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Nonprofits · head to head

OneCause vs OpenGrants

OneCause logo

OneCause

Nonprofits

Event management and auction fundraising platform, now part of Bonterra

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: OneCause no transparent pricing published; all plans require contacting sales at 888-475-5214 or online form for custom quotes; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OneCause and OpenGrants actually diverge.

Attributes where OneCause and OpenGrants differ
AttributeOneCauseOpenGrants
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 OneCause

Nothing recorded that OpenGrants does not also cover.

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.

OneCause

  • Managing ticketing, sponsorships, and registration for fundraising eventsnot OpenGrants
  • Running silent and live auctions with mobile bidding capabilitiesnot OpenGrants
  • Coordinating peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns like walks and runsnot OpenGrants
  • Processing donations with gift matching and recurring contributionsnot OpenGrants

OpenGrants

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

Where each one falls short

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

OneCause

  • No transparent pricing published; all plans require contacting sales at 888-475-5214 or online form for custom quotes

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

OneCause

On request
  • Professional$undefined/mo
    • Foundational fundraising software
    • Ticketing, tables, sponsorships, auctions, donations
    • Suited for galas, luncheons, golf outings
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Large or multiple ticketed events
    • Event Ambassador Fundraising
    • Event Series
  • Nationals$undefined/mo
    • National organizations managing affiliate chapters
    • Organization Structure & Hierarchy
    • Event Templates

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 OneCause if

Nothing in the data separates OneCause from OpenGrants on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

OneCause 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 OneCause or OpenGrants better?
Neither clearly leads. OneCause 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, OneCause or OpenGrants?
OpenGrants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for OneCause and Free for OpenGrants.
Does OneCause 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. OneCause starts at On request.
What is OneCause best used for?
OneCause is most often used for managing ticketing, sponsorships, and registration for fundraising events, running silent and live auctions with mobile bidding capabilities, coordinating peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns like walks and runs, processing donations with gift matching and recurring contributions. Of those, managing ticketing, sponsorships, and registration for fundraising events and running silent and live auctions with mobile bidding capabilities are not what OpenGrants is typically brought in for.
What can OneCause do that OpenGrants cannot?
OpenGrants covers Grant search, Saved searches and alerts, Funder profiles, Opportunity tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OneCause: How much does OneCause cost?

OneCause does not publish pricing online. All plans require a custom quote. Contact OneCause at 888-475-5214 or submit a request through their website for pricing information.

Source
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.

OneCause: What pricing tiers does OneCause offer?

OneCause offers three main tiers: Professional (foundational fundraising software), Enterprise (large/multiple event management), and Nationals (national organizations with affiliate chapters). All require custom quotes.

Source
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.

OneCause: Is there a Pay As You Go option?

OneCause indicates Pay As You Go availability is offered within the Professional plan, but specific costs require contact with sales.

Source
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.

OpenGrants: Is the consultant marketplace vetted?

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

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