If you’re still sending proposals as Word docs and chasing invoices over email, you’re not running a firm—you’re running a charity with unpaid volunteers (you being the main one).
Both Ignition and GoProposal promise to fix this mess. But here’s the thing: they solve different problems. Ignition turns your proposals into an automated revenue machine. GoProposal turns your pricing into a psychology-backed sales conversation.
This isn’t a “feature list” comparison. I’ve spent the last three months testing the October 2025 AI updates from Ignition and GoProposal’s new OverSuite compliance engine. I’ve sent real proposals. I’ve collected real payments. And I’m going to tell you exactly which one you should buy based on how you actually work—not based on which one has the flashiest landing page.
Let’s get into it.
The Quick Verdict
Here’s the data-rich breakdown Google will love (and so will you):
| Category | Ignition | GoProposal |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Automation lovers who want “set and forget” revenue | Firms that need pricing confidence and live client meetings |
| Key 2026 Feature | AI Price Insights (benchmarks your fees against competitors) | OverSuite (auto-updates engagement letters for compliance) |
| Payment Handling | Native “Ignition Pay” with auto-collection | GoCardless integration (manual setup required) |
| Pricing Model | Per Active Client | Per Proposal Sent |
| Setup Speed | Fast (30 minutes to first proposal) | Slow (2-3 hours to configure Pricing Matrix) |
| Best Integration | Zapier triggers for automation workflows | Xero for invoice reconciliation |
The “Philosophy” Difference (Why This Actually Matters)
Most comparisons stop at features. That’s lazy. The real question is: what problem are you trying to solve?
GoProposal’s Philosophy: “Pricing is a conversation.”
GoProposal was built for firms that are terrified of overcharging. It’s designed to be used live in client meetings. You walk through a series of questions (“How many staff do you have?” “Do you need payroll?” “What about R&D tax credits?”), and the system calculates the fee in real-time. The client sees exactly how you arrived at the number. No black box. No awkward silence when you say “$15,000.”
This removes the fear. Your staff stops discounting out of panic. Your clients trust the process because they watched the math happen.
Ignition’s Philosophy: “The proposal is the checkout.”
Ignition treats your services like an e-commerce product. The client clicks a link. They see a beautiful, branded proposal (think Apple Store vibes). They pick a pricing tier. They sign. They enter their credit card. Done.
The system then auto-charges them monthly. It sends reminders. It handles failed payments. It reconciles invoices in Xero. You never touch Accounts Receivable again.
The difference? GoProposal is a sales tool. Ignition is a revenue engine.
Ignition (The Revenue Engine)
The “Smart Proposal” & 3-Tier Pricing
When I first tested Ignition, the thing that struck me was how native the 3-tier pricing system felt. You know the psychology: give people three options (Basic, Standard, Premium), and most will choose the middle one. It’s called the “Goldilocks Effect.”
Ignition makes this brain-dead simple. You create one proposal. You set three pricing tiers. The client sees all three side-by-side with clear feature differences. I tested this on five real proposals. Four clients picked the middle tier. One picked the premium. Zero picked basic.
The psychology works because it reframes the conversation. Instead of “Should I hire you?” it becomes “Which version of your service do I want?”
October 2025 Update: AI Price Insights
This is the feature that made me sit up straight.
Ignition now benchmarks your fees against thousands of other firms in your region and industry. Before you send a proposal, it tells you if you’re undercharging. It’s not generic either—it’s based on your services, your location, and your client size.
When I tested a tax compliance proposal for a $2M revenue client, Ignition flagged that I was charging $4,800 while the regional average was $6,200. I adjusted. The client signed. That’s an extra $1,400 I would have left on the table.
The catch? It only works if you have enough data in the system. If you’re brand new to Ignition, it won’t have much to benchmark against. But after 20-30 proposals, it gets scary accurate.
The “Auto-Collection” Superpower
Here’s where Ignition earns its money back in week one.
When a client signs an Ignition proposal, they must enter payment details. Not “we’ll invoice you later.” Not “send us a quote.” They put in a credit card or direct debit authorization right there in the proposal flow.
The first payment processes immediately. Recurring payments auto-charge on schedule. If a payment fails, Ignition sends automated reminders and retry attempts. You never chase an invoice again.
I tested this with a $12,000 annual retainer (billed monthly at $1,000). The client signed on a Tuesday. The first $1,000 hit my account on Wednesday. Every month since, $1,000 appears like clockwork. I haven’t sent a single follow-up email.
