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You're not losing deals because your solution is weak. You're losing them because your proposals are too slow or filled with outdated info that kills your credibility. Here's a reality check: 81% of B2B buyers pick a winner before ever speaking to sales. While you're stuck coordinating with other teams, your competitors are already sending their proposals. Speed is the new secret weapon. An effective automation solution for proposals is the key. We'll help you find the best AI tool for sales proposals by comparing the top options.

Proposal automation software transforms this dynamic by eliminating manual workProposal automation software transforms this dynamic by eliminating manual work, maintaining centralized content libraries, and giving teams the tools to create accurate, personalized proposals in a fraction of the time. This guide examines the top 12 platforms, what features actually matter, and how to choose the right solution for your team's specific needs.

What Does Proposal Automation Software Actually Do?

Proposal automation software refers to digital platforms that streamline how you create, manage, and track business proposals. Think of it as the difference between manually typing out every proposal from scratch and having a system that pulls in customer data, suggests relevant content, and formats everything automatically. These platforms go far beyond basic word processors by maintaining centralized content libraries, integrating with your sales systems, and giving you real-time visibility into which proposals are actually winning deals.

At its core, proposal automation eliminates the repetitive work that bogs down sales teams. Instead of hunting through old files for pricing information or copying and pasting from previous proposals, you get smart templates that auto-populate with accurate, current information. The better platforms also let multiple team members work on different sections at the same time, route proposals through approval workflows automatically, and show you exactly when a prospect opens your document and which sections they spend time reading.

Here's what sets proposal automation apart from traditional document creation:

  • Content automation: Templates with smart insertion based on customer data and deal type
  • Workflow management: Automated approvals, task assignments, and deadline tracking
  • Integration capabilities: Direct connections to CRM, CPQ, and other sales tools
  • Analytics tracking: Real-time data on proposal opens, views, and engagement

Why Top Sales Teams Are Automating Proposals

Manual proposal creation has become a serious bottleneck for modern sales teams. When your reps spend up to 3.3 hours formatting documents or waiting for legal review, they're not sellingManual proposal creation has become a serious bottleneck for modern sales teams. When your reps spend hours formatting documents or waiting for legal review, they're not selling. The problem compounds when proposals require input from multiple departments—sales needs pricing from finance, technical specs from product teams, and compliance language from legal. Without automation, coordinating all these contributors turns into an email nightmare that stretches proposal turnaround from hours into days or weeks.

Consistency drives adoption just as much as speed. When every sales rep creates proposals from scratch or modifies old documents, your company's messaging fragments. One rep might promise features that aren't available yet, while another uses outdated pricing or makes claims legal hasn't approved. Proposal automation ensures every document reflects current capabilities, accurate pricing, and approved messaging.

The competitive landscape has changed buyer expectations around response time. Prospects today expect fast responses with personalized content that directly addresses their specific situation. Companies that turn around customized, professional proposals in hours rather than days gain a real advantage.

The core benefits driving teams toward automation include:

  • Speed improvement: Cut proposal creation from days to hours or minutes
  • Consistency enhancement: Ensure all proposals use current, approved content
  • Collaboration efficiency: Enable seamless coordination across departments
  • Performance visibility: Track which proposals win and which sections resonate

The Impact of Proposal Software by the Numbers

Adopting proposal automation isn't just about making your team feel more productive—the numbers show it directly impacts your bottom line. Sales teams that use proposal software actually improve their win rates by a staggering 59%. That’s a game-changer, especially when you consider that 79% of sales leaders are actively looking for ways to achieve better outcomes. The pressure is on, because with 81% of B2B buyers picking their preferred vendor before ever speaking to a sales rep, your first proposal doesn't just need to be good—it needs to be fast.

This is where AI-powered tools really shine. Using AI to generate proposals can make them up to 50% more effective, and with over a third of proposal teams already on board, it's clear where the industry is headed. But the real advantage goes beyond just speed and intelligence. Automation platforms act as your single source of truth, ensuring every proposal that goes out the door reflects your company's approved messaging, most current capabilities, and accurate pricing. It gives your team the confidence to move quickly without ever worrying about sending outdated or incorrect information.

