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Nonprofits · head to head

Handbid vs Instrumentl

Handbid logo

Handbid

Nonprofits

Mobile-first auction and event fundraising platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Instrumentl logo

Instrumentl

Nonprofits

Grant prospecting and pipeline tracking for nonprofits, priced per organisation with published tiers

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Handbid the pricing page publishes no plan, no rate, no minimum and no per-event fee; it states there are no preset tiers and directs every visitor to a pricing consultation; Instrumentl the funder database is built largely from IRS 990 filings, which are filed months to years after the grants they describe, so matches reflect what a funder did rather than what it is doing now.
  • They diverge on capability: Handbid covers Mobile bidding, Instrumentl covers Funder matching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Handbid and Instrumentl actually diverge.

Attributes where Handbid and Instrumentl differ
AttributeHandbidInstrumentl
Starting priceOn request$299/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer organisation per month by seat band
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2011Unknown

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 Handbid

  • Mobile bidding
  • Silent auctions
  • Live auctions
  • Fund-a-need
  • Ticketing
  • Salesforce
  • Stripe
  • PayPal

Only in Instrumentl

  • Funder matching
  • 990-derived funder profiles
  • Pipeline and deadlines
  • AI application drafting
  • Post-award budget tracking
  • Team collaboration

What people use each for

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

Handbid

  • Mobile bidding for charity and fundraising auctionsnot Instrumentl
  • Event ticketing, registration and check-in with tap to paynot Instrumentl
  • White-labelled online auctions for schools, nonprofits and corporate eventsnot Instrumentl

Instrumentl

  • A development director building a grant pipeline for the coming year without hiring a prospect researchernot Handbid
  • A grants consultant running searches and deadline calendars for several nonprofit clients from one loginnot Handbid
  • A nonprofit that keeps missing report deadlines and needs award requirements on the same calendar as applicationsnot Handbid
  • Justifying a grants budget to a board with a documented pipeline and expected value rather than a list of hopesnot Handbid

Where each one falls short

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

Handbid

  • The pricing page publishes no plan, no rate, no minimum and no per-event fee; it states there are no preset tiers and directs every visitor to a pricing consultation
  • There is no self-serve signup path; the only routes offered are Start Chatting, a consultation or a demo booking
  • Because packages are assembled per event, the cost of white-label auctions, text-to-give and support levels is not published

Instrumentl

  • The funder database is built largely from IRS 990 filings, which are filed months to years after the grants they describe, so matches reflect what a funder did rather than what it is doing now.
  • Coverage is strongly US-focused and weakest on federal and state government funding, so organisations whose income is mostly government contracts pay database prices for data they mostly cannot use.
  • Seat bands are hard limits, and a team of six on the five-seat Pre-Award tier must move to the 999 dollar tier, doubling cost for one extra person.
  • The annual discount requires paying twelve months up front, which is a real cash flow problem for the small nonprofits the entry tier targets.
  • AI drafting produces serviceable first drafts but funders increasingly screen for generic applications, so the time saved on writing tends to be spent on rewriting.

Pricing, plan by plan

Handbid

On request
  • Starter$199/month
    • Basic auction features
    • Up to 50 items
  • Professional$499/month
    • Unlimited items
    • Live streaming
    • Fund-a-need
  • Enterprise$999/month
    • Multi-event license
    • White labeling
    • Priority support

Instrumentl

$299/month
  • Discover$299/month
    • Up to 3 users
    • Funder matching and search
    • Funder profiles from 990 data
  • Pre-Award$499/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • Everything in Discover
    • AI-assisted application drafting
  • Full Lifecycle$999/month
    • Up to 15 users
    • Everything in Pre-Award
    • Post-award budget and spend tracking
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Multi-department administration
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Handbid if

  • You need mobile bidding.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want silent auctions.
Handbid review

Choose Instrumentl if

  • You need funder matching.
  • You also want 990-derived funder profiles.
Instrumentl review

Questions people ask

Is Handbid or Instrumentl better?
Neither clearly leads. Handbid starts at On request and Instrumentl at $299/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Handbid or Instrumentl?
Handbid starts at On request and Instrumentl at $299/month.
Does Handbid or Instrumentl run on more platforms?
Handbid runs on Web, IOS, Android. Instrumentl runs on Web.
What is Handbid best used for?
Handbid is most often used for mobile bidding for charity and fundraising auctions, event ticketing, registration and check-in with tap to pay, white-labelled online auctions for schools, nonprofits and corporate events. Of those, mobile bidding for charity and fundraising auctions and event ticketing, registration and check-in with tap to pay are not what Instrumentl is typically brought in for.
What can Handbid do that Instrumentl cannot?
Handbid covers Mobile bidding, Silent auctions, Live auctions, Fund-a-need. Instrumentl covers Funder matching, 990-derived funder profiles, Pipeline and deadlines, AI application drafting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Handbid: How much does Handbid cost?

Handbid does not use standard pricing tiers. Instead, the company provides custom quotes based on your event needs, event volume, and support requirements. Handbid emphasizes no commission on funds raised.

Source
Instrumentl: Does Instrumentl publish pricing?

Yes, which is rare in this sector. Discover is 299 USD a month annually, Pre-Award 499 and Full Lifecycle 999, with monthly billing about 16 percent higher.

Handbid: Does Handbid take a commission on auction proceeds?

No. Handbid does not charge a percentage of funds raised. Platform fees are separate from payment processing.

Source
Instrumentl: Is there a free trial?

Yes, a time-limited trial is offered, and it is worth using to test coverage of your specific cause area before committing.

Handbid: What payment processing fees does Handbid charge?

Handbid's payment processing fees are: Visa/Mastercard/Discover 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction, American Express 3.95% + $0.30 per transaction, and ACH 1.5% flat with no per-transaction fee.

Source
Instrumentl: Does it cover government grants?

Some federal opportunities are included, but the database is strongest on private and community foundation funding. Grants.gov remains the primary source for federal.

Handbid: What is included in Handbid licenses?

All Handbid licenses include unlimited items, guests, and bidders; all auction formats (silent, live, paddle raise); ticketing and check-in; money handling and reporting; platform updates; and live phone support during events.

Source
Instrumentl: Is there a nonprofit discount?

No. Every customer is a nonprofit, so the published price is the price.

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