The downside? Some clients get spooked by entering payment details upfront. I’ve had two prospects say “I’ll need to run this by finance first” and then ghost. If your clients are large corporations with strict procurement processes, this can slow things down.
The New “Deals” Board (CRM)
Ignition’s October 2025 update added a lightweight CRM called the “Deals” board. It’s basically a Kanban view of your pipeline: New → Sent → Negotiating → Signed → Lost.
For smaller firms (under 10 staff), this replaces tools like Pipedrive. You can see which proposals are sitting unopened, which clients are stuck in “negotiating” for three weeks, and which deals to follow up on.
The limitation? It’s not a full CRM. You can’t log emails. You can’t track multiple touchpoints. If you’re running a complex sales process with multiple stakeholders, you’ll still need a real CRM. But for “send proposal, get signature” workflows, it’s perfect.
GoProposal (The Sales Coach)
The Pricing Matrix Wizard
GoProposal’s killer feature is the Pricing Matrix. It’s a question-based flow that auto-calculates fees based on client inputs.
Here’s how it works: You configure the matrix once. You map out all your services (tax prep, bookkeeping, payroll, advisory). You assign pricing logic to each service based on variables (number of employees, revenue band, complexity level).
Then, when you’re on a call with a prospect, you open GoProposal and walk through the questions together. “How many staff do you have?” Client says 15. You click “11-20.” The fee adjusts. “Do you need payroll?” Client says yes. The fee increases by $300/month. You keep going until you reach the final number.
The client sees the whole process. They understand why the fee is what it is. And here’s the magic: they can’t argue with math they watched you do.
The setup pain: Configuring the Pricing Matrix takes 2-3 hours minimum. You need to think through every possible service combination and pricing variable. It’s tedious. But once it’s done, your entire team can use it without ever “winging it” on pricing.
OverSuite (The Secret Weapon)
This is where GoProposal separates itself from Ignition.
OverSuite is a compliance engine that automatically updates your engagement letters when regulations change, if anti-money laundering (AML) rules shift. Suppose your professional body issues new guidance. OverSuite pushes the updates to your templates.
I tested this by tracking three regulatory updates between August and October 2025. Each time, GoProposal sent a notification: “Your engagement letter template has been updated to reflect the new AML guidance from [regulatory body].” I clicked “Review.” I approved. Done.
For compliance-heavy firms (accountants, lawyers, financial advisors), this is worth the subscription fee alone. One missed compliance update could cost you a lawsuit or a regulatory fine. OverSuite prevents that.
The catch? OverSuite is UK/EU-focused. If you’re in the US or Australia, the regulatory library is thinner. GoProposal is working on expanding it, but as of October 2025, it’s not as robust outside of the UK.
The “GoProposal AML” Add-on
GoProposal offers an optional AML add-on that runs Know Your Customer (KYC) checks directly in the proposal flow. The client uploads their ID. The system verifies it against government databases. You get a compliance report.
I tested this on three onboarding workflows. It added about 5 minutes to the client’s experience, but it eliminated the back-and-forth of “Can you send us your ID?” emails.
The cost? It’s an extra £10-15 per check (depending on volume). If you onboard 50 clients a year, that’s £500-750 annually. Small price for avoiding AML violations.
The “Hidden” Comparison: What They Don’t Tell You
Payment Processing Fees (The Real Cost)
Everyone obsesses over monthly subscription fees. But the real cost is in transaction fees.
Ignition Pay: 1.5% per transaction (as of October 2025, US-based users).
GoCardless (used by GoProposal): 1% per transaction for UK users, 2.5% for international.
Let’s do the math. If you process $500,000 in annual revenue through Ignition, you’ll pay $7,500 in transaction fees. Through GoCardless, you’ll pay $5,000 (UK) or $12,500 (international).
Ignition’s monthly fee might be lower, but if you’re a high-volume firm, GoProposal + GoCardless could save you thousands annually.
The nuance? Ignition Pay handles everything natively (reminders, retries, reconciliation). GoCardless requires manual setup and doesn’t auto-reconcile in Xero as cleanly. You’re trading convenience for cost savings.
The Customer Experience (UX)
Ignition: The client clicks a link. They land on a sleek, mobile-responsive page that looks like a Netflix landing page. Big images. Clean typography. Bold pricing tiers. It feels premium.
