Contracts are sort of a big deal.
We toss around all kinds of documents in a given day. But without contracts, ain’t nobody getting paid. And lost or mishandled contracts can mean a world of trouble beyond that.
Contract management software gives businesses a streamlined, secure way to keep these files in order. No disrespect to your rusty file cabinet — but these solutions can be lifesavers for any organization or freelancer dealing with contracts on the daily.
What are the top 5 best free contract management tools in 2019
- Agiloft
- Trackado
- Agree.com
- ContractClub
- Tradogram
These tools can be a natural complement to proposal software and e-signature software, for those in field sales or anyone tasked with making deals. Whether you’re hiring a graphic designer for a quickie project or a new supplier for your office, digitizing your contract lifecycle is a smart play in the connected age.
If you’re a visual designer or plan to work with one soon, check out this guide on creating an airtight graphic design contract.
Products in this category range from basic and barebones to all-powerful platforms with a variety of functions. If you’re new to digital contract management and want to dip your toes in the water, there are some excellent free contract management software apps that can get you on your way.
For your troubles, we’ve compiled a handful that are worth checking out. (We won’t make you sign any contracts for taking a peek.)
These products alone have nearly 50 validated user reviews on G2 as of May 10, 2019, and only represent a small portion of the 170-plus contract management software offerings listed on our platform. They are ordered by user satisfaction based on G2 data.
For each product we provide:
- An overview
- Highlighted features
- Free and paid options details
The list we’ve outlined here includes any contract management software with an available free offering. Some products provide limited free options while others are completely free without restrictions. This list does not include products that are only free on a temporary basis, such as trial versions.
With that being said, there are a significant number of products in this category that offer trial versions that allow you and your team to test-drive them before making a larger commitment. Explore the category listings to learn more about the full spectrum of these solutions.
Below are some zero-cost solutions that can help your business organize and distribute your important contracts.
1. Agiloft
Product Name: Agiloft
G2 Star Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars
Overview
Developed in Redwood City, CA, Agiloft is a well-reviewed tool for contract management with workflow management features and other capabilities. It also offers a suite of service desk software tools. This popular platform received the distinction of Editors’ Choice from PC Magazine, which called it “the most customizable contract management system on the market.”
Free option
- The Free Edition of Agiloft is designed for small teams or large organizations hoping to see the product’s features and scalability before making a commitment. It comes with a free, hosted knowledge base for up to five power users and five end users in addition to an administrator.
Paid option
- Agiloft offers plans for Assigned Power Users and Portal Users as either a SaaS subscription or on-premise subscription. Interested users need to request a quote on the Agiloft website.
Features
- Free online training
- Product documentation
- Tutorial videos
- Free support for the first 30 days
Image courtesy of PCMag.com
What users like
“This is going to sound boring, but Agiloft just works as it should. We migrated from a very basic system. Our last system required us to use it based on the way it was made to operate. Agiloft, on the other hand, has been customized to reflect our processes.”
— Agiloft review by Laura S.
What users dislike
“Sometimes when you’re making a change, it will go a little crazy and you’ll lose some data, you’ll be able to recover it, but it does become frustrating when you can’t change something quickly in the workflow.”
— Agiloft review by James P.
Recommendations for others considering the product
“The Agiloft team does a thorough job of understanding your system needs and quickly implementing the system to have you online in the shortest amount of time. The ability to modify the system when your business requirements change in a timely manner is critical in business today and Agiloft provides that capability.”
— Agiloft review by Tamie J.
2. Trackado
Product Name: Trackado
G2 Star Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overview
Trackado is a cloud-based platform built solely for the contract management lifecycle. This Swedish software solution includes plan options for startup teams all the way to enterprise organizations, with intuitive features for sorting and searching contracts as well as contacts.
Free option
- Trackado’s Free Plan allows for 1 user, 15 contracts and 2 custom fields per document.
Paid option
- Starter Plan, $39/month: Access for 3 users, with a limit of 50 contracts and 5 custom fields
- Business Plan, $99/month: Access for 8 users, with a limit of 300 contracts and unlimited custom fields
- Enterprise Plan, $199/month: Access for 25 users, with unlimited contracts, unlimited custom fields and single sign-on capabilities
Features
- Dashboards
- Contract repository
- Business partner directory
- Reporting
Image courtesy of Capterra
What users like
“It has smooth UI and UX for their dashboard and it is not overwhelming in the eyes.”
— Trackado review by Bhupendra G.
3. Agree.com
Product Name: Agree.com
G2 Star Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overview
Agree.com is not a website that just nods its head, as the name might suggest. This site allows for fast creation, transfer and completion of business agreements, with a focus on independent contractors such as videographers and designers. The Agree mobile app empowers users to create contracts from anywhere, and have them signed and paid off in a matter of seconds.
Free option
- The Agree.com free plan offers the complete feature set with a limit of one contract at a time.
Paid option
- The Agree.com paid plan is available for $13/month and allows for unlimited contracts.
Features
- Notifications for views, signatures and payments
- Contract and billing reminders
- Automatic payments
- Payment plans
Image courtesy of Cody Rogers Design
What users like
“I really like how versatile it is since it has several useful functions such as receiving notifications about contract reminders, billing and payments made among others that help me stay more organized in my day to day.”
— Agree.com review by Leslie A.
4. ContractClub
Product Name: ContractClub
G2 Star Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overview
ContractClub is a contract management application that provides users with handy contract templates and built-in e-signature capabilities. The Calgary, Alberta-based software includes unique features like an audit trail and unlimited export of completed documents.
Free option
- ContractClub is an entirely free solution.
Paid option
- There is no mention of a paid upgrade on the ContractClub website.
Features
- Contract template library
- Digital signature
- Draft editor
- Audit trail
- Automated notifications, status updates and reminder
Image courtesy of SaaSGenius
What users like
“Easy to upload and sign up, perfect for quick contract setup.”
— ContractClub review by Grant S.
5. Tradogram
Product Name: Tradogram
G2 Star Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overview
Tradogram bills itself as a comprehensive procurement software solution, with a combination of features related to purchase to pay software and order management software, among others. The contract management solution includes tools for the entire contract lifecycle, from planning to renewal and termination.
Free option
- Tradogram’s Free Basic Plan includes diverse procurement features for a single user, with a limit of 10 purchase orders per month.
Paid option
- Premium Plan, $10/month per user (billed annually) or $15/month per user (billed monthly): Custom spend reports and one-on-one training, with unlimited monthly purchase orders and access for multiple users
- Enterprise Plan, contact a Tradogram sales representative for pricing: Access for at least 20 users with no limit on the number of seats
Features
- RFQ/RFP management
- Delivery tracking
- Invoice matching
- Project management
- Inventory control
Image courtesy of QuickBooks Desktop Apps
What users like
“The intuitive interface makes it very easy to use, I haven’t had to really train anyone on it. It was super quick to implement and the customer support is superb.”
— Tradogram review by Jessica J.
Making your contracts count
The right software can up your game, there’s no doubt about it. But there’s more to proper contract work than plopping some names and numbers into your computer.
Take a stroll through our Learning Hub for helpful guides on drafting a statement of work and negotiating RFP contracts, also known as requests for proposals. You can also consult with a corporate law firm or financial consulting provider for some expert tips on proposing, drafting and managing your important business agreements.
Just like these software tools, the basic concept of contracts is continuing to evolve with the digital age. Read about smart contracts and how they might impact your business in the coming years.