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Nonprofits · head to head

Givebutter vs GrantStation

Givebutter logo

Givebutter

Nonprofits

Free nonprofit fundraising with donor management and campaign tools

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GrantStation logo

GrantStation

Nonprofits

A low-cost grant opportunity database sold on annual membership, usually at a heavy standing discount

From
$199/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Givebutter has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Givebutter free tier includes 3% platform fee when donor tips are disabled; GrantStation it is a database with no pipeline, no deadline tracking against your own applications and no post-award reporting, so any team of more than one ends up managing grants in a spreadsheet anyway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Givebutter and GrantStation actually diverge.

Attributes where Givebutter and GrantStation differ
AttributeGivebutterGrantStation
Starting priceFree$199/year
Pricing modelfreemiumPer organisation per year
Free tierYesNo

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 Givebutter

Nothing recorded that GrantStation does not also cover.

Only in GrantStation

  • US grantmaker database
  • Federal and state funding
  • International and Canadian databases
  • Weekly opportunity bulletin
  • PathFinder library
  • Saved searches

What people use each for

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

Givebutter

  • Launching donation pages where donors cover feesnot GrantStation
  • Managing peer-to-peer and event fundraising togethernot GrantStation
  • Automating donor thank-you workflows and tasksnot GrantStation
  • Accepting donations across Venmo, PayPal, cards, ACHnot GrantStation

GrantStation

  • A small nonprofit with no grants budget that needs a starting list of plausible funders in its statenot Givebutter
  • A solo grant writer validating whether a cause area has enough funders to justify a grants strategynot Givebutter
  • An organisation whose state nonprofit association resells the membership at 75 to 139 dollars, making it near-free researchnot Givebutter
  • Supplementing an existing donor CRM with opportunity discovery without adding a second four-figure subscriptionnot Givebutter

Where each one falls short

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

Givebutter

  • Free tier includes 3% platform fee when donor tips are disabled
  • Plus pricing varies by contact volume: up to $129/month for 2,500+ contacts

GrantStation

  • It is a database with no pipeline, no deadline tracking against your own applications and no post-award reporting, so any team of more than one ends up managing grants in a spreadsheet anyway.
  • The published 699 dollar list price bears no relation to the market price, which means buyers who purchase direct without checking association rates routinely overpay by three to nine times.
  • Funder records are broad but shallow compared with 990-derived tools, so vetting whether a foundation actually funds organisations like yours still requires separate research.
  • There are no integrations with donor CRMs or accounting systems, so nothing found in GrantStation flows anywhere else without manual re-entry.
  • Data freshness varies by database, and the international pool in particular is thin relative to the US listings it is bundled with.

Pricing, plan by plan

Givebutter

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Donation forms
    • Fundraising pages
    • Donor CRM
  • Givebutter Plus$29/month
    • For 250 or fewer contacts: $29/month or $348/year
    • Automated workflows
    • Task management

GrantStation

$199/year
  • Membership (promotional or association rate)$199/year
    • Full US, Canadian and international databases
    • Weekly opportunity bulletin
    • PathFinder training library
  • Membership (list price)$699/year
    • Identical access to the promotional rate
    • Rarely the price actually paid

Which should you pick?

Choose Givebutter if

  • You want to start without paying.
Givebutter review

Choose GrantStation if

  • You need us grantmaker database.
  • You also want federal and state funding.
GrantStation review

Questions people ask

Is Givebutter or GrantStation better?
Neither clearly leads. Givebutter starts at Free and GrantStation at $199/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Givebutter or GrantStation?
Givebutter has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Givebutter and $199/year for GrantStation.
Does Givebutter or GrantStation run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Givebutter for free?
Yes. Givebutter has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GrantStation starts at $199/year.
What is Givebutter best used for?
Givebutter is most often used for launching donation pages where donors cover fees, managing peer-to-peer and event fundraising together, automating donor thank-you workflows and tasks, accepting donations across venmo, paypal, cards, ach. Of those, launching donation pages where donors cover fees and managing peer-to-peer and event fundraising together are not what GrantStation is typically brought in for.
What can Givebutter do that GrantStation cannot?
GrantStation covers US grantmaker database, Federal and state funding, International and Canadian databases, Weekly opportunity bulletin.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Givebutter: How much does Givebutter cost?

Givebutter's core platform is free to use. The optional Givebutter Plus upgrade starts at $29 per month for nonprofits with 250 or fewer contacts, scaling to $129 per month for 2,500+ contacts.

Source
GrantStation: What does GrantStation actually cost?

List price is 699 USD a year but the standing promotional rate is 199, and nonprofit associations resell it to members for 75 to 139. Check your association before buying direct.

Givebutter: How does Givebutter stay free?

Givebutter remains free when nonprofits enable optional donor tips. Donors can choose to tip when donating, and Givebutter covers any uncovered transaction costs through the Givebutter Guarantee. Without tips enabled, a 3% platform fee applies plus standard processor fees.

Source
GrantStation: Does it track my applications?

No. It finds opportunities. Pipeline, deadlines and reporting have to live elsewhere.

Givebutter: Can I cancel Givebutter Plus anytime?

Yes, Givebutter Plus subscriptions can be cancelled anytime; cancellation takes effect at the end of the billing period. A 30-day Plus trial is available.

Source
GrantStation: How does it compare with Instrumentl?

It is roughly a tenth of the price and does roughly a tenth of the job. Instrumentl adds matching, pipeline and post-award tracking.

GrantStation: Is there a free trial?

GrantStation offers a limited free search tool and periodic trials, but the full databases require membership.

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