DocSend has built a strong following since its launch in 2013. Its real-time analytics and wallet-friendly pricing tiers helped build a brand reputable enough to still retain its name three years after it was acquired by Dropbox.
However, document management software is a mature market, with plenty of other tools with feature sets that overlap and rival those of DocSend. You can find CPQs, eSign platforms, proposal creation software, and sales enablement tools that can easily replace DocSend in your tech stack.
Every platform has its limitations, and for sales teams and entrepreneurs who feel hampered by DocSend's disadvantages (such as a lack of a proposal builder or templates), we’ve got a list of eight alternative solutions that might better suit their document management needs.
Key takeaways
- Document management is a complimentary service offered by many different platforms, including cloud storage, CPQ, e-sign, and sales enablement software.
- There are so many different ways to approach document management. Your choice of platform should be dictated by your current and future use cases.
- There’s so much choice available; there’s no need to accept inferior or underdeveloped functionality (such as clunky editors or poorly implemented shareability) unless the disadvantage is outweighed by a benefit specific to your use case.
Best DocSend Alternative for Sales Teams and Enterprises: Qwilr
Primary use cases
Qwilr is used by marketing, sales, sales ops, recruitment, and customer success teams to streamline workflows and boost efficiency. Using Qwilr, any team member can create professional and attractive interactive proposals, collaborate seamlessly with other teams, and update the document instantly should the need arise.
Standout features
Intuitive web-based proposal design tools and document automation. Advanced tracking and powerful analytics.
Templates
Qwilr boasts an easy-to-navigate content library packed with customizable templates aligned with both industry-specific needs and popular sales methodologies such as BANT or MEDDPICC. Qwilr also contains a range of interactive elements such as pricing and ROI calculators for you to embed in your proposals and sales collateral.
Tracking and analytics
Advanced proposal tracking and analytics, with real time notifications, insights into specific actions (such as the variables entered into interactive pricing calculators, or accordions opened) and pipeline reporting.
Integrations
Qwilr integrates seamlessly with most major tools. There’s customer relationship management (CRM) integrations (including HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive), transaction integrations (including Stripe and Quickbooks), and automation integrations with Zapier to be considered.
Customer support
24/7 customer support on weekdays with limited support on weekends and holidays.
Pricing
Qwilr offers a 14-day free trial and business and enterprise plans, starting at $35/m for the Business package and $59/m for the Enterprise package.
Pros
Qwilr comfortably provides the most powerful document tracking on the market, going beyond the page-level analytics offered by most solutions to provide unparalleled insights into client behavior on individual items and elements on the page, as well as pipeline reports and other data to let you assess your document performance.
A strong content library with instantly customizable templates, an easy-to-use document editor and seamless collaboration are also good reasons to choose Qwilr over other document management solutions.
Cons
There are a lot of features available across all these overlapping solutions - no one solution is inevitably going to effectively provide every possible feature.
Best alternative for low-volume transactional sales: Box
Primary use cases
Box is a cloud-based storage and file-sharing platform with a strong emphasis on security.
Standout features
Box offers real-time collaboration tools, sophisticated customizable access, workflow automation templates and mobile access.
Templates
Unfortunately, Box doesn’t ship with any document templates - there is, however, a solid and usable content library that you can populate with your own documents.
Tracking and analytics
Typical of many of the tools listed here, page-level analytics are available - you can see which logged-in users have edited, commented, previewed or downloaded your document. Box can only track up to 103 active users.
Integrations
1,500+ integrations, including Salesforce, Slack, AWS and Teams.
Customer support
The level of support varies depending on the tier selected. On the standard package, you’ll send a ticket and receive a response within standard business hours. On the Enterprise tier, you’ll get 24/7/365 multi-channel agent access.
Pricing
Box has a five tier pricing structure. The lowest tier, Business Starter, costs $5 per user/month, with the following three tiers - Business, Business Plus and Enterprise - increasing by $10 a time at $15, $25 and $35. At the top of the range, there’s Enterprise Plus, with prices available on enquiry.
Pros
Box is a high-powered and affordable document management service. Easily accessible from any device, it’s an excellent choice for teams who need to edit, comment and collaborate on their shared documents in real-time. The security and compliance features are also a big plus, with detailed access controls and advanced encryption.
Cons
Box users have reported some performance issues. These tend to occur when handling very large files or working in low-bandwidth environments - however, there’s a few app-specific issues that are more generally problematic, such as the reported issues with Excel. There’s also a bit of a learning curve for first-time users.
