Sending a Word doc quote over email is costing you deals. Buyers expect a clean, interactive proposal they can sign on the spot. The good news: there are four solid options that work for NZ small businesses in 2026, and they're not as expensive as you'd think.
This guide compares Proposify, Qwilr, Better Proposals, and Ignition based on features, NZD pricing, and what type of business each suits.
What to look for in proposal software
Good proposal software does three things well: it makes your proposals look professional without needing a designer, it tracks whether prospects have opened and read them, and it lets clients sign and pay without leaving the document.
Secondary things worth checking: template library quality, CRM integrations (Pipedrive, HubSpot, Salesforce), and whether the platform uses NZD or charges in USD (most charge in USD, so factor in the exchange rate and any credit card conversion fees).
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Most proposal tools charge in USD. At the current NZD/USD rate of roughly 0.60, a $49/month USD plan costs about $82 NZD per month before any card conversion fees. Factor this into your budget comparisons.
Proposify
Proposify is the most feature-complete option on this list. It has a proper drag-and-drop editor, a content library for saving reusable sections (good for service businesses that send similar proposals repeatedly), e-signature built in, and detailed analytics showing who opened your proposal and which sections they spent time on.
The Teamwork plan at $49/month USD (around $82 NZD/month) is where most small businesses land. The Basic plan at $19/month limits you to 5 active proposals, which is too tight if you're sending more than one quote a week.
Integrations are strong: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Stripe, and Zapier all connect out of the box.
The downside is the learning curve. The editor is powerful but takes a few hours to get comfortable with. Templates are good but require customisation to feel like your brand.
Best for: agencies, consultancies, or service businesses sending 10+ proposals per month who want detailed analytics and CRM integration.
Qwilr
Qwilr is the most visually distinctive tool here. Instead of a PDF-style document, it produces a webpage that scrolls, embeds video, and looks genuinely impressive on a phone. This works well for creative businesses where design signals quality.
The Business plan is $35/month USD per user (about $58 NZD). Qwilr is an Australian company, which means NZ-based support, AUD-priced billing on some plans, and a company that actually understands NZ and AU GST requirements. That matters when your client asks for a tax invoice alongside the proposal.
Analytics are solid: you get read notifications and section-level engagement data. E-signature is included. The Stripe integration handles payment capture if you want to take a deposit at signing.
The limitation: because proposals are webpages, not PDFs, some clients find them unfamiliar. If your buyers expect to download a PDF and email it around internally, Qwilr can create friction. There's a PDF export option, but it loses some of the interactive design.
Best for: creative agencies, web designers, or any NZ business where visual presentation is a key part of winning the deal.
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Qwilr's AU/NZ support and AUD billing make it the easiest to set up without international currency headaches. Worth trialling first if you're based in NZ.
Better Proposals
Better Proposals is the most affordable serious option. Plans start at $19/month USD (about $32 NZD/month) for the Starter plan, which includes unlimited proposals. That's a big difference from Proposify's 5-proposal limit at a similar price.
The template library has over 200 templates covering a wide range of industries, including IT services, marketing agencies, and construction. Templates are complete enough that many users ship proposals the same day they sign up.
Analytics, e-signature, and Stripe payment capture are all included. The editor is simpler than Proposify, which is either a feature or a limitation depending on how much control you want.
CRM integrations exist (HubSpot, Salesforce via Zapier) but feel less native than Proposify's. If deep CRM integration is critical, Proposify is the better call.
Best for: freelancers, sole traders, or small businesses who want a professional proposal tool without spending $80+ NZD/month. Good value for what you get.
Ignition
Ignition is different from the other three. It's not just proposal software. It combines proposals, engagement letters, e-signature, and automated billing into one workflow. You send a proposal, the client accepts, and Ignition automatically collects payment on the schedule you set.
This makes it the obvious choice for accountants, bookkeepers, and professional services firms with recurring monthly retainer clients. The automated payment collection alone is worth the price for practices that are currently chasing invoices manually.
Pricing starts at $39/month USD (about $65 NZD/month) for the Starter plan, with a 50% discount for the first three months. Ignition has a large NZ and AU user base and the product is clearly built with antipodean professional services in mind.
Comparison table:
| Feature | Proposify | Qwilr | Better Proposals | Ignition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (USD/mo) | $19 (5 proposals) | $35 | $19 (unlimited) | $39 |
| Approx NZD/mo | ~$32 | ~$58 | ~$32 | ~$65 |
| E-signature | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Payment capture | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CRM integrations | Strong | Good | Via Zapier | Accounting-focused |
| Best for | Agencies | Creative businesses | Budget-conscious | Accountants/bookkeepers |
| AU/NZ focus | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
Best for: accountants, bookkeepers, and professional services firms with recurring clients. If you bill monthly retainers, Ignition will pay for itself in time saved.
What about PandaDoc?
PandaDoc sits between proposal software and contract management. If you need both proposals and formal legal contracts in one tool, it's worth considering. We covered PandaDoc vs Adobe Sign in detail here. For pure proposal work, Proposify and Qwilr both have better presentation features.
Which one should you choose?
If you send fewer than 10 proposals a month and want the lowest cost: Better Proposals at $19/month USD.
If visual design matters and you want a local AU/NZ company with AUD billing: Qwilr at $35/month USD per user.
If you're an agency or consultancy sending proposals at volume with CRM integration: Proposify at $49/month USD.
If you're an accountant, bookkeeper, or professional services firm with recurring retainers: Ignition at $39/month USD.
All four have free trials. Qwilr and Better Proposals are the fastest to get started with. Proposify takes a day or two to set up properly but pays off at scale.
All prices in USD unless noted. NZD estimates use an approximate 0.60 NZD/USD exchange rate and will vary with market rates. Prices correct as of June 2026.