What Makes a Great Proposal Automation Solution?

Selecting the right platform means understanding which features actually impact your team's success. Not all proposal tools work the same way, and the difference between basic document management and real automation comes down to specific capabilities. now use RFP software or proposal management tools, up from 48% last year. Your priorities will depend on proposal complexity, team size, and your existing technology stack, but certain features have become standard for any serious proposal solution.

Core Functions: Proposal Creation vs. Management

The best platforms handle both proposal creation and management, but it helps to think of them as two distinct jobs. Proposal creation is all about building the document itself. Instead of starting from a blank page or, worse, a risky copy-paste from an old proposal, automation tools use a centralized content library to pull in pre-approved answers, case studies, and pricing. This is where you get the speed. An AI-powered system can generate a complete first draft of a complex RFP or security questionnaire in minutes, not hours, ensuring every piece of information is accurate and up-to-date.

Proposal management, on the other hand, covers the entire lifecycle of the document. This includes everything from collaborating with subject matter experts and routing the proposal for internal approvals to sending it to the client and tracking their engagement. A strong management function gives you visibility into the whole process. You can see when a prospect opens the document, which sections they read most, and when it's time to follow up. This turns the proposal from a static file into an active part of your sales strategy, giving you the data you need to improve win rates.

AI-Powered Content and Knowledge Management

Artificial intelligence has transformed how proposal software handles content creationArtificial intelligence has transformed how proposal software handles content creation and maintenance. AI-powered platforms analyze your existing proposal library to identify winning language, suggest relevant content based on opportunity details, and even generate first drafts of proposal sections. More importantly, advanced AI systems act as knowledge management platforms that keep information current across all your proposals. When your product team updates a feature description or legal revises compliance language, AI-driven systems flag outdated content and suggest updates across your entire library.

Seamless CRM and CPQ Integrations

Proposal tools that integrate directly with your customer relationship management system and configure-price-quote platform eliminate manual data entry. These integrations automatically pull customer information, opportunity details, product configurations, and pricing into your proposals. When your proposal software connects to your CRM, it also pushes back engagement data—showing your sales team exactly when prospects open proposals, which sections they review, and how long they spend on each page.

Streamlined Collaboration and Approval Workflows

Complex proposals often require input from multiple departments, and managing coordination through email quickly becomes chaotic. Modern proposal platforms include real-time co-editing, comment threads tied to specific sections, and automated task assignment. Approval workflows ensure the right stakeholders review proposals before they go out, with clear visibility into who needs to sign off and what's holding up the process.

Real-Time Proposal Tracking and Analytics

Understanding what happens after you send a proposal matters just as much as creating it. Proposal tracking shows you when prospects open your document, how many times they return to it, and which sections capture their attention. This engagement data helps sales teams prioritize follow-up—a prospect who's opened your proposal five times is probably more interested than one who hasn't looked at it yet.which sections capture their attention. This engagement data helps sales teams prioritize follow-up—a prospect who's opened your proposal five times is probably more interested than one who hasn't looked at it yet.

Centralized Template and Content Libraries

Centralized content management ensures your team always has access to the most current, approved proposal content. Template libraries let you create standardized proposal structures for different deal types, while content libraries store reusable sections—company overviews, case studies, product descriptions, pricing tables—that can be inserted into any proposal. Version control tracks changes over time and prevents teams from accidentally using outdated content.

Interactive and Engaging Features

Interactive Pricing Tables

Interactive pricing tables are a game-changer for proposal automation. Instead of presenting a static quote, these tables allow clients to adjust quantities, select different service tiers, or toggle optional add-ons and see the total price update in real time. This transforms the proposal from a simple document into a collaborative tool, empowering clients to build a solution that fits their specific needs and budget. This level of engagement not only makes your proposal more memorable but also helps prospects reach a decision faster because they can immediately see how different options impact the final cost, eliminating the need for back-and-forth negotiation over minor adjustments.

