COMPARE
InstantSam and GovDash, side by side
What each costs and what each does, from each company's own website. GovDash's column was read on 1 November 2026.
What each costs, and how you buy it
Prices as each company prints them on its own pricing page. Where a company prints only a monthly price, the yearly figure is worked out and says so.
| Product | How you buy it | Lowest paid plan | One person, a year | Five people, a year | Free plan or trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InstantSam | Monthly or yearly, bought online. Professional can also be bought monthly in the iPhone app. | Essential, $24.99 a month billed yearly, or $29.99 monthly with a first subscription's first two months at $19.99. Professional, which has every feature in the table below that is not marked Premier, is $59.99 a month billed yearly or $69.99 monthly | $299.88 on Essential billed yearly, or $719.88 on Professional. Monthly Professional: $799.88 in the first year, two months at $49.99 and ten at $69.99, then $839.88 a year | $1,799.88 on Premier billed yearly, which covers up to 5 people. Monthly: $1,999.88 in the first year, two months at $124.99 and ten at $174.99, then $2,099.88 a year | Free plan with no time limit and no card, with 3 document reviews once, each with its compliance checklist |
| GovDash | Annual plans by seat; seat prices only through sales | Not published; Starter begins at 1 full seat | Not published | Not published | No free plan on the pricing page; their FAQ says Discover search is public, with no account |
Where they differ
Of the 31 rows below, the two are the same on 17. The others are listed here both ways. Not listedmeans not found on a company’s public pages on the date shown; it may exist behind a sign in, so ask.
Where InstantSam lists more
Federal grants (Grants.gov)
InstantSam: Yes, Posted and forecast. GovDash: Not listed, Grants.gov not named on their pages.
DLA DIBBS requests for quotation
InstantSam: Yes. GovDash: Not listed, DIBBS not named.
DoD SBIR and STTR topics
InstantSam: Yes, DoD topics from DSIP. GovDash: Not listed, SBIR only as a GovWin notice type.
Tells you what an amendment changed
InstantSam: Yes, Shown on the notice; alerts on every paid plan. GovDash: Partly, Summary and highlights; uploaded by hand except eBuy.
Competition: offers received, who won
InstantSam: Yes, Offers received and repeat winners. GovDash: Partly, Competitor win history; offer counts not listed.
Contract vehicles (IDIQs, GWACs, schedules)
InstantSam: Yes. GovDash: Partly, Tracks your vehicles and task orders; eBuy RFQs.
Reminder before a certification expires
InstantSam: Yes, Emails at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 days. GovDash: Not listed, Tracks NDA and teaming agreement expiry only.
Calendar feed for Google or Outlook
InstantSam: Yes. GovDash: Partly, Pulls Google events in; GovDash events stay inside.
Native iPhone and Android apps
InstantSam: Yes, iPhone and Android. GovDash: Not listed, Dash via Teams and Slack; no app listing found.
Free plan with no time limit
InstantSam: Yes, No time limit, no card. GovDash: Partly, Free public Discover search; no free plan listed.
Monthly billing, cancel any time
InstantSam: Yes. GovDash: Not listed, Starter is annual; Growth is an annual commitment.
Prices published on the website
InstantSam: Yes. GovDash: Not listed, No figures; page says talk to sales for seat prices.
Buy without a sales call or demo
InstantSam: Yes. GovDash: Not listed, Every plan button leads to a sales form.
Where GovDash lists more
Research by human analysts
InstantSam: No. GovDash: Partly, GovWin analyst notes imported; ProTeam is support.
