Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Candid vs Fluxx

Candid logo

Candid

Nonprofits

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

From
$219/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fluxx logo

Fluxx

Nonprofits

Configurable grants management for foundations that run complex, multi-stage funding programmes

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.; Fluxx configuration flexibility means the system does very little until someone configures it, and foundations without a dedicated systems administrator end up paying the vendor or a partner for every change.
  • They diverge on capability: Candid covers Foundation Directory, Fluxx covers Configurable data model.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Candid and Fluxx actually diverge.

Attributes where Candid and Fluxx differ
AttributeCandidFluxx
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 Fluxx

  • Configurable data model
  • Card-based interface
  • Multi-programme workflows
  • Board and committee review
  • Payment scheduling
  • Applicant portal

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 Fluxx
  • A funder verifying US tax exempt status before releasing a grant paymentnot Fluxx
  • A software vendor embedding nonprofit organisation data and charity verification into its own productnot Fluxx
  • A nonprofit maintaining a transparency seal on its public profile because institutional funders check it before givingnot Fluxx

Fluxx

  • A foundation running six distinct funding programmes that each need their own application form, review panel and payment schedulenot Candid
  • A regranting intermediary administering funds for multiple donors who each require separate reportingnot Candid
  • A public agency distributing grant funds with statutory eligibility rules that must be enforced before an application can be submittednot Candid
  • A funder moving off spreadsheets and email after grant volume made manual board packet preparation unworkablenot 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.

Fluxx

  • Configuration flexibility means the system does very little until someone configures it, and foundations without a dedicated systems administrator end up paying the vendor or a partner for every change.
  • Implementation commonly runs four to eight months and is priced separately from the subscription, so first-year cost is far above the annual licence figure.
  • No pricing is published and quotes scale with assets under management, which means two foundations making the same number of grants can be quoted very differently.
  • The card-based interface is unfamiliar to new users and reviewer adoption suffers without training, which matters because trustees use it a few times a year and forget between meetings.
  • Reporting is capable but the report builder is technical, and many foundations end up exporting to a spreadsheet or a BI tool for board-ready output.

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

Fluxx

On request
  • Fluxx Grantmaker$undefined/year
    • Configurable grantmaking workflows
    • Applicant portal and reviewer access
    • Priced by assets under management and grant volume
  • Fluxx Grantseeker$undefined/year
    • Free portal for applicants submitting to Fluxx funders
    • Tracks submissions and requirements across funders

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 Fluxx if

  • You need configurable data model.
  • You also want card-based interface.
Fluxx review

Questions people ask

Is Candid or Fluxx better?
Neither clearly leads. Candid starts at $219/month and Fluxx at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Candid or Fluxx?
Candid starts at $219/month and Fluxx at On request.
Does Candid or Fluxx run on more platforms?
Candid runs on Web, API. Fluxx 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 Fluxx is typically brought in for.
What can Candid do that Fluxx cannot?
Candid covers Foundation Directory, 990 based grant records, Nonprofit Profiles, Charity check. Fluxx covers Configurable data model, Card-based interface, Multi-programme workflows, Board and committee review.

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.

Fluxx: Is Fluxx Grantseeker really free?

Yes, for applicants. It is the submission portal, and funders pay for Grantmaker.

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.

Fluxx: How is Fluxx priced?

By quote, scaling with assets under management and grant volume. Implementation is a separate professional services fee.

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.

Fluxx: Can we configure Fluxx ourselves?

Yes, that is the point of it. But it requires a trained internal administrator; foundations that do not appoint one become dependent on paid services.

Candid: Does Candid help outside the United States?

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

Fluxx: How long does implementation take?

Typically four to eight months for a multi-programme funder, driven mostly by how long the foundation takes to agree its own process.

Share

Related pages

More on Candid

More on Fluxx

Keep looking

Other head to heads