A buyer’s guide: looking at all RFP proposal software in 2026

Modern pre-sales teams are under unprecedented pressure. Nearly 39% of deals involve some kind of formal questionnaire or proposal submission and deadlines to turn around RFPs are shrinking.

This guide is designed to help buyers navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of request‑for‑proposal (RFP) and proposal‑management software in 2026. We synthesize vendor documentation, third‑party reports and industry benchmarks to highlight what features matter, which tools excel in specific use cases and how to pick the right solution for your team.

The Evolution of RFP Tools: From Manual Libraries to Generative AI

Historically, RFP response software focused on storing a curated library of pre‑approved answers and providing collaboration tools to assign and track tasks. Early market leaders such as Loopio and RFPIO (now Responsive) built robust knowledge bases and workflows so proposal managers could find approved content, assign subject‑matter experts and track deadlines. These legacy platforms were built for enterprises juggling hundreds of complex RFPs and often integrated tightly with procurement portals and sales‑enablement systems.

The advent of generative AI has disrupted this model. Instead of manually maintaining libraries, AI‑native platforms generate answers on the fly from dynamic knowledge sources like internal wikis and call transcripts. This shift has enabled teams to deliver comprehensive, client‑specific proposals in minutes instead of days and reallocate time to develop win themes and differentiators.

Today’s market contains three broad categories of tools:

1. Legacy platforms with answer libraries and deep collaboration – built for enterprises needing robust approval workflows and pre‑approved language.
2. Stand‑alone AI platforms – generative‑AI products that skip libraries, ingest your data sources and produce answers on demand but have lighter collaboration tools.
3. Embedded AI assistants – lightweight agents that live in tools like Google Docs, Slack or Excel and are designed for sales engineers in SMB and mid‑market teams who need quick answers without new software.

A fourth category worth noting are AI‑first narrative tools that go beyond question‑answering to produce full, polished proposals using agent‑based architectures. These solutions are purpose‑built for complex, multi‑section responses and often come with higher price tags.

Industry Trends & Expert Insights in 2026

The 2026 landscape isn’t just defined by new tools – it’s shaped by rising client expectations and mounting pressure on proposal teams. A study of financial‑services firms found that nearly 90% of organizations say clients now expect faster response times and three‑quarters report decision cycles are getting longer, squeezing teams to deliver more polished responses under tighter timelines. On top of this, over 85% of people surveyed see approval processes becoming more stringent. These stresses push companies to balance immediacy with accuracy and personalization.

The human toll is also becoming evident. Surveys show that 63% of proposal teams regularly work overtime and 88% report high stress, and an alarming 50% of RFx responses are considered generic or off‑target. Leading enterprises are turning to agentic AI platforms that employ specialized agents to shred requirements, pre‑fill answers, orchestrate collaboration and check compliance. AI agents can reduce turnaround times by 40-60% and increase win rates by more than 2x, depending on the software used. These statistics highlight why modernizing your RFP process is no longer optional – it’s critical to protect your team’s wellbeing and competitiveness.

Our own conversations with proposal managers reinforce these trends. Many note that the biggest bottlenecks are collecting up‑to‑date answers from subject‑matter experts, keeping track of revisions, and answering questions quickly. They also emphasize that while AI can accelerate drafting, it’s not a silver bullet; successful teams treat AI as a co‑pilot rather than a replacement, combining automated suggestions with human oversight and storytelling. In other words, the shift to AI‑powered RFP software is as much about process change and knowledge management as it is about technology.

What to Look for in RFP Software

The right RFP software should solve your specific workflow challenges—not just offer an impressive feature list. Before evaluating tools, identify where your team loses the most time: hunting for past responses, coordinating across departments, or reformatting documents for each new RFP.

AI-powered response generation has moved beyond simple search-and-insert. Modern platforms analyze incoming questions, match them against your knowledge base, and draft contextually appropriate answers. The best systems let you review and refine suggestions rather than starting from scratch. All platforms today likely offer some type of AI tooling, but there is a massive spectrum on how well each type works. It’s more important than ever to trial more solutions today than before to see for yourself how effective the AI tooling is to create high-quality answers. All software will pitch AI, but it is about how effective your workflow is, creating high quality questions. 

Workflow automation handles version control, tracks contributor activity, and routes sections to the right reviewers. This eliminates the endless email chains asking "Who's handling Section 3?"

Centralized content libraries with robust search, tagging, and filtering prevent the "I know we answered this before" time sink. Look for systems that surface the most recent, highest-performing responses first.

Real-time collaboration features like inline commenting, @mentions, task assignment that keep discussions tied to specific content rather than scattered across email and Slack. Role-based permissions ensure sensitive pricing or technical details only reach appropriate team members.

Security and compliance non-negotiables: If you handle sensitive customer data or operate in regulated industries, verify:

• SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 certification
• Encryption for data at rest and in transit
• Data residency options if you have regional requirements
• AI training policies—ensure your proprietary content never trains public models

Integration ecosystem: Standalone tools create data silos. Your RFP platform should connect with:

• CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot) to pull opportunity details automatically
• Document repositories (SharePoint, Google Drive) where final proposals live
• Communication platforms (Slack, Teams) for notifications and approvals

Native integrations beat CSV exports and manual copying every time.

Vendor support and implementation matter most because without successful adoption of the product, there’s no use in paying for it.

Feature parity matters less than successful adoption. Evaluate:

• Onboarding programs—do they migrate your existing content or just provide login credentials?
• Training resources—live sessions, documentation, video libraries
• Customer success engagement—proactive check-ins vs. reactive ticket systems
• Trial structure—self-service exploration vs. guided proof-of-concept with your actual RFPs

Teams with limited technical resources should prioritize vendors offering white-glove implementation over those with the longest feature list.

Pricing models depend on how your team fills out RFPs. RFP software uses two main pricing structures:

• Seat-based pricing: charges for each person with access. Best for small, dedicated proposal teams where costs stay predictable. The downside: every subject matter expert, reviewer, or occasional contributor adds to your monthly bill.
• Project-based pricing charges per RFP but allows unlimited users. Ideal when proposals require input from across your organization, product managers, legal, security specialists, technical architects, without seat fees multiplying. The downside: costs fluctuate with RFP volume and can spike during busy quarters.

Rule of thumb: If more than 5-7 people regularly contribute to RFPs or you're constantly chasing SMEs for input, project-based often costs less. If a core team of 2-4 handles most work, seat-based offers better predictability.

Watch for hidden costs like (1) AI credit charges beyond monthly allowances, (2) storage overages for extensive proposal libraries, (3) premium integration fees, and (4) professional services for migration and custom workflows.

Categories of RFP Software in 2026

The RFP software landscape has evolved dramatically over the past decade, and understanding the fundamental differences between platform categories is crucial for making the right choice for your team. Here's how the market breaks down in 2026:

The Three Main Categories

1. Legacy Enterprise Platforms (Content Library Era)

Approximately 50% of companies rely on traditional content library platforms as their primary RFP solution. 

