How do the costs compare?
A writer usually costs more per bid and less in the months you do not bid. Software costs the same each month, whether you bid or not.
| Option | What you pay | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Contract bid writer in the UK | Median £500 a day. The middle half of adverts ran from £450 to £550. | Job adverts in the six months to 3 November 2026. Rates elsewhere differ. |
| Bidligence | Free workspace with 500 welcome credits. Paid plans from US$199 a month. | See pricing. Drafting the documents needs a paid plan. |
| Your own staff | Salary and time | Work on a bid takes them away from other work. |
Ask any writer for a fixed price on one real tender. A day rate tells you little until you know the days.
When is a bid writer the better choice?
A person is the better choice when judgment matters more than speed.
- You bid rarely, so a monthly tool would sit unused.
- The bid is large, and quality carries much of the score.
- Nobody on your team has time to check drafts.
- You need someone to interview your staff and find the evidence.
When is software the better choice?
Software is the better choice when the same work repeats on every bid.
- You bid every month, and the forms repeat.
- You want your rates, CVs and past contracts kept in one place.
- You have someone who knows the work and can check a draft.
- You need a first answer on bid or no bid before you spend money.
What can neither of them do?
Neither one can carry your responsibility for the bid. Your company signs it, and any claim in it is yours.
UK guidance for central government buyers makes the same comparison. It says buyers should assess these tools' risks as they would for a bid writer (PPN 017, paragraph 9).
- Neither can invent experience safely. See can software write a tender response.
- Neither can provide your bid security or your signature.
- Neither knows your true costs unless you give them.
Where Bidligence fits
Bidligence suits a contractor that prepares its own bid and has someone to review it. It drafts from your own evidence and marks a gap when it has none. If you want a person to write the bid, it is not the right fit.
Questions
- Can I use both?
- Yes. You can draft with software, then pay a writer to review one important bid. That can cost less than asking a writer to start from nothing.
- Do I have to tell the buyer who wrote my bid?
- Only if the tender asks. Read the instructions and any declaration you sign. In the UK, central government buyers may ask about tools used in a bid.
- Do bid writers charge a success fee?
- Some offer one, usually with a fee up front. Read the terms, and check that the tender does not forbid such fees.
Sources
Rules and portals change. Check the tender’s own documents and the official source before you rely on any of this.