Every row
| Feature | InstantSam | GovDash |
|---|---|---|
| Where the work comes from | ||
| Federal contract notices (SAM.gov) | YesFreeSolicitations, presolicitations and sources sought | YesSAM.gov and PIEE; SAM.gov synced every 3 minutes |
| Federal grants (Grants.gov) | YesFreePosted and forecast | Not listedGrants.gov not named on their pages |
| State and local bids | PartlyFreeEight portals: TX, NYC, FL, NC, LA, MA, NJ, IL | Partly56 state and territory sites; no city or county list |
| DLA DIBBS requests for quotation | YesFree | Not listedDIBBS not named |
| DoD SBIR and STTR topics | YesFreeDoD topics from DSIP | Not listedSBIR only as a GovWin notice type |
| Forecasts before a solicitation posts | YesProfessionalThe federal forecast tool and the City of Boston plan | YesAgency forecasts plus predicted recompetes |
| Reading the solicitation | ||
| AI reads the attachments, not only the notice | YesEssentialFifteen attachments, or up to 30 for 2 or 3 reviews; three reviews free | YesReads RFPs, PWS, attachments and amendments |
| Compliance checklist or matrix | YesEssentialUp to 40 requirements that decide acceptance, part of the notice's review; three reviews free | YesMatrix from sections L, M and C; Excel export |
| Each requirement shown with its source sentence | YesEssentialEach quote checked against the document | YesEach requirement links to its highlighted sentence |
| Questions answered from the documents | YesEssentialAnswers quote the documents | YesDash chat uses solicitation documents |
| Tells you what an amendment changed | YesFreeShown on the notice; alerts on every paid plan | PartlySummary and highlights; uploaded by hand except eBuy |
| Writes proposal text for you | YesProfessionalFive proposal drafts a month from your outline and your own record; Sources Sought letters on every paid plan | YesDrafts sections from your past performance, in Word |
| Deciding whether to bid | ||
| Alerts on new matching notices | YesEssentialEmail, and push on the phone | YesDaily, weekly or monthly alerts per search profile |
| Win likelihood or pWin | YesProfessionalA verdict with its reasons, no percentage | YesWeighted PWin per gate; Dash can suggest scores |
| Competition: offers received, who won | YesProfessionalOffers received and repeat winners | PartlyCompetitor win history; offer counts not listed |
| Market intelligence | YesProfessional | YesAgency budget signals, news, competitor research |
| Recompetes and expiring contracts | YesProfessionalContracts ending in 6 to 18 months | YesPredicted from expiring awards, with incumbent details |
| Labor rates or price to win | YesEssentialGSA CALC+ ceiling rates | YesPricer, and Dash researches market rates |
| Contract vehicles (IDIQs, GWACs, schedules) | YesProfessional | PartlyTracks your vehicles and task orders; eBuy RFQs |
| Reminder before a certification expires | YesEssentialEmails at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 days | Not listedTracks NDA and teaming agreement expiry only |
| Running the bid and the team | ||
| Pursuit pipeline | YesFreeWith tasks, notes and a go or no-go record | YesKanban, Gantt and table views; gate reviews |
| Calendar feed for Google or Outlook | YesEssential | PartlyPulls Google events in; GovDash events stay inside |
| Team seats and shared work | YesPremierFive seats | YesUnlimited Flex seats; AI use draws on team credits |
| API or webhooks | YesPremierA read-only API and webhooks | YesOutbound webhooks; no REST API found |
| Native iPhone and Android apps | YesiPhone and Android | Not listedDash via Teams and Slack; no app listing found |
| Research by human analysts | No | PartlyGovWin analyst notes imported; ProTeam is support |
| SSO or a FedRAMP environment | YesPremierSSO through Okta, Microsoft Entra or Google Workspace, and two-factor sign-in; not FedRAMP authorized | YesFedRAMP Moderate Equivalent; SSO from Growth plan |
| Buying it | ||
| Free plan with no time limit | YesNo time limit, no card | PartlyFree public Discover search; no free plan listed |
| Monthly billing, cancel any time | Yes | Not listedStarter is annual; Growth is an annual commitment |
| Prices published on the website | Yes | Not listedNo figures; page says talk to sales for seat prices |
| Buy without a sales call or demo | Yes | Not listedEvery plan button leads to a sales form |
Where each cell came from
GovDash’s own pages, read on 1 November 2026. InstantSam’s column comes from our own product, with the plan that includes each feature. Nothing here comes from review sites, roundups or price estimates.
- govdash.com
- govdash.com/pricing
- govdash.com/discover
- govdash.com/proposal
- govdash.com/capture
- govdash.com/defense
- govdash.com/sled
- govdash.com/security
- govdash.com/proteam
- govdash.com/blog/govcon-price-to-win-tools-comparison
- govdash.com/blog/propricer-review
- support.govdash.com/docs/solicitation-documents.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/adding-amendments-solicitation-docs.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/create-and-manage-saved-searches.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/gate-reviews.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/webhooks.md
- govdash.com/integrations
- support.govdash.com/docs/finding-opportunities-using-discover.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/sled-in-discover.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/govwin-integration.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/shreds.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/compliance-matrix-and-review-mode.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/using-dash.md
- govdash.com/pricer
- support.govdash.com/docs/managing-teaming-partners.md
- support.govdash.com/docs/calendar-sync.md
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