Candid Foundation Directory vs Grantmakers.io in 2026
Candid Foundation Directory and Grantmakers.io compared for small-business owners: what each does, what it costs, and what to check first.
CDings is published by the makers of Raise Buddy and ProductCost, which are compared here alongside other tools.
Two grant-finding tools, compared here for a small-business owner: what each does, what each says it costs, how to start, and what to check first. Candid says its search covers 1.9 million organizations by name, EIN, or keyword. [1] No facts about Grantmakers.io were among those reviewed here, so this page cannot describe it from its own pages.
| Option | Free entry | Paid prices | Card payment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candid Foundation Directory | Free registration [1] | Premium $219 a month billed monthly [2]; Premium annual $100 a month, $1,199 billed annually [2]; Ultimate annual $142 a month, $1,699 billed annually [2] | Not published |
| Grantmakers.io | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Raise Buddy | Free plan opens programs up to $1,000 [3] | Plus $14.99 a month (up to $5,000); Pro $199 a month (every program) [3] | Not published |
The short answer
Raise Buddy takes your website or a short description of what you do and lists grants, loans, credits, prizes and other funding you may be able to apply for. [3] Candid says its search covers 1.9 million organizations by name, EIN, or keyword. [1] No facts about Grantmakers.io were among those reviewed here, so this page cannot describe it from its own pages.
If you want a list of funding matched to a description of your business, with a plain verdict on whether you can apply, Raise Buddy's sources describe that. [3] If you want to search a very large published directory of funders and grantors, Candid's sources describe that. [1] For Grantmakers.io, check its own pages for what it does.
What Candid Foundation Directory and Grantmakers.io are built for
Candid's own pages say its search covers 1.9 million organizations by name, EIN, or keyword. [1] It says it offers 3 million annual grant transactions. [1] Its page says registration is free. [1] It says you can get real-time data updates through its APIs. [1] It says it can provide nonprofit data sets customized to a user's needs. [1] Its Ultimate plan includes everything in Premium and adds a data visualization tool for funding trends. [2]
The facts reviewed here contain nothing about Grantmakers.io, so nothing can be said about it from its own pages.
What Raise Buddy is built for
Raise Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. You paste your website or describe what you do, and it lists grants, loans, credits, prizes and other funding you may be able to apply for. [3] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. [3]
It can read a Schedule C, Form 1120, 1065 or 990, or an IRS letter, from a photo or PDF into a draft profile you confirm, and it does not keep the EIN or the papers. [3] It includes private foundations that take applications, read from their own Form 990-PF tax returns. [3]
Its program list includes the UK's Find a Grant, Australia's GrantConnect, France's Aides-territoires, Japan's jGrants, Spain's BDNS and Austria's Transparenzportal. [3] It also covers 25 ways to raise money, such as angel investors, SBA loans and equity crowdfunding, each with its official rules and a first step. [3]
It keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. [3]
Pricing and fees
Candid says registration is free. [1] Candid lists a Premium monthly plan starting at $219 a month, billed monthly. [2] It lists a Premium annual plan at a $100 a month starting price, $1,199 billed annually. [2] It lists an Ultimate annual plan at a $142 a month starting price, $1,699 billed annually. [2] The facts reviewed here do not state a price for Grantmakers.io, so check its own pricing page before you commit.
Raise Buddy's free plan opens programs up to $1,000. [3] Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000. [3] Pro is $199 a month and opens every program, with the advisors' review and the AI assistant connection. [3] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [3] A guest's search list ends after 5. [3]
The sources and claims reviewed here give no card payment fee, so that part is not published for any tool.
Getting started
Candid says registration is free. [1] The facts reviewed here say nothing more about Candid's sign-up steps. No facts about Grantmakers.io were reviewed, so check its own pages for how to start.
For Raise Buddy, no install is needed for the web app. [3] The app works on the web and on phones. [3] You paste your website or describe what you do, and the list of funding follows. [3] If you have a tax form or IRS letter, you can add a photo or PDF and confirm the draft profile it produces. [3]
AI assistants connect by adding the connection address. [3] On the Pro plan, Claude or any compatible AI assistant can search, and the assistant gets ten tools. [3] Only English is shown for now, even though five more languages are planned. [3]
Things to check before you choose
- What does the plan you need cost each month, and is it published before you sign up?
- Does the tool cover the kind of funding you want, such as grants, loans or prizes, and the country you operate in?
- Does it say plainly whether your business can apply, and does it quote the funder?
- Who writes the application: you, or the tool? Where do you submit it?
- Does it track deadlines and spending after you win, and does it connect to the accounting software you already use?
- What happens to your tax documents and identifiers when you upload them?
- Is the interface in the language you work in?
- Grantmakers.io's own pricing and features were not among the facts reviewed here, so ask for its current pricing, data coverage and any limits on searches before you commit.
How to choose
If you want a list of funding matched to a description of your business, with a verdict on whether you can apply, Raise Buddy's sources describe that. [3] [3]
If you want options beyond grants, such as angel investors or SBA loans, Raise Buddy's sources say it covers 25 ways to raise money. [3]
If you want funding sources from outside the US, Raise Buddy's sources list programs from several countries. [3]
If you want to search a very large published directory of funders, Candid's sources describe that. [1] [1]
If you want to try before paying, Candid says registration is free. [1] Raise Buddy has a free plan. [3]
Frequently asked questions
Is Candid Foundation Directory free?
Candid says registration is free. [1] Paid plans start at $219 a month billed monthly for Premium. [2] Premium annual is $100 a month, $1,199 billed annually, and Ultimate annual is $142 a month, $1,699 billed annually. [2] [2] Check which plan gives the searches and downloads needed before signing up.
How much does Raise Buddy cost?
The free plan opens programs up to $1,000. [3] Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000. [3] Pro is $199 a month and opens every program, with the advisors' review and the AI assistant connection. [3] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [3]
Can Candid Foundation Directory match a business to funders?
Candid's own pages say its search covers 1.9 million organizations by name, EIN, or keyword and offers 3 million annual grant transactions. [1] [1] The facts reviewed here say nothing about a plain yes or no verdict for each business, so ask how eligibility is confirmed before signing up.
Can Raise Buddy submit a grant application?
Raise Buddy keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. [3] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. [3]
What does Grantmakers.io cost?
The facts reviewed here contain nothing about Grantmakers.io, so its price, free trial and features are not stated here. Ask Grantmakers.io for its current pricing, what its searches cover, and any limits on how many results can be seen before committing.
Free plan opens programs up to $1,000; Plus is $14.99 a month (up to $5,000); Pro is $199 a month (every program, advisors' review, AI connection). The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [3]
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