GrantForward vs Hello Alice in 2026
GrantForward vs Hello Alice compared for small-business owners: what each says it does, what it costs, and how to start.
CDings is published by the makers of Raise Buddy and ProductCost, which are compared here alongside other tools.
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. [1] GrantForward says it uses research interests, publications and profile information to recommend grant opportunities. [2] Hello Alice says its AI advisory board is backed by insights from 1.6 million founders. [3]
| Option | Free entry | Paid prices | Card payment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrantForward | Free search [2] | Institution trial and home subscription [2] | Not published |
| Hello Alice | Free tier [3] | Not published | Not published |
| Raise Buddy | Free plan opens programs up to $1,000 [1] | Plus $14.99 a month (up to $5,000); Pro $199 a month (every program) [1] | 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. [1] GrantForward says it uses research interests, publications and profile information to recommend grant opportunities. [2] Hello Alice says its AI advisory board is backed by insights from 1.6 million founders. [3]
If you want a list of funding matched to your business, with a plain verdict on whether you can apply, Raise Buddy's sources describe that. [1] [1] If you want recommendations built from your research interests and publications, GrantForward's sources describe that. [2] If you want the AI advisory board feature described by Hello Alice, Hello Alice's sources describe that. [3]
What GrantForward, Hello Alice is built for
GrantForward says it uses research interests, publications and profile information to recommend grant opportunities. [2] It says the recommendation service is driven by AI. [2] It says you can start an institution trial or a home subscription. [2] The pages reviewed here say nothing more about what GrantForward does after the matches are shown.
Hello Alice says its AI advisory board is backed by insights from 1.6 million founders. [3] It says the board has six advisors. [3] It says users can start without setup or a credit card. [3] It says a free tier is available. [3]
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. [1] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. [1]
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. [1] It includes private foundations that take applications, read from their own Form 990-PF tax returns. [1]
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. [1] It covers 25 ways to raise money, such as angel investors, SBA loans and equity crowdfunding, each with its official rules and a first step. [1]
It keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. [1]
Pricing and fees
GrantForward says you can start an institution trial or a home subscription. [2] The sources reviewed here do not state a price for either, so check GrantForward's own page before you commit.
Hello Alice says a free tier is available. [3] The sources reviewed here do not state a paid price for Hello Alice, so check its own pricing page before you commit.
Raise Buddy's free plan opens programs up to $1,000. [1] Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000. [1] Pro is $199 a month and opens every program, with the advisors' review and the AI assistant connection. [1] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [1] A guest's search list ends after 5. [1]
Neither source gives a card payment fee, so that part is not published for any of the three tools.
Getting started
GrantForward says you can start an institution trial or a home subscription. [2] Its pages reviewed here say nothing more about the sign-up steps.
Hello Alice says users can start without setup or a credit card. [3] A free tier is available. [3]
For Raise Buddy, no install is needed for the web app. [1] The app is built for the web and phones. [1] You paste your website or describe what you do, and the list of funding follows. [1] If you have a tax form or IRS letter, you can add a photo or PDF and confirm the draft profile it produces. [1]
AI assistants connect by adding the connection address. [1] On the Pro plan, Claude or any compatible AI assistant can search, and the assistant gets ten tools. [1] Only English is shown for now, even though five more languages are planned. [1]
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 match funding to the kind of profile you have, such as research interests or a business description, 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 documents and identifiers when you upload them?
- Is the interface in the language you work in?
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. [1] [1]
If you want recommendations built from research interests and publications, GrantForward's sources describe that. [2] If you want an AI-driven recommendation service, GrantForward's sources describe that. [2]
If you want an advisory board and a start with no setup or credit card, Hello Alice's sources describe that. [3] [3]
Frequently asked questions
Does GrantForward offer a free option?
GrantForward says you can start an institution trial or a home subscription. [2] The sources reviewed here do not state a price for either, so check GrantForward's own page before you commit. Ask whether the trial covers the searches you plan to run and what the home subscription costs after it starts.
How much does Raise Buddy cost?
The free plan opens programs up to $1,000. [1] Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000. [1] Pro is $199 a month and opens every program, with the advisors' review and the AI assistant connection. [1] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [1]
Does Hello Alice charge to start?
Hello Alice says users can start without setup or a credit card. [3] It says a free tier is available. [3] The sources reviewed here do not state a paid price, so check Hello Alice's own pricing page before you sign up and ask what the paid tier includes.
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. [1] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. [1]
Do GrantForward and Hello Alice connect to accounting software?
The sources reviewed here do not say which accounting programs GrantForward or Hello Alice work with. Ask which accounting program you use and confirm it is supported before you sign up. Also ask how often each grant database updates and whether either tracks your spending after an award is won.
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. [1]
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