Best alternative for high volume SaaS B2B transactional sales: Cacheflow
Primary use cases
Cacheflow is a CPQ platform for SaaS. It automates quote closing processes and accelerates payment transactions.
Standout features
There are some powerful features here. You can include interactive elements such as pricing calculators There are also some excellent billing features included, such as simplified subscription billing and usage-based billing, which allows Cacheflow to automate a wider range of pricing models.
Templates
Unfortunately, there aren’t any templates included with Cacheflow.
Tracking and analytics
There is no real tracking capabilities included, other than notifications to let you know when a quote gets closed.
Integrations
Some of the usual suspects are present—Hubspot, Quickbooks, Slack, Zapier, etc. (although Salesforce B2B Commerce is a notable absence). Cacheflow opts for an API/webhooks approach to integration.
Customer support
Customer support is tiered, with the lower-priced packages built around a self-serve model and dedicated account managers available on the higher tiers. Customers report feeling well-supported.
Pricing
It’s difficult to benchmark Cacheflow's price against other solutions. To get a quote (at any tier), you’re encouraged to sign up for a demo.
Pros
Cacheflow is easy to use, and the inclusive quote and billing feature set allows for some great automation flows. The Stripe-powered e-sign functionality works very well, too.
Cons
However, Cacheflow’s economical approach to integrations, templates, and tracking places some serious limits on its effectiveness as a solution. The awkward, overly demanding pricing strategy could also be enough to deter a busy buying team - research indicates that B2B buying teams are only likely to spend 17% of their buying process dealing directly with reps.
Best alternative for legal and internal document management: Docusign
Primary use cases
Electronic signature and digital transaction management software.
Standout features
Easy to use. Mobile-friendly e-signature functionality works well with group signatures and multiple recipients.
Templates
The Docusign content library contains more than 150 different templates (including a growing number of non-English documents, filterable by the six alternative language options).
Tracking and analytics
Docusign provides the standard page-level analytics, to indicate when your document has been sent, delivered, declined, voided or completed.
Integrations
More than 900 integrations are available, although there are some limitations on CRM integrations below the Enterprise tier of Docusign.
Customer support
Customer support is delivered via multiple channels, including live chat.
Pricing
Four tiers of pricing, with Personal, Standard and Business Pro costing $10, $25, and $40 per month/user, respectively. As usual, the enterprise tier will be priced according to specific needs.
Founded in 2003, Docusign is one of the best-established players in the electronic document management sector (although their name isn’t quite as synonymous with e-signatures as their recent product placement in hit chef drama ‘The Bear’ would have you believe).
As befits such a long-standing SaaS solution, their security and compliance is second to none, with multi-factor authentication, sophisticated access controls and a separate app, Docusign Monitor, to detect unauthorized activity or tampering.
However, there are a couple of inconvenient aspects. There’s an upper limit on how many ‘envelopes’ (clients or deals) you can send in a year. Even on the Enterprise tier, you’re restricted to 100 envelopes annually. You can have as many documents as you like in each envelope, but for larger enterprises, this ceiling feels uncomfortably restrictive. On the personal plan, it’s even worse, with a maximum of 5 envelopes per month.lower-tier
Pros
- Extremely secure
- Flexible e-sign and permissions features
- Robust content library
Cons
- Restrictive limits on the number of clients you can share with
- Limited CRM integrations for lower-tier, users
- Basic analytics
Check out the best Docusign alternatives here!
Best alternative for micro-businesses and freelancers: PandaDoc
Primary use cases
PandaDoc is cloud-based document management software with a free (if limited) eSign tier that’s really useful for freelancers and new businesses on a tight budget.
Standout features
Popular features include a drag-and-drop content library containing more than 450 document templates, in-document payment processing,PandaDoc uses Zapier to manage integrations, with external software connections to connect your document activities with Google Drive, HubSpot, Slack, or, indeed, any other tool you might choose to integrate. and real-time notifications on your document status.
Templates
A broad range of customizable templates includes sales proposals, invoices, contracts and more. If you’re happy to stick with docx.file types, you can upload and edit your own content with PandaDoc’s (slightly limited) editing tools, too.
Tracking and analytics
Page-level analytics lets you track the prospect’s engagement and monitor opens, views, and completions. You can also choose real-time email notifications to check your deal's progress.
