Softwr

Government · head to head

OpenGov vs Periscope Holdings

OpenGov logo

OpenGov

Government

Modern Cloud ERP for Government

From
$1000/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: OpenGov custom pricing only, no transparent public pricing; 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: OpenGov covers Budgeting & Planning, 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 OpenGov and Periscope Holdings actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenGov and Periscope Holdings differ
AttributeOpenGovPeriscope Holdings
Starting price$1000/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 OpenGov

  • Budgeting & Planning
  • Financial Reporting
  • Permitting & Licensing
  • Asset Management
  • Transparency Portal
  • Tyler Technologies
  • Munis
  • Microsoft Excel

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.

OpenGov

  • 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 OpenGov
  • A large agency needing statutory sealed bidding with a public opening recordnot OpenGov
  • A purchasing programme that must report spend and supplier diversity across entitiesnot OpenGov
  • A state wanting local governments to buy from its awarded cooperative contractsnot OpenGov

Where each one falls short

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

OpenGov

  • Custom pricing only, no transparent public pricing
  • No free tier available
  • Requires vendor contact for quotes

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

OpenGov

$1000/month
  • Government Cloud$1000/month
    • Budgeting & Planning
    • Reporting & Transparency
    • Citizen Services

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 OpenGov if

  • You need budgeting & planning.
  • You also want financial reporting.
OpenGov review

Choose Periscope Holdings if

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

Questions people ask

Is OpenGov or Periscope Holdings better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenGov starts at $1000/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, OpenGov or Periscope Holdings?
OpenGov starts at $1000/month and Periscope Holdings at On request.
Does OpenGov or Periscope Holdings run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is OpenGov best used for?
OpenGov 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 OpenGov do that Periscope Holdings cannot?
OpenGov covers Budgeting & Planning, Financial Reporting, Permitting & Licensing, Asset Management. Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation, Supplier registration network, Contract catalogues, Cooperative purchasing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OpenGov: What does OpenGov provide?

OpenGov is government budgeting and planning software for municipalities and public sector organizations. It helps with budget planning, financial management, and government transparency.

Source
Periscope Holdings: Who owns Periscope Holdings?

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

OpenGov: How much does OpenGov cost?

OpenGov pricing is custom and quote-based. There is no public pricing listed. Organizations need to contact OpenGov directly for a proposal based on their specific needs.

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

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

OpenGov: Is there a free tier?

No. OpenGov does not offer a free plan. Pricing requires direct vendor contact and is procurement-led.

Source
Periscope Holdings: What is BuySpeed?

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

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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