Live Chat Integration

Embedding a live chat function directly within your proposals creates an immediate and direct line of communication with your prospects. When a potential client has a question while reviewing your document, they can get an answer instantly without having to switch to email or make a phone call. This feature allows your sales team to address concerns, provide clarification, and overcome objections at the exact moment they arise. By removing communication friction, you can maintain momentum and guide prospects toward a decision more efficiently, significantly shortening the time it takes to close a deal and creating a more supportive buying experience.

Robust Security and Compliance Features

When proposals contain sensitive pricing, proprietary methodologies, or confidential customer information, security becomes critical. Enterprise-grade proposal platforms include granular access controls that determine who can view, edit, or approve specific content. Audit trails track every change made to a proposal and by whom, creating accountability and supporting compliance requirements.

The 12 Best Proposal Automation Software Solutions

The proposal automation market has matured significantly, offering solutions tailored to different use cases, team sizes, and proposal complexity levels. While some platforms excel at visual design and simple sales proposals, others specialize in complex RFP responses requiring cross-functional collaboration. The right choice depends on your specific workflow, the types of proposals you create, and how proposal management fits into your broader sales process.

1. Iris AI: Best for AI-Powered RFP Responses

Iris stands out as the most advanced AI-powered solution for teams managing complex RFPs, RFIs, security questionnairesIris stands out as the most advanced AI-powered solution for teams managing complex RFPs, RFIs, security questionnaires, and due diligence documents. Unlike traditional proposal tools that rely on static templates, Iris acts as an intelligent knowledge management platform that keeps institutional knowledge current and accessible across your entire organization. The platform automatically generates tailored responses in minutes by pulling from your connected systems, ensuring every answer reflects your latest capabilities, certifications, and approved messaging.

For sales, legal, and security teams drowning in questionnaire responses, Iris transforms what used to take days into a process that takes hours—without sacrificing accuracy or quality. The platform's collaborative workspace enables seamless coordination across departments, with automated task assignment, deadline tracking, and approval workflows that keep complex projects moving forward. Schedule a demo to see how Iris can transform your RFP response process.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

2. Proposify: Best for Design-Focused Proposals

Proposify emphasizes visual appeal and brand consistency, making it ideal for agencies, consultancies, and service providers where proposal aesthetics matter as much as content. The platform offers an extensive template library with modern designs and a drag-and-drop editor that lets non-designers create professional-looking proposals. Interactive pricing tables, embedded videos, and custom branding options help your proposals stand out in crowded competitive situations.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

3. PandaDoc: Best All-In-One Document Solution

PandaDoc takes a comprehensive approach to document management, handling not just proposals but also contracts, quotes, and agreements within a single platform. This all-in-one strategy appeals to teams that want to consolidate their document workflow rather than managing separate tools for different document types. The platform includes integrated e-signature capabilities, payment collection, and a content library for reusable sections.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

4. GetAccept: Best for Driving Sales Engagement

GetAccept differentiates itself by combining proposal creation with sales engagement features like personalized video messages, live chat, and meeting scheduling. Sales reps can embed video introductions directly into proposals, creating a more personal connection with prospects. The platform's engagement tracking goes beyond basic open rates to show exactly how prospects interact with your content, and the integrated chat feature lets reps answer questions in real-time while prospects review proposals.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

5. Qwilr: Best for Creating Interactive Web Proposals

Qwilr reimagines proposals as interactive web pages rather than static PDF documents. This approach creates a more modern, mobile-friendly experience that feels less like a formal document and more like a personalized website. Prospects can interact with embedded calculators, configure their own packages, and even accept proposals and make payments directly within the page.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

6. Better Proposals: Best for Simplicity and Affordability

Better Proposals focuses on straightforward proposal creation without overwhelming users with complex features. The platform offers a clean interface, professional templates, and the essential features most small teams need—content libraries, e-signatures, and basic analytics—at competitive pricing. This simplicity makes it easy for teams to get started quickly without extensive training.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

