Price Quote Email: Templates for Sending and Requesting Quotes
By Kushal Magar · November 12, 2026 · 13 min read
Key Takeaway
Put the total, the scope, and the expiry date in the email body, give the buyer one clear way to accept, follow up in the same thread with something useful each time, and make sure the quote reaches the finance or procurement contact who actually approves it.
A price quote email is the message that delivers your pricing for a defined scope of work, tells the buyer how long that price holds, and explains how to accept it. It is also the email that procurement teams send when they ask a supplier to quote.
Most deals that reach the quote stage don't die because the price is wrong. They stall because the number is buried in an attachment, the expiry date is missing, or the quote never reaches the person who approves spend. This guide gives you copy-paste templates for all three sides of the exchange: sending a quote, following up on one, and requesting one from a vendor, with subject lines for each.
TL;DR
- Lead with the number. State the total, the scope, and the expiry date in the email body. The PDF is the backup, not the message.
- Make it searchable. Put the buyer's company, the scope, and a quote reference number in the subject line.
- Give one way to accept. Sign here, reply “approved”, or send a PO. Not all three.
- Follow up in the same thread, adding something useful each time: an answer, an approval offer, an expiry reminder, then a clean close.
- Requesting a quote? Send every vendor the same written spec, list exactly what the quote must include, and set a deadline.
What Is a Price Quote Email?
A price quote email is a written price for a specific scope, valid for a stated period, sent before the buyer commits. It sits between the sales conversation and the contract. On the buying side, the matching message is a request for quotation (RFQ), which Wikipedia defines as a business process in which a company or public entity requests a quote from a supplier for specific products or services.
People often use “quote”, “estimate”, and “proposal” interchangeably. They are different documents, and picking the wrong one sets the wrong expectation:
| Document | What it commits to | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Quote | A set price for a defined scope, valid until a stated date | Scope and quantities are known |
| Estimate | An approximate cost that can change as work is scoped | Scope is still uncertain |
| Proposal | An approach, rationale, and pricing, written to persuade | Complex or competitive deals that need a business case |
| Invoice | A request for payment | After the deal is agreed or delivered |
Whether a quote binds you depends on its wording and where you operate. In US federal purchasing, for example, FAR 13.004 states that a quotation is not an offer and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract; the contract forms when the supplier accepts the government's order. Commercial deals are less uniform, which is why the templates below spell out the terms that apply, such as “subject to a signed order form” and an exact expiry date. Check with counsel if the distinction matters for your business.
What to Include in a Price Quote Email
A price quote email should let the buyer understand the deal without opening the attachment. That means the following elements, in roughly this order:
- The total and the billing basis. “$15,100, billed annually” or “$4,800 one-time”. Put it in the first three lines.
- Scope: included and excluded. Three to five line items that are covered, plus the one exclusion most likely to cause a dispute later.
- Validity date. An exact date (“valid until March 14”), not “valid for 30 days”, which forces the buyer to work out when the clock started.
- Payment terms. Net 30, upfront, milestones, or card. Finance will ask, so answer it first.
- Timeline. Lead time, start date, or delivery date.
- Taxes, shipping, and fees. State whether they are included. Surprise line items at invoice time damage trust.
- A quote reference number. Procurement teams match quotes to purchase orders by reference. Give them one.
- One next step. The single action that turns the quote into an order.
Attachment or link?
Attach a PDF when the quote will be forwarded to finance or procurement; it travels well and keeps its formatting. Use a link to a quoting or e-signature tool when you want faster acceptance and open tracking. Either way, keep files light. For personal Gmail accounts, Google sets a 25 MB attachment limit and replaces larger files with a Google Drive link, which some corporate inboxes then block. Name the file something a buyer can find later: Acme-Quote-Q1042-valid-to-2026-12-15.pdf beats quote_final_v3.pdf.