How they work: These platforms function as sophisticated repositories where you store pre-approved answers, then search and reuse them for new RFPs. Think of them as a searchable database of your company's standard responses.

The core problem: Content libraries are fundamentally reactive. They store what you've already written but don't generate new answers or adapt to specific RFP contexts. The result is a "content treadmill" where:

• 30% of your library becomes quietly outdated within 6 months as products change, pricing updates, and positioning shifts
• Teams spend 10-15 minutes per question searching, finding close matches, and editing to fit
• Search functionality often fails due to complex tagging systems with 50+ tags that nobody maintains
• Collaboration is hampered by per-user licensing that creates "license musical chairs"
• Teams eventually bypass the system entirely when they can't trust whether answers are current

When they make sense: If you're an established enterprise that values proven reliability over cutting-edge technology, needs comprehensive workflow automation, and has budget for premium pricing, legacy platforms deliver mature feature sets. They're particularly strong in regulated industries where compliance tracking matters more than speed.

2. AI-First / AI-Native Platforms (The New Generation)

As of 2026, 49% of teams now use AI in some capacity for RFPs, though there's massive variation in quality. These are platforms purpose-built around artificial intelligence, including Arphie, DeepRFP, Thalamus AI, Inventive AI, and dozens of others.

How they work: Instead of just storing and retrieving pre-written answers, AI-native platforms generate contextually-appropriate responses by understanding your knowledge base and the specific question being asked. They're generative, not just retrieval-based.

The vaporware problem: Many legacy vendors have slapped "AI-powered" onto their marketing without meaningful AI capabilities. The RFP software market is currently full of exaggerated claims like "42% faster" without defining the baseline.

What separates real AI from vaporware:

• Acceptance Rate: The only metric that matters. What percentage of AI-generated answers can your team use as-is without editing? Best-in-class platforms achieve 80-85%+ acceptance rates. If a vendor won't share this metric or it's below 60%, the AI isn't production-ready.
• Confidence Levels: Good AI systems tell you when they're certain vs. uncertain. High-confidence answers can be reviewed in seconds, medium-confidence in minutes, and low-confidence signals you need to pull in a subject matter expert. Without confidence levels, you waste time meticulously reviewing even slam-dunk answers.
• Source Citations: Every AI answer should show exactly which documents and sections it pulled from. This enables quick verification and builds trust. Without citations, you're flying blind on whether information came from your current security whitepaper or the outdated one from 2022.
• Context Awareness: The AI should understand which product, customer segment, or use case you're dealing with through simple tagging (not 50+ tags). When answering "what does onboarding look like?" for your expense management product, it shouldn't mix in information about your separate reporting platform.

When they make sense: If you want genuinely faster RFP completion (not just marginally better than manual), can tolerate some newer companies with less track record, and need the AI to do heavy lifting on answer generation rather than just retrieval, AI-native platforms deliver transformational time savings. They're especially valuable for small-to-mid-sized teams who can't afford enterprise pricing or extensive training.

3. Security Questionnaire Specialists

This is a specialized subcategory focused specifically on security, compliance, and vendor risk assessment questionnaires (not full RFPs). Players include Vanta, Conveyor, UpGuard, TrustCloud, Vendict, and Skypher.

How they work: These tools are optimized for the unique challenges of security questionnaires: standardized question formats, integration with compliance frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA), Trust Center automation, and rapid-fire questionnaire volume (companies often receive 25-288+ annually).

Key differentiators:

• Trust Centers: Automated portals where prospects can self-serve security information, deflecting 75-87% of questionnaires entirely before they even reach your team
• TPRM Platform Integration: Native support for 40+ third-party risk management platforms (OneTrust, ServiceNow, etc.)
• Compliance Framework Alignment: Deep integration with security certifications your company already maintains
• Browser Extensions: Work directly in any web portal without uploading files

When they make sense: If you're a SaaS/tech company drowning specifically in security questionnaires (not narrative proposals), already using compliance platforms like Vanta for certifications, and want specialized AI trained on security/compliance language, these tools are purpose-built for your workflow. Note that some (like Vanta) require you to already be using their broader compliance platform, which adds $7,500-11,500+ in base costs.

The Manual RFP Era (Still 35% of Teams)

It's worth noting that 35% of companies still operate fully manually in 2026—not because they want to, but because they haven't found a solution that works better than their current chaos. Each question takes 15-30 minutes of hunting through SharePoint, Slack, old proposals, and Google Docs. A 100-question RFP means 25-50 hours minimum when factoring in reviews and edits.

These teams are typically waiting for the right solution rather than settling for tools that add complexity without meaningful time savings.

How to Choose Your Category

Start with content library platforms if:

• You want to just retrieve trusted answers, not intelligently AI generate new answers from various sources of information
• If breadth of features is most important to you 
• You have dedicated staff to maintain content libraries

Start with AI-native platforms if:

• You want genuine time savings (50-80% reduction in hours per RFP)
• Your team is burned out,needs immediate relief, and you don’t have the budget to continue growing your proposal team 
• You're comfortable with newer vendors and want best-in-class AI capabilities
• You need the tool to generate answers, not just retrieve them

Start with security questionnaire specialists if:

• You're specifically drowning in security questionnaires, not full proposals
• You're a SaaS/tech company receiving 25+ questionnaires yearly
• You already use (or plan to use) compliance platforms like Vanta
• Trust Center automation to deflect questionnaires appeals to you
• You want deep integration with TPRM platforms

The rest of this guide breaks down specific vendors within each category to help you find the right fit.

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Legacy Enterprise Platforms

Responsive (formerly RFPIO)

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: The undisputed market leader with #1 G2 ranking for 24+ consecutive quarters. Over 2,000 customers have processed $500B+ in opportunities through their platform, backed by a content library of 3.2M+ pre-written Q&A pairs.

Ideal For: Fortune 100/500 companies, enterprise organizations with 50-1000+ users handling high RFP volumes where proven reliability and comprehensive workflows matter more than cost.

Key Strengths:

• Market-leading position with largest customer base and deepest feature set
• AI-driven response engine claims 80% faster completion times
• Enterprise-grade integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft Office suite, and Dynamics 365
• Mature workflow automation and collaboration tools
• Extensive compliance and audit capabilities

Where They Fall Short:

• Zero pricing transparency - enterprise-only custom pricing makes it one of the most expensive options
• Steep learning curve described as "intimidating" by occasional users
• AI results receive mixed reviews from users despite marketing claims
• Complex adoption process requiring significant training and change management

Pricing Structure: Enterprise-only custom pricing with seat-based model. Requires contacting sales for quotes. Implementation fees additional. Positioned in premium tier - typically five to six figures annually for mid-sized deployments.

Bottom Line: If you're an established enterprise with budget and need the most proven, comprehensive solution with the deepest feature set, Responsive delivers. But smaller teams or budget-conscious buyers should look elsewhere.

Loopio

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Rated highest for ease of use (4.8/5 on G2) among enterprise platforms. Reports 51% increase in completed responses after adoption.

Ideal For: Mid-market to large enterprises (10-1000+ users) prioritizing user adoption and ease of use while handling 100-500+ annual RFPs. Teams switching from more complex legacy tools.

