GrantForward vs Skip vs Raise Buddy in 2026
GrantForward vs Skip compared for small-business owners: what each does, what each says it costs, how to start, and what to check first.
CDings is published by the makers of Raise Buddy and ProductCost, which are compared here alongside other tools.
GrantForward says it provides a free search option and an AI-driven recommendation service for grant opportunities. [1] [1] Skip says its AI Cofounder helps businesses start, run, and grow, and it says Cofounder includes grant application tools. [2] [2] Raise Buddy lists funding options from a business description and gives application fit details. [3] [3]
| Option | Free entry | Paid prices | Card payment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrantForward | Free search option [1] | Institution trial and home subscription; price not published [1] | Not published [1] |
| Skip | AI Cofounder for free [2] | Not published [2] | Not published [2] |
| 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, advisors' review, AI connection) [3] | Not published [3] |
The short answer
GrantForward says it offers a free search option and an AI-driven recommendation service for grant opportunities. [1] [1] Skip says its AI Cofounder helps businesses start, run, and grow, and it says Cofounder includes grant application tools. [2] [2]
Raise Buddy takes a website or description of what a business does and lists grants, loans, credits, prizes and other funding that may be possible to apply for. [3] Each match says whether an application is possible, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, using the funder's own words. [3]
If the goal is to search grant opportunities with an AI recommendation service, GrantForward's sources describe that. [1] If the goal is to use a business tool with grant application tools through Cofounder, Skip's sources describe that. [2]
What GrantForward, Skip is built for
GrantForward says it provides an AI-driven recommendation service and a free search option for grant opportunities. [1] [1] GrantForward says it offers an institution trial and a home subscription. [1]
Skip says its AI Cofounder helps businesses start, run, and grow. [2] Skip says it offers grant application tools through Cofounder. [2] Skip says it provides tools to create images, videos, products, and content for businesses. [2] Skip says businesses can create profiles, showcase products, and get discovered through its business network. [2]
What Raise Buddy is built for
Raise Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. [3] 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 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]
Pricing and fees
GrantForward says it offers an institution trial and a home subscription. [1] GrantForward says it offers a free search option. [1] The sources reviewed here do not state GrantForward's subscription price, so check its own pricing information before choosing. [1]
Skip says it offers AI Cofounder for free. [2] The sources reviewed here do not state other Skip prices, so check its own pricing information before choosing. [2]
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 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]
Getting started
GrantForward says it offers an institution trial, a home subscription, and a free search option. [1] [1] GrantForward says its service uses an AI-driven recommendation service for grant opportunities. [1]
Skip says it offers AI Cofounder for free and says Cofounder includes grant application tools. [2] [2]
Raise Buddy's web app needs nothing installed. [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 Raise Buddy's address. [3] On the Pro plan, Claude or any compatible AI assistant can search Raise Buddy, with ten tools to use. [3] Only English is shown for now, even though five more languages are planned. [3]
Things to check before you choose
What type of funding do you want to find, and does the tool describe that type of funding? [3]
What information does the tool use to match opportunities to a business or organisation? [1]
Does the tool show why a funding option may fit or what step stands in the way? [3]
Who completes the application and where is it made? [3]
What happens to documents or identifiers added to the tool? [3]
How to choose
If you want an AI-driven recommendation service for grant opportunities, GrantForward's sources describe that. [1] If you want a business tool with grant application tools through Cofounder, Skip's sources describe that. [2]
If you want funding matches from a business description and a verdict on whether you can apply, Raise Buddy's sources describe that. [3] [3] If you want options beyond grants, Raise Buddy's sources say it covers 25 ways to raise money. [3]
Frequently asked questions
Does GrantForward have a free option?
GrantForward says it offers a free search option. [1] GrantForward also says it offers an institution trial and a home subscription. [1] The sources reviewed here do not state the subscription price, so check GrantForward's own pricing information before choosing.
Does Skip help with grant applications?
Skip says it offers grant application tools through Cofounder. [2] Skip says its AI Cofounder helps businesses start, run, and grow. [2] Check which parts of the funding process the tool covers before choosing.
How much does Raise Buddy cost?
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 advisors' review and the AI assistant connection. [3]
Can Raise Buddy submit grant applications?
Raise Buddy keeps track of where each application 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]
Does GrantForward recommend grant opportunities?
GrantForward says it provides an AI-driven recommendation service for grant opportunities. [1] GrantForward says it offers a free search option. [1] Check whether the recommendation method matches the type of funding search needed before choosing.
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]
Try Raise BuddySources
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