:

  • Proposal templates: Pre-designed templates to quickly create impressive proposals.
  • Professional services: Custom template design and software training.
  • Security: Dedicated to keeping data and privacy safe and secure.
  • Integrations: Seamless integration with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot, as well as payment processing through Stripe.
  • Use cases: Automation for proposal, quoting, contract management, and electronic signatures.

ProTip: Check out our list of the Top 5 Proposal Software for Freelancers in 2024 if you're looking for the best software to make proposals. 

What Are Proposify’s Top Features?

Content Library: Proposify's Content Library has pre-approved templates, images, fees, and content, so building compelling proposals becomes effortless. Using folders and filters, you can organize product descriptions, case studies, sections, and graphics to make it easy for everyone to find the information they need. 

Interactive Pricing: This tool allows you to personalize each proposal's price, fees, taxes, and discounts. Prospects can customize their price by selecting the items that best suit them using interactive charge tables. Customers can see exactly what they're getting when prices are transparent and changeable, which facilitates upselling and speeds up deal closure.

Proposal Snapshot: Proposify's Snapshot feature gives your proposal a close-up, providing detailed insights into its performance. You can review the proposal's profile to understand its progress and performance metrics. Additionally, an audit trail gives you and your clients transparency and assurance by allowing you to monitor every step of the process, from the moment the proposal was delivered to the times it was seen, signed, and commented upon.

Integrations: To improve efficiency and optimize workflow, Proposify easily interfaces with well-known business platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Stripe. You can generate, track, and close deals right within your CRM using the Salesforce connector. Faster payment processing within your papers is made possible by the Stripe integration, while the HubSpot integration streamlines the proposal process within your deal.

Key Features Worth Considering

  • Unlimited Documents
  • Custom Fields, Variables, & Forms
  • Standard Integrations
  • Premium Support & Onboarding Services
  • Salesforce Integration
  • Salesforce Single Sign-On (SSO)
  • Roles, Permissions, & Approval Workflow
  • 15 different languages are supported

Pros of Proposify 

It’s important to see the advantages of Proposify when evaluating to choose between Proposify vs. PandaDoc, Proposify has the following advantages:

Expert Proposal Writing: With so many customization choices available, Proposify allows customers to create polished, branded proposals with ease. It is easy to create visually beautiful proposals that are suited to specific demands with the help of a large selection of templates and user-friendly design tools.

Helpful Customer Support: From first setup to continuing usage, the friendly and accommodating support staff is always ready to answer questions and offer assistance. Their dedication ensures a smooth and hassle-free experience for users.

Efficiency and Time-saving Features: Through seamless integration with CRM systems, the platform automates reminders and tracks client interactions, streamlining the proposal process. This integration boosts efficiency and enables teams to manage proposals more effectively.

Implementation Support and Onboarding: The support team remains actively engaged throughout the process, ensuring a smooth transition and providing continuous support post-integration. Their commitment to addressing feedback and implementing updates enhances functionality and user experience.

Customization and Document Tracking: Proposify's ability to create custom templates and track documents separately ensures consistency and efficiency across projects. The intuitive search functionality by document type and user facilitates easy navigation and reference of past contracts or approvals.

Potential Pitfalls of Proposify Worth Noting

It’s important to consider the potential pitfalls while evaluating whether to choose Pandadoc vs Proposify vs Cone.

Editor Glitches: Unlike its competitor Cone, Proposify does not have a flexible editor option. Users have found that Proposify’s editor occasionally experiences glitches, leading to delays in updating documents promptly. While there are options available for most editing tasks, navigating around glitches can be frustrating, especially for intricate or specialized edits.

Challenges with Formatting and Table Feature: Despite its strengths, Proposify still presents some challenges, particularly concerning general formatting and the table feature. The table feature, in particular, falls short of expectations, making it challenging to effectively utilize it in every proposal.

Limitations in Design Interface: The design interface, especially when customizing quotes, can be cumbersome to navigate initially. Although it eventually proves functional, it lacks some options for editing, possibly due to constraints imposed by being a web browser-based platform.