Key Strengths:

• Best-in-class user experience reduces training time and increases adoption
• 10+ years of data powering AI recommendations
• Strong CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics)
• 1,600+ customers providing social proof
• Domain-specific AI architecture (not generic LLM wrapper)

Where They Fall Short:

• AI "Magic" feature underwhelms compared to newer AI-native competitors
• Limited support for long-form narrative proposals vs. questionnaires
• Export and formatting limitations reported by users
• No free tier available for testing
• 8-12% annual price increases above inflation

Pricing Structure: Tiered subscription model (Essentials, Plus, Advanced, Enterprise). Ranges approximately $1,500-$35,400/year depending on tier and users. Typical negotiation yields 13-34% discount. Seat-based pricing with annual commitments.

Bottom Line: If ease of use and user adoption are your top concerns and you have mid-market to enterprise budget, Loopio delivers the best experience in the legacy category. Just know you're paying premium prices with regular increases.

Upland Qvidian

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: 40+ years of experience (since 1977) with 200,000+ users including 8 of the 10 largest US banks. Deep financial services compliance expertise with proven track record in highly regulated industries.

Ideal For: Large enterprise and mid-market companies in financial services, government contracting, and regulated industries requiring proven compliance capabilities. Organizations valuing stability and longevity over cutting-edge innovation.

Key Strengths:

• Longest track record in the industry provides confidence
• Financial services compliance and security features
• Unlimited projects with 70+ built-in reports
• Qvidian AI Assist now integrated
• Part of Upland Software portfolio (financial stability)

Where They Fall Short:

• Dated UI compared to modern competitors
• Complex setup requiring extensive training
• Part of larger Upland portfolio means less agility for innovation
• AI features arrived late compared to competitors
• Slower to adopt modern UX patterns

Pricing Structure: Enterprise custom pricing with seat-based model. No public pricing available - requires sales engagement. Positioned mid-to-high tier. Multi-year contracts typical for enterprise deals.

Bottom Line: A solid, proven choice for regulated industries and enterprises prioritizing stability over innovation. If you're a bank or defense contractor, Qvidian's compliance pedigree matters. If you want cutting-edge AI or modern UX, look elsewhere.

RFP360

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Dual capability platform allowing you to both create AND respond to RFPs. Fast setup and import capabilities with answer intelligence matching. Flexible export options.

Ideal For: Mid-market companies (50-500 employees) wanting both issuing and responding capabilities, organizations handling 50-200 RFPs annually, teams needing quick deployment.

Key Strengths:

• Unique dual-sided platform (issue RFPs or respond to them)
• Fast setup and easy import of existing content
• Answer intelligence for smart content matching
• Export flexibility for various formats
• Previously had more accessible pricing than competitors

Where They Fall Short:

• Acquired by Responsive in 2021 - creates uncertainty about standalone future
• Limited innovation post-acquisition
• Now transitioning to Responsive branding and pricing
• No payment processing capabilities
• Unclear long-term product roadmap as standalone

Pricing Structure: Now follows Responsive pricing model post-acquisition. Previously offered more accessible mid-market pricing. Custom enterprise pricing, contact sales required. Transitioning to Responsive branding may affect pricing and contracts.

Bottom Line: If you need both issuing and responding capabilities, RFP360 historically excelled. However, the Responsive acquisition creates uncertainty. Current buyers should clarify long-term support and whether they're buying RFP360 or will be migrated to Responsive.

XaitPorter

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Database-driven real-time co-authoring platform claiming 70% faster document creation. ISO 27001 certified with acquisition of Privia (government contracting tool). Strong in energy, construction, and government sectors.

Ideal For: Large enterprises creating complex proposals (100-1000+ pages), government contractors, engineering firms, distributed global teams needing simultaneous collaboration on massive documents.

Key Strengths:

• Real-time database-driven co-authoring (not just track changes)
• 70% faster document creation for complex proposals
• Acquired Privia for enhanced government contracting capabilities
• ISO 27001 security certification
• Strong presence in energy, construction, government verticals
• Handles extremely large, complex document assembly

Where They Fall Short:

• Overkill for simple questionnaires - built for massive proposals
• Steeper learning curve than modern platforms
• Less known in North American market (European heritage)
• Longer implementation timeline
• Higher complexity than needed for most RFP responses

Pricing Structure: Enterprise custom pricing with seat-based model plus implementation services. No public pricing available. Premium tier positioning. Significant implementation investment required. Multi-year enterprise contracts typical.

Bottom Line: If you're creating 500+ page proposals with 20+ simultaneous contributors across time zones, XaitPorter's database-driven approach delivers unique value. For standard RFP questionnaires, it's unnecessary complexity and cost.

Expedience Software

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Native to Microsoft Word with zero training required for contributors who don't need licenses. 100% on-premise security with Microsoft Copilot integration. 20+ years of experience serving Windows-based organizations.

Ideal For: Mid-market organizations (50-500 employees) in Microsoft ecosystem, security-conscious teams requiring on-premise deployment, Windows-based environments, organizations handling 50-300 RFPs/year where contributors already use Word.

Key Strengths:

• Native Microsoft Word integration (contributors work in familiar environment)
• Zero training for contributors - no licenses needed for them
• On-premise security option (100% secure - no cloud concerns)
• Microsoft Copilot integration for AI capabilities
• 20+ years proven track record
• Contributors don't need separate licenses (cost advantage)

Where They Fall Short:

• Windows only - not Mac compatible
• Relies on Microsoft Copilot for AI (not proprietary AI)
• No web-based platform option
• No mobile access for on-the-go work
• Limited to Microsoft ecosystem only

Pricing Structure: $375/month per user. Free trial available. Contributor licenses NOT required (significant cost advantage for large teams). Mid-tier pricing. Month-to-month or annual subscriptions available.

Bottom Line: Perfect for Windows-centric organizations where everyone already lives in Word. The fact that contributors don't need licenses makes this economical for teams with many SMEs. But Mac users and those wanting modern web/mobile experiences should look elsewhere.

RocketDocs

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: 30 years of innovation (since 1994) with two-layer AI approach (autofill + private generative AI). 100% private AI where data never leaves their servers. SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified with support for 35+ languages.

Ideal For: Mid-to-large enterprises with security requirements, financial services firms, organizations with 10+ business lines or product families, companies handling 100-500+ annual requests needing multilingual support.

Key Strengths:

• 30 years of continuous innovation and development
• Two-layer AI (traditional autofill + private GenAI)
• 100% private AI - data never leaves their secure servers
• SOC 2 and ISO 27001 security certifications
• Supports 35+ languages for global operations
• Deep content library management for complex organizations

Where They Fall Short:

• UI described as "dated" compared to modern platforms
• Search functionality issues reported by some users
• Limited marketing visibility (less brand awareness)
• Moderate pace of innovation compared to AI-first startups
• Higher learning curve for new users

Pricing Structure: Custom subscription pricing, contact sales required. Seat-based model likely. Mid-tier pricing positioning. Free demo available. Annual contracts typical with implementation services.

