CDings Plain comparisons of small-business tools

Pocketed alternatives in 2026

Compare Pocketed alternatives for finding funding: GrantStation, Candid, GrantWatch, GrantForward and Raise Buddy, with facts and questions to check.

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

Pocketed alternatives for finding funding include GrantStation, Candid Foundation Directory, GrantWatch, GrantForward and Raise Buddy. They differ in how they are priced, what they search and what they help with after you find a match. The sections below give each option's stated facts so you can match them to your situation.

OptionOwn fee or priceCard feeFree way to start
Pocketednot publishednot publishednot published
GrantStationGS Membership 41 cents a day [1]not publishedFree weekly funding updates [1]
Candid Foundation DirectoryPremium monthly from $219/month [2]not publishedFree registration [3]
GrantWatchnot publishednot publishedUp to 1 million free GWI Tokens [4]
GrantForwardnot publishednot publishedFree search [5]
Raise BuddyPlus $14.99 a month, Pro $199 a month [6]not publishedFree plan opens programs up to $1,000 [6]

Why small-business owners look past Pocketed

The facts for this page cover the tools below and not Pocketed itself, so its own charges, coverage and listings need to be checked on its own site. The alternatives here differ in how they are priced, what they search and what they help with after a match. GrantStation offers membership details, Candid Foundation Directory provides search and data, GrantWatch provides grant and funder information, GrantForward provides grant opportunity search, and Raise Buddy matches funding from a description of the business. Match the tools' stated facts to what the business needs before choosing.

GrantStation: funding updates and membership tools

GrantStation advertises its GS Membership at 41 cents a day. [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 facts here do not say what the membership covers in full, so check its site for what funders and countries it searches.

Candid Foundation Directory: search and grant data

Candid says registration is free. [3] It lists a Premium monthly plan starting at $219/month, billed monthly. [2] It lists an Ultimate annual plan at $142/month starting price, $1,699 billed annually. [2] The facts here do not say what each plan includes, so check which search and download limits apply on the plan under consideration.

GrantWatch: grant and foundation records

GrantWatch says it has 4.69 million IRS 990 records. [4] Paid MemberPlus+ members can collaborate for free in its pipelines. [4] The funder and grantee records start pre-populated from GrantWatch data. [4] The facts here do not state a price, so check its site for what membership costs.

GrantForward: grant opportunity recommendations

GrantForward provides a search feature for grant opportunities and a recommendation service. [5] It offers a free search option. [5] It offers an institution trial and a home subscription. [5] The facts here do not state a price, so check its site for what any subscription costs and what it includes.

Raise Buddy: match your business with funding sources

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. [6] Each match says whether you can apply, what one step stands in the way, or what is unclear, with the funder's own words. [6] It includes private foundations that take applications, read from their own Form 990-PF tax returns. [6] 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. [6] It keeps track of where each of your applications stands, but you apply on the funder's own site. [6] The Free plan opens programs up to $1,000, Plus is $14.99 a month (up to $5,000), and Pro is $199 a month (every program, advisors' review, AI connection). [6] Only English is shown for now, even though five more languages are planned. [6]

How to pick the right Pocketed alternative

If you want a paid membership with weekly updates and a real person to help, look at GrantStation. [1] [1] If you want search and data with free registration and paid plans, Candid Foundation Directory is built around those functions. [3] [2] If you want foundation records from IRS 990 records, look at GrantWatch. [4] If you want a grant opportunity search with a free search option, look at GrantForward. [5] If you want funding beyond grants, such as loans, credits and prizes, matched from a description of your business, Raise Buddy does that. [6] Before you choose, check what each tool charges for your business size, whether it covers your country, and whether you need tracking after you apply.

Things to check before you choose

Check what each option charges and what its free way to start includes. Check which countries and funder types each tool covers. Check whether you need help tracking applications after you find a match, and whether a tool's data comes from public filings or curated lists. Check Pocketed's own site for what it does, what it costs and whether it covers your country, since the facts here do not describe it.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Pocketed?

Some options have a free way to start. Candid says registration is free. [3] GrantStation offers free weekly funding updates by sign-up. [1] GrantForward offers a free search. [5] Raise Buddy has a Free plan that opens programs up to $1,000. [6] Check what each free way to start includes before relying on it.

Does Pocketed have a free trial?

The facts on this page do not describe Pocketed itself, so check Pocketed's own site for whether it offers a free way to start. For comparison, GrantForward offers a free search option. [5]

What does GrantStation cost?

GrantStation advertises its GS Membership at 41 cents a day. [1] It also offers free weekly funding updates and expert insights by sign-up. [1] The facts here do not say how that daily rate is billed or what the membership covers, so check its site for the billing period and details.

What does Candid Foundation Directory cost?

Candid says registration is free. [3] It lists a Premium monthly plan starting at $219/month, billed monthly. [2] It lists an Ultimate annual plan at $142/month starting price, $1,699 billed annually. [2] Check which search and download limits apply on the plan under consideration.

What does Raise Buddy cost?

The Free plan opens programs up to $1,000, Plus is $14.99 a month (up to $5,000), and Pro is $199 a month (every program, advisors' review, AI connection). [6] The first three matches in each section open on every plan. [6]

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. [6]

Try Raise Buddy

Sources

  1. GrantStation, grantstation.com, read 2026-10-07
  2. Candid Foundation Directory, candid.org/find-funding, read 2026-10-07
  3. Candid Foundation Directory, candid.org, read 2026-10-07
  4. GrantWatch, grantwatch.com, read 2026-10-07
  5. GrantForward, grantforward.com, read 2026-10-10
  6. Raise Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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