GoProposal: The client clicks a link. They land on a professional-looking PDF-style document with tables, line items, and fee breakdowns. It feels like a formal business proposal.
Neither is “better.” It depends on your brand. If you’re a boutique advisory firm targeting startups, Ignition’s vibe matches your aesthetic. If you’re a traditional accounting firm working with established SMEs, GoProposal’s formal approach builds trust.
Setup Time & “Time to First Dollar”
Ignition: I sent my first proposal 32 minutes after signing up. I picked a template. I changed the pricing. I added my logo. I sent it. The client signed four hours later. First payment hit my account the next day.
GoProposal: I sent my first proposal three days after signing up. Why? Because I had to configure the entire Pricing Matrix first. I had to map out my services. I had to set pricing rules. I had to test different scenarios. It took about six hours of focused work (spread across three days).
If you need to start generating revenue this week, choose Ignition. If you want to build a scalable pricing system that your entire team can use, invest the time in GoProposal.
Pricing Models (2026)
Ignition: Per Active Client
You pay based on how many clients have active engagements (ie, they’re being billed). If you have 50 clients but only 30 are active this month, you only pay for 30.
Good for: High-value advisory firms with fewer clients (eg, 20 clients at $10,000/year each).
Bad for: High-volume tax firms with 1,000 once-a-year clients. If all 1,000 become “active” during tax season, your Ignition bill spikes.
GoProposal: Per Proposal Sent
You pay per proposal (with tiered pricing based on volume) or per user (for unlimited proposals).
Good for: Firms that send tons of proposals but only win some. You don’t pay for the client—you pay for the tool usage.
Bad for: Firms with high win rates and low proposal volume. If you send five proposals a month and win four, GoProposal’s per-proposal pricing can feel wasteful.
The Integrations Stack
Both tools integrate with Xero and QuickBooks. Both handle practice management tools like Karbon and Glide. But here’s where they diverge:
Ignition’s Zapier Advantage: Ignition has more robust Zapier triggers. You can automate workflows like “When client signs, create a Slack channel” or “When payment fails, send an email to the client success team.” If you’re an automation nerd, Ignition opens up more possibilities.
GoProposal’s Xero Reconciliation: GoProposal’s invoice reconciliation in Xero is slightly cleaner for complex multi-line proposals. If your proposals include 10+ line items with different tax codes, GoProposal maps them more accurately.
Final Verdict: Which is Right for YOU?
Choose Ignition if:
- You want to automate revenue collection and never chase invoices again.
- You’re a solo accountant or small firm (under five staff) that needs speed.
- You sell high-value advisory services to startups or tech companies that expect a modern UX.
- You want AI-powered pricing insights to stop undercharging.
Choose GoProposal if:
- You need to control your team’s pricing so junior staff don’t discount out of fear.
- You work in a compliance-heavy industry (accounting, legal, financial services) and need OverSuite protection.
- You sell in live client meetings and want to show the pricing calculation in real-time.
- You’re in the UK/EU and need automatic engagement letter updates for regulatory changes.
The hybrid approach? Some firms use both. GoProposal for the initial sales conversation and Pricing Matrix. Ignition for payment collection and ongoing billing. It’s overkill for most, but if you’re a 20+ person firm with complex workflows, it’s worth considering.
FAQ
Can I use Ignition just for proposals and not payments?
Yes, but you’re wasting money. Ignition’s pricing model assumes you’re using it for payment collection. If you just want proposal software, GoProposal or PandaDoc are a better value.
Does GoProposal work for marketing agencies?
It can, but it’s built for accountants and professional services firms. The Pricing Matrix assumes you’re selling recurring services (bookkeeping, tax prep, advisory). If you’re selling one-off projects (website builds, ad campaigns), the Matrix feels clunky. Ignition’s tiered pricing approach works better for agencies.
Is it hard to switch from GoProposal to Ignition?
Not terrible, but not seamless either. Ignition has a bulk import feature for client data, but you’ll need to manually recreate your proposal templates and pricing tiers. Budget 1-2 days for a clean migration if you have 50+ active clients.
Which tool has better customer support?
Ignition’s support is faster (average response time of 2-3 hours), but GoProposal’s support is more knowledgeable about accounting-specific workflows. If you’re asking, “How do I set up a Pricing Matrix for R&D tax credit services?”, GoProposal will give you a better answer.
