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Proposals · head to head

Indy vs Responsive

Indy logo

Indy

Proposals

Freelance workflow suite covering proposals, contracts, invoices and time tracking with a usable free tier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Responsive logo

Responsive

Proposals

Strategic Response Management

From
$10000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Indy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Indy the free tier caps documents per month, and an active freelancer passes those caps quickly enough that the free plan is a trial in practice rather than a permanent option.; Responsive growth and Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
  • They diverge on capability: Indy covers Contract library, Responsive covers AI content suggestions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Indy and Responsive actually diverge.

Attributes where Indy and Responsive differ
AttributeIndyResponsive
Starting priceFree$10000/year
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Proposals).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Indy

  • Contract library
  • Proposals
  • Invoicing
  • Time tracking
  • Task and calendar
  • Client portal
  • Free tier

Only in Responsive

  • AI content suggestions
  • Response automation
  • Content library
  • Collaboration
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Indy

  • A new freelancer who needs a real signed contract before there is revenue to fund a subscriptionnot Responsive
  • Testing whether an all in one freelance bundle suits your workflow before committing money to onenot Responsive
  • Part time or side project freelancing with low monthly document volume that stays inside the free capsnot Responsive
  • Replacing an unsigned emailed quote with a proposal that converts into a contract and an invoicenot Responsive

Responsive

  • Automated back-office administration for Canadian independent portfolio managersnot Indy
  • Client onboarding and compliance management for investment advisory firmsnot Indy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Indy

  • The free tier caps documents per month, and an active freelancer passes those caps quickly enough that the free plan is a trial in practice rather than a permanent option.
  • Project management and task tracking are shallow, so anyone running several concurrent projects will keep a separate tool and lose the single system benefit.
  • Reporting on income, utilisation and profitability is thin next to a dedicated accounting or time tracking product.
  • Payments are processed by a third party gateway, so the card fee applies on top of the subscription and materially changes the cost per invoice on small jobs.
  • As with every bundle, leaving means separating proposals, contracts, time and invoices out of one export, which is harder than replacing a single purpose tool.

Responsive

  • Growth and Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
  • Three-component pricing model (platform fee, per-user licenses, add-ons) may make budgeting complex

Pricing, plan by plan

Indy

Free
  • Indy$undefined/year
    • Free tier with monthly document limits
    • Proposals, contracts and invoices
    • Time tracking and tasks

Responsive

$10000/year
  • Emerging Edition$10000/year
    • Unlimited response projects
    • AI & automation studio
    • Unlimited content collaboration
  • Growth Edition$null/contact sales
    • All Emerging features
    • Intake requests
    • LookUp & eSignature
  • Enterprise Edition$null/contact sales
    • All Growth features
    • Flexible custom AI
    • Enterprise security controls

Which should you pick?

Choose Indy if

  • You need contract library.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want proposals.
Indy review

Choose Responsive if

  • You need ai content suggestions.
  • You also want response automation.
Responsive review

Questions people ask

Is Indy or Responsive better?
Neither clearly leads. Indy starts at Free and Responsive at $10000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Indy or Responsive?
Indy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Indy and $10000/year for Responsive.
Does Indy or Responsive run on more platforms?
Indy runs on Web, iOS, Android. Responsive runs on Web.
Can I use Indy for free?
Yes. Indy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Responsive starts at $10000/year.
What is Indy best used for?
Indy is most often used for a new freelancer who needs a real signed contract before there is revenue to fund a subscription, testing whether an all in one freelance bundle suits your workflow before committing money to one, part time or side project freelancing with low monthly document volume that stays inside the free caps, replacing an unsigned emailed quote with a proposal that converts into a contract and an invoice. Of those, a new freelancer who needs a real signed contract before there is revenue to fund a subscription and testing whether an all in one freelance bundle suits your workflow before committing money to one are not what Responsive is typically brought in for.
What can Indy do that Responsive cannot?
Indy covers Contract library, Proposals, Invoicing, Time tracking. Responsive covers AI content suggestions, Response automation, Content library, Collaboration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Indy: Is the free tier actually usable?

Yes, for real signed contracts and invoices, but it caps documents per month and active freelancers hit that fairly quickly.

Responsive: How much does Responsive cost?

Responsive's Emerging Edition starts at $10,000/year. Growth and Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales. Pricing comprises three components: annual platform fee, per-user license costs, and optional add-ons for professional services and integrations.

Source
Indy: Does it take a percentage of invoices?

The payment gateway charges its standard card fee. That is separate from the subscription and should be modelled per invoice.

Responsive: What is included in the Emerging Edition?

The Emerging Edition at $10,000/year includes unlimited response projects, AI & automation studio, unlimited content collaboration, integrations, and admin support. It is designed for early-stage proposal teams with low-to-moderate RFP volume.

Source
Indy: Can it manage several concurrent projects?

Only lightly. The task and project features are the weakest part of the product.

Responsive: When do I need Growth or Enterprise editions?

Growth Edition is for organizations with weekly RFP volume and cross-functional collaboration needs. Enterprise Edition is for complex multi-team operations with dedicated proposal teams and global or multi-region requirements. Both require custom quotes.

Source
Indy: Are the contracts legally sound?

They are standard freelance templates with editable clauses. They are a starting point, not legal advice for your jurisdiction.

Indy: Who is it wrong for?

Agencies, anyone with subcontractors, and freelancers who need real project management or detailed profitability reporting.

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