Softwr

Government · head to head

DemandStar vs Drata

DemandStar logo

DemandStar

Government

Bid distribution network that is free for government agencies and charges the suppliers instead

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Drata logo

Drata

Cybersecurity

Agentic trust management with compliance automation.

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DemandStar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DemandStar coverage is opt-in by agency, so a supplier paying for a state tier receives only participating agencies and must still monitor other portals for the rest.; Drata no published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DemandStar and Drata actually diverge.

Attributes where DemandStar and Drata differ
AttributeDemandStarDrata
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree for agencies, per year by geographic coverage for supplierssubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, API
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity

Identical on both: 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 DemandStar

  • Free for agencies
  • Commodity code matching
  • eBidding
  • Plan holder lists
  • Supplier registration
  • Geographic subscription tiers

Only in Drata

Nothing recorded that DemandStar does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

DemandStar

  • A city purchasing officer who wants wider bid distribution without running a procurement to buy softwarenot Drata
  • A contractor who works in three adjacent counties and wants notifications only for that footprintnot Drata
  • An agency needing sealed electronic bid submission to replace paper deliveries to the clerknot Drata
  • A supplier testing whether public sector work is viable before committing to a national subscriptionnot Drata

Drata

  • SaaS companies automating SOC 2 certification for enterprise salesnot DemandStar
  • Organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneouslynot DemandStar
  • Vendor management programmes requiring third-party security assessmentsnot DemandStar
  • Enterprises implementing AI governance and monitoring AI systemsnot DemandStar
  • Organisations seeking continuous compliance monitoring rather than point-in-time auditsnot DemandStar

Where each one falls short

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

DemandStar

  • Coverage is opt-in by agency, so a supplier paying for a state tier receives only participating agencies and must still monitor other portals for the rest.
  • The free supplier tier charges around 5 US dollars per bid document download, which turns an apparently free plan into a metered one as soon as you actually pursue opportunities.
  • State pricing ranges from roughly 100 to 1,499 US dollars with the variation driven by agency density, so suppliers cannot predict cost from geography alone.
  • Because agencies pay nothing, they have little leverage over the roadmap and features are driven by what makes supplier subscriptions sell.
  • The brand is being folded into Euna OpenBid following the Euna Solutions consolidation, so suppliers and agencies should expect the name and portal to change.

Drata

  • No published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes
  • Solution tiers (Startup, Growth, Enterprise) are marketing categories with no corresponding published prices or feature differentiation
  • No transparency on cost per framework, per user, or based on organisational size
  • AI questionnaire automation claims 375+ hours saved annually but does not publish per-questionnaire costs or limits
  • Compared directly with Vanta by customers, but pricing opaque for cost-benefit analysis

Pricing, plan by plan

DemandStar

Free
  • Government agencyFree
    • Post unlimited solicitations
    • Access the supplier network
    • eBidding and plan holder lists
  • Supplier freeFree
    • Bid notifications for one agency of your choice
    • Bid document downloads charged around 5 USD each
    • Supplier profile and registration
  • Supplier county$60/year
    • All participating agencies within one county
    • Unlimited bid document access for that county
    • Approximate rate, varies by county
  • Supplier state$100/year
    • All participating agencies within one state
    • Priced from around 100 to 1,499 USD depending on agency density

Drata

On request
  • Startup$undefined/variable
    • 'Launch Trust Fast' with automated evidence collection
    • SOC 2 and other framework support
    • Basic compliance automation
  • Growth$undefined/variable
    • 'Accelerate Trust Smoothly' as teams expand
    • Multi-framework compliance
    • Enhanced AI automation
  • Enterprise$undefined/variable
    • 'Command Trust at Scale' for complex needs
    • Advanced GRC capabilities
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose DemandStar if

  • You need free for agencies.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want commodity code matching.
DemandStar review

Choose Drata if

  • You work on Web, API.
Drata review

Questions people ask

Is DemandStar or Drata better?
Neither clearly leads. DemandStar starts at Free and Drata at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DemandStar or Drata?
DemandStar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DemandStar and On request for Drata.
Does DemandStar or Drata run on more platforms?
DemandStar runs on Web. Drata runs on Web, API.
Can I use DemandStar for free?
Yes. DemandStar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drata starts at On request.
What is DemandStar best used for?
DemandStar is most often used for a city purchasing officer who wants wider bid distribution without running a procurement to buy software, a contractor who works in three adjacent counties and wants notifications only for that footprint, an agency needing sealed electronic bid submission to replace paper deliveries to the clerk, a supplier testing whether public sector work is viable before committing to a national subscription. Of those, a city purchasing officer who wants wider bid distribution without running a procurement to buy software and a contractor who works in three adjacent counties and wants notifications only for that footprint are not what Drata is typically brought in for.
What can DemandStar do that Drata cannot?
DemandStar covers Free for agencies, Commodity code matching, eBidding, Plan holder lists.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DemandStar: Is DemandStar free for governments?

Yes, entirely. Agencies post solicitations and access the supplier network at no cost; suppliers fund the platform.

Drata: What compliance frameworks does Drata support?

Drata supports multiple frameworks including SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS and others, with multi-framework management capabilities.

Source
DemandStar: What do suppliers pay?

Free for one agency with roughly 5 USD per document download, about 60 USD a year per county, 100 to 1,499 per state, and 2,699 for national coverage.

Drata: Does Drata automate questionnaires?

Yes. Drata's AI uses approved content to draft consistent responses, automating questionnaire completion and saving claimed 375+ hours per year.

Source
DemandStar: Who owns DemandStar?

Euna Solutions, the public sector portfolio formerly known as GTY Technology, which also absorbed Bonfire and Ion Wave.

Drata: How many customers does Drata have?

Drata serves 8,500+ global customers ranging from startups to enterprises, with a 4.8/5.0 rating on G2.

Source
DemandStar: Does it cover every agency?

No. Only agencies that have opted in, which is the main limitation for suppliers buying wide coverage.

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