Price Quote Email Subject Lines
A quote subject line has one job: be easy to find. Buyers search their inbox for “quote” or your company name weeks after you send it, often while filling out an internal purchase request. Include the buyer's company, the scope, and a reference or expiry date. For more patterns, see the follow-up email subject lines guide.
| Scenario | Subject line |
|---|---|
| Sending a quote | Quote for [Company]: [scope] (valid until [date]) |
| Itemized quote | Quote #[ref] for [Company], [date] |
| Options quote | 3 pricing options for [Company]: [project] |
| Revised quote | Revised quote #[ref]-R2: [what changed] |
| Follow-up | Re: Quote for [Company]: [scope] |
| Expiry reminder | Quote #[ref] expires [date] |
| Close the loop | Closing out quote #[ref] |
| Requesting a quote | Request for quote: [item] for [Your company], due [date] |
| Urgent request | Urgent RFQ: [item] needed by [date] |
| Negotiating | Re: Quote #[ref]: question on pricing |
Templates for Sending a Price Quote
Each template below puts the number, scope, and expiry date above the fold. Swap the bracketed fields and cut anything that doesn't apply to your deal.
Template 1: Sending a quote after a discovery call
Use this when you have already talked through the buyer's needs. Reference something specific from the call so the quote reads as an answer to their problem, not a price list.
Subject line
Quote for [Company]: [scope] (valid until [date])
Email body
Hi [First name],
Thanks for walking me through [specific problem] on [day]. As promised, here's the quote for [scope]. The PDF is attached (reference #[Q-1042]).
The short version:
- Price: $[amount] [per year / one-time]
- Includes: [inclusion 1], [inclusion 2], [inclusion 3]
- Not included: [main exclusion]
- Timeline: [start date] to [go-live date]
- Valid until: [exact date]
You mentioned [stakeholder, e.g. your finance lead] signs off on this. I can join a 15-minute call to walk them through it, or send a one-page summary they can review on their own. Whichever is easier.
To go ahead, [sign the order form here / reply “approved” / send a PO to billing@yourcompany.com].
[Your name]
Template 2: Replying to an inbound quote request
Inbound requests from a pricing page or “contact us for a quote” form are time-sensitive, because the buyer is often requesting from several suppliers at once. Reply with a number, not just a meeting link, and name the assumptions behind it. If you are still designing that form, the guide to contact us for a quote pages covers what to ask up front.
Subject line
Re: Quote request for [product/service]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Thanks for reaching out about [product/service]. Based on what you shared ([quantity / scope / timeline]), your price is $[amount], valid until [date].
Two things could change that number: [variable 1, e.g. number of users] and [variable 2, e.g. delivery location]. If either is different from what I assumed, tell me and I'll send a revised quote the same day.
Full breakdown attached. If it's quicker to confirm details live, here's my calendar: [link].
[Your name]
Template 3: Itemized quote with multiple line items
When a quote has several components, show the math in the email. Check that the totals add up before you send; a quote whose arithmetic is off invites a line-by-line audit of everything else. The figures below are illustrative.
Subject line
Quote #[Q-1042] for [Company], [date]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Here's the itemized quote for [project], valid until [date]:
| Item | Qty | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform license (annual) | 10 seats | $1,200 | $12,000 |
| Onboarding and data migration | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Premium support (annual) | 1 | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Annual prepay discount (10% of license) | −$1,200 | ||
| Total (excl. tax) | $15,100 |
Payment terms: net 30 from invoice. Tax is added at invoicing based on your billing address.
Reply “approved” and I'll send the order form for signature the same day.
[Your name]
Template 4: Quote with tiered options
Offering two or three options lets the buyer choose between your packages instead of between you and a competitor. Recommend one option and say why, otherwise the buyer has to guess.
Subject line
3 pricing options for [Company]: [project]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Based on [goal they shared], here are three ways to approach [project]. All prices are valid until [date].
- Essentials, $[A]: [core scope]. Good if [condition].
- Recommended, $[B]: everything in Essentials plus [key addition]. Good if [condition].
- Complete, $[C]: everything above plus [premium addition].
I'd go with Recommended, because [one-sentence reason tied to their goal]. Happy to adjust any of the three.
[Your name]
Template 5: Sending a revised quote
Revisions cause confusion when two versions circulate internally. Label the new version clearly, state what changed, and say that it replaces the old one.
Subject line
Revised quote #[Q-1042]-R2: [what changed]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Here's the revised quote reflecting [change, e.g. 15 seats instead of 10 / removal of on-site training]. It replaces #[Q-1042], so please discard the earlier version.
What changed: [change].
Previous total: $[old].
New total: $[new].
Valid until: [date].