7. Loopio: Best for Enterprise-Level RFP Management

Loopio specializes in managing high-volume RFP responses for enterprise organizations. The platform's content library uses AI to suggest relevant responses based on question analysis, and its collaboration features support large teams working on complex proposals simultaneously. Loopio also includes project management capabilities specifically designed for RFP workflows, with automated task assignments, deadline tracking, and approval routing.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

8. RFPIO: Best for Building a Central Knowledge Hub

RFPIO (now part of Responsive) built its reputation on powerful knowledge management capabilities. The platform's answer library uses AI to match incoming questions with your existing responses, learning from your team's edits to improve suggestions over time. RFPIO supports complex approval workflows and includes project management features for coordinating large RFP responses across multiple departments.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

9. Conga Composer: Best Native Solution for Salesforce

Conga Composer offers deep native integration with Salesforce, making it the natural choice for organizations heavily invested in the Salesforce ecosystem. The platform automatically generates proposals, quotes, and contracts using data directly from Salesforce records, eliminating manual data entry and ensuring accuracy. This tight integration means sales reps can create proposals without leaving Salesforce, and all proposal activity automatically logs back to the CRM.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

10. DealHub: Best for Quote-to-Cash Integration

DealHub combines configure-price-quote functionality with proposal creation, making it ideal for companies selling complex products with multiple configuration options and pricing variables. The platform guides sales reps through product configuration, automatically calculates accurate pricing including discounts and promotions, and generates professional proposals with the configured solution.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

11. Qvidian: Best for Strict Content Governance

Qvidian (now part of Upland Software) focuses on content governance and compliance, making it a strong fit for regulated industries and large enterprises with strict content approval requirements. The platform's content management system enforces version control, tracks content ownership, and ensures only approved language appears in customer-facing documents.

Pricing

Iris operates on a custom pricing model, which is common for enterprise-level platforms designed to handle complex workflows. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all plan, their pricing is tailored to your team's specific needs, including the number of users, required integrations, and the volume of documents you manage. This approach ensures you get a solution configured for your exact challenges without paying for features you don't need. For a personalized quote that aligns with your business goals, you'll need to connect with their sales team for a demo and consultation.

Pros and Cons

Iris is a powerful, specialized tool, which makes it a perfect fit for some teams and less ideal for others. Its primary strength lies in its sophisticated AI engine, which automates responses for highly technical and complex documents far beyond what standard proposal tools can handle. The platform excels at maintaining a single source of truth, proactively flagging outdated information to ensure every proposal is accurate and consistent. However, because it's built for the complexity of RFPs and security questionnaires, it might be more robust than what a team needs for creating simple, design-focused sales quotes. As an enterprise solution, it also represents a more significant investment than basic proposal software. Understanding your specific needs is key to deciding if it's the right fit for your team.

12. XaitPorter: Best for Co-Authoring Complex Proposals

XaitPorter specializes in collaborative authoring for large, complex proposals that require contributions from dozens of team members. The platform's simultaneous multi-user editing, granular section assignments, and automated document assembly make it possible to coordinate massive proposal efforts without version control chaos. XaitPorter automatically handles formatting, numbering, and table of contents generation as contributors work on their sections.

Pricing

XaitPorter’s pricing is customized for enterprise needs and is not publicly listed. You’ll need to contact their sales team for a personalized quote based on your team size, required features, and implementation support. This model is typical for platforms designed for large-scale, complex deployments in industries like oil and gas, aerospace, and government contracting.

Pros and Cons

The biggest advantage of XaitPorter is its unparalleled ability to manage massive, multi-author documents without the chaos of version control. Its database-driven approach ensures consistency and automates tedious formatting tasks. However, this power comes with complexity. The platform can have a steep learning curve and may be overkill for teams that don't regularly produce highly complex, collaborative proposals or bids.

13. Lindy: Best for End-to-End AI Automation

Lindy isn't a dedicated proposal tool but an AI assistant designed to automate a wide range of business workflows. For sales teams, it can be configured to handle the entire proposal process, from researching a prospect and pulling relevant data to drafting initial proposal sections based on your guidelines. Lindy excels at connecting different apps and automating the manual steps that happen before and after proposal creation, such as scheduling follow-up meetings or updating your CRM.

