If you've spent any time on SAM.gov trying to find government contracts, you already know the pain. The search is clunky, saved searches break constantly, and you end up scrolling through hundreds of irrelevant results. It works — technically — but it was built for compliance, not for helping you win contracts.
The good news: there are alternatives. The bad news: they range from $29/mo to $2,500/mo, and some of them aren't much better than SAM.gov itself. Here's an honest breakdown of 7 options so you can pick the one that actually fits your business.
Why Small Businesses Look Beyond SAM.gov
SAM.gov is the official federal procurement database. Every federal contract opportunity gets posted there. So why would you pay for something else?
- Search is unreliable. Filters break, saved searches stop working, and keyword matching is crude.
- No smart matching. You have to manually search every day or hope the email alerts actually fire (they often don't).
- Information overload. Thousands of opportunities get posted daily. Without good filtering, you waste hours on contracts you'd never qualify for.
- No competitive intelligence. SAM.gov tells you what's available. It doesn't tell you who's bidding, who won last time, or whether you have a realistic shot.
That said, SAM.gov is free and it's the source of truth. Every tool on this list pulls data from SAM.gov (and sometimes other federal databases). You're paying for better search, better alerts, and better analysis — not for access to different contracts.
The 7 Alternatives
1. GovContract Alerts — $29/mo
GovContract Alerts is built specifically for small businesses that don't have a full-time BD team. You set your NAICS codes, keywords, and set-aside preferences, and it sends you matching opportunities by email — daily or in real-time.
What's good: Cheapest paid option. AI-powered matching means less noise. Dead simple to set up. You don't need to log into a dashboard every day.
What's not: Newer product, so it doesn't have the massive historical database that GovWin or GovTribe have. Focused on opportunity alerts rather than full competitive intelligence.
Best for: Solo founders and small teams who want good-enough contract matching without spending hours on SAM.gov or hundreds on enterprise tools.
2. Bid Banana — $50/mo
Bid Banana aggregates federal, state, and local opportunities into a single searchable database. It covers more than just SAM.gov, which is its main selling point.
What's good: State and local coverage in addition to federal. Decent search interface. Email alerts included.
What's not: The interface feels dated. Search relevance can be hit-or-miss. At $50/mo, you're paying almost double GovContract Alerts for a broader but shallower experience.
Best for: Businesses that bid on state and local contracts in addition to federal work.
3. SAM Search (by Deltek) — $99/mo
SAM Search is Deltek's entry-level product. It's essentially a better front-end for SAM.gov data with improved search filters and saved search functionality.
What's good: Reliable saved searches (unlike SAM.gov itself). Good filtering by NAICS, set-aside, agency, and location. Part of the Deltek ecosystem if you want to upgrade later.
What's not: $99/mo is steep for what's basically "SAM.gov but it works." No AI matching. Limited competitive intelligence unless you upgrade to GovWin IQ.
Best for: Businesses that want a straightforward, reliable version of SAM.gov search without the bells and whistles.
4. GovTribe — Free tier + paid plans
GovTribe offers a free tier with basic contract search and paid plans with more features. It's particularly good for research — you can look up agencies, contractors, and spending patterns.
What's good: Free tier is genuinely useful for research. Good data on past awards and incumbent contractors. Clean interface.
What's not: The free tier is limited (restricted searches per day). Paid plans aren't cheap. Alerts on free tier are basic.
Best for: Businesses that want to research the competitive landscape before deciding whether to bid.
5. EZGovOpps — $225/mo
EZGovOpps positions itself as a mid-market solution with advanced search, automated alerts, and pipeline management features.
What's good: Strong search and filtering. Pipeline tracking so you can manage multiple bids. Good email alert customization.
What's not: At $225/mo ($2,700/year), the price is hard to justify unless you're regularly winning contracts. The interface has a learning curve. Overkill for businesses just getting started.
Best for: Established government contractors managing multiple active bids who need pipeline management alongside opportunity search.
6. GovWin IQ (by Deltek) — ~$2,500/mo
GovWin IQ is the enterprise solution. It goes far beyond opportunity search — you get pre-solicitation intelligence, agency forecasts, incumbent analysis, and teaming partner identification.
What's good: The most comprehensive competitive intelligence in the market. Pre-RFP tracking can give you months of lead time. Detailed agency and contract analysis.
What's not: The price. At roughly $30,000/year, this is for companies with serious government revenue. The platform is complex and takes time to learn. Massive overkill for small businesses.
Best for: Mid-size to large government contractors with dedicated BD teams and significant existing federal revenue.
7. APEX Accelerators (formerly PTACs) — Free
APEX Accelerators are government-funded counseling centers that help small businesses with government contracting. They're completely free and available in every state.
What's good: Free. One-on-one counseling. They'll help you with SAM.gov registration, capability statements, bid writing, and finding opportunities. Real humans who know the local contracting landscape.
What's not: They're counselors, not a software tool. You won't get automated alerts or a searchable database. Quality varies by location. Availability can be limited — popular centers have waitlists.
Best for: Businesses brand new to government contracting who need guidance, not just a better search tool.
Comparison Table
| Tool | Price | Federal Opps | State/Local | AI Matching | Email Alerts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAM.gov | Free | Yes | No | No | Unreliable |
| GovContract Alerts | $29/mo | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bid Banana | $50/mo | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| SAM Search | $99/mo | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| GovTribe | Free+ | Yes | No | No | Limited |
| EZGovOpps | $225/mo | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| GovWin IQ | ~$2,500/mo | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| APEX Accelerators | Free | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
So Which One Should You Pick?
If you're just starting out: Go talk to your local APEX Accelerator first. It's free, and they'll help you figure out if government contracting even makes sense for your business. Then compare the paid tools once you know what you need.
If you're actively bidding but tired of SAM.gov: GovContract Alerts at $29/mo gives you the biggest upgrade for the least money. You get AI-matched opportunities in your inbox instead of fighting SAM.gov's search every morning.
If you need state and local coverage: Bid Banana is worth a look since it aggregates across government levels.
If you're an established contractor with revenue: EZGovOpps or GovWin IQ give you competitive intelligence and pipeline management that the cheaper tools don't. But only if your contract wins justify the spend.
The best tool is the one you'll actually use consistently. A $29/mo alert service you check every day beats a $2,500/mo platform you log into once a month.