QuoteASAP vs. sending a PDF

A PDF is a snapshot. Once it's sent, you have no idea if it was opened, read past the first page, or forwarded to someone else entirely. An online quote can show you when it was viewed, which is often the only signal you get for when to follow up.

Optional extras are the clearest practical difference. In a PDF, 'would you like cloud backup for an extra £20/month?' is either baked into the price or requires a follow-up email. On a web page, it's a checkbox the customer can toggle themselves before accepting.

Acceptance is the other big one. A PDF quote is usually accepted by reply email or a phone call, which leaves no structured record of exactly what was agreed. An online acceptance can record the exact version, the exact totals, and a timestamp — useful if a dispute ever comes up later.

None of this means a PDF is wrong for every job. For a one-off, simple, single-price job with a customer you already know well, a PDF (or even a text message) can genuinely be faster. The web-page format earns its keep once there's real optionality in the quote, or once you're sending enough quotes that tracking who's seen what becomes valuable on its own.