Lack of Invoicing, Billing, and Payments: Proposify does not include built-in invoicing, billing, and payment features. Users looking for an all-in-one solution might find this limitation inconvenient.

Lack of Native Accounting Integrations: Another significant limitation is the absence of native accounting integrations. This means users cannot seamlessly connect Proposify with popular accounting software, potentially adding extra steps to their workflow to manage finances and track proposals.

Learn more about the top 10 Proposify alternatives and Proposify Vs Better Proposals.

Pricing of Proposify

It’s important to evaluate pricing plans before considering Proposify vs Pandadoc vs Cone.

Team Plan: At $49 per user per month (billed quarterly or annually), this plan is ideal for small or growing sales teams. It includes unlimited documents, custom fields, variables, forms, standard integrations, and more.

Business Plan: Pricing for this plan is available upon contact. It caters to larger sales teams and franchises with 10 or more users. It includes all Team Plan features, plus premium support, onboarding services, Salesforce integration, single sign-on (SSO), advanced roles, permissions, and approval workflows.

Both plans are designed to streamline proposal creation and management, ensuring teams can close deals efficiently.

Proposify also offers a 14-day Free trial. 

Proposify Pricing

What Is PandaDoc?

Pandadoc vs Proposify

PandaDoc is a platform for document management and automation that makes it easier to create, manage, and e-sign contracts, quotations, proposals, and other business documents. Professionals who need to efficiently create, track, and manage documents, such as sales teams, human resources departments, and legal departments, will find it especially helpful..

Key features include:

  • Templates for contracts and proposals: pre-made, editable versions that guarantee consistency and save time.
  • E-Signatures: Legally binding electronic signatures that expedite and safeguard document approval.
  • Integrations: Improved workflow automation through smooth interaction with CRM platforms such as Salesforce and HubSpot.
  • Interactive Documents: Tools like dynamic pricing tables and content blocks that make documents interactive and error-free.

What Are PandaDoc’s Top Features?

Proposal: You can swiftly draft, send, and eSign expert proposals with PandaDoc's proposal tool. With a drag-and-drop editor and pre-made templates, customizing proposals with information from your CRM is simple.

Simple e-sign: PandaDoc's eSigning tool makes it simple and safe to gather and handle electronic signatures. To sign a document, just create or upload it, add the eSignature blocks, and email it. Documents can be signed using any device, anywhere, at any time, guaranteeing prompt and easy approvals.

Payments: To guarantee prompt and error-free transactions, PandaDoc's payment tool interacts with safe payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, and QuickBooks Payments. After signing, clients can pay right away, and you can monitor payment statuses and schedule automated reminders.

Contracts: With automated drafting, editing, and collaboration features, you can create error-free contracts swiftly with PandaDoc. Gain insights with analytics and alerts, optimizing contract processes. PandaDoc integrates seamlessly with your favourite tools, consolidating workflows for smoother contract management.

Integration: PandaDoc's integration function makes it simple to move data between apps by integrating with over 30 well-known business solutions. This implies that you can streamline your document workflow by connecting PandaDoc to your project management, CRM, or design software. With the REST API, all your information moves directly from your CRM to PandaDoc without the need for manual data entry.

Key Features Worth Considering

  • Unlimited document uploads and e-signatures
  • Templates
  • Real-time tracking and notifications
  • Rich media drag-and-drop document editor
  • Custom branding and themes
  • Single sign-on (SSO)
  • Team workspaces
  • Document analytics
  • 24/7 email and chat support

Pros of PandaDoc

Comparing Proposify vs. PandaDoc vs Cone, PandaDoc has the following advantages:

Mobile-Friendly Forms: The user-friendly nature of forms on mobile devices and the ability to monitor document progress before submission allows for troubleshooting in case of any issues, which is pivotal for a company's operations.

Intuitive Template Creation and Integration: Creating professional templates from existing documents or taking courses to build custom templates is straightforward with PandaDoc. Its intuitive interface and use of variables simplify complex tasks, making projects more manageable. Integration into existing workflows is seamless, garnering positive feedback from teams.

Effective Document Presentation and Signing Process: PandaDoc serves as a versatile document presentation tool, facilitating online meetings with clients. The ability to walk through proposals in real-time and send signing links provides flexibility and enhances communication.

