Managed bid services · Checked 31 October 2026
Ziva vs Thornton & Lowe: software or a bid agency (2026)
Choose Ziva if you bid often and want your own team to produce each submission, with the buyer’s files finished, for a monthly price per project, calling in the Zelius bid team when a tender needs more hands. Choose Thornton & Lowe if you want UK consultants to write a public-sector bid for you for a fixed fee, from GBP 1,500 to GBP 4,000 for a typical tender.
Choose Ziva if
A team that bids regularly and wants each submission drafted and assembled with Ziva, keeping its knowledge in its own workspace.
Choose Thornton & Lowe if
A UK supplier that bids on public-sector tenders now and then and wants consultants to write them for a fixed fee per bid.
At a glance
Ziva and Thornton & Lowe, fact by fact.
Every Thornton & Lowe entry links to its source and shows when we checked it. Where we could not find a published fact, we left the row out.
| Fact | Ziva | Thornton & Lowe |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | ZivaOne published price per project. You choose how many new projects you open each month. | Thornton & LoweFixed fee per bid, confirmed after reviewing the tender pack. Monthly retainers and day rates also available. Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab) Checked 31 October 2026 |
| Published entry price | ZivaCHF 500 (EUR 550, USD 650) per month for one project, falling to CHF 400 per project at 20 a month. Annual billing saves 10%. | Thornton & LoweFixed fees typically from GBP 1,500 to GBP 4,000 per tender; complex bids can exceed GBP 20,000. Bid review from GBP 450. Day rate GBP 450 to GBP 750. Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab) Checked 31 October 2026 |
| Minimum commitment | ZivaMonthly or annual. A monthly plan runs month to month. | Thornton & LowePer bid, or monthly retainers: tender tracking from GBP 390, full bid writing and strategy from GBP 1,950 a month. Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab) Checked 31 October 2026 |
| Trying it first | ZivaStart paid, with a first-month money-back right: ask for a refund within the first month and you get the full amount back. | Thornton & LoweA free, no-obligation quote for each opportunity. Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab)Thornton & Lowe homepage(opens in a new tab) Checked 31 October 2026 |
| Public tender search | ZivaYes. The public tender directory on zephior.com/tenders is free to browse, without an account. Ziva Intelligence, search and analysis for one country, is CHF 199 per month. | Thornton & LoweYes. Tender Pipeline sends relevant tenders by email and tracks competitors’ contracts; no price listed. Thornton & Lowe homepage(opens in a new tab) Checked 31 October 2026 |
| Bid help from people | ZivaYes. Our Zelius bid team can take on a tender with you, scoped per bid. | Thornton & LoweYes. Bid writing, reviews, management, framework support, social value responses, training and recruitment. Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab)Thornton & Lowe homepage(opens in a new tab) Checked 31 October 2026 |
Ziva prices exclude VAT. See current pricing for every plan and currency.
In their own words
Where Thornton & Lowe falls short.
Taken from Thornton & Lowe’s own pages and from public reviews, each with its source.
The fee grows with each bid
Every tender is quoted on its own pack, and complex, high-value bids can exceed GBP 20,000.
Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab)Day rates for extra work
Work outside a fixed fee or retainer is billed at GBP 450 to GBP 750 a day.
Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab)Built around UK public procurement
The firm is based in Bolton, and its guides and examples cover UK public bodies.
Thornton & Lowe homepage(opens in a new tab)
Where Ziva goes further
What changes for your bid team.
Software and people in one workspace
Your team works with Ziva on every tender. When a bid needs more hands, our Zelius bid team joins the same workspace, with the same files and history.
Your knowledge stays with you
Past bids, CVs, references and certificates become reusable company knowledge in your own workspace, with unlimited users and no platform fee.
The buyer’s files, finished
Ziva fills the buyer’s own Excel forms and writes inside their Word templates, and produces the full package as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files.
What Thornton & Lowe does well
- Clear published fees for fixed-price bids, reviews, retainers and day rates. Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab)
- A claimed 81% tender win rate and work in over 120 sectors. Thornton & Lowe homepage(opens in a new tab)
- A wide service range around the bid, from tender alerts to training and recruitment. Thornton & Lowe homepage(opens in a new tab)
Switching
Moving from Thornton & Lowe to Ziva.
- 1
Start with one tender
Bring a live or recent tender. Your team works on it in Ziva, and our Zelius bid team can join for the parts you want to hand over.
- 2
Keep the knowledge
Upload past bids, CVs and references once. They stay in your workspace for every later bid, whoever writes it.
- 3
Decide on evidence
Compare the finished submission and the effort it took with your current provider before you commit further.
Questions
Ziva vs Thornton & Lowe: straight answers.
How much does Thornton & Lowe charge to write a bid?
Fixed fees typically start from GBP 1,500 to GBP 4,000 per tender, with complex bids above GBP 20,000. Ziva costs from CHF 500 (EUR 550, USD 650) per month for one project.
Thornton & Lowe bid writing services and fees(opens in a new tab)Does Thornton & Lowe have its own software?
Yes. Tender Pipeline delivers tender alerts and a tender library tracks your bids. Neither has a listed price.
Thornton & Lowe homepage(opens in a new tab)Can Zephior write a bid for us too?
Yes. Our Zelius bid team can take on a tender with you, scoped per bid, in the same Ziva workspace your team uses.
Sources and method
We read Thornton & Lowe’s own website and, where noted, public review pages. Last full check: 31 October 2026. Review quotes are short excerpts from the named page. Zephior publishes this page and sells Ziva; our facts follow our published pricing and product pages. If anything about Thornton & Lowe has changed, tell us at hello@zephior.com and we will correct it.
Try it on a real bid
Bring a tender you know.
Compare what comes back.
Run a live tender, or one you submitted before, in your first month. If Ziva does not convince you, you get your money back.