Bottom Line: If data security is paramount and you need proven enterprise capabilities with 30 years of track record, RocketDocs delivers. The 100% private AI is a major differentiator for regulated industries. Just don't expect the sleekest UI or fastest innovation.

123PAS

Category: Legacy Enterprise Platform / GovCon Specialist

What Makes Them Stand Out: RFP parsing automation turning hours into seconds. Compliance-first approach that checks compliance BEFORE writing begins. Auto-generates compliance matrices. Desktop publishing creates 70-80% complete proposals in 1-2 minutes. Money-back guarantee.

Ideal For: Government contractors (federal/state/local), 7 of top 10 GovCon companies use it, organizations with complex compliance requirements, teams handling 100-500+ government RFPs/year.

Key Strengths:

• RFP parsing automation (hours to seconds)
• Compliance-first - checks before you write (prevents costly errors)
• Auto-generates compliance matrices automatically
• Desktop publishing (70-80% proposal complete in 1-2 minutes)
• Money-back guarantee (confidence in product)
• Transparent pricing ($375/month) - rare for GovCon tools
• Top 10 GovCon companies use it

Where They Fall Short:

• Extremely narrow use case (government contracting only)
• Not a full RFP platform (no content library management)
• Very niche market (no commercial RFP support)
• Desktop/Word automation only (not web-based)
• Limited collaboration features

Pricing Structure: $375/month per user (publicly disclosed - most transparent in GovCon space). 15-day free trial available. Month-to-month or annual subscriptions. Mid-tier pricing. Most transparent pricing in legacy category.

Bottom Line: If you're a government contractor drowning in compliance matrices and Section L/M requirements, 123PAS automates the most painful parts. It's not a full platform, but it solves a specific GovCon pain point brilliantly. The transparent pricing and money-back guarantee reduce risk.

Legacy Enterprise Platforms: Quick Comparison

Price Key: $ = <1K/year, $$ = 1K-10K, $$$ = 10K-50K, $$$$ = $50K+

AI-First / AI-Native Platforms

Arphie

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Built by a former Scale AI sales engineer frustrated with existing tools missing 80% of questions. Patent-pending chunking technology delivers 10× better answer quality than base models like ChatGPT. Real customer data shows 84% AI acceptance rate with documented proof—not vague marketing claims. Per-project pricing eliminates license rationing.

Ideal For: Teams switching from Loopio/Responsive seeking measurable improvements, mid-market to enterprise organizations tired of low AI acceptance rates, security-conscious buyers, companies with multiple product lines needing precise context control, teams wanting transparent performance metrics.

Key Strengths:

• Proven 84% AI acceptance rate backed by real customer data
• Saves 19 hours per RFP on average - reduces typical 25-hour RFP to 6 hours (2.83× faster than Loopio, 4.16× faster than ChatGPT)
• Dual-mode intelligence: Checks Q&A library first for verbatim answers, then AI generates when needed
• Patent-pending chunking: Breaks documents into contextually dense components with "full attention" mechanisms, not simple embedding distances
• Direct knowledge base integration: Google Drive, SharePoint, Salesforce, Highspot, Seismic, Confluence, Front—auto-updates when files change (no manual content library maintenance)
• Granular tagging for multi-product companies: AI restricts search to relevant product lines/regions, preventing cross-contamination of answers
• Four-tier confidence system: Verbatim, High, Medium, Low—with detailed breakdowns (High confidence: accept as-is in 10-15 seconds; Medium: 2-3 minute  review (majority minor edits, <5% require major edits)
• Full source citations with click-through: Opens original document in context for verification (customers only search beyond AI citations 2% of the time)
• Per-project pricing, not per-seat: Unlimited collaboration without license musical chairs—bring in any number of SMEs without extra cost
• Migration in under one week from legacy platforms
• Zero data retention (ZDR) policy + SOC 2 Type 2 + penetration testing

Where They Fall Short:

• No public pricing (enterprise sales process required)
• Founded 2023 (shorter track record than established players, though growing rapidly)
• Requires sales engagement for trial qualification (no self-service option)
• Being newer means fewer long-term case studies compared to decade-old platforms

Pricing Structure: Enterprise custom pricing, no public disclosure. Per-project model (not per-seat). Migration services included. Qualified buyer trial available. Annual contracts typical.

Bottom Line: If you want AI that actually works—not vaporware—Arphie delivers measurable results with transparent metrics. The 84% acceptance rate and 19-hour time savings aren't marketing fluff; they're pulled directly from customer databases. The per-project pricing model solves the collaboration bottleneck that plagues per-seat platforms. Most compelling for teams switching from Loopio or Responsive who are tired of paying premium prices for AI that underwhelms. The patent-pending chunking technology and dual-mode approach (library-first, then AI) represents genuine technical innovation rather than wrapping ChatGPT in a UI. If you demand proof over promises and need enterprise security without sacrificing performance, Arphie warrants serious evaluation despite being newer to market.

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DeepRFP

Category: AI-First Narrative Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Most affordable AI-native platform at $75/month per user with 20+ specialized AI tools and agents. Claims 50-80% time savings with 10× faster drafting. Setup under 60 seconds.

Ideal For: Small to mid-sized proposal teams (2-10 people), fast-growing startups, government contractors on tight budgets, grant writers, burned-out proposal managers needing immediate relief.

Key Strengths:

• Most affordable AI-native option at $75/month per user
• 20+ specialized AI tools and agents for different tasks
• 50-80% time savings, 10× faster drafting claimed
• Setup under 60 seconds - immediate value
• SOC 2 compliant with no data training commitment
• 28 languages support for international work
• 7-day free trial with no credit card required

Where They Fall Short:

• Limited workflow and collaboration features vs enterprise platforms
• No advanced content library management system
• No prominent native integrations listed
• Smaller company based in Spain (support timezone considerations)
• Less mature ecosystem than established players

Pricing Structure: $75/month per user (annual billing), 20% discount on annual plans. 7-day free trial, no credit card required. No lock-in contracts - cancel anytime. Most transparent pricing in AI-first category.

Bottom Line: If you need AI-powered proposal writing NOW without enterprise complexity or cost, DeepRFP delivers exceptional value. Perfect for small teams and budget-conscious buyers. Just don't expect enterprise workflow features or white-glove support.

Thalamus AI

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: 20+ specialized AI agents with claimed 95% accuracy and zero hallucinations. Reports 70% pre-fill rate with 5-minute draft generation and 1.4× win rate boost. ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certified.

Ideal For: Enterprise teams (mid-market to large), high-volume RFP responders, questionnaire-focused organizations, security-conscious enterprises, fast-scaling revenue teams.