Flexible Document Handling: Users appreciate PandaDoc's flexibility in handling multiple documents and its ease of printing or downloading signed documents from the portal. With no restrictions on the number of signatures, PandaDoc proves to be a cost-effective solution for frequent usage.

Ease of Implementation and Excellent Customer Support: Implementing PandaDoc across teams is effortless, thanks to its user-friendly interface and seamless integration capabilities. While interactions with customer support are minimal, the prompt and helpful assistance whenever needed adds to the platform's appeal.

Potential Pitfalls of PandaDoc Worth Noting

It’s important to consider the potential pitfalls while evaluating whether to choose Pandadoc vs Proposify.

Budget Constraints: PandaDoc comes with hefty price tags for example 50$ if you need dynamic pricing tables or quotes, making them inaccessible for smaller businesses or those operating on tight budgets. However, competitors like Cone offer proposal software at an incredibly affordable price point starting at $8 per user per month.

Limitations in Document Expiration: A notable drawback is the inability to select the precise time at which a document expires. Users have expressed a need for documents to expire at specific times, such as 5 PM, but find that they expire in the morning instead. This requires manual adjustments, leading to inefficiencies in document management.

Lack of Comprehensive Integration Support: PandaDoc's integration capabilities, while present, can be limited and challenging to implement. On the other hand, competitors like Cone excels in this area, offering robust and highly efficient integration support.

Issues with Support and Integration: While PandaDoc representatives are generally knowledgeable and helpful, there have been instances of delayed support and complex integration with other systems, which can be costly and require significant planning. 

Pricing of PandaDoc

In the comparison between Proposify vs PandaDoc, PandaDoc offers flexible pricing plans tailored to different business needs. 

The Essentials plan, starting at $19 USD per month per seat with a maximum of 2 seats, is ideal for creating impressive documents with features like unlimited document uploads and e-signatures, templates, real-time tracking, and 24/7 support. 

The Business plan, at $49 USD per month per seat, adds CRM integrations, rooms, a content library, custom branding, approval workflows, and bulk send options. 

The Enterprise plan offers custom pricing for large companies with complex document workflows, with options for per-seat or per-document pricing.

Pandadoc pricing

A Feature-By-Feature Comparison: Proposify vs PandaDoc vs Cone

Proposify vs Pandadoc vs Cone

  Pandadoc Proposify Cone
Serves Multiple Industries Yes Yes Yes
Pre-Built Templates Yes Yes Yes
Flexible Editor Yes Yes Yes
Dynamic Pricing Table Quotes Yes Yes Yes
Automated Invoicing Yes Yes Yes
Automated Billing Limited Support No Yes
Analytics and Reporting Yes Yes Yes, detailed reports
Native Accounting Software Integrations (Xero, QBO) No No Yes
Sales Pipeline Management No No Yes
Geo-specific payment options like GoCardless No No Yes
Pricing Starts at $19/user/month (Essentials); $49/user/month (Business) $49/user/month (Team Plan); Contact for Business Plan Essentials start at $8 or $11 /user/month. Growth plan starts at $11 or $15 /user/month

Want to compare Proposify with other alternatives? Check out this article that compares Better Proposals Vs. Proposify.

How Do Each of These(PandaDoc vs Proposify) Compare For Your Business?

When deciding between Proposify vs PandaDoc vs Cone , it's important to consider your business's specific needs and workflows.  These software have unique strengths and limitations that may make them more or less appropriate depending on your needs. 

Proposify is Best For:

  • Sales and marketing teams needing a straightforward, efficient proposal creation process.
  • Businesses that heavily rely on CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot.
  • Teams that prioritize brand consistency and detailed proposal performance analytics.

PandaDoc Is Best For:

  • Businesses need robust document management and automation beyond just proposals.
  • Teams that require extensive collaboration features and online form building.
  • Companies looking for comprehensive e-signature and payment processing capabilities.

