The short version: for free business proposal templates, start with Visme and Venngage, which both list a free plan and let you design and export a document. Better Proposals, Proposify and Qwilr run big template libraries too, but those templates live inside their proposal software, so you'll get the most from them if you plan to send and track proposals through that tool.
I've written a lot of proposals over the years, and the template has never been the thing that won the work. What it does is stop you staring at a blank page and make sure you don't forget a section the buyer expects. So the real question isn't which template is prettiest. It's which one you can fill in quickly, send in the format your client wants, and reuse next time without starting again.
Where proposal templates come from
In no particular order:
- Visme: best for a designed proposal you build on a free Basic plan and personalise yourself.
- Venngage: best for adapting one layout to project, sales or grant proposals.
- Better Proposals: best for a large library of pre-written, eSignature ready templates.
- Proposify: best for templates that already include the core sections, such as an executive summary and scope of services.
- Qwilr: best if you also want quotes, case studies and project plans in the same style.
Five proposal libraries at a glance
| Source | Best for | Free plan (as of Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Better Proposals | Pre-written templates by industry | Not stated |
| Proposify | Templates with the essential sections built in | Not stated |
| Qwilr | Proposals plus other business documents | Not stated |
| Venngage | Project, sales and grant proposals | Yes |
| Visme | Designed proposals you personalise | Yes |
Pages and plans change, so check the vendor's own page before you rely on a limit.
The catch: most proposal libraries are a shop window
Here's what I'd want someone to tell me before I spent an hour on a template. Three of these five libraries exist to sell proposal software. Better Proposals tags its templates with labels such as pre-written, long length, example pricing and eSignature ready, which tells you they're built to be sent and signed inside its own platform. Proposify's templates sit on the site of a proposal management platform. Qwilr's library of 140+ business documents is part of its product, with a book a demo button right beside it.
None of that is a problem if you want proposal software. If you just want a document to fill in and email as a file, start with Visme or Venngage, where the job is designing something you can take away. Visme says its Basic plan is free and that you don't need a credit card to sign up, and Venngage's pricing page lists a Free plan alongside its paid ones. Whichever you pick, check before you start that the template can leave the platform in the format your client needs.
How to get a proposal template ready to send
- Decide how the proposal will be delivered: as an attached file, or as a link your client opens and signs online.
- If it's a file, open a template in Visme or Venngage. If it's a link, try one of the proposal tools and see whether its free option covers what you need.
- Pick a layout close to your industry. Better Proposals sorts its library by sector, including financial, accounting and tax, and professional services.
- Write the executive summary and scope of services first, because those are the sections Proposify names as essential.
- Add your pricing section last, once the scope is agreed in your own head.
- Save your finished version as your own master template, so the next proposal takes half the time.
One template, several kinds of proposal
A useful detail on Venngage's proposal page: it says its templates can be adapted to project proposals, sales proposals and grant proposals, and tailored to different industries and clients. That matches how I'd work. You don't need a separate template for every kind of deal. Build one strong structure, then change the summary, the scope and the examples for each client. Visme's own description of the process is just as simple: choose a template, add your content, personalise the design and you're done.
What changes from client to client is the evidence. Swap in a case study from their sector, name their problem in their words, and cut any section that doesn't help them say yes. If you want a structure that's built to win rather than just look tidy, my proposal template that closes deals walks through the sections in order.
When proposal software starts to make sense
If you're sending a handful of proposals a year, a designed template is plenty. Once you're sending them every week, the tools that host their own template libraries start to earn their keep, because they handle e-signatures, reuse and follow-up in one place. I've compared the options in my roundup of the best proposal software. And if a client only wants a price, not a full pitch, a quote is usually the faster document, so it's worth knowing where to find free quote templates too.
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Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a free business proposal template?
Visme and Venngage both have proposal templates and both list a free plan. Better Proposals, Proposify and Qwilr also have large libraries, but they sit inside proposal software and their pages don't state a free plan.
What should a business proposal include?
Proposify describes a business proposal template as an editable proposal with all of the essential elements, such as the executive summary and scope of services. Most proposals also need a pricing section.
Can one template work for different kinds of proposal?
Yes. Venngage says its templates can be adapted to project, sales and grant proposals and tailored to different industries and clients.
How many proposal templates does Better Proposals have?
Better Proposals says its library has over 250 professionally designed proposal templates, with tags such as pre-written and eSignature ready.
Do I need proposal software?
Not if you send the occasional proposal as a file. Software such as Better Proposals, Proposify or Qwilr earns its place when you send proposals often and want signing and tracking in one tool.
