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Nonprofits · head to head

Fluxx vs OpenGrants

Fluxx logo

Fluxx

Nonprofits

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenGrants logo

OpenGrants

Nonprofits

Low-cost grant search across federal, state and private funders, with a paid consultant marketplace alongside

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenGrants has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; OpenGrants coverage of private foundations is thinner and less curated than Candid or Instrumentl, so a prospect list built solely from OpenGrants will miss foundations that never post public opportunity notices.
  • They diverge on capability: Fluxx covers Configurable data model, OpenGrants covers Grant search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fluxx and OpenGrants actually diverge.

Attributes where Fluxx and OpenGrants differ
AttributeFluxxOpenGrants
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer user per month
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Fluxx

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

Only in OpenGrants

  • Grant search
  • Saved searches and alerts
  • Funder profiles
  • Opportunity tracking
  • Consultant marketplace
  • Free tier

What people use each for

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

Fluxx

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

OpenGrants

  • A small nonprofit with no research budget that needs to know whether relevant grants exist before hiring anyonenot Fluxx
  • A startup hunting SBIR, state innovation and economic development funding across multiple agenciesnot Fluxx
  • A freelance grant writer covering several clients who cannot pass on a several-hundred-dollar monthly database costnot Fluxx
  • An organisation wanting to hire a grant writer for one application without running a procurementnot Fluxx

Where each one falls short

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

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.

OpenGrants

  • Coverage of private foundations is thinner and less curated than Candid or Instrumentl, so a prospect list built solely from OpenGrants will miss foundations that never post public opportunity notices.
  • The index leans on public opportunity feeds, which means it is strongest on government funding and weakest on the relationship-driven private philanthropy that most nonprofits actually rely on.
  • Matching is keyword driven rather than fit-scored, so users receive alerts for opportunities they are ineligible for and must qualify each one by hand.
  • The consultant marketplace is a directory with variable quality rather than a vetted panel, so buyers carry the risk of choosing a weak grant writer themselves.
  • It is a US-focused index, offering little to organisations seeking UK, EU or Canadian funding.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

OpenGrants

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core grant search
    • Limited results and saved searches
    • No card required
  • Subscription$9/month
    • Full search access
    • Saved searches and alerts
    • Funder profiles

Which should you pick?

Choose Fluxx if

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

Choose OpenGrants if

  • You need grant search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want saved searches and alerts.
OpenGrants review

Questions people ask

Is Fluxx or OpenGrants better?
Neither clearly leads. Fluxx starts at On request and OpenGrants at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fluxx or OpenGrants?
OpenGrants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Fluxx and Free for OpenGrants.
Does Fluxx or OpenGrants run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use OpenGrants for free?
Yes. OpenGrants has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fluxx starts at On request.
What is Fluxx best used for?
Fluxx is most often used for a foundation running six distinct funding programmes that each need their own application form, review panel and payment schedule, a regranting intermediary administering funds for multiple donors who each require separate reporting, a public agency distributing grant funds with statutory eligibility rules that must be enforced before an application can be submitted, a funder moving off spreadsheets and email after grant volume made manual board packet preparation unworkable. Of those, a foundation running six distinct funding programmes that each need their own application form, review panel and payment schedule and a regranting intermediary administering funds for multiple donors who each require separate reporting are not what OpenGrants is typically brought in for.
What can Fluxx do that OpenGrants cannot?
Fluxx covers Configurable data model, Card-based interface, Multi-programme workflows, Board and committee review. OpenGrants covers Grant search, Saved searches and alerts, Funder profiles, Opportunity tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fluxx: Is Fluxx Grantseeker really free?

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

OpenGrants: How much does it cost?

$9 a month or $99 a year after a seven day trial, with a free tier of core search retained.

Fluxx: How is Fluxx priced?

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

OpenGrants: Why is it so much cheaper than Candid?

Because it indexes public and semi-public opportunity feeds with automation rather than employing researchers to code foundation records from tax filings. You trade depth of private foundation intelligence for price.

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.

OpenGrants: Does it cover private foundations?

Partially. It is strongest on federal and state programmes. For systematic private foundation research, Candid remains the reference source.

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.

OpenGrants: Is the consultant marketplace vetted?

It is a directory, not a vetted panel. Check references and past awards yourself.

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