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ERP · head to head

Ivalua vs Periscope Holdings

Ivalua logo

Ivalua

ERP

Source-to-pay on one codebase and one data model, sold to large enterprises by module

From
On request
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: Ivalua entry deployments are reported around 150,000 US dollars a year before implementation, which puts it entirely out of reach for mid-market procurement teams.; 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: Ivalua covers Single data model, 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 Ivalua and Periscope Holdings actually diverge.

Attributes where Ivalua and Periscope Holdings differ
AttributeIvaluaPeriscope Holdings
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryERPGovernment

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 Ivalua

  • Single data model
  • Supplier risk and onboarding
  • Contract lifecycle management
  • Direct materials procurement
  • Invoice matching and payment
  • Configurable workflow engine

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.

Ivalua

  • A manufacturer that needs direct materials sourcing tied to a bill of materials, not just indirect spendnot Periscope Holdings
  • An enterprise whose last procurement programme failed because supplier master data could not be reconciled across modulesnot Periscope Holdings
  • A regulated organisation needing third-party risk screening enforced before a supplier can receive a purchase ordernot Periscope Holdings
  • Replacing separate sourcing, contract and invoice systems where each holds a different version of the supplier recordnot Periscope Holdings

Periscope Holdings

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

Where each one falls short

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

Ivalua

  • Entry deployments are reported around 150,000 US dollars a year before implementation, which puts it entirely out of reach for mid-market procurement teams.
  • Configurability requires an internal product owner and usually a systems integrator, so the total programme cost is a multiple of the licence and the failure modes are those of an ERP project.
  • Module-based licensing means capability you assumed was included, such as contract lifecycle management or supplier risk, is frequently a separate line item discovered late in the negotiation.
  • Supplier network pricing scales with active supplier count, so an organisation with a long tail of small suppliers pays for records that generate little spend.
  • The user interface prioritises configurability over ease, and casual requisitioners across the business need more guidance than a consumer-style intake tool would require.

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

Ivalua

On request
  • Ivalua Source-to-Pay$undefined/year
    • Module-based licensing rather than per seat
    • User counts tiered by role category
    • Supplier network pricing driven by active supplier count

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 Ivalua if

  • You need single data model.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want supplier risk and onboarding.
Ivalua review

Choose Periscope Holdings if

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

Questions people ask

Is Ivalua or Periscope Holdings better?
Neither clearly leads. Ivalua starts at On request and Periscope Holdings at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ivalua or Periscope Holdings?
Ivalua starts at On request and Periscope Holdings at On request.
Does Ivalua or Periscope Holdings run on more platforms?
Ivalua runs on Web, iOS, Android. Periscope Holdings runs on Web.
What is Ivalua best used for?
Ivalua is most often used for a manufacturer that needs direct materials sourcing tied to a bill of materials, not just indirect spend, an enterprise whose last procurement programme failed because supplier master data could not be reconciled across modules, a regulated organisation needing third-party risk screening enforced before a supplier can receive a purchase order, replacing separate sourcing, contract and invoice systems where each holds a different version of the supplier record. Of those, a manufacturer that needs direct materials sourcing tied to a bill of materials, not just indirect spend and an enterprise whose last procurement programme failed because supplier master data could not be reconciled across modules are not what Periscope Holdings is typically brought in for.
What can Ivalua do that Periscope Holdings cannot?
Ivalua covers Single data model, Supplier risk and onboarding, Contract lifecycle management, Direct materials procurement. Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation, Supplier registration network, Contract catalogues, Cooperative purchasing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ivalua: What does the single codebase actually buy me?

One supplier and contract record used across every module, so there is no synchronisation layer to reconcile and no data drift between sourcing and invoicing.

Periscope Holdings: Who owns Periscope Holdings?

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

Ivalua: What does Ivalua cost?

It is not published. Third parties report entry deployments around 150,000 USD a year and full-platform deployments above 400,000, plus implementation.

Periscope Holdings: Is it suitable for a single city?

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

Ivalua: Does it handle direct materials?

Yes, which distinguishes it from suites built primarily for indirect spend.

Periscope Holdings: What is BuySpeed?

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

Ivalua: Is Ivalua still independent?

Yes. It is one of the few large source-to-pay vendors not owned by a bigger enterprise software group.

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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