Responsive (formerly RFPIO) vs Qvidian (Upland Software)
A side-by-side comparison of Responsive and Qvidian for UK suppliers — features, pricing, and who each tool best suits. Honest about where each is genuinely stronger.
TL;DR
Responsive (formerly RFPIO): Responsive (rebranded from RFPIO) is a US-headquartered enterprise RFP/RFI/security-questionnaire response platform with a strong answer library, automation rules, and AI assist features. Largely serves US/EU enterprise sales teams.
Qvidian (Upland Software): Qvidian is a long-established US enterprise proposal-automation platform now part of Upland Software's suite. It centralises RFP response, answer libraries, and proposal templating for large sales organisations.
Responsive vs Qvidian: side-by-side
| Feature | Responsive (formerly RFPIO) | Qvidian (Upland Software) |
|---|---|---|
| Category | RFP response | RFP response |
| Origin | USA · founded 2015 (rebranded from RFPIO in 2022) | USA · acquired by Upland Software in 2015 |
| Primary audience | Mid-market and enterprise proposal teams | Enterprise proposal teams |
| Pricing model | Annual enterprise contracts, custom-quoted; commonly starting in the £10k–£20k/yr range | Annual enterprise contracts, custom-quoted |
| UK public sector focus | No | No |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Live UK tender feed | No | No |
| Bid library | Yes | Yes |
| Tender-pack parser | Yes | Yes |
| AI bid drafting | Limited / assist | Limited / assist |
Where Responsive is stronger
- Deep answer-library management at scale (10,000+ entries)
- Mature integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft 365 and major sales platforms
Where Qvidian is stronger
- Long track record in large US enterprise proposal environments
- Part of a broader Upland Software suite (CRM, marketing, sales)
Best for Responsive
US/EU enterprise sales teams managing high-volume vendor RFPs with a large dedicated proposal function.
Best for Qvidian
Large US enterprises already on the Upland Software stack with a dedicated proposal-automation function.
There's also a third option
BidWriter — AI bid writing built for UK SMEs
If you're a UK supplier bidding into public sector contracts, BidWriter is purpose-built for the job — UK public sector specialism, AI drafting, integrated live tender feed, free plan, and per-seat pricing from £49/mo. No annual enterprise contract required.
FAQs
What's the difference between Responsive (formerly RFPIO) and Qvidian (Upland Software)?
Responsive is rfp response for mid-market and enterprise proposal teams. Qvidian is rfp response for enterprise proposal teams. The full feature-by-feature breakdown is in the table on this page.
Which is better for UK public sector — Responsive (formerly RFPIO) or Qvidian (Upland Software)?
Responsive has no specific UK public sector focus; Qvidian has no UK public sector focus. For UK suppliers bidding into government, framework agreements and NHS, the more specialist option is usually the better starting point — but worth weighing against the rest of the comparison table.
Is Responsive (formerly RFPIO) cheaper than Qvidian (Upland Software)?
Responsive's pricing: Annual enterprise contracts, custom-quoted; commonly starting in the £10k–£20k/yr range. Qvidian's pricing: Annual enterprise contracts, custom-quoted. Whichever fits your team's size, contract length, and per-bid economics best is the right answer — both can work out cheaper depending on your situation.
Who should pick Responsive (formerly RFPIO)?
US/EU enterprise sales teams managing high-volume vendor RFPs with a large dedicated proposal function.
Who should pick Qvidian (Upland Software)?
Large US enterprises already on the Upland Software stack with a dedicated proposal-automation function.
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