Key Strengths:

• Agentic AI architecture with 20+ specialized agents
• Industry-leading accuracy claims (95% / zero hallucination)
• Fast draft generation (5 minutes to complete draft)
• 70% pre-fill rate reported by users
• Win rate improvement (1.4× boost claimed)
• Enterprise-grade security (ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II)

Where They Fall Short:

• No public pricing (enterprise-only, requires sales engagement)
• More questionnaire-focused, less suited for long-form narrative
• Newer player (founded ~2024) with limited track record
• Complex setup likely required for enterprise deployment
• No self-service trial option

Pricing Structure: Enterprise-only custom pricing. No free trial - pilot/POC available for qualified prospects. Likely five-figure annual contracts minimum. Subscription-based model. Contact sales required.

Bottom Line: If accuracy and enterprise security are paramount and you have budget for top-tier AI platforms, Thalamus delivers impressive technical capabilities. But the lack of pricing transparency and enterprise-only approach excludes smaller teams.

Inventive AI

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Y Combinator backed with ex-Google AI founders. Claims 10× faster drafts with 95%+ accuracy and zero hallucinations guarantee. Proprietary AI (not ChatGPT wrapper) with AI Content Manager that auto-flags stale content.

Ideal For: Tech companies and SaaS firms, solutions engineering teams, mid-sized to enterprise B2B companies, fast-growing startups, teams frustrated with legacy tools.

Key Strengths:

• Claims Zero hallucinations guarantee (proprietary AI)
• AI Content Manager auto-flags stale/outdated content
• 1-2 days integration time (fast deployment)
• All features included (no tier games)

Where They Fall Short:

• No public pricing available (enterprise sales process)
• Very new company, minimal customer references on their site, suggesting limited customers
• Integration complexity despite speed claims
• Limited project management features
• No self-service option for small teams

Pricing Structure: Enterprise custom pricing, contact sales required. Likely $10K-50K+ annually based on organization size. 1-2 days for integration. All features included in price. Annual contracts typical.

Bottom Line: If you're a tech/SaaS company wanting cutting-edge AI from proven founders and can afford enterprise pricing, Inventive AI delivers. The Y Combinator pedigree and zero hallucination guarantee are compelling. But no pricing transparency or small team options.

Tribble

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: True AI agent acting as digital teammate. Reports 800+ hours saved per month by customers. Chrome extension plus Slack/Teams integration. Claims 85% productivity increase. SOC 2 Type II certified.

Ideal For: Enterprise sales organizations (UiPath, Ironclad customers), pre-sales/solutions engineering teams, high-volume RFP responders, GTM organizations needing AI across entire sales cycle.

Key Strengths:

• True AI agent architecture (digital teammate, not just tool)
• 800+ hours saved per month reported by customers
• Chrome extension + Slack/Teams integration (works where you work)
• 85% productivity increase claimed
• SOC 2 Type II security certification
• GTM-wide platform (beyond just RFPs)

Where They Fall Short:

• Credit-based pricing creates complexity and unpredictability
• No public pricing calculator available
• Enterprise focus excludes small teams
• More questionnaire-focused than long-form narrative
• Complex to understand true costs upfront

Pricing Structure: Credit/consumption-based model. RFX credit system (simple questionnaire = 1 credit, long-form = 5 credits). Monthly retainer structure. Likely $20K-100K+ annually depending on usage. Contact sales required.

Bottom Line: If you're an enterprise sales org wanting an AI "teammate" embedded across your workflow, Tribble delivers on the promise. But the credit-based pricing and enterprise focus make it wrong for smaller teams or those needing predictable costs.

AutoRFP.ai

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Unlimited users on all plans with transparent pricing. 48-hour white glove setup. 70-90% auto-fill. 30-day money-back guarantee. ISO 27001 + SOC 2 certified.

Ideal For: Mid-market B2B companies ($5M-100M revenue), tech/SaaS with security questionnaires, pre-sales/sales engineering teams, healthcare tech, multi-geo organizations needing 30+ language support.

Key Strengths:

• Unlimited users on all plans (huge cost advantage for large teams)
• Transparent pricing ($899-$1,299/month)
• 48-hour white glove onboarding (fast value)
• 30-day money-back guarantee (reduces risk)
• 30+ languages supported
• ISO 27001 + SOC 2 security certifications
• 70-90% auto-fill rate

Where They Fall Short:

• Limited to 24-50 projects/year depending on plan (volume caps)
• Newer in market with less third-party validation
• Limited advanced workflow features
• 12-month minimum commitment after trial
• May not scale for very high volumes

Pricing Structure:

• Scale: $899/month (24 projects/year, unlimited users)
• Accelerate: $1,299/month (50 projects/year, unlimited users)
• Enterprise: Custom (higher volumes)
• All include 30-day refund guarantee

Bottom Line: Best value for mid-market teams with many contributors. Unlimited users plus transparent pricing make budgeting easy. The 30-day guarantee reduces risk. Just ensure 24-50 projects/year fits your volume needs.

1up

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Built by cybersecurity engineers with $5M Series A funding. Claims 10× faster completion. Browser plugin means no file uploading. 14-day free trial. Starting at $249/month for up to 5 users.

Ideal For: Sales teams, solutions engineers, fast-growing startups, security/compliance teams, tech companies 5-50 employees, RevOps teams managing security questionnaires.

Key Strengths:

• Built by cybersecurity engineers (understands security questionnaires)
• $5M Series A funding (financial stability)
• 10× faster completion claims
• Browser plugin (no uploading - works in any web form)
• 14-day free trial with no credit card
• Starting at $249/month (affordable entry point)

Where They Fall Short:

• Questionnaire-focused (less suited for long-form narrative)
• Limited advanced workflow features
• Newer in market (founded 2021 - less track record)
• Basic collaboration capabilities
• Per-user scaling costs can add up

Pricing Structure:

• Starter: $249/month (up to 5 users)
• Growth: $849/month (up to 50 users)
• Enterprise: Custom (50+ users)
• 14-day free trial, no credit card required

Bottom Line: Perfect for small tech teams drowning in security questionnaires who want fast relief without enterprise complexity. The browser plugin and affordable pricing make it easy to start. Just know you'll outgrow Starter quickly as you scale.

AutogenAI

Category: AI-First Narrative Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Claims 70% increase in drafting speed and 241% increase in success rates (win rate). Custom language engines built for each customer. 100,000+ hours of team expertise. Federal RFP specialists. Supports 50+ languages.

Ideal For: Government contractors, Fortune 500 companies, management consultancies, architecture/engineering/construction firms, grant writers, mature proposal teams with high-stakes bids.

Key Strengths:

• 241% increase in success rates claimed (massive win rate boost)
• 70% increase in drafting speed
• Custom language engines built for each customer (not generic)
• 100,000+ hours of collective team expertise
• Federal RFP and government contracting specialists
• Supports 50+ languages for global operations

Where They Fall Short:

• Extremely limited public information available
• No transparent pricing (very high-touch sales)
• Complex sales process and qualification
• Very high-end positioning (not for SMBs)
• Long implementation likely for custom engines

Pricing Structure: High-touch enterprise model. Starting from $0 (likely means trial/pilot phase). Likely $50K-$250K+ annually for custom language engine development. Multi-year contracts expected. Contact sales required.

Bottom Line: If you're a major government contractor or Fortune 500 where winning $100M+ contracts justifies premium investment, AutogenAI's custom language engines and 241% win rate claim are compelling. But the complete lack of transparency and complexity make it wrong for most buyers.