Integrations
PandaDoc uses Zapier to manage integrations, with external software connections to connect your document activities with Google Drive, HubSpot, Slack, or indeed any other tool you might choose to integrate.
On the enterprise tier, bespoke packages can be configured to include some native integrations and API functionality with Salesforce and a few other tools.
Customer support
Ticket-based online support is available 24/7/365. Reviews suggest a prompt and highly effective service, although some report unresolved issues with the PandaDoc mobile app.
Pricing
In addition to PandaDoc’s free electronic signature plan, eSign, there are three paid tiers to choose from - Essentials (at $25 per user per month), Business ($59 per user per month), and an Enterprise tier (price on request).
Unfortunately, it's important to note that the free plan doesn’t provide access to the editor or templates.
PandaDoc’s eSign is a fantastic entry point for businesses who want to provide clients with the reduced friction of e-signature proposals and contracts.
On the paid plans, though, PandaDoc has both strong and weak points, just like most of the other solutions on this list. Their document editor is missing some fairly standard functions (such as the ability to reorder pages), and the mobile app continues to be a bone of contention for many users.
We’ve also written about PandaDoc alternatives here to go a bit deeper.
Pros
- Free eSign plan for bootstrapped startups and freelancers
- Lots of templates
- In-document payment processing
Cons
- Limited editing functionality (particularly on imported documents)
- Third-party integrations only
- Clunky mobile app
Best alternative for smaller nonprofits: Dropbox Sign
Primary use cases
Dropbox Sign (formerly Hello Sign) is a robust e-signature platform with strong ties to the Dropbox ecosystem, which also owns Docsend.
Standout features
Easy to use, mobile-friendly platform lets you collect signatures in person. There’s also some nice add-on features, such as automated reminders to help you stay on top of your processes.
Templates
There’s a limited content library with a basic set of professional documents, such as NDAs and other generic contracts. However, there are no sales proposals.
Tracking and analytics
Along with page and document-level analytics (time and location of document viewing, duration of view, overall document performance stats), there’s a handy AB testing tool, allowing you to experiment with different iterations of the same document.
Integrations
24 integrations, including Dropbox (obviously), HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Sharepoint, Salesforce and Salesforce CPQ.
Customer support
Restricted to email only on the lower subscription tiers, the level and quality of support reported seem to be variable. However, the platform is widely regarded as one of the simplest products of its type, so you’d expect to need less support generally.
Pricing
There’s three tiers and a limited free plan available. The paid tiers include Essentials ($15 per month), Standard ($25 per month) and Premium (custom quote on request).
You’d be forgiven for wondering why Dropbox feels it necessary to maintain two separate document management platforms in their stable. However, the additional sophistication and automation features of Docsend are intended to meet the needs of larger sales organizations with more complex offers.
In contrast, Dropbox Sign is more geared towards the general management of professional documents (hence the lack of sales proposal templates).
Like PandaDoc, there’s a free plan available - however, Dropbox Sign’s free plan is restricted to three shared documents a month, which lots of freelancers and microbusinesses may find limiting.
For non-profits who are prepared to work with Dropbox for their storage needs, the Dropbox ecosystem could be a useful home, as there are significant discounts available for non-profits and educational institutions.
Pros
- Probably the simplest tool on this list
- Mobile-friendly, group signing
- AB testing tools
Cons
- Not geared toward sales teams
- Limited customer support
- Limited templates
Best alternative for offline access: Showell
Primary use cases
Showell is a sales enablement and content management platform.
Standout features
Offline access means you can continue editing your docs or deliver a presentation without an internet connection. Showell also lets you embed interactive elements in your documents, such as dynamic calculators, pricing tables, and even 3D graphics.
Templates
You can create your own media and content library within the basic package, but templates are only offered as an add-on, Showell Themes (which only contains nine templates). These white-label templates are very easy to customize.
Tracking and analytics
As well as page-level or slide level analytics (letting you know who, when and how long your pages have been viewed for), Showell offers team performance and user activity analytics to help you gather data for sales teams.
Integrations
Showell offers a comprehensive set of native integrations for your CRM, PIM, cloud storage and communications, and single sign-on (SSO) functionality.
Customer support
Showell combines strong self-serve resources (troubleshooting guides and help center) with simple but effective ticket-based onboarding and support.
Pricing
Along with a free plan containing a generous 25 file allowance, Showell offers Essential, Professional, and Enterprise tiers. Essential costs $25 per user/month, Professional and Enterprise are priced according to your local need, CRM used and number of users.