Everything else is unchanged. Let me know if this works.
[Your name]
Templates for Following Up on a Quote
Silence after a quote rarely means a no. More often, the quote is waiting on someone else's approval, a budget cycle, or a competing quote. Each follow-up below adds a reason to reply, and all of them go in the same thread as the original quote so the numbers stay one scroll away.
The timing below is a practical starting cadence, not a research benchmark. Stretch it for long procurement cycles and compress it for small, fast purchases.
| Follow-up | When | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Check-in | 2–3 business days after sending | Answers the most likely question |
| 2. Approval help | About a week later | Offers to brief whoever signs off |
| 3. Expiry reminder | A few days before expiry | Real deadline, option to extend |
| 4. Close the loop | After expiry | Makes it easy to say “not now” |
Follow-up 1: The check-in that answers a question
Subject line
Re: Quote for [Company]: [scope]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Checking the quote came through and the PDF opened fine.
One question that often comes up at this stage is [question, e.g. “what happens if we add seats mid-year?”]. Short answer: [answer]. Happy to cover anything else.
[Your name]
Follow-up 2: Offering to help with approval
This is the follow-up that moves the most stalled quotes, because it addresses the real blocker: other people. Ask who else is involved and offer them something they can use without a meeting.
Subject line
Re: Quote for [Company]: [scope]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Who else needs to review the quote before it's approved? If it's going to finance or procurement, I can send them a one-page summary, or fill in any vendor forms they use (supplier setup, tax forms, security questionnaire) now so they don't hold things up later.
Just point me to the right person or forward this on.
[Your name]
Follow-up 3: The expiry reminder
Only send this if the expiry date is real. Inventing urgency (“prices go up tomorrow”) when nothing changes teaches buyers to ignore your deadlines.
Subject line
Quote #[Q-1042] expires [date]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Quick heads-up: the quote for [scope] expires on [date]. After that, pricing will be re-quoted at [current rates / updated supplier costs].
If your approval needs more time, I can extend it to [new date]. Just reply “extend”.
[Your name]
Follow-up 4: Closing the loop
Subject line
Closing out quote #[Q-1042]
Email body
Hi [First name],
The quote for [scope] has expired, so I'll close it out on my side. If priorities changed, no problem at all.
A one-word reply helps me plan: “later”, “no”, or “call”. If it's “later”, I'll send updated pricing when the timing suits you.
[Your name]
If the buyer goes quiet earlier in the deal, before a quote is even on the table, the follow-up sales emails for no response guide has templates for those situations.
Templates for Requesting a Quote From a Vendor
A good quote request gets you comparable quotes, fast. The rule that makes that possible: send every vendor the same written spec, and tell them exactly what you want the quote to contain. Otherwise one vendor quotes annual pricing with support, another monthly without, and you spend a week normalizing them.
Template 6: Standard request for quote
Subject line
Request for quote: [item] for [Your company], due [date]
Email body
Hi [First name],
I'm [role] at [Your company], a [one-line description]. We're requesting quotes from a small number of suppliers for [product / service] and would like to include you.
What we need:
- [Quantity / number of users / scope of work]
- [Specs, standards, or requirements]
- [Delivery location and required date / start date]
- [Contract length, if relevant]
Please include in your quote: itemized pricing, lead time, payment terms, validity period, anything excluded, and any volume or multi-year discounts.
We'd appreciate your quote by [date] and expect to decide by [date]. Questions can come to me directly at [email / phone].
Thanks,
[Your name]
Send this to each vendor individually rather than in one email with everyone on CC. Suppliers don't need to see who else is bidding, and individual threads keep each vendor's questions and answers separate.
Template 7: Urgent request for quote
When the deadline is tight, ask the vendor to confirm they can meet the date before they spend time on a full quote.
Subject line
Urgent RFQ: [item] needed by [date]
Email body
Hi [First name],
We need [quantity] of [item / service] delivered to [location] by [date]. Can you meet that date?
If yes, please send pricing, lead time, and payment terms by [time and date]. A short reply confirming whether you can meet the date is helpful even if the full quote takes longer.
[Your name]
Template 8: Following up with a vendor who hasn't quoted
Subject line
Re: Request for quote: [item] for [Your company], due [date]
Email body
Hi [First name],
Following up on our request below. We're still collecting quotes for [item] and plan to decide by [date].
