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Government · head to head

Bidnet Direct vs IDnow

Bidnet Direct logo

Bidnet Direct

Government

Regional bid notification network where agencies post free and suppliers pay for alerts

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
IDnow logo

IDnow

Cybersecurity

Identity verification and qualified electronic signature for regulated European markets

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bidnet Direct suppliers pay for aggregation, not access: the same solicitations are generally published free on individual agency and state portals, so the subscription is only worth it if searching manually costs more than the fee.; IDnow agent-led video identification costs several times an automated check and depends on agent availability, so peak-time queues push abandonment up at exactly the moment conversion matters.
  • They diverge on capability: Bidnet Direct covers Regional purchasing groups, IDnow covers VideoIdent.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bidnet Direct and IDnow actually diverge.

Attributes where Bidnet Direct and IDnow differ
AttributeBidnet DirectIDnow
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, API
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bidnet Direct

  • Regional purchasing groups
  • Free agency publication
  • Supplier notification
  • Vendor registration
  • Bid document distribution
  • Award postings
  • Supplier diversity reporting

Only in IDnow

  • VideoIdent
  • AutoIdent
  • eSign
  • eID and NFC
  • Bank identification
  • EU data processing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bidnet Direct

  • A small municipal purchasing department that needs competitive responses without building or paying for its own bid portalnot IDnow
  • A contractor that wants notification of every relevant solicitation across a state rather than checking dozens of agency websitesnot IDnow
  • A state cooperative wanting a single regional portal so suppliers register once for many agenciesnot IDnow
  • An agency required to demonstrate outreach to certified diverse suppliers on every solicitationnot IDnow

IDnow

  • A German bank opening regulated accounts where BaFin requires a recognised identification methodnot Bidnet Direct
  • An insurer needing a qualified electronic signature that will survive challenge in a European courtnot Bidnet Direct
  • A telecom operator meeting national SIM registration identity rules across several EU statesnot Bidnet Direct
  • A lender wanting automated checks for low-risk applicants and video identification only for high-value casesnot Bidnet Direct

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bidnet Direct

  • Suppliers pay for aggregation, not access: the same solicitations are generally published free on individual agency and state portals, so the subscription is only worth it if searching manually costs more than the fee.
  • Supplier pricing is not published and varies by geography and category breadth, which makes it difficult for a small contractor to judge value before a sales conversation.
  • Category matching produces a high volume of irrelevant alerts for suppliers whose work does not map neatly onto procurement commodity codes, so the notification stream needs constant tuning.
  • Bidnet is now one brand inside SOVRA, which divested six business units in 2025 under new private equity ownership, so portfolio priorities can change independently of any individual product's customers.
  • For agencies it is a publication and notification network rather than a sourcing system: bid evaluation, scoring and contract management need a separate tool.

IDnow

  • Agent-led video identification costs several times an automated check and depends on agent availability, so peak-time queues push abandonment up at exactly the moment conversion matters.
  • Pricing is quoted with an annual volume commitment, so the accreditation advantage comes with a floor you pay whether or not you use it.
  • The product is optimised for European regulatory regimes, so buyers verifying users in North America, Asia or Africa will find coverage and cost less competitive than global specialists.
  • Qualified electronic signature is a separate licence from identity verification, which surprises buyers who assumed the accredited identity check made the signature capability included.
  • Integration for the regulated flows is heavier than a simple SDK drop-in because the compliant journey, including consent and recording requirements, constrains the user experience you can build.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bidnet Direct

On request
  • Supplier subscription$undefined/year
    • Matched opportunity notifications
    • Access to regional purchasing group solicitations
    • Priced by geographic and category coverage
  • Agency participation$undefined/year
    • Solicitation publication and vendor registry
    • Free or low cost to participating public agencies
    • Supplier diversity reporting

IDnow

On request
  • IDnow Platform$undefined/year
    • Per-identification pricing that differs sharply between automated and agent-led methods
    • Annual volume commitment typically required
    • Qualified electronic signature licensed separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Bidnet Direct if

  • You need regional purchasing groups.
  • You also want free agency publication.
Bidnet Direct review

Choose IDnow if

  • You need videoident.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want autoident.
IDnow review

Questions people ask

Is Bidnet Direct or IDnow better?
Neither clearly leads. Bidnet Direct starts at On request and IDnow at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bidnet Direct or IDnow?
Bidnet Direct starts at On request and IDnow at On request.
Does Bidnet Direct or IDnow run on more platforms?
Bidnet Direct runs on Web. IDnow runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
What is Bidnet Direct best used for?
Bidnet Direct is most often used for a small municipal purchasing department that needs competitive responses without building or paying for its own bid portal, a contractor that wants notification of every relevant solicitation across a state rather than checking dozens of agency websites, a state cooperative wanting a single regional portal so suppliers register once for many agencies, an agency required to demonstrate outreach to certified diverse suppliers on every solicitation. Of those, a small municipal purchasing department that needs competitive responses without building or paying for its own bid portal and a contractor that wants notification of every relevant solicitation across a state rather than checking dozens of agency websites are not what IDnow is typically brought in for.
What can Bidnet Direct do that IDnow cannot?
Bidnet Direct covers Regional purchasing groups, Free agency publication, Supplier notification, Vendor registration. IDnow covers VideoIdent, AutoIdent, eSign, eID and NFC.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bidnet Direct: Do government agencies pay?

Generally not, or very little. The network is funded by supplier subscriptions, which is why agencies get an existing supplier pool without paying for it.

IDnow: Why choose it over a cheaper automated vendor?

Because in some European regimes the cheaper vendor is not legally permitted for the transaction. This is an eligibility question, not a quality one.

Bidnet Direct: Is it worth it for a supplier?

Only if aggregation saves you more than it costs. The solicitations are public and available free elsewhere; you are buying alerting and search across many agencies at once.

IDnow: Is the electronic signature included?

No. Qualified electronic signature under eIDAS is licensed separately from identity verification.

Bidnet Direct: Who owns it now?

SOVRA, the rebranded procurement business of mdf commerce, which was acquired by KKR. Bidnet Direct remains a named product within that portfolio.

IDnow: Where is the data processed?

In European data centres, which is a requirement rather than a preference for many of its regulated customers.

Bidnet Direct: Does it evaluate bids?

No. It publishes and distributes. Scoring, evaluation and contract management require a sourcing platform.

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