Looking at B2B quote-to-cash software can feel like shopping for a car when you don’t care about 90% of the features. If you’re reading this, you’re probably just trying to make your sales process less painful, not sign up for a software marriage with a thousand bells and whistles you’ll never use. This guide is for sales managers, ops folks, or founders who want straightforward advice on how to compare Quoter with other tools in the space—without getting lost in the weeds.
1. Get Clear on What “Quote to Cash” Actually Means
Before you start comparing products, let’s ground this in reality. “Quote to cash” is just a fancy way of saying: the workflow from creating a quote for a customer to actually getting paid. That’s it. Every B2B company does this, but the steps look a little different depending on your business.
Core steps usually include: - Generating quotes or proposals - Sending them out (and ideally, having them accepted electronically) - Kicking off contracts or agreements - Invoicing and collecting payment - Reporting on what’s working
Some tools try to “do it all”—others focus on just one piece (like quotes or contracts). Figure out what your process looks like first.
Pro tip: Write out your current quote-to-cash steps, even if they’re messy. Software should fit your process, not the other way around.
2. Make a Short List of What Actually Matters to You
Here’s where most companies get tripped up: they buy for “future needs” or get wowed by features they’ll never use. Stay practical. Make a list of your non-negotiables, like:
- Do you need approvals before quotes go out?
- Are product/service catalogs a must?
- Does it have to connect with your CRM or accounting tools?
- Is e-signature required, or just nice to have?
- Will non-technical folks be using it?
Keep this list close. If a feature isn’t on it, ignore it. Tools will try to sell you on “revenue optimization” or “AI-powered forecasting”—most companies don’t need that to just get paid.
3. Put Quoter and Its Competitors Side by Side
Now let’s get concrete. There are a ton of quote-to-cash tools out there, but you’ll see Quoter, PandaDoc, Qwilr, Salesforce CPQ, and Conga show up a lot. Here’s how to make a side-by-side comparison that actually means something:
Quoter
- Strengths: Simple quoting, fast setup, clean interface. Good for SMBs or mid-market. Integrates with popular CRMs (like HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho), PSA tools, and payment processors. Pricing is transparent and not insane.
- Weaknesses: Not as customizable or “enterprise” as Salesforce CPQ. If you need deep contract lifecycle management or super complex workflows, it’ll hit its limits.
- Ignore if: You need a tool that runs your entire sales ops (contracts, revenue recognition, etc.), or you’re a massive enterprise.
PandaDoc
- Strengths: Flexible document creation (not just quotes), e-signature is slick, and it works well for sales and other teams (like HR). Integrates with a lot of CRMs.
- Weaknesses: Pricing gets steep as you add users/features. Some say the UI is cluttered. Not laser-focused on quoting, more of a general doc tool.
- Ignore if: You want a quoting tool, not a proposal/contract generator.
Qwilr
- Strengths: Gorgeous, interactive quotes/proposals. Good if your sales process is heavy on “wow” factor. Easy to use. Integrates with CRMs.
- Weaknesses: Not great for complex pricing or approvals. Reporting is limited. Expensive for what you get if you just need basic quoting.
- Ignore if: You’re not selling creative services or don’t care about interactive, web-based proposals.
Salesforce CPQ
- Strengths: Deeply customizable. Great if you already use Salesforce and have complex pricing, approvals, bundles, or need to scale.
- Weaknesses: Expensive, slow to implement, and needs consultants or in-house admins to keep running. Overkill for most SMBs.
- Ignore if: You don’t have Salesforce or a dedicated admin.
Conga (formerly Apttus)
- Strengths: Handles everything from quotes to contracts to revenue management. Good for complex, regulated industries.
- Weaknesses: Same as Salesforce CPQ—complex, expensive, and best for companies with lots of moving parts and budget.
- Ignore if: You want something easy to use or quick to set up.
Pro tip: Don’t just trust comparison grids on vendor websites—they’re always tilted in their favor. Try to get a live demo with your own use case.
4. Dig Into Integrations (and Don’t Just Take Their Word for It)
“Integrates with X” doesn’t always mean what you hope. Sometimes it’s native, sometimes you’ll be duct-taping things together with Zapier.
Here’s what to check: - Your CRM: Can you push/pull data both ways? Does it create/update deals, contacts, etc.? - Accounting/ERP: Can quotes turn into invoices? Any double-entry headaches? - E-signature & payments: Is it built-in, or do you need to bolt on another service? - APIs: If you have in-house devs, will they curse your name trying to get this working?
What works: Quoter and PandaDoc both have decent integrations with major CRMs. Salesforce CPQ is best if (and only if) you’re all-in on Salesforce. “Open API” claims are nice, but test them before you commit.
What doesn’t: Relying on endless Zapier hacks. It works, until it doesn’t—and then you’re the one cleaning up the mess.
5. Don’t Get Distracted by AI and “Smart” Features
Vendors love to hype “AI-powered pricing” or “predictive quotes.” Most of this is marketing fluff. Unless you’re quoting at massive scale with lots of variables, these features add complexity and cost with little real-world value.
Stick to basics: - Can you build the quotes you need, fast? - Can your team actually use it without training videos? - Does it make your process easier, not just the vendor’s pitch deck look nice?
If you outgrow it, you can always upgrade later. It’s better to have something your team actually uses than a “smart” tool gathering dust.
6. Test Real-World Scenarios, Not Just Demos
Don’t just watch a vendor’s canned demo. Make them show you: - How to build your typical quote (with real pricing, not just sample data) - The approval process you actually use - What happens if a customer wants changes - How it handles discounts, add-ons, or custom pricing
Ask for a trial. Set aside a couple of hours and have someone on your team (not just IT) build and send a real quote. You’ll quickly see what’s intuitive and what’s painful.
What to ignore: Reviews that are all 5-stars and say “life-changing.” Every tool has flaws. Find the ones you can live with.
7. Factor in Support and Onboarding (This Isn’t a Nice-to-Have)
When something breaks or you get stuck, will you get a real human who knows what they’re talking about? Or just a chatbot and a ticket number?
Quoter is generally known for solid support—actual people who respond. PandaDoc is decent, but bigger companies like Salesforce or Conga can feel like shouting into the void unless you’re a big customer.
Onboarding matters more than you think. If you’re not up and running in a week or two, you’ll lose momentum—and end up going back to spreadsheets.
8. Price Out the Real Cost
Vendors love to hide fees in “advanced features,” API access, or per-user costs. Don’t just look at the sticker price. Ask: - What’s included in the base price? - Do integrations, e-signature, or extra users cost more? - Is there a minimum contract length? - What does implementation or onboarding really cost?
Pro tip: Get everything in writing. If a vendor won’t send you a pricing breakdown, that’s a red flag.
9. Ask Around (But Be Skeptical)
Check with peers in your industry or on LinkedIn. Who’s happy with what they use—and what do they wish they’d known up front? Take vendor “case studies” with a grain of salt. Real users will tell you what’s clunky or missing.
Ignore: Paid review sites or affiliate blogs. They’re often more interested in commissions than the truth.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t overthink it. Most teams just want quotes to go out faster, get approved easily, and not break when someone edits a line item. If Quoter or another tool does 80% of what you need, don’t wait for perfection—get started, see how it works for your team, and tweak as you go.
Software should make your life easier, not become another project. Start small, get feedback from the people actually using it, and don’t be afraid to switch if it’s not working out. The goal is to get paid faster, not to win a demo contest.