Looking for a Tenders Direct alternative? KimonBids adds AI matching, AI bid writing, and go/no-go scoring on top of four-portal tender discovery -- with a free tier to start.
Tenders Direct
Proactis GroupNo free tier, from approximately £1,395/year
- No free tier -- pricing starts at approximately £1,395 per year
- No AI features at all, so bid quality is entirely on you
- Buyer intelligence is limited to competitor contract award notifications
What they do well
- Human classification catches opportunities missed by CPV-code-only systems
- Advance Tender Alerts for 6-month pipeline forecasting
- Best Trustpilot rating in the category (4.4/5, 220+ reviews)
- Experienced team with 30 years in UK public sector procurement
Where KimonBids wins
- AI opportunity matching and go/no-go scoring on every match
- Full AI bid drafting with a PSQ response bank -- Tenders Direct offers none
- A permanent free tier before you commit to a paid plan
- PA2023 compliance tools and social value generation as standard
Our verdict
Reliable and well-reviewed for alert accuracy, and a good choice if all you need is human-classified discovery. But a traditional service that has not evolved with AI -- no bid writing, no go/no-go guidance, and no free tier.
Frequently asked questions about KimonBids vs Tenders Direct
What is the difference between Tenders Direct and KimonBids?+
Tenders Direct is a 30-year-old, human-classified tender alert service focused on accurate discovery. KimonBids covers the full bid lifecycle: discovery across all four UK portals, AI matching against your company profile, go/no-go scoring, AI bid drafting, a PSQ response bank, PA2023 compliance tracking, and social value generation. Tenders Direct deliberately offers no AI features.
Does Tenders Direct have a free tier?+
No. Tenders Direct has no free tier and starts at approximately £1,395 per year. KimonBids has a permanent free tier with no credit card required, covering tender discovery across all four UK portals and basic AI matching, with paid plans from £79 per month.
Which is more accurate, Tenders Direct or KimonBids?+
Tenders Direct uses human classification, which has a strong record for alert accuracy and consistently outperforms CPV-code-only automation. KimonBids uses AI-assisted classification that catches opportunities where buyers use incorrect or missing CPV codes, and adds profile-based relevance scoring on top of discovery. The two take different approaches; KimonBids additionally helps you qualify and write the bid, not just find it.
See the full side-by-side comparison against every alternative, or explore the complete KimonBids feature set.
Start finding, scoring, and drafting bids for UK public sector work today.
No credit card required. Free plan available.