Pricing

Lindy offers several pricing tiers, starting with a free plan for basic use. Paid plans are priced per user, per month, and offer more advanced AI capabilities, a higher number of automated tasks (or "Lindies"), and priority support. The pricing structure is designed to scale as your automation needs grow.

Pros and Cons

Lindy’s strength is its versatility; you can use it to automate almost any repetitive task in your sales cycle, not just proposals. It’s a great fit for tech-savvy teams looking for a flexible AI tool. The downside is that it lacks the specialized features of a dedicated proposal platform, such as a centralized content library, advanced proposal analytics, or built-in e-signatures for closing deals.

14. Ignition: Best for Service-Based Businesses

Ignition is built specifically for professional service businesses like accounting firms, bookkeepers, and consultants. It combines proposals, client agreements, billing, and payments into a single, streamlined platform. The goal is to manage the entire client engagement lifecycle, starting with a clear, professional proposal that outlines the scope of work and automatically transitions into a contract and payment schedule upon acceptance. This integration eliminates awkward conversations about money and automates client onboarding.

Pricing

Ignition’s pricing is tiered based on the number of active clients you manage. Plans range from a starter option for solo practitioners to more advanced packages for growing firms, which include features like workflow integrations and advanced reporting. All plans include unlimited proposals and users.

Pros and Cons

For service providers, Ignition is a game-changer that solves the core challenge of connecting proposals to payments. Its all-in-one approach simplifies client management significantly. However, its niche focus means it isn't suitable for B2B SaaS or product companies. It also lacks the deep RFP response automation and complex content management features needed for enterprise-level bids.

15. Storydoc: Best for Visual, Interactive Proposals

Storydoc transforms traditional proposals into engaging, interactive web-based presentations. Instead of sending a static PDF, you share a link to a scrollable, visually rich document that can include videos, animations, and embedded calendars. It’s designed to capture a prospect’s attention and guide them through a compelling narrative. The platform provides detailed analytics, showing you which slides your prospect viewed, how long they spent on each one, and who they shared it with.

Pricing

Storydoc offers several plans, including a starter package for individuals and small teams and a business plan with more advanced features like CRM integration and custom branding. Pricing is typically on a per-user basis, with enterprise options available for larger teams needing enhanced security and support.

Pros and Cons

The key benefit of Storydoc is its ability to create beautiful, memorable proposals that stand out. The engagement analytics provide valuable insight into a prospect's interest level. On the other hand, it’s not designed for text-heavy, compliance-driven documents like formal RFPs or government tenders. Its strength is in visual storytelling, not in managing a complex knowledge library.

16. Oneflow: Best for Full Contract Lifecycle Management

Oneflow is a digital contract platform that handles the entire agreement process, from proposal creation to negotiation, e-signing, and archiving. It treats proposals as "pre-sign" documents that live within a broader contract lifecycle. The platform allows for real-time editing and collaboration, so you can negotiate terms directly within the document rather than sending revised versions back and forth. All interactions are tracked in a secure audit log, providing a complete history of the agreement.

Pricing

Oneflow’s pricing includes a free tier with core features for individuals, as well as paid plans that add more advanced capabilities like video messages, integrations with CRM systems, and robust analytics. Pricing for paid plans is based on the number of users and feature requirements.

Pros and Cons

Oneflow’s strength is its holistic approach to agreements, making it ideal for teams that want to manage proposals and contracts in one place. The live editing and secure e-signature features are top-notch. However, its proposal creation tools are more straightforward than those of design-focused platforms like Proposify, and it lacks the specialized AI-driven response features of RFP management software.

