CDings Plain comparisons of small-business tools

GrantStation vs Skip in 2026

GrantStation and Skip compared for small-business owners: what each does, what each says it costs, how to start, and what to check first.

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CDings is published by the makers of Raise Buddy and ProductCost, which are compared here alongside other tools.

GrantStation and Skip compared for small-business owners: what each does, what each says it costs, how to start, and what to check first. GrantStation says its database holds more than 150,000 funder records and more than 15,000 curated funding opportunities. [1] The sources reviewed here do not give facts about Skip, so this page says less about it.

OptionFree entryPaid pricesCard payment fee
GrantStationFree weekly funding updates by sign-up [1]41 cents a day (GS Membership) [1]Not published
SkipNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Raise BuddyFree 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

GrantStation says its database holds more than 150,000 funder records and more than 15,000 curated funding opportunities, covering funders in the U.S., Canada, and internationally. [1] [1] It offers a Decision Matrix for comparing funding prospects and ruling out poor fits, and a Proposal Reviewer that helps identify strengths and gaps in a proposal before it is submitted. [1] [1] The sources reviewed here do not give facts about Skip, so this page says less about it and you should check Skip's own pages before deciding.

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. [2] [2] If you want a large funder database with tools to compare prospects and review proposals, GrantStation's sources describe that. [1] [1] [1]

What GrantStation, Skip is built for

GrantStation says its database holds more than 150,000 funder records and more than 15,000 curated funding opportunities, across the U.S., Canada, and internationally, with AI-assisted tools to help refine searches. [1] [1] Its funder research includes 990 data, giving history, awards, funding patterns, and fit. [1]

GrantStation offers a Decision Matrix for comparing prospects, ruling out poor fits, and focusing on the strongest funding opportunities. [1] It offers a Proposal Reviewer to identify strengths, uncover gaps, and refine a proposal before submitting. [1]

GrantStation membership includes planning tools such as calendars, goal-setting tools, the Grant Diversification Assessment, and Benchmarker. [1] It offers free weekly funding updates and expert insights by sign-up. [1] Members can connect with a real Member Services person for help. [1]

The sources reviewed here do not give facts about what Skip is built for, so check Skip's own pages for what it does.

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] On the Pro plan, ten AI personas read your organisation and matches and write what to do first; none of them is a real person. [2]

Pricing and fees

GrantStation advertises its GS Membership at 41 cents a day. [1] Its page says: "Get affordable professional-grade tools with GS Membership for 41 cents a day!" [1] The sources reviewed here do not state a full monthly or annual subscription price for GrantStation beyond that daily figure, so check its own pricing page before you commit.

The sources reviewed here do not give any price for Skip, so that part is not published. Check Skip's own pricing page before you sign up.

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]

None of the three sources gives a card payment fee, so that part is not published for any tool here.

Getting started

GrantStation offers free weekly funding updates and expert insights by sign-up, so you can start by joining that list. [1] Its sources reviewed here say nothing more about the sign-up steps for the full membership. Members can connect with a real Member Services person for help. [1]

The sources reviewed here do not describe how you sign up for Skip, so check its own pages for the steps.

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

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. [2] [2]

If you want a large funder database with tools to compare prospects and review proposals, GrantStation's sources describe that. [1] [1] [1]

If you want options beyond grants, such as angel investors, 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, GrantStation covers funders in the U.S., Canada, and internationally. [1] Raise Buddy's sources list programs from several countries. [2]

If you want to try before paying, GrantStation offers free weekly funding updates by sign-up. [1] Raise Buddy has a free plan. [2]

If you want planning tools for a grants program, GrantStation membership includes calendars, goal-setting tools, the Grant Diversification Assessment, and Benchmarker. [1]

Frequently asked questions

How much does GrantStation cost?

GrantStation advertises its GS Membership at 41 cents a day. [1] The sources reviewed here do not give a full monthly or annual price beyond that daily figure, so check GrantStation's own pricing page before you sign up.

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]

Does GrantStation help with proposal writing?

GrantStation offers a Proposal Reviewer to identify strengths, uncover gaps, and refine a proposal before submitting. [1] The sources reviewed here say nothing more about how much of the writing it does, so check how much you still do yourself before you sign 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. [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 GrantStation cover funders outside the US?

GrantStation says it covers funders in the U.S., Canada, and internationally, with AI-assisted tools to help refine searches. [1] Its funder research includes 990 data and giving history. [1] Check which countries and funders matter to you 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]

Try Raise Buddy

Sources

  1. GrantStation, grantstation.com, read 2026-10-07
  2. Raise Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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