Sweetspot

Category: AI-First GovCon Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: All-in-one government contracting platform covering 18,000+ agencies (Federal, State, Local, SBIR). AI Form Fill autonomous agent. Y Combinator S23 backed with $2.2M seed. DoD-compliant architecture.

Ideal For: Small to mid-size government contractors, startups entering govcon space, companies bidding federal/state/local/education contracts, defense tech/dual-use companies.

Key Strengths:

• All-in-one platform (search + proposal copilot + contract management)
• 18,000+ agencies covered (Federal, State, Local, SBIR)
• AI Form Fill autonomous agent
• Y Combinator S23 backing with $2.2M seed funding
• DoD-compliant architecture
• Affordable at $300/month for full suite

Where They Fall Short:

• Small team (5 employees - limited support capacity)
• Relatively new platform (launched 2023)
• May lack depth for complex federal proposals
• Limited enterprise account management
• Less mature than established GovCon tools

Pricing Structure:

• Free: Basic search capabilities
• Search Engine: $720/year ($60/month)
• Full Suite with Proposal Copilot: $3,600/year ($300/month)
• Custom for larger organizations

Bottom Line: If you're a small govcon startup needing affordable all-in-one solution, Sweetspot delivers remarkable value at $300/month. Y Combinator backing provides confidence. Just know you're betting on a young company vs. proven platforms.

BidScript

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Full lifecycle with pre-bid intelligence. AI drafting with content suggestions. Strategic insights for bid/no-bid decisions. £200k investment from Loughborough University startup program. 7-day free trial.

Ideal For: UK-based businesses responding to tenders, SMBs looking for affordable automation, companies new to structured bidding, UK public sector bidders.

Key Strengths:

• Full lifecycle approach (pre-bid to submission)
• AI drafting with intelligent content suggestions
• Strategic bid/no-bid insights
• UK-focused (understands UK tender landscape)
• 7-day free trial available
• Affordable for SMBs

Where They Fall Short:

• Very early stage (founded 2023 - minimal track record)
• Small founding team (2 university students)
• Limited case studies and proof points
• UK-centric focus (limited global capability)
• Unproven at scale

Pricing Structure: Not publicly disclosed (early stage). 7-day free trial available. First users receiving free access for feedback. Contact required for pricing. Likely positioned affordably for UK SMBs.

Bottom Line: If you're a UK SMB wanting to experiment with AI-powered bidding at low risk, BidScript's 7-day trial makes testing easy. But the very early stage (2023 founding, student founders) means you're taking a bet on an unproven product.

Rogue

Category: AI-First GovCon Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Specialized for government contracting with NIST 800-171 compliance for CUI. RFP Shredder creates instant compliance matrices. Model-agnostic (uses best frontier AI models). Customer-funded and profitable.

Ideal For: Government contractors handling CUI with NIST requirements, defense contractors dealing with classified/sensitive information, organizations with recurring federal proposals, prime contractors and subcontractors.

Key Strengths:

• NIST 800-171 compliant for CUI handling
• RFP Shredder instant compliance matrix generation
• Model-agnostic (uses best available AI, not locked to one)
• Customer-funded and profitable (sustainable business)
• Government contracting specialization
• Handles classified/sensitive information

Where They Fall Short:

• No public pricing (contact sales required)
• Limited company information available
• Export uses "universal markup language" (may require learning)
• May require prompt engineering learning curve
• Very specialized (not for commercial RFPs)

Pricing Structure: No public pricing available. Contact/demo required. Subscription-based model. Likely premium/professional tier pricing given NIST compliance. Customer-funded business model (no VC pressure).

Bottom Line: If you're a defense contractor working with CUI and need NIST 800-171 compliance, Rogue delivers specialized capabilities that general platforms can't match. The model-agnostic approach is smart. But limited transparency and niche focus make it wrong for commercial buyers.

Awarded AI (Procurement Sciences)

Category: AI-First GovCon Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: End-to-end AI platform covering search through post-award. Single-tenant architecture ensures full data privacy. AI-driven opportunity matching. Automated color team review. Post-award contract execution support.

Ideal For: Established government contractors needing enterprise-grade solution, organizations requiring strict data privacy, mature proposal processes, companies wanting full lifecycle support from capture to post-award.

Key Strengths:

• End-to-end platform (search, capture, proposal, post-award)
• Single-tenant architecture (complete data privacy)
• AI-driven opportunity matching
• Automated color team review capabilities
• Post-award contract execution support
• Enterprise-grade security

Where They Fall Short:

• No public pricing (enterprise sales process)
• Limited public case studies
• Website provides limited detailed information
• Appears to target larger organizations (not SMBs)
• Requires sales engagement

Pricing Structure: No public pricing disclosure. Custom based on organizational needs. Enterprise-focused pricing model. Contact required for quote. Likely five-figure+ annual commitments.

Bottom Line: If you're an established government contractor wanting end-to-end AI platform with enterprise data privacy, Awarded AI covers the full lifecycle. But the lack of transparency and enterprise focus make evaluation difficult for smaller contractors or those wanting to test quickly.

GovAIQ

Category: AI-First GovCon Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: ACQUIRED BY G2XCHANGE (May 2024). Multi-dimensional agentic AI with first-to-market reasoning engine. Manager agents align with win themes. Unlimited team collaboration. Early access through G2X Labs.

Ideal For: Government contractors using G2Xchange ecosystem, companies needing sophisticated agentic AI, organizations with complex teaming arrangements, federal contractors already in G2X platform.

Key Strengths:

• Multi-dimensional agentic AI architecture
• First-to-market reasoning engine
• Manager agents align with win themes automatically
• Unlimited team collaboration
• G2X Labs exclusive access for subscribers
• Integration with G2Xchange ecosystem

Where They Fall Short:

• Acquisition status creates uncertainty about standalone future
• Founded 2023 (very limited track record pre-acquisition)
• Integration with G2Xchange may require broader platform subscription
• No publicly disclosed pricing post-acquisition
• Future product direction unclear

Pricing Structure: Not disclosed publicly (integrated with G2Xchange). Likely bundled with G2X subscription tiers. G2X Labs exclusive to Business & Enterprise subscribers. Contact G2Xchange for bundled pricing.

Bottom Line: If you're already using G2Xchange for government contracting intel, the GovAIQ integration adds AI capabilities. But as a standalone evaluation, the May 2024 acquisition creates too much uncertainty about pricing, features, and future direction.

QorusDocs

Category: Legacy Platform with AI

What Makes Them Stand Out: Native Microsoft 365 integration with QPilot AI assistant. Over 70% of users report improved speed. Built on Azure OpenAI with private data protection. Strong in legal, consulting, and professional services.

Ideal For: Professional services firms (legal, consulting, engineering), organizations heavily invested in Microsoft ecosystem, enterprise sales teams using Microsoft, companies needing branded professional documents.