17. Grantable: Best for Non-Profit Grant Writing

Grantable is a niche AI-powered tool built exclusively for non-profit organizations to streamline the grant writing process. It helps grant writers find funding opportunities, manage deadlines, and draft compelling narratives using AI assistance. The platform can repurpose content from previous successful grants, adapt it for new applications, and ensure that every proposal aligns with the specific funder’s requirements. It acts as a centralized hub for a non-profit's entire grant-seeking effort.

Pricing

Grantable offers pricing plans tailored to the budgets of non-profit organizations. They typically have different tiers based on the number of users and the volume of grant applications managed, including options for individual grant writers and larger development teams.

Pros and Cons

For non-profits, Grantable is an incredibly valuable tool that addresses the unique challenges of grant writing. It saves immense time and helps organizations submit higher-quality applications more consistently. Its obvious limitation is its narrow focus; the platform is entirely purpose-built for grant applications and is not applicable for corporate sales proposals or B2B use cases.

How to Choose the Best AI Tool for Your Sales Proposals

For organizations managing complex RFPs, security questionnaires, and due diligence documents, traditional proposal tools often fall short. Documents like RFPs demand accuracy, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to maintain consistent responses across hundreds or thousands of questions over time. Iris was built specifically for this challenge, using advanced AI to transform how sales, legal, and security teams respond to complex questionnaires.

Unlike template-based proposal tools, Iris acts as an intelligent knowledge management platform that keeps your institutional knowledge current and accessible. The platform connects to your existing systems—CRM, document repositories, internal wikis—creating a unified knowledge base that automatically stays up-to-date as your products, certifications, and capabilities evolve. When a new RFP arrives, Iris analyzes the questions and generates accurate, tailored responses in minutes rather than days, dramatically reducing manual effort while improving response quality.

The platform's collaborative workspace enables seamless coordination across departments, with automated task assignment ensuring the right subject matter experts review technical questions, legal approves compliance language, and security teams handle data protection inquiries. Built-in deadline tracking and approval workflows keep complex projects moving forward without the constant email follow-ups that typically bog down RFP responses. Schedule a demo to see how Iris can transform your approach to RFPs and complex questionnaires.

FAQs About Proposal Automation Tools

Are there free proposal automation tools available?

Several proposal software vendors offer free tiers with basic features, though limitations are significant. Free versions usually restrict the number of users (often just one or two), limit monthly proposal volume, include vendor branding on your proposals, or exclude advanced features like CRM integrations and analytics. Free plans work well for freelancers or very small teams creating simple proposals, but organizations with serious proposal volume quickly outgrow the restrictions.

How quickly can you see ROI from proposal software?

Most teams experience measurable time savings within the first month of implementation, particularly if they've organized their content library and built effective templates upfrontMost teams experience measurable time savings within the first month of implementation, particularly if they've organized their content library and built effective templates upfront to improve their win rates. Sales reps who previously spent hours creating proposals can often complete them in 30-60 minutes once the platform is properly configured. However, the full revenue impact typically takes one to two quarters to materialize, as improved win rates and faster response times compound over multiple sales cycles.

Will proposal automation work with my existing CPQ platform?

Modern proposal automation tools integrate with most major CPQ systems through APIs or native connectors. Integrations enable automatic flow of product configurations, pricing calculations, and quote details from your CPQ platform into your proposals, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors. The integration typically works in one direction—CPQ to proposal—with the configured solution and pricing populating the appropriate sections of your proposal template.

Is AI-generated proposal content secure and compliant?

Enterprise-grade proposal platforms implement multiple security layers to protect sensitive information processed by AI systems. Data encryption protects content both in transit and at rest, access controls limit who can view or edit specific content, and audit trails track every interaction with your proposal data. Reputable vendors process AI operations within secure, isolated environments rather than sending your data to external AI services or using it to train public models.

Your Proposal Software Questions, Answered

What's the best software for creating proposals?

The best proposal software depends on your use case: Iris excels at AI-driven RFP responses and complex questionnaires, Proposify works well for design-focused sales proposals, and PandaDoc serves teams that want an all-in-one document platform handling proposals, contracts, and quotes.

What is the best AI tool for writing sales proposals?

