There are good funding finders, and most of them charge. Here is how Bearings compares, so you can pick the right one. We are not connected with any of the services below. Their prices and descriptions come from their own websites, checked on 25 October 2026; prices change, so check each provider's page.
| Service | Cost | What it covers | Best for | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearings funding finder | Free. No sign-up needed to search; free email alerts | Grants, loans, investment, accelerators and incubators, expert advice, training, facilities, public contracts, and funding and contracts announced but not yet open (about 2,858 live from 1,159 sources, checked every weekday) | Businesses, start-ups, freelancers, charities, social enterprises and researchers in the North West of England | North West England, plus national and international offers open there | About |
| GrantFinder (Idox) | £1,020 a year