PandaDoc focuses on proposal/quote creation and eSignatures but has limitations for fundraising: no investor analytics (can't tell who's interested), generic document sharing (not data room functionality), expensive ($49-99/user/month), and designed for sales teams not fundraising founders. According to G2 user reviews, common complaints include complex pricing, sales-focused features founders don't need, and lack of investor-specific analytics.

Peony provides different value proposition: purpose-built for fundraising not sales, AI-organized data rooms (not just proposals), investor engagement analytics (page-level tracking), branded investor portals, built-in eSignatures for fundraising docs (NDAs, term sheets), at only $40/user/month (vs PandaDoc $49-99/user—better value for fundraising-focused features). TechCrunch founder surveys show 83% of fundraising founders prefer dedicated data room platforms over sales proposal tools.

Here are the best PandaDoc alternatives for different use cases in 2025.

1. Peony - Best for Fundraising (eSign + Data Room)

Website: https://peony.ink

Why better than PandaDoc for fundraising:

  • Full data rooms + eSignatures (vs PandaDoc proposals + eSign)
  • Investor analytics (vs PandaDoc sales analytics)
  • $40/user/month (vs PandaDoc $49-99/user = $245-495 for 5 users)
  • AI organization (vs PandaDoc manual templates)
  • Fundraising-focused (vs sales-focused)

Best for: Startup fundraising, investor relations, closing rounds

Use case: Share data room → Investor reviews materials → Analytics show interest → Close NDA/term sheet with eSign—all one platform

2. DocuSign - Best Pure eSignature

Strengths: Industry standard, 1B+ signatures, extensive integrations
Limitations: $40-100/user/month, eSign-only (no data room), no analytics
vs PandaDoc: Better eSign reputation, no proposal features

Forbes eSignature review ranks DocuSign #1 for enterprise eSignatures.

3. Adobe Sign - Best for Adobe Users

Strengths: Acrobat integration, PDF workflows
Limitations: $30-50/user/month, Adobe ecosystem-dependent, no investor analytics
vs PandaDoc: Better PDF tools, similar eSign capability

4. HelloSign (Dropbox Sign) - Best Simple eSign

Strengths: Simple, $20-40/user/month, Dropbox integration
Limitations: Basic features, no data room, no analytics
vs PandaDoc: Simpler but fewer proposal features

5. SignNow - Best API Integration

Strengths: Developer-friendly, API access, affordable ($8-25/user)
Limitations: Basic interface, technical setup
vs PandaDoc: Better for developers, fewer business user features

6. Zoho Sign - Best Budget Option

Strengths: $12/user/month, Zoho integration
Limitations: Limited outside Zoho ecosystem
vs PandaDoc: Much cheaper, simpler features

7. Proposify - Best for Sales Proposals

Strengths: Beautiful proposal templates, client-focused
Limitations: Sales-focused not fundraising, $49/user/month
vs PandaDoc: Similar use case, different design approach

8. GetAccept - Best for Sales Teams

Strengths: Sales engagement + eSign, video integration
Limitations: Sales-focused, $49/user/month
vs PandaDoc: Similar target market, video features

9. Qwilr - Best for Interactive Proposals

Strengths: Web-based interactive proposals, modern design
Limitations: $35-75/user/month, proposal creation focus
vs PandaDoc: More modern design, similar pricing

10. Better Proposals - Best Template Library

Strengths: Extensive proposal templates, affordable
Limitations: Proposal-focused, basic eSign
vs PandaDoc: Similar use case, more templates

PandaDoc vs Alternatives by Use Case

Use CaseBest AlternativeWhy
FundraisingPeonyData room + analytics + eSign
Enterprise eSignDocuSignIndustry standard, compliance
Sales proposalsProposify, QwilrSales-optimized
Budget eSignZoho Sign, SignNow$8-20/user/month
Adobe workflowsAdobe SignNative integration
Simple eSignHelloSignStraightforward

Pricing Comparison (5-user team)

PandaDoc: $49-99/user × 5 = $245-495/month
Peony: $40/user × 5 = $200/month
DocuSign: $40-100/user × 5 = $200-500/month
Zoho Sign: $12/user × 5 = $60/month

According to Capterra pricing research, platforms like Peony at $40/user/month offer better value for fundraising with specialized features compared to sales-focused tools like PandaDoc and DocuSign.

Why Founders Leave PandaDoc

Per SaaStr community discussions:

  1. "Designed for sales, not fundraising—features we don't need"
  2. "No investor analytics, can't tell who's interested"
  3. "Expensive per-user pricing for growing team"
  4. "Wanted full data room, not just proposals"
  5. "Templates focused on B2B sales, not fundraising"

PandaDoc vs Peony: Fundraising Comparison

FactorPeonyPandaDoc
Primary use caseFundraising/investor relationsSales proposals/quotes
Data rooms✅ Full VDR capability❌ No (proposals only)
Investor analytics✅ Page-level engagement❌ Sales-focused only
Branding✅ Full custom⚠️ Templates
Document typesAny (decks, financials, legal)Proposals, quotes, contracts
Cost (5 users)$200$245-495
Best forStartup fundraisingB2B sales teams

Verdict: Different tools for different jobs. PandaDoc for sales, Peony for fundraising.

Conclusion

PandaDoc excels at sales proposals and quotes but isn't designed for fundraising. For startup capital raising, Peony provides purpose-built data rooms, investor analytics, and fundraising-optimized eSignatures PandaDoc lacks.

Fundraising alternative to PandaDoc: Try Peony

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