If this software meets your expectations and needs, you can choose anyone from Proposify Vs. PandaDoc. But if you are looking for a more effective solution check out Cone’s proposal software

Protip: For small businesses looking to streamline their proposal process, several software solutions stand out. The top 8 Best Proposal Software For Small Businesses help businesses create professional proposals quickly and efficiently, saving time and reducing administrative burdens.

Cone: The All-in-One Proposal and Billing Software

Effectiveness and efficiency are critical in a corporate setting. Businesses want tools that enable them to manage their sales funnel, onboard new customers, monitor client relationships, produce expert proposals, and handle billing and invoicing. Cone offers a proposal and billing software that combines all of these requirements into one single platform. 

Let's see what sets Cone apart in the competitive proposal software market.

Complete Proposal Creation: Cone's user-friendly, flexible editor and library of pre-made proposal templates suited to a range of services and industries make the proposal creation process easier. Cone offers templates that will work for any type of professional, including web developers, graphic designers, accountants, and marketing consultants. 

Here are a few popular templates available:

You can personalize these templates with your company's colors, logo, and distinctive branding components to make sure that every proposal you send out presents your business in a polished manner.

Improved Client Interaction: Cone lets you directly include legally binding e-sign from several signatories on your offers, contracts, and agreements. This feature is optimized for any device, allowing clients to review and sign documents seamlessly. You can also monitor client activity in real time, ensuring you stay updated on the status of your proposals.

Flexible Pricing Options: Cone's pricing flexibility lets you choose your prices to best fit your business's needs. Cone meets your demands whether you desire fixed pricing, per unit (hourly, per person, or per entity), or variant-based pricing. This adaptability guarantees that the complexity and value of your services are appropriately reflected in your pricing.

Invoicing: Cone automates the entire payment cycle. Payment plans, automated invoicing, and reminders free up your time so you can focus on growing your business rather than chasing overdue bills. Cone also accepts a number of payment options, such as direct debit/ACH and credit/debit cards.

Sales Pipeline Management: Beyond proposal creation and billing, Cone includes sales pipeline management tools. This feature helps you nurture leads, track opportunities, and ensure you can convert more leads into satisfied clients.

Cost-Effective Solution: Cone’s proposal software comes at two prices:

  • Essentials - $8(billed annually)
  • Growth - $11 (billed annually) 

So don’t wait and waste time. Sign up for cone today!

The Final Decision

In weighing your options between Pandadoc vs Proposify vs Cone, keep in mind your specific needs and how each software can assist you. 

  • Comprehensive platform: If you need a comprehensive platform for proposals, quotes, billing and payments, Cone offers the most comprehensive solution.
  • Specific Needs: For advanced document automation and extensive collaboration features, PandaDoc is a strong contender.
  • Affordability: Cone is hands-down the best when it comes to the cost.

In the end, whether you choose Cone's comprehensive and cost-effective solution, PandaDoc's all-in-one features, or Proposify's streamlined approach, the decisions should rely on the size, sector, and particular needs of your company for proposal writing, document management, and other areas. 

But if you are looking for reliable and effective proposal software, do check out Cone’s Proposal Software. Sign up and try it for free today! 

FAQs

  1. Between Proposify Vs. PandaDoc, which is better?

Proposify is great for streamlined proposal creation, interactive pricing, and CRM integration. PandaDoc excels in document automation, customization, and online forms, making it ideal for comprehensive document management. The choice depends on your specific needs for proposal building, collaboration, and budget.

  1. Is Proposify a good thing?

Yes, Proposify is a very useful tool for making proposals, CRM integration, and in-depth analytics. It is useful for sales and marketing teams.

  1. What's better than PandaDoc?

Cone could be a great choice for small businesses because it's more affordable, costing only $8 per user each month when paid annually compared to 50$ for similar features. It includes useful features like creating proposals, billing, managing sales, and processing payments.

  1. What is Proposify used for?

Proposify is a tool that helps businesses make professional proposals, keep track of them, and manage them easily. It's useful for sales and marketing teams because it makes creating proposals smoother.

  1. What is Proposify best for?

Proposify is best for sales and marketing teams needing efficient proposal creation, CRM integrations, and detailed analytics.

  1. What sets PandaDoc apart?

PandaDoc features an online form builder, drag and drop editor and helps manage documents at scale.