Proposal software for agencies and freelancers
BidMaker
Free (3 proposals/mo), Pro $29/mo, Business $59/mo
Better Proposals
Starts at $19/mo (Starter, 10 proposals/mo)
| Feature | BidMaker | Better Proposals |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan Better Proposals starts at $19/mo for 10 proposals/month | ||
| AI proposal generation Better Proposals doesn't have AI generation | ||
| E-signatures Better Proposals includes e-signatures on all plans | Business ($59/mo) | |
| PDF export | ||
| Shareable proposal link | ||
| Proposal templates Better Proposals has 200+ templates across many industries | ||
| Client acceptance tracking | ||
| Custom branding | Pro ($29/mo)+ | |
| Payment collection (Stripe) Better Proposals integrates with Stripe for payment at acceptance | ||
| CRM integration Better Proposals integrates with HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zapier | ||
| Proposal expiry / follow-ups Both support proposal expiry dates | ||
| Template library for service trades Both have cleaning, landscaping, contracting templates |
Better Proposals and BidMaker are the closest competitors on this list. Both target freelancers and small teams. Better Proposals has been around longer and has more templates and integrations. BidMaker is newer, has AI generation, and has a free tier.
Six attributes of your business that should drive the choice. Use this matrix before reading the full feature table — most teams know the answer once they see the signals.
| Your situation | BidMaker fits if… | Better Proposals fits if… |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly proposal volume | 1–40 proposals/month — free tier covers light use, Pro covers everything else | 10–50 proposals/month, predictable enough to pick a tier (Starter, Premium, Enterprise) |
| How you start a proposal | Describe the job in 2–3 sentences, AI drafts it | Pick a template from a library of 200+ and fill in fields |
| Payment collection at acceptance | Not built in — invoice separately via Stripe/Square | Stripe integration collects payment when client accepts |
| Vertical focus | Cleaning, landscaping, contracting, consulting, freelance trades | Generalist freelance — design, dev, marketing, consulting, agencies |
| Integrations you depend on | None — standalone tool | HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zapier, QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks |
| Budget posture | Test free first, $29/mo only when proposals are clearly working | Comfortable committing $19+/mo from day one for a known tool |
Choose BidMaker if...
Choose Better Proposals if...
Per-seat pricing changes the math fast. Three buyer scenarios and what each tool costs for a full year.
Solo operator (1 person, ~5 proposals/mo)
BidMaker
$0/yr (Free) or $348/yr (Pro)
Better Proposals
$228/yr (Starter, 10/mo cap)
Verdict: BidMaker Free wins if 5/mo holds; Better Proposals Starter wins if you want predictable templates + Stripe without AI
Growing solo / small team (1–2 people, ~20 proposals/mo)
BidMaker
$348/yr (Pro, unlimited proposals + 20 AI gens)
Better Proposals
$588/yr (Premium, 50/mo cap)
Verdict: BidMaker — saves $240/yr and AI drafts cut the per-proposal time roughly in half
Agency / generalist freelancer (3+ people, 50+ proposals/mo, payment collection matters)
BidMaker
$708/yr (Business)
Better Proposals
$1,188/yr (Enterprise, unlimited)
Verdict: Better Proposals — Stripe payment at acceptance, Zapier/HubSpot, and the larger template library justify it for generalists with diverse client types
BidMaker and Better Proposals overlap closely on the proposal piece, so migration is mostly a re-platforming exercise rather than a workflow rebuild. Export your Better Proposals templates as PDFs (or copy the section text into a doc), then either recreate the structure in BidMaker or skip ahead and let the AI draft from a job description — for most service trades, the AI output is a better starting point than a generic template. What doesn't migrate: Stripe payment-at-acceptance (BidMaker has none), HubSpot/Pipedrive/Zapier integrations, and any saved client signatures from prior proposals. Most solo operators move in 30–45 minutes. If payment collection at acceptance is core to your close process, this is a downgrade — keep Better Proposals.
Four scenarios where BidMaker is genuinely the wrong tool. If any of these describe you, Better Proposals (or another option) will serve you better.
You rely on Stripe payment-at-acceptance to compress your sales cycle — BidMaker won't replace that
You're a generalist freelancer working across many industries (design, dev, marketing) and need broad template variety more than service-trade depth
Your workflow depends on Zapier, HubSpot, or Pipedrive automations triggered by proposal events
You want a mature, stable tool with 8+ years of track record rather than a newer alternative
Two things: AI generation and free tier. BidMaker writes a proposal from your job description — you fill in a few fields and get a full draft. Better Proposals doesn't have this. BidMaker also has a free plan (3 proposals/month); Better Proposals requires a paid subscription from day one.
If you're a generalist freelancer working across many industries, yes. Better Proposals has 200+ templates for everything from graphic design to architecture. BidMaker's templates are focused on service trades. More templates matters less when the AI can generate a custom first draft in 30 seconds.
Depends on volume. Better Proposals Starter is $19/mo for 10 proposals/month. BidMaker Free is $0 for 3 proposals/month. BidMaker Pro is $29/mo for unlimited proposals. If you send more than 10 proposals a month, Better Proposals Starter runs out and you'd need their $49/mo Premium plan — at which point BidMaker Pro is actually cheaper.
No. You can accept a proposal and collect an e-signature, but payment happens separately. Better Proposals lets clients pay via Stripe at the moment of acceptance, which removes a step from your close process.
Already leaning away from Better Proposals? See why teams switch from Better Proposals to BidMaker →
Figuring out what to charge? These guides cover typical rates and what drives costs up or down.