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Government · head to head

CentralSquare vs Periscope Holdings

CentralSquare logo

CentralSquare

Government

Public Safety and Administration Software

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Periscope Holdings logo

Periscope Holdings

Government

Statewide e-procurement systems and supplier networks for large public agencies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CentralSquare no pricing information is published on the website; Periscope Holdings it is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
  • They diverge on capability: CentralSquare covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CentralSquare and Periscope Holdings actually diverge.

Attributes where CentralSquare and Periscope Holdings differ
AttributeCentralSquarePeriscope Holdings
Starting price$1500/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded2018Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Government).

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 CentralSquare

  • Computer-Aided Dispatch
  • Records Management
  • Jail Management
  • Fire RMS
  • Community Development
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • FBI CJIS
  • NCIC

Only in Periscope Holdings

  • Sealed bid solicitation
  • Supplier registration network
  • Contract catalogues
  • Cooperative purchasing
  • Spend and compliance reporting
  • Supplier diversity tracking

What people use each for

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

CentralSquare

  • Citizen Servicesnot Periscope Holdings
  • Records Managementnot Periscope Holdings
  • Public Safetynot Periscope Holdings
  • Civic Engagementnot Periscope Holdings

Periscope Holdings

  • A state building a central procurement portal serving many agencies and local entitiesnot CentralSquare
  • A large agency needing statutory sealed bidding with a public opening recordnot CentralSquare
  • A purchasing programme that must report spend and supplier diversity across entitiesnot CentralSquare
  • A state wanting local governments to buy from its awarded cooperative contractsnot CentralSquare

Where each one falls short

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

CentralSquare

  • No pricing information is published on the website
  • Pricing model is not disclosed; visitors are directed to request a demo or contact sales

Periscope Holdings

  • It is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
  • The interface reflects the age and regulatory weight of the platform, and suppliers routinely describe registration and bidding as harder than on newer portals, which can suppress bid response.
  • Ownership has changed twice since 2021, from independent to mdf commerce to KKR, so roadmap and support continuity should be written into the contract rather than assumed.
  • Sibling products inside mdf commerce cover adjacent procurement ground, which means an apparently competitive shortlist may contain two products with the same owner.
  • Statewide implementations are multi year projects with heavy configuration and change management, and the professional services cost commonly exceeds the software over the contract term.

Pricing, plan by plan

CentralSquare

$1500/month
  • Public Safety Suite$1500/month
    • CAD
    • Records Management
    • Mobile Solutions

Periscope Holdings

On request
  • BuySpeed$undefined/year
    • Quoted per programme, scaled to entities served and transaction volume
    • Multi year statewide contracts with implementation priced separately
    • Supplier side registration fees form part of the commercial model on some programmes

Which should you pick?

Choose CentralSquare if

  • You need computer-aided dispatch.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want records management.
CentralSquare review

Choose Periscope Holdings if

  • You need sealed bid solicitation.
  • You also want supplier registration network.
Periscope Holdings review

Questions people ask

Is CentralSquare or Periscope Holdings better?
Neither clearly leads. CentralSquare starts at $1500/month and Periscope Holdings at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CentralSquare or Periscope Holdings?
CentralSquare starts at $1500/month and Periscope Holdings at On request.
Does CentralSquare or Periscope Holdings run on more platforms?
CentralSquare runs on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android. Periscope Holdings runs on Web.
What is CentralSquare best used for?
CentralSquare is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Periscope Holdings is typically brought in for.
What can CentralSquare do that Periscope Holdings cannot?
CentralSquare covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, Records Management, Jail Management, Fire RMS. Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation, Supplier registration network, Contract catalogues, Cooperative purchasing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CentralSquare: How much does CentralSquare cost?

CentralSquare does not publish pricing on its website. The company directs customers to request a demo or schedule a call with their sales team to discuss pricing.

Source
Periscope Holdings: Who owns Periscope Holdings?

mdf commerce acquired it in 2021, and mdf commerce was itself acquired by KKR in 2024.

CentralSquare: What is CentralSquare's pricing model?

The pricing model is not disclosed. CentralSquare appears to use a custom quote or consultation-based approach, as the website does not mention subscription plans or tier-based pricing.

Source
Periscope Holdings: Is it suitable for a single city?

Usually not. It is built and priced for statewide or very large agency programmes.

CentralSquare: Is there a free tier or trial?

No information about free tiers or trials is available on the website.

Source
Periscope Holdings: What is BuySpeed?

The e-procurement platform behind its statewide deployments, covering solicitation through catalogue ordering and reporting.

CentralSquare: How do I get a pricing quote?

Contact CentralSquare through their website to request a demo or schedule a call with their sales team.

Source
Periscope Holdings: Can we see what a state paid?

Yes. State procurement awards are public records and typically disclose the full multi year contract value.

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