Showell’s offline access could be very useful for companies operating in environments where connectivity is an issue. It’s generally easy to use and has some nice features, such as interactive elements.
However, the lack of templates included is a niggle, and there are some other issues, too - like the absence of a MacOS editor. There are also some impediments to automating your workflow with Showell, specifically the clunky shareability settings on your folders - once you’ve created a project, it can be time-consuming to change access permissions.
Pros
- Easy to use media and content library and editor
- Offline access
- Interactive elements
Cons
- No MacOS editor
- Clunky shareability settings
- Some issues with certain CRM integrations
Best alternative for email integration: Clearslide
Primary use cases
Clearslide is a sales engagement and content management platform with a heavy emphasis on selling via email.
Standout features
Email Pitch lets you build email pitches using your sales content, with real-time notifications, email analytics and more. From a sales engagement perspective, the guided selling feature is also handy, allowing you to create rules that map your sales content and surface recommended content for reps at appropriate points in the sales cycle.
Templates
There are email templates available - Clearslide’s marketing team send weekly updates and fresh template content on ‘Template Tuesdays’ - but there’s an absence of templates for other content types.
Tracking and analytics
Page-level analytics provides the typical insights you’d expect into content engagement. There’s also email tracking to provide an additional level of information about prospect engagement. Sales teams can make use of the team and sales rep performance reports.
Integrations
Clearslide provides a small but robust set of native integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Box, Dropbox and others. There’s also API functionality available.
Customer support
There are multiple accounts online of issues with Clearslide customer service (particularly in relation to their terms and conditions). However, the majority of these negative reviews are more than four years old. If you’re considering Clearslide, then perhaps it’s worth speaking to some of their customers (and check the small print!)
Pricing
Clearslide’s website provides no information about their pricing or plans, and their website CTA leads to a demo sign-up.
Clearslide contains several enhanced features, and for companies that sell exclusively through email, it’s worth taking a closer look. There’s plenty of additional value in Clearslide’s tracking and analytics tools too, although there’s no insight into item-specific engagement beyond the page-level.
Some users report a steep learning curve when first using Clearslide. Similarly to Cacheflow, their ‘demo-first’ pricing strategy presents something of an obstacle for anyone looking to quickly assess and compare their options. Coupled with the proliferation of negative reviews of their customer service, it feels like Clearslide could work harder to build trust with its customer base.
Pros
- A more nuanced feature set of tracking and analytics tools
- Sales enablement features such as guided selling
- Works well for selling by email
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Opaque pricing
- Dubious reputation for customer support
How to choose the best DocSend alternative
As you can see from our list, document management functionality isn’t hard to find—you can store, share, and manage your documents in your e-sign tool, your CPQ platform, your sales enablement software…there’s a lot of choice.
The factors to consider include:
- How many documents you send, on average
- How many different documents you send to each client
- What type of documents you need to send
- Whether you’re sending the same document to everyone, or highly personalized content
- How many people need to work on the document - both in-house and client-side
- How much time is wasted (or could be saved) in the preparation and distribution of your documents
- How much information you need about the engagement performance of your documents
- Which tools and processes need to be most closely involved with your document management
Final thoughts
When choosing an alternative to DocSend, sales teams are likely to prioritize advanced tracking and analytics and top-end proposal creation features such as interactive elements, ease of use, and a wide range of templates.
If this sounds like your use case, Qwilr’s 14-day free trial and transparent pricing are all set to make your decision a lot easier. Revolutionize your sales approach today with Qwilr.
About the author
Dan Lever|Brand Consultant and Copywriter
Dan Lever is an experienced brand consultant and copywriter. He brings over 7 years experience in marketing and sales development, across a range of industries including B2B SaaS, third sector and higher education.
Frequently asked questions
Qwilr offers intuitive proposal design tools, document automation, advanced tracking and analytics, customizable templates, and robust integrations with major tools.
Yes, Box can be used for document management, offering real-time collaboration tools, workflow automation, and strong security features.
Cacheflow does not include document templates and has limited tracking capabilities, focusing instead on quote automation and billing features.
Docusign offers a user-friendly platform with a robust content library, multi-factor authentication, and a wide range of integrations.
PandaDoc is suitable for freelancers with its free eSign plan, but the free plan lacks access to the editor or templates, and the document editor has limited functionality.
