Grants.gov vs Hello Alice in 2026
Grants.gov and Hello Alice compared for small-business owners: what each does, what each 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.
Grants.gov lists federal funding for organizations. [1] Hello Alice's sources reviewed here give little detail. Raise Buddy lists grants, loans, credits and prizes matched to your business, with a verdict on whether you can apply. [2] [2]
| Option | Free entry | Paid prices | Card payment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grants.gov | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Hello Alice | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Raise Buddy | Free plan opens programs up to $1,000 [2] | Plus $14.99 a month (up to $5,000); Pro $199 a month (every program) [2] | Not published |
The short answer
Grants.gov is a website where US federal agencies post funding opportunities for organizations. [1] 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. [2]
If you want to search federal grants from US agencies, Grants.gov's sources describe that. [1] 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. [2] [2] Hello Alice's sources reviewed here do not give enough detail to say what needs it meets beyond what its name suggests.
What Grants.gov, Hello Alice is built for
Grants.gov is a site where US federal agencies list funding opportunities. [1] It says federal agencies do not publish personal financial assistance opportunities on it, so the listings are for organizations, not individuals. [1] Its page lists scheduled system maintenance windows, such as September 19 through 21, 2026. [1] Its Contact Center closes on federal holidays, including October 12 for Columbus Day. [1]
Hello Alice's sources reviewed here do not give detail on what its own pages say it does. Its name and the search query suggest it is aimed at small-business owners looking for grants and resources, but no fact reviewed here confirms what it offers, how it works, or what it costs.
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. [2] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. [2]
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. [2] It includes private foundations that take applications, read from their own Form 990-PF tax returns. [2]
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. [2] It also covers 25 other ways to raise money, such as angel investors, SBA loans and equity crowdfunding, each with its official rules and a first step. [2]
It keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. [2]
Pricing and fees
Grants.gov's sources reviewed here do not state a price to use the site, so check its own pages before you rely on it. Hello Alice's sources reviewed here do not state a price, so that part is not published.
Raise Buddy's free plan opens programs up to $1,000. [2] Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000. [2] Pro is $199 a month and opens every program, with the advisors' review and the AI assistant connection. [2] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [2] A guest's search list ends after 5. [2]
No source gives a card payment fee for any of the three, so that part is not published.
Getting started
Grants.gov's sources reviewed here say nothing about the sign-up steps. Its page notes system maintenance windows, such as September 19 through 21, 2026, when the site may be unavailable. [1] Its Contact Center closes on federal holidays, including October 12. [1]
Hello Alice's sources reviewed here say nothing about the sign-up steps or how you set up and use it.
For Raise Buddy, no install is needed for the web app. [2] The app is built for the web and phones. [2] You paste your website or describe what you do, and the list of funding follows. [2] If you have a tax form or IRS letter, you can add a photo or PDF and confirm the draft profile it produces. [2]
AI assistants connect by adding the connection address. [2] On the Pro plan, Claude or any compatible AI assistant can search, and the assistant gets ten tools. [2] Only English is shown for now, even though five more languages are planned. [2]
Things to check before you choose
- 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?
- Does the tool charge a fee, and is the price published before you sign up?
How to choose
If you want to search federal grants from US agencies, Grants.gov's sources describe that. [1] It lists funding for organizations, not personal financial assistance. [1]
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. [2] [2]
If you want options beyond grants, such as SBA loans or equity crowdfunding, Raise Buddy's sources say it covers 25 other ways to raise money. [2]
If you want funding sources from outside the US, Raise Buddy's sources list programs from several countries. [2]
Hello Alice's sources reviewed here do not give enough detail to match it to a specific need. Check its own pages to confirm what it offers and what it costs before you decide.
If you want to try before paying, Raise Buddy has a free plan. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Does Grants.gov list grants for individuals?
Grants.gov says federal agencies do not publish personal financial assistance opportunities on it. [1] The site lists funding for organizations, not individuals. If you are looking for personal financial help, check other sources.
How much does Raise Buddy cost?
The free plan opens programs up to $1,000. [2] Plus is $14.99 a month and opens programs up to $5,000. [2] Pro is $199 a month and opens every program, with the advisors' review and the AI assistant connection. [2] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [2]
Is Grants.gov free to use?
Grants.gov's sources reviewed here do not state a price to use the site. [1] Check Grants.gov's own pages to confirm whether any cost applies. The site lists federal funding opportunities posted by US agencies, and its Contact Center closes on federal holidays such as October 12. [1]
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. [2] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. [2]
Does Hello Alice charge a fee?
Hello Alice's sources reviewed here do not state a price or fee. Nothing reviewed here confirms what it offers, how it works, or what it costs. Check Hello Alice's own pages for pricing and what funding types it covers before you sign up.
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. [2]
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