Key Strengths:

• Native Microsoft 365 integration (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel)
• QPilot AI assistant built on Azure OpenAI
• 70%+ users report improved speed
• Private data (built on Azure OpenAI with data protection)
• Strong in legal, consulting, professional services verticals
• Microsoft AppSource availability

Where They Fall Short:

• Requires existing Microsoft 365 subscription (additional cost)
• Time-consuming initial setup reported
• Less specialized for government contracting
• May require dedicated admin and ongoing training
• Not purpose-built for RFPs (broader proposal focus)

Pricing Structure: Annual subscription (not publicly disclosed). Custom pricing based on size and needs. Microsoft AppSource listing requires contact for quote. Multiple user tiers likely. Annual contracts typical.

Bottom Line: If you're a professional services firm living in Microsoft 365 and needing proposal automation, QorusDocs leverages your existing investment. But it's not specialized for RFPs and requires M365 foundation plus QorusDocs subscription (double cost).

Rohirrim (RohanRFP)

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Patented organization-specific generative AI claiming 4000× faster draft generation. Reports 35% cost reduction and 40% more RFPs with same headcount. $15M Series A from Insight Partners (2024). Deployed on Azure or Azure Gov Cloud.

Ideal For: Large enterprises with high proposal volume and extensive historical data, government contractors (defense/federal), AEC firms, organizations with substantial proposal libraries, federal agencies needing Gov Cloud.

Key Strengths:

• Patented organization-specific generative AI (custom trained)
• 4000× faster draft generation claimed (extraordinary speed)
• 35% cost reduction, 40% more RFPs with same headcount
• $15M Series A from Insight Partners (2024 - strong backing)
• Azure and Azure Gov Cloud deployment options
• Available through Carahsoft for government procurement

Where They Fall Short:

• Enterprise-only focus (not for SMBs or startups)
• Requires substantial historical data to train custom AI
• High implementation investment required
• May have lengthy deployment timeline
• Not ideal for organizations with limited proposal history

Pricing Structure: No public pricing disclosure. Enterprise sales model. Custom deployment options (Azure or Azure Gov Cloud). Premium enterprise pricing likely given custom AI training. Available through Carahsoft for government buyers.

Bottom Line: If you're a large enterprise or defense contractor with years of proposal history and enterprise budget, Rohirrim's custom AI training delivers unique value. The 4000× speed claim and Insight Partners backing are impressive. But completely wrong for smaller teams or those without substantial historical data.

Altura

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Full-cycle bid management platform with AI Bid Companion. Claims 95% time reduction in document analysis. €8M Series A funding (2024). Strong European presence particularly in construction/engineering sectors.

Ideal For: Mid to large European enterprises, construction/engineering/facilities management firms, government/public sector bidders in Europe, bid managers wanting strategic visibility across pipeline.

Key Strengths:

• Full-cycle bid management (not just response)
• AI Bid Companion for intelligent assistance
• 95% time reduction in document analysis
• €8M Series A funding (2024 - well-funded)
• Strong European presence and customer base
• Construction/engineering/facilities specialization

Where They Fall Short:

• Primarily European market focus (limited US presence)
• Appears to target established bid teams (not startups)
• Limited information about US federal contracting capabilities
• May require significant change management
• Less known in North American market

Pricing Structure: Custom pricing (not disclosed publicly). Contact for quote. 15-minute demo offered. Annual subscription likely. European pricing (EUR-based). Positioned for mid-to-large enterprise budgets.

Bottom Line: If you're a European construction or engineering firm wanting full-cycle bid management with AI, Altura's €8M funding and regional expertise make it compelling. But North American buyers should look at US-focused alternatives with better local support.

Iris

Category: AI-First Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Proactive knowledge ledger that maintains itself. Claims reduction from 32 hours to minutes. 60% reduction in time per project. Auto compliance matrix generation. Built-in project management capabilities.

Ideal For: Sales engineering teams at B2B SaaS/tech companies, organizations with high RFP/RFI volume (especially security questionnaires), teams with outdated Q&A libraries, companies needing to scale without headcount increases.

Key Strengths:

• Proactive knowledge ledger (self-maintaining)
• 32 hours to minutes time savings claimed
• 60% reduction in time per project
• Auto compliance matrix generation
• Built-in project management
• Designed for sales engineering workflows

Where They Fall Short:

• Newer platform with limited case studies
• Primarily commercial/enterprise tech sales focus (not GovCon)
• May require substantial knowledge base setup initially
• No public pricing available
• Limited track record

Pricing Structure: No public pricing available. Demo/consultation required. Subscription-based SaaS model. Likely based on users/projects/volume. Contact sales for custom quote.

Bottom Line: If you're a B2B tech/SaaS company with sales engineers drowning in security questionnaires, Iris's self-maintaining knowledge ledger addresses a real pain point. But being newer means less proof and no pricing transparency for evaluation.

AI-First Platforms: Quick Comparison

Price Key: $ = <1K/year, $$ = 1K-10K, $$$ = 10K-50K, $$$$ = $50K+

Security Questionnaire Specialists

Vanta

Category: Security Questionnaire Specialist / Compliance Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: 95% AI acceptance rate with 81% faster completion (IDC study). Part of comprehensive compliance platform covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA. Trust Center integration achieves 87% deflection of questionnaires. 80%+ auto-answer coverage.

Ideal For: SaaS companies already using Vanta for compliance, security teams handling high questionnaire volume (25-288+ annually), mid-market to enterprise companies (50+ employees), GRC teams wanting integrated solution.

Key Strengths:

• 95% AI acceptance rate (highest accuracy claim)
• 81% faster completion backed by IDC study
• 80%+ auto-answer coverage
• Comprehensive compliance platform (not just questionnaires)
• Trust Center integration (87% deflection - avoids questionnaires entirely)
• Strong SaaS/tech market presence

Where They Fall Short:

• Requires existing compliance foundation (not standalone questionnaire tool)
• Pricing complexity with questionnaire volume caps bite fast
• Expensive for small teams ($7,500-11,500+ base before questionnaires)
• Not specialized for questionnaires only (broader GRC focus)
• Caps on questionnaire volume by tier require careful planning

Pricing Structure:

• Core: $7,500-$11,500/year (base compliance)
• Plus: 25 questionnaires/year included
• Growth: 144 questionnaires/year included
• Scale: 288 questionnaires/year included
• Enterprise: Custom
• Advanced automation add-on: $10K-25K additional

Bottom Line: If you're already using Vanta for compliance and receive security questionnaires regularly, adding questionnaire automation makes sense. But buying Vanta solely for questionnaires is expensive overkill - the $7,500+ base plus volume caps make it costly for questionnaire-only needs.

Conveyor

Category: Security Questionnaire Specialist

What Makes Them Stand Out: 95%+ accuracy on first pass with 91% time reduction (4 min → 22 sec per question). Browser extension excellence. AI Agents named Sue & Phil. Recently added RFP automation (2026) backed by $20M Series B.

Ideal For: High-volume security questionnaire teams at SaaS/tech companies, InfoSec and pre-sales teams, companies with lean security teams, organizations wanting Trust Center AND questionnaire automation, teams expanding into RFPs.

