Introduction

As a company looking to streamline your RFP (Request for Proposal) and security questionnaire process, you may have encountered two popular software solutions: Loopio and Responsive.

While both of these platforms aim to simplify and enhance the RFP management process, they do have some distinct differences. Understanding these differences can help you make an informed decision on which platform best suits your organization's needs.

Upfront, it's also important to mention that while these RFP Softwares are popular, since the advent of AI, solutions such as our AutoRFP.ai have redefined what RFP Software can be and should also form apart of your investigation into the right solution.

Disclaimer: This is a person's opinion based on personal experience looking for a solution in the RFP Software Market.

Loopio Founders

Loopio was founded in 2014 by Zakir Hemraj, Matt York, and Jafar Owainati, three Toronto-based entrepreneurs who wanted to simplify the RFP response process back when there were virtually no SaaS solutions in the market.

Frustrated by the manual and time-consuming nature of contributing to RFPs as an SME, they set out to create a solution that would automate and streamline the process, allowing teams to focus on their core jobs.

Responsive (formerly RFPIO) Founders

In 2015, Ganesh Shankar, AJ Sunder and Sankar Lagudu founded Responsive with a vision to revolutionize the RFP response process similar to the LoopIO founders.

What are the major differences between Loopio and Responsive?

Now that it's been nearly 10 years since both companies were founded, a lot has changed. In this comparison, we've broken it into the following sections:

1. Loopio vs Responsive Pricing

2. Loopio vs Responsive User Interface/Ease of Use

3. Loopio vs Responsive Collaboration and Workflow

4. Loopio vs Responsive Integration

5. Loopio vs Responsive Security & Compliance

Loopio vs Responsive (RFPIO) Pricing

Pricing is an essential factor in any software decision. Both Loopio and Responsive offer configurable pricing models and all but mandate annual subscriptions.

Loopio's pricing is based on the number of users and features included, while Responsive's pricing is based on the number of concurrent projects being worked on.

Loopio User-Based Pricing

User-based pricing is quite an outdated model due to the need, specifically with RFPs, to be able to pull in multiple Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) at a moment's notice. User-based pricing also prohibits broader adoption.

Responsive Concurrent Project Based Pricing

Concurrent Projects aren't much better because, as you may already know, RFP volumes are highly irregular, meaning that you may have ten concurrent projects one month and zero the next. So this pricing can have you pay for significantly more than you might need.

Consider your budget and the specific features you require when evaluating the pricing plans of each platform.

Responsive (RFPIO) has also gained a reputation of charging for add-ons in addition to its core products, so be sure to know exactly what is and is not included in your quote and what the fees are for other add-ons, features and integrations.

2024 Update: Significant price increases have been reported by users including the addition of a per user cost.

AutoRFP.ai Project-Based Pricing

At AutoRFP.ai we simply charge based on the number of projects you do per year and allow for unlimited users at no additional cost. This ensures:

A) You are not being charged for each additional user, allowing the solution to be widely adopted

B) You are not being charged for anything you don't use.

User Interface and Ease of Use:

Both Loopio and Responsive provide browser based interfaces, but they have different approaches.

Loopio offers a more modern and visually appealing interface, which can be more intuitive for some users. Responsive, on the other hand, focuses on deep functionality, providing a number of niche features that add to the total number of clicks to navigate to places in some cases and can require more training.

"It has been difficult to get SMEs outside of my department to adopt. It you are not in there using it all the time, some features come across as intimidating. We had complaints about the way boxes expand on selection, on not being able to easily see with a single click ALL the specific questions assigned to the SME, and just in general the number of clicks needed to accomplish tasks." - Responsive Review from their Website

Consider your team's preferences and ease of adoption when evaluating the user interface. Loopio may be better for firms looking to implement their first RFP Software, while Responsive may be better if you are already familiar with it, have a lot of requirements or have the required resources to invest in training.

Collaboration and Workflow:

Loopio and Responsive offer collaboration features that allow teams to work together seamlessly. Loopio provides a centralized content library where users can store and update responses, making it easy to collaborate and maintain consistency.

Responsive, meanwhile, emphasizes its project management capabilities, such as assigning tasks, tracking progress, and managing deadlines. Responsive also has concepts such as guests that allow you to invite people from outside of the organisation.

Assess your team's collaboration needs to determine which platform aligns better with your workflow requirements.

Automation

While both platforms are certainly better than a manual process, there is consistent feedback across both platforms that the Responsive Auto-Fill and LoopIO Magic aren't as good as some users expected them to be.

"I still seem to be going in and having to manually write my RFP responses for most questions." - G2 Review for Loopio

Meanwhile, newer solutions than both Loopio and Responsive, including AutoRFP.ai, have a completely Generative AI-based solutions that are able to more accurately find and generate responses that meet the customer's requirements with far less editing.

Integration

Integration with other tools and systems is essential for maximizing efficiency. Loopio offers various integrations, including basic integrations with popular software like Salesforce and Slack.

Responsive also offers integrations with various platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft Office, and Google Drive.

Consider the specific integrations and automation features essential to your organization when comparing Loopio and Responsive.

Security and Compliance:

Regarding handling sensitive information, security and compliance are crucial considerations. Loopio takes security seriously and has implemented encryption, data backups, and access controls to protect user data. It also complies with industry standards, such as GDPR and SOC 2.

Responsive similarly prioritizes security and compliance, with features like data encryption, role-based access controls, and GDPR and SOC 2 compliance. Responsive also has ISO27001, which is generally preferred to SOC 2.

Review both platforms' security measures and compliance standards to ensure they meet your organization's requirements.

Negative Reviews of Loopio and Responsive

While Loopio and Responsive both offer powerful solutions for streamlining the RFP and Security Questionnaire process, it is important to consider the negative reviews of these platforms. Loopio has been criticized for its difficulty in navigation and customization, as well as limited integrations with other tools. Responsive has been noted for being slow and less user-friendly. To make an informed decision, it is recommended to trial both platforms and gather feedback from key stakeholders to determine which solution aligns best with your organization's specific requirements and preferences.

As expectations on these tools grow, I expect that their ratings are posied to drop without significant innovation on their part.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while both tools will "Tick the boxes". I would seriously consider looking into new solutions such as AutoRFP.ai that provide more aligned pricing, easier to use interfaces and higher levels of automation.

You can book a demo at the link below.