Iris leads in AI-powered proposal writing by analyzing your existing content libraries and connected systems to generate accurate, tailored responses in minutes rather than days. The platform maintains institutional knowledge across your organization and automatically keeps responses current as your products and capabilities evolve.

How does proposal automation software work?

Proposal automation software streamlines how you create, manage, and track business proposals by maintaining centralized content libraries, auto-populating customer data, and eliminating manual formatting work. These platforms transform proposal creation from a multi-day process into one that takes hours or minutes.

Which automation tool is best for RFP responses?

Iris stands out for RFP automation by combining AI-powered response generation with knowledge management that keeps answers current across thousands of questions. The platform enables cross-functional collaboration with automated task assignment, deadline tracking, and approval workflows designed specifically for complex questionnaire responses.

Treat AI as Your Assistant, Not Your Replacement

Think of AI not as a replacement for your proposal team, but as its most valuable player. The goal isn't to remove human expertise; it's to eliminate the tedious, repetitive work that slows your experts down. AI tools can help your team write proposals up to five times faster and significantly improve the quality of the final document. This speed allows your team to shift its focus from administrative tasks like finding and formatting content to high-value strategic work, like personalizing the proposal to the client's specific pain points and building stronger relationships. The AI handles the heavy lifting of generating a first draft, freeing up your team to refine, customize, and perfect it.

Why Specialized AI Tools Outperform General Chatbots

While general chatbots are impressive, they aren't built for the precision required in business proposals. Specialized AI tools are far superior because they operate within your company's secure ecosystem. Instead of pulling from the public internet, a platform like Iris connects to your internal knowledge bases—your past proposals, marketing materials, and technical documents—to generate content that is accurate, on-brand, and specific to your solutions. This eliminates the risk of generic language or "hallucinated" facts that can undermine your credibility. A specialized tool understands the context of your sales cycle and is designed to produce content that wins deals, not just answer prompts.

The Importance of Human Review

Even with the most advanced AI, a final human review is non-negotiable. AI is brilliant at generating a comprehensive and accurate first draft in record time, but it can't replicate the nuanced understanding a person has of a specific client relationship or a complex deal. A human should always check the final proposal for accuracy, tone, and personalization. This final touch ensures the proposal doesn't just answer the client's questions but also speaks directly to their needs in a voice that feels authentic to your brand. The combination of AI's speed and a human's strategic oversight is what creates a truly winning proposal.

Training Your AI for Brand Consistency

To ensure AI-generated proposals sound like they came from your team, you need to train the system on your best content. The quality of the AI's output is a direct reflection of the quality of the input. By feeding the tool your best past proposals, marketing materials, and brand guidelines, you teach it your company's unique voice, terminology, and value propositions. A sophisticated platform will continuously learn from this information, creating a centralized knowledge hub that ensures every proposal—no matter who on the team creates it—is perfectly aligned with your brand messaging and uses the most current, approved information.

Understanding AI, Bias, and Copyright

When you use a general AI chatbot, you run the risk of copyright infringement because the tool is trained on public data. Specialized AI tools, however, create content exclusively from your company's own information. This means you own the copyright to every proposal generated, and you don't have to worry about accidentally using someone else's proprietary material. Furthermore, because the AI learns from your curated and approved content, it minimizes the risk of incorporating the biases often found in public data sets. This creates a secure, compliant, and trustworthy environment for generating sensitive business documents.

Key Takeaways

  • Automate to Win on Speed and Consistency: In a market where buyers decide fast, manual proposal creation is a liability. Automation allows your team to deliver accurate, on-brand proposals in a fraction of the time, giving you a critical competitive advantage.
  • Focus on Features That Solve Real Problems: Look beyond basic templates. The most valuable tools offer AI-powered knowledge management to keep content current, seamless CRM integration to eliminate manual work, and analytics to track what actually resonates with clients.
  • Match the Software to Your Specific Needs: A tool built for visual sales quotes won't work for complex RFPs, and vice versa. Define your primary use case before you start your search to ensure you choose a solution that solves your team's actual challenges.

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