Key Strengths:

• 95%+ accuracy on first pass (matches Vanta)
• 91% time reduction (4 min to 22 sec per question)
• Browser extension works in any web form
• AI Agents (Sue & Phil) for different tasks
• Recently added RFP automation (2026 expansion)
• $20M Series B funding (2026 - well-funded)

Where They Fall Short:

• Trust Center customization limitations reported
• Workflow can feel rigid
• Integration gaps with some tools
• UI complexity for new users during onboarding
• Quarterly billing (not monthly option)

Pricing Structure:

• Free: Basic Trust Center
• Professional: AI questionnaire automation (pricing not disclosed)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing
• "$2,000 value" for 10 free questionnaire credits promotion
• Quarterly billing available

Bottom Line: If you're a tech/SaaS company drowning in security questionnaires, Conveyor's 91% time reduction and browser extension deliver immediate value. The recent $20M Series B and RFP expansion show growth. But expect enterprise pricing and quarterly commitments.

Skypher

Category: Security Questionnaire Specialist

What Makes Them Stand Out: Sub-2-hour turnaround claimed. 10× faster completion. Native support for 40+ TPRM platforms (OneTrust, ServiceNow, etc.). Zero format breaking after 3 years of R&D. Browser extension for any portal.

Ideal For: Solutions Engineering teams, companies receiving questionnaires in diverse formats/portals, security teams wanting sophisticated AI without hallucinations, organizations needing support for multiple TPRM platforms, global companies with complex requirements.

Key Strengths:

• Sub-2-hour turnaround time claimed
• 10× faster completion (matches competitors)
• Native support for 40+ TPRM platforms
• Zero format breaking (3 years R&D investment)
• Browser extension works anywhere
• Adobe and hundreds of companies worldwide

Where They Fall Short:

• No transparent pricing (requires sales contact)
• Limited brand recognition vs Vanta/Conveyor
• Primarily questionnaire-focused (not full RFP platform)
• Learning curve reported
• Not all-in-one GRC solution

Pricing Structure: Custom/contact sales required. Claims "flexible pricing for all sizes" but no public numbers. Trial available. Likely competitive in $10K-30K/year range based on positioning vs competitors.

Bottom Line: If you receive questionnaires across many different TPRM platforms and formats, Skypher's 40+ platform support and zero format breaking deliver unique value. But the lack of pricing transparency makes evaluation difficult compared to more open competitors.

Vendict

Category: Security Questionnaire Specialist

What Makes Them Stand Out: 92% time savings claimed. AI-native platform (not bolted on). GRC Mentor proprietary AI. Tagless Knowledge Base (fully automated - no manual tagging). No hallucinations with evidence-backed responses. $20M funding.

Ideal For: Healthcare and regulated industries, companies with multiple products/business units/regions, GRC teams wanting AI-first approach, organizations doing frequent vendor risk assessments, enterprises with complex structures.

Key Strengths:

• 92% time savings claimed (highest in category)
• AI-native from ground up (not legacy + AI)
• GRC Mentor proprietary AI engine
• Tagless Knowledge Base (no manual maintenance)
• No hallucinations - evidence-backed responses
• $20M funding demonstrates investor confidence
• AWS Marketplace availability

Where They Fall Short:

• Newer player with less establishment
• Minimum upload requirement (5 questionnaires or 1,000 responses to start)
• Limited public pricing information
• AWS Marketplace contract-based model only
• Less brand recognition than category leaders

Pricing Structure: Free trial available. AWS Marketplace listing with contract-based pricing. No public price points disclosed. Likely $15K-40K+ annual range for enterprise. Contact required for specific pricing.

Bottom Line: If you're in healthcare or regulated industry wanting AI-native questionnaire automation with evidence-backed responses (no hallucinations), Vendict's specialized approach delivers. The $20M funding provides confidence. But minimum upload requirements and pricing opacity create friction.

UpGuard

Category: Security Questionnaire Specialist / TPRM Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Trust Exchange is completely FREE with no limits on questionnaires or users. AI Autofill from past questionnaires. Comprehensive questionnaire library. Complete TPRM solution for vendor management. 30,000+ users on platform.

Ideal For: Startups and budget-conscious teams, vendors receiving security questionnaires from customers, security teams doing vendor assessments, organizations wanting both vendor risk AND customer trust capabilities, teams wanting genuinely free option.

Key Strengths:

• Trust Exchange is FREE (unlimited questionnaires and users)
• AI Autofill learns from your past questionnaires
• Comprehensive questionnaire library built-in
• Complete TPRM solution (vendor risk management)
• 30,000+ users provide network effects
• Dual-sided platform (both sides of vendor relationship)

Where They Fall Short:

• Free tier focus means advanced features are paid add-ons
• Dual-sided platform can be confusing initially
• Less AI sophistication compared to pure-play competitors
• Excel-based workflow may feel dated
• Trust Page customization basic in free tier

Pricing Structure:

• Trust Exchange: FREE (unlimited questionnaires, unlimited users)
• Vendor Risk (paid tier): Custom pricing
• Breach Risk (paid tier): Custom pricing
• Freemium business model with upsells

Bottom Line: If you need security questionnaire automation and have zero budget, UpGuard Trust Exchange delivers genuine free value. Perfect for startups or small teams testing questionnaire automation. Just know advanced features require paid upgrade and AI is less sophisticated than pure-play competitors.

TrustCloud

Category: Security Questionnaire Specialist / Trust Assurance Platform

What Makes Them Stand Out: Up to 90% pre-fill claimed. 80% time reduction with GraphAI technology (hallucination-free). No knowledge base maintenance required. Live Trust Portal deflects 75% of questionnaires. Multi-business unit native support. $15M Series A.

Ideal For: Healthcare and regulated industries, companies with multiple products/business units, security teams wanting to prove ROI with metrics, GRC leaders, organizations tired of maintaining static answer libraries.

Key Strengths:

• Up to 90% pre-fill (highest claim in category)
• GraphAI technology (hallucination-free with knowledge graphs)
• No knowledge base maintenance required
• Live Trust Portal deflects 75% of questionnaires entirely
• Multi-business unit native (not bolted on)
• $15M Series A funding (2023 - well-capitalized)

Where They Fall Short:

• Opt-in GenAI means some customers may not use fully
• No transparent pricing (contact sales required)
• Smaller market presence compared to Vanta
• Training data privacy concerns for some buyers
• Enterprise focus (not positioned for SMBs)

Pricing Structure: No public pricing available. Schedule demo required for pricing discussion. Custom/enterprise pricing model. Free startup offering mentioned (includes 2 questionnaires). Likely $20K-50K+ range for enterprise deployments.

Bottom Line: If you have multiple business units and want trust automation that deflects questionnaires entirely (not just automates them), TrustCloud's approach is differentiated. The GraphAI hallucination-free technology is compelling. But expect enterprise pricing and sales process.

Security Questionnaire Specialists: Quick Comparison

Price Key: $ = <1K/year, $$ = 1K-10K, $$$ = 10K-50K, $$$$ = $50K+