Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Candid vs OneCause

Candid logo

Candid

Nonprofits

Funder and nonprofit data subscriptions from the organisation formed by Foundation Center and GuideStar

From
$219/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OneCause logo

OneCause

Nonprofits

Event management and auction fundraising platform, now part of Bonterra

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Candid grant records derive largely from Form 990 filings, which are published with a lag, so the database describes what a funder did up to eighteen months ago rather than what it intends to fund now.; OneCause no transparent pricing published; all plans require contacting sales at 888-475-5214 or online form for custom quotes
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Candid and OneCause actually diverge.

Attributes where Candid and OneCause differ
AttributeCandidOneCause
Starting price$219/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer user per month by tierquote
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofits).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Candid

  • Foundation Directory
  • 990 based grant records
  • Nonprofit Profiles
  • Charity check
  • Data APIs and bulk feeds
  • Candid Learning
  • Funding Information Network

Only in OneCause

Nothing recorded that Candid does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Candid

  • A development director building a list of foundations that have actually funded organisations of your size, sector and geography in the past three yearsnot OneCause
  • A funder verifying US tax exempt status before releasing a grant paymentnot OneCause
  • A software vendor embedding nonprofit organisation data and charity verification into its own productnot OneCause
  • A nonprofit maintaining a transparency seal on its public profile because institutional funders check it before givingnot OneCause

OneCause

  • Managing ticketing, sponsorships, and registration for fundraising eventsnot Candid
  • Running silent and live auctions with mobile bidding capabilitiesnot Candid
  • Coordinating peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns like walks and runsnot Candid
  • Processing donations with gift matching and recurring contributionsnot Candid

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Candid

  • Grant records derive largely from Form 990 filings, which are published with a lag, so the database describes what a funder did up to eighteen months ago rather than what it intends to fund now.
  • Foundation Directory is a research database, not a pipeline tool: there is no proposal tracking, deadline management or task assignment, so most teams pay for a grants tracker alongside it.
  • Monthly pricing is high relative to the budget of a small nonprofit, and the same database is available free in person through partner libraries in the Funding Information Network, which makes the subscription hard to justify for occasional research.
  • Coverage is US-centric and built on the US tax filing system, so it is of limited use to organisations seeking funding from UK, EU or Commonwealth foundations.
  • Many funders do not accept unsolicited proposals at all, and the database cannot reliably tell you which, so prospect lists built from it still require manual qualification before outreach.

OneCause

  • No transparent pricing published; all plans require contacting sales at 888-475-5214 or online form for custom quotes

Pricing, plan by plan

Candid

$219/month
  • Foundation Directory Essential$219/month
    • Search US grantmakers and grant records
    • Saved searches and prospect lists
    • Single user
  • Foundation Directory Professional$1499/month
    • Full grantmaker, grant and recipient search
    • Trustee and key staff search
    • Advanced filters and larger exports
  • Data licensing$undefined/year
    • API and bulk data feeds
    • Charity check and organisation verification
    • Priced by volume and use case, quoted

OneCause

On request
  • Professional$undefined/mo
    • Foundational fundraising software
    • Ticketing, tables, sponsorships, auctions, donations
    • Suited for galas, luncheons, golf outings
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Large or multiple ticketed events
    • Event Ambassador Fundraising
    • Event Series
  • Nationals$undefined/mo
    • National organizations managing affiliate chapters
    • Organization Structure & Hierarchy
    • Event Templates

Which should you pick?

Choose Candid if

  • You need foundation directory.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want 990 based grant records.
Candid review

Choose OneCause if

Nothing in the data separates OneCause from Candid on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

OneCause review

Questions people ask

Is Candid or OneCause better?
Neither clearly leads. Candid starts at $219/month and OneCause at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Candid or OneCause?
Candid starts at $219/month and OneCause at On request.
Does Candid or OneCause run on more platforms?
Candid runs on Web, API. OneCause runs on Web.
What is Candid best used for?
Candid is most often used for a development director building a list of foundations that have actually funded organisations of your size, sector and geography in the past three years, a funder verifying us tax exempt status before releasing a grant payment, a software vendor embedding nonprofit organisation data and charity verification into its own product, a nonprofit maintaining a transparency seal on its public profile because institutional funders check it before giving. Of those, a development director building a list of foundations that have actually funded organisations of your size, sector and geography in the past three years and a funder verifying us tax exempt status before releasing a grant payment are not what OneCause is typically brought in for.
What can Candid do that OneCause cannot?
Candid covers Foundation Directory, 990 based grant records, Nonprofit Profiles, Charity check.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Candid: Is Candid the same as GuideStar?

GuideStar is now part of Candid, merged with Foundation Center in 2019. GuideStar nonprofit profiles continue under the Candid brand.

OneCause: How much does OneCause cost?

OneCause does not publish pricing online. All plans require a custom quote. Contact OneCause at 888-475-5214 or submit a request through their website for pricing information.

Source
Candid: Can I use Foundation Directory for free?

Yes, in person. Hundreds of partner libraries and nonprofit resource centres in the Funding Information Network provide free access, which is a genuine alternative to a subscription for occasional research.

OneCause: What pricing tiers does OneCause offer?

OneCause offers three main tiers: Professional (foundational fundraising software), Enterprise (large/multiple event management), and Nationals (national organizations with affiliate chapters). All require custom quotes.

Source
Candid: How current is the grant data?

It is drawn largely from Form 990 filings and lags real time by roughly a year to eighteen months. Treat it as evidence of past funding behaviour, not current priorities.

OneCause: Is there a Pay As You Go option?

OneCause indicates Pay As You Go availability is offered within the Professional plan, but specific costs require contact with sales.

Source
Candid: Does Candid help outside the United States?

Only marginally. The data model is built on US tax filings and US registered organisations.

Share

Related pages

More on Candid

More on OneCause

Keep looking

Other head to heads