COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? - what worked for you?

I just got my COBRA paperwork and the deadline to decide is close. I saw that marketplace plans might cost less. Is the decision time really that tight?

A quick call to the plan's member line cleared up two things for us that the letter did not.

I priced both side by side: total yearly cost, doctors in network and the deductible. Marketplace was cheaper for us, but only because our doctors were covered.