BidWriter vs Find a Tender Service (FTS)
A side-by-side look at BidWriter and FTS for UK suppliers — features, pricing, UK public sector fit, and who each tool best suits. Honest about where FTS is stronger.
TL;DR
BidWriter is an AI bid-writing tool built specifically for UK public sector suppliers, with integrated live tender discovery, AI drafting and a free starter plan. Find a Tender Service (FTS) is government portal for any uk supplier — free public service. Find a Tender Service is the UK government's official portal for higher-value public sector contracts (above the procurement thresholds). It publishes tender notices, contract notices and award notices. Free for any supplier to use.
BidWriter vs Find a Tender Service (FTS): side-by-side
| Feature | BidWriter | Find a Tender Service (FTS) |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI bid writing for UK public sector | Government portal |
| Origin | UK · launched 2024 | UK · gov.uk (replaced OJEU post-Brexit) |
| Primary audience | UK SMEs and growth-stage bid teams | Any UK supplier — free public service |
| Pricing model | Free plan + £49–£799/mo per-seat SaaS | Free (taxpayer-funded UK government service) |
| UK public sector focus | Yes — specialist (CCS, FTS, NHS, councils) | Yes — specialist |
| Free plan | Yes — 3 AI credits/month, no card required | Yes |
| Live UK tender feed | Yes — integrated via WinAContract | Yes |
| Bid library | Yes — compounds with every bid | No |
| Tender-pack parser | Yes — auto-extracts question structure from PDFs | No |
| AI bid drafting | Yes — native, generates structured first drafts | No |
Where BidWriter is differently positioned to FTS
- BidWriter complements FTS — FTS publishes the notice, BidWriter helps you write the response
- WinAContract aggregates FTS PLUS Contracts Finder, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI in one search
- AI drafting once you find an opportunity — FTS has no writing or bid support
- Saved searches, keyword alerts and bid-library features FTS doesn't offer
Where FTS is stronger
BidWriter isn't the right tool for every team. FTS is genuinely stronger in these areas:
- Free, official, authoritative source of UK above-threshold tender notices
- Direct from the buyer (no aggregator delay)
Best for BidWriter
Suppliers who want aggregated UK-wide discovery PLUS the AI tool that helps win the bid.
Best for FTS
Anyone who only needs to view UK above-threshold notices and click through to the buyer's portal.
Try BidWriter free — no card required
Free plan: 3 AI credits per month, the full bid library, real UK tender feed. See the workflow before committing.
Start free →FAQs
How does BidWriter compare to Find a Tender Service (FTS)?
BidWriter is an AI bid-writing tool built specifically for UK public sector suppliers, with integrated live tender discovery, a compounding bid library, AI drafting and a free starter plan. FTS is positioned as government portal for any uk supplier — free public service. The two tools solve overlapping but different jobs — see the comparison table on this page for the side-by-side detail.
Is BidWriter cheaper than Find a Tender Service (FTS)?
In most cases yes. BidWriter starts at £0/month (free plan with 3 AI credits) and paid plans run from £49/month per seat, all month-to-month. FTS's pricing is free (taxpayer-funded uk government service). Unit economics tend to favour BidWriter for any team running more than a couple of bids per month.
Is Find a Tender Service (FTS) better than BidWriter for any use case?
Yes — FTS is genuinely stronger when free, official, authoritative source of uk above-threshold tender notices. Anyone who only needs to view UK above-threshold notices and click through to the buyer's portal.
What does Find a Tender Service (FTS) actually do?
Find a Tender Service is the UK government's official portal for higher-value public sector contracts (above the procurement thresholds). It publishes tender notices, contract notices and award notices. Free for any supplier to use.
Who should pick BidWriter over Find a Tender Service (FTS)?
Suppliers who want aggregated UK-wide discovery PLUS the AI tool that helps win the bid.
Other comparisons
See all BidWriter comparisons, our buyer guides, or BidWriter pricing.