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The Top 8 Proposal Software Solutions for CPAs in 2025

The Top 8 Proposal Software Solutions for CPAs in 2025

Everything you need to know about the best proposal software for CPAs, including the pros, cons, pricing, and target audience for each platform.
Published: June 18, 2025

Looking to Automate Proposals and Pricing? Start Here.

Most small CPA firms struggle with inconsistent pricing, outdated onboarding methods, and proposal processes cobbled together with PDFs and email. It’s inefficient, error-prone, and leaves money on the table.

Proposal software for CPAs helps you quote fees with confidence, eliminate scope creep, and streamline client onboarding. But not all tools are built for the way small accounting firms work—and not all include built-in pricing intelligence.

This guide compares the 8 best proposal software platforms available today—breaking down the pros, cons, pricing, and ideal use cases for each.

What is Proposal Software for CPAs?

Proposal software for CPAs automates the process of creating, sending, and tracking client proposals. These platforms may include features such as:

  • Pricing calculators
  • Engagement letters
  • E-signatures
  • Payment collection
  • Onboarding task automation

For small to midsize accounting firms, the best proposal tools go a step further—by helping you price with data, package services, and enforce scope. Learn more

Why Traditional Proposal Methods Fall Short

Old-school proposals—think Word docs, Excel quotes, and static PDFs—aren’t just tedious to create. They also open the door to scope creep, payment delays, and lost clients. Manually writing each engagement letter, chasing signatures, and guessing at pricing takes valuable time away from advisory work.

With tax deadlines and client demands already stretching your capacity, proposal automation isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity.

What Are the Benefits of Proposal Software for CPAs?

The right proposal software can help your firm:

  • Eliminate underpricing and boost margins
  • Save hours each week by automating proposal generation
  • Reduce admin work and onboarding delays
  • Present professionally and close more clients faster
  • Implement tiered pricing and advisory packages with clarity
  • Track engagement to know when clients open and interact with proposals

Modern proposal tools can also help you move from seasonal revenue surges to year-round income by supporting subscription billing and bundled services. They don’t just help you look more professional—they fundamentally improve your firm’s profitability.

How to Choose the Right Proposal Software for CPAs

When evaluating proposal software, consider:

  • Pricing Guidance – Does the platform help you determine what to charge?
  • Automation – How much time can it save you with e-signatures, payments, and onboarding?
  • Client Experience – Does the software let clients pick their own packages or submit intake forms?
  • Scope Management – Can you enforce what’s included (and not) to avoid free work?
  • Integrations – Does it work with your tax software, CRM, or document tools?
  • Ease of Use – Can you get up and running without needing IT support?

You want software that fits your workflow – not one that requires you to reinvent it.

Methodology

To identify the top proposal software for CPAs, we reviewed dozens of tools through the lens of:

  • User experience and ease of setup
  • Fit for small to midsize accounting firms
  • Built-in pricing or engagement features
  • Support and coaching availability
  • Customer reviews and case studies
  • Integration with common tools (QuickBooks, SmartVault, etc.)

We prioritized platforms with real adoption in the U.S. CPA market, especially those tailored for firms with 1–10 team members.

Top 8 Proposal Software Solutions for CPAs in 2025

  1. SmartPath (by SmartVault) – Best for Confident Pricing and Seamless Onboarding

    Ideal for: Small to mid sized CPA firms that want to stop underpricing and save time

    SmartPath combines pricing intelligence, proposal generation, onboarding, and payment collection into one streamlined tool built specifically for accountants. With features like tiered pricing options, a “Magic Link” for client self-service, and scope enforcement tools, SmartPath helps CPAs automate proposals and improve margins without awkward sales conversations.

    Pros:

    • Recommends pricing using data from 1,000+ firms
    • Includes client-facing intake and onboarding flow
    • Built-in e-signature, payment, and engagement letter support
    • Designed for CPAs; integrates with SmartVault, QuickBooks, etc.

    Cons:

    • Primarily for U.S. firms
    • Not a full practice management suite

    Bottom line: If you’re tired of winging it on price and chasing down documents, SmartPath brings structure, automation, and data to your proposal process.

    Learn More

  2. Ignition – Best for Proposals + Recurring Payments

    Ideal for: Firms with established pricing looking to automate engagement letters and billing

    Ignition helps accountants automate recurring billing and proposal acceptance. Clients can sign and pay in one motion, making it ideal for firms looking to eliminate receivables. However, it lacks pricing guidance or scope management.

    Pros:

    • Combines proposals, e-signatures, and payments
    • Reduces AR by charging clients upfront

    Cons:

    • Doesn’t help set prices
    • No onboarding tools or client discovery

    Bottom line: A great billing engine for firms that already know what to charge.

  3. TaxDome – Best All-in-One Suite with Light Proposal Tools

    Ideal for: Firms seeking a practice management platform with basic engagement capabilities

    TaxDome includes workflow automation, client portals, and a basic proposal tool. While it excels at managing projects and documents, its proposal module is limited.

    Pros:

    • All-in-one platform for tax firms
    • Includes portals, file sharing, and task management

    Cons:

    • Basic proposals with no pricing logic
    • Doesn’t guide fees or upsell services

    Bottom line: Great for back-office automation; not built to drive pricing strategy.

  4. GoProposal (by Sage) – Best for Basic Standardized Fees

    Ideal for: Firms that want standardized fee templates and itemized pricing

    GoProposal offers customizable pricing calculators and proposal templates. CPAs define their own pricing rules and use the platform to build consistent, clear proposals. However, there’s no automation for onboarding or payments.

    Pros:

    • Transparent pricing templates
    • Supports structured fee methodology

    Cons:

    • No pricing guidance or analytics
    • Lacks client-facing intake or onboarding

    Bottom line: Strong for clarity, weak for automation.

  5. DocuSign – Best for Firms Already Using PDF Proposals

    Ideal for: Firms that want to add e-signatures to existing proposal workflows

    DocuSign is a secure, trusted e-signature platform that CPAs often pair with static proposals. It’s great for getting engagement letters signed, but doesn’t help build or send proposals.

    Pros:

    • Industry-standard e-signature tool
    • Easy to add to existing templates

    Cons:

    • No pricing or proposal logic
    • Doesn’t collect payments or assist with onboarding

    Bottom line: A solid plug-in for signatures—just don’t expect much beyond that.

  6. PandaDoc – Best General Proposal Tool with CRM Integrations

    Ideal for: Firms using proposal workflows in Salesforce, HubSpot, or other CRMs

    PandaDoc offers flexible proposal templates and integrates with major CRMs. It’s not tailored for CPAs, so you’ll need to build your own pricing structures.

    Pros:

    • Strong design flexibility
    • CRM integrations

    Cons:

    • Not built for CPAs or accounting workflows
    • Manual setup of pricing and templates

    Bottom line: A solid choice for sales-heavy firms with custom workflows.

  7. Proposify – Best for Sales Teams Needing Branded Proposals

    Ideal for: Firms that want branded proposals and team-wide consistency

    Proposify helps teams create beautifully designed proposals with content libraries and branding controls. Great for sales teams, but lacks accounting-specific features.

    Pros:

    • Professional design and brand templates
    • Analytics on client engagement

    Cons:

    • Not CPA-specific
    • Doesn’t support pricing logic or onboarding

    Bottom line: Beautiful proposals, but not built with accountants in mind.

  8. Better Proposals – Best for Simplicity and Design Templates

    Ideal for: Small firms wanting easy, polished proposals without coding

    Better Proposals is a fast, drag-and-drop tool that’s easy to use. It supports e-signatures and payments but isn’t customized for CPAs.

    Pros:

    • Clean, mobile-friendly templates
    • Quick to set up

    Cons:

    • Lacks pricing guidance or service bundling
    • No integrations with accounting platforms

    Bottom line: Great design, limited depth.

What’s the Best Proposal Software for CPAs?

If your proposal process still involves Word docs and fee guesswork, it’s time to upgrade. The best proposal software for CPAs helps you:

  • Price confidently
  • Streamline onboarding
  • Get paid faster
  • Eliminate inefficiencies
  • Present your firm like a pro

SmartPath stands out as the only platform that combines pricing strategy, proposal generation, onboarding automation, and CPA-specific workflows. It’s the clear choice for firms that want to work smarter, not harder, and finally get paid what they’re worth.

Learn More