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Nonprofits · head to head

InitLive vs Submittable

InitLive logo

InitLive

Nonprofits

Event management and mobile app platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Submittable logo

Submittable

Nonprofits

Application, review and grant management for funders running open calls at volume

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: InitLive email notification system is weak, lacking ability to track sent emails and resend to unopened recipients; Submittable pricing is not published and tier jumps are steep, so an organisation that grows past a submission or form limit can face a renewal quote well above the previous year with limited negotiating room mid-programme.
  • They diverge on capability: InitLive covers Event creation, Submittable covers Configurable application forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which InitLive and Submittable actually diverge.

Attributes where InitLive and Submittable differ
AttributeInitLiveSubmittable
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), 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 InitLive

  • Event creation
  • Mobile app
  • Registration
  • Check-in
  • Feedback collection
  • Networking tools
  • Stripe
  • PayPal

Only in Submittable

  • Configurable application forms
  • Blind and multi-stage review
  • Reviewer management
  • Grant payments
  • Impact reporting
  • Applicant messaging
  • API and integrations

What people use each for

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

InitLive

  • Business operationsnot Submittable
  • Productivitynot Submittable
  • Automationnot Submittable

Submittable

  • A foundation running an open grant round where a volunteer panel must score hundreds of applications without seeing applicant identitiesnot InitLive
  • A corporate giving team collecting employee-nominated grant requests and needing an audit trail for financenot InitLive
  • An arts council managing fellowship and residency applications with multi-stage juriesnot InitLive
  • A city agency distributing relief funds and required to show equitable review and decision recordsnot InitLive

Where each one falls short

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

InitLive

  • Email notification system is weak, lacking ability to track sent emails and resend to unopened recipients
  • Discrepancy between mobile app and web version features and functionality
  • Mobile app tablet optimization is suboptimal compared to phone version
  • Initial setup requires substantial preparation time and configuration

Submittable

  • Pricing is not published and tier jumps are steep, so an organisation that grows past a submission or form limit can face a renewal quote well above the previous year with limited negotiating room mid-programme.
  • It is built around the application funnel rather than the funder's relationship with grantees, so long-term relationship management, pledge tracking and multi-year commitments are weaker than in a purpose-built grants CRM.
  • Applicant-facing forms are constrained by the platform's templates, and organisations wanting a fully branded application experience on their own domain will find the customisation shallow.
  • Reporting is serviceable for programme counts but limited for board-level financial reporting, so many finance teams still export to spreadsheets to reconcile awards against the general ledger.
  • Payment disbursement capability varies by tier and region, and organisations funding recipients outside the United States often still pay grants through their bank rather than through the platform.

Pricing, plan by plan

InitLive

On request
  • Starter$100/month
    • Event creation
    • Basic mobile app
  • Professional$250/month
    • Advanced features
    • Customization
    • Integrations

Submittable

On request
  • Submittable$undefined/year
    • Application forms and applicant portal
    • Reviewer workflow and scoring rubrics
    • Grant award and reporting modules on higher tiers

Which should you pick?

Choose InitLive if

  • You need event creation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile app.
InitLive review

Choose Submittable if

  • You need configurable application forms.
  • You also want blind and multi-stage review.
Submittable review

Questions people ask

Is InitLive or Submittable better?
Neither clearly leads. InitLive starts at On request and Submittable at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, InitLive or Submittable?
InitLive starts at On request and Submittable at On request.
Does InitLive or Submittable run on more platforms?
InitLive runs on Web, iOS, Android. Submittable runs on Web.
What is InitLive best used for?
InitLive is most often used for business operations, productivity, automation. Of those, business operations and productivity are not what Submittable is typically brought in for.
What can InitLive do that Submittable cannot?
InitLive covers Event creation, Mobile app, Registration, Check-in. Submittable covers Configurable application forms, Blind and multi-stage review, Reviewer management, Grant payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

InitLive: What communication features does InitLive have?

InitLive includes a broadcasting system that allows sending messages to staff lists with ease, real-time communication during events, and staff can delegate volunteer management to other volunteers.

Source
Submittable: What does Submittable actually cost?

It is not published. Reported entry points are in the low thousands of dollars a year, with price driven by submission volume, number of forms and seats. Get the tier limits written into the contract before signing.

InitLive: How is InitLive licensed to nonprofits today?

InitLive was acquired by Bloomerang in March 2023 and rebranded as Bloomerang Volunteer in July 2023. The product continues to operate as part of the Bloomerang nonprofit relationship management platform.

Source
Submittable: Is it a grants management system or a submission manager?

Both, depending on tier. The review side is its strength. Award tracking, payments and grantee reporting sit on higher tiers and are less deep than a dedicated grants CRM.

Submittable: Can reviewers work anonymously?

Yes. Blind review, staged rounds and conflict of interest flagging are core features rather than paid extras.

Submittable: Is there a nonprofit discount?

Nonprofit pricing exists but is applied inside the quote rather than published as a percentage, so compare quotes rather than assuming a standard rate.

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