Are you able to quote? If the spec is unclear or you need more time, let me know and I'll see what we can do.
[Your name]
Template 9: Asking for a better price
Negotiate on specifics. A vague “can you do better?” gets a vague discount. A concrete reference point, such as another quote or your approved budget, gets a real answer. Only cite a competing quote you actually have.
Subject line
Re: Quote #[ref]: question on pricing
Email body
Hi [First name],
Thanks for the quote. You're our preferred option because of [reason, e.g. lead time / support model], but your price came in at $[X] and our approved budget is $[Y].
Is there flexibility on price, or on terms we could adjust instead (contract length, payment schedule, scope)? If we can close the gap, we're ready to issue a PO by [date].
[Your name]
Template 10: Accepting or declining a quote
Subject line (accept)
Accepted: quote #[ref] for [item]
Email body
Hi [First name],
We're accepting quote #[ref] at $[amount]. Our PO number is [PO-number], and invoices should go to [billing email]. Please confirm the delivery / start date and send anything you need from us to set up the account.
[Your name]
Subject line (decline)
Re: Quote #[ref]: our decision
Email body
Hi [First name],
Thank you for the quote and for answering our questions so quickly. We've decided to go with another supplier this time, mainly because of [brief reason]. We'd be glad to include you in future requests for [category].
[Your name]
Common Price Quote Email Mistakes
- Burying the number. Three paragraphs of thanks and context before the price. Buyers open quote emails for the number; give it to them first.
- No expiry date. Without one, the buyer can come back in six months expecting the old price, and you have no natural reason to follow up.
- Attachment only. “Please find the quote attached” forces a download on mobile. Summarize the key terms in the body.
- Vague scope. “Implementation services” means different things to each side. List inclusions and the one exclusion most likely to cause a dispute.
- Arithmetic that doesn't add up. A discount that isn't reflected in the total makes the buyer audit everything else. Recalculate before sending.
- A new thread for every follow-up. It separates the follow-up from the quote it refers to. Reply in the original thread.
- Sending only to your champion. The person who requested the quote is often not the person who approves it, which brings us to the most common reason quotes stall.
For the broader principles behind short, specific sales emails, see how to write a B2B sales email and the B2B sales email templates library.
Get the Quote to the Person Who Approves It
In B2B deals, the person who asks for a quote is usually not the only one who decides. Finance checks the budget, procurement checks terms and vendor setup, and for software, security or IT may review too. If your quote only ever reaches your champion, it waits in their inbox until they find time to forward it, and they may summarize it in a way you wouldn't.
Three habits fix most of this:
- Ask about approval before you send the quote. “Who else signs off on a purchase like this?” belongs in the discovery call, not in follow-up four.
- Write for the forward. Assume the quote email will be forwarded to finance without comment. The summary block in Template 1 exists for that reader.
- Know the buying committee by name. Map who owns budget, procurement, and legal at the account before the quote goes out, then ask your champion whether you should send them a summary directly. Going around a champion without asking damages the relationship; going through them with the right names speeds the deal up. The guide to mapping the buying committee walks through the process.
Finding those people is where most teams get stuck. Procurement and finance contacts rarely appear in your CRM because they never filled in a form. SyncGTM lets you search for people at each target account by job title or job function (purchasing, finance and accounting, legal), then finds and verifies their work emails with waterfall enrichment, which checks multiple data providers in sequence until one returns a verified match. The result is a short list of the procurement manager, finance lead, and budget owner for the account, with contact details you can trust, ready for your champion to confirm. If you are hunting for one specific approver, the find a decision maker's email guide covers the manual and automated routes. SyncGTM pricing is credit-based, with monthly plans and one-time credit packs.
Conclusion
A good price quote email is easy to read, easy to find, and easy to accept. Lead with the total, scope, and exact expiry date. Give it a subject line with the buyer's company and a reference number. Offer one way to say yes. Follow up in the same thread, adding something useful each time, and close the loop cleanly when the quote expires.
When you are the buyer, the same discipline works in reverse: one written spec for every vendor, a clear list of what each quote must contain, and a deadline. Use the templates above as starting points and edit them into your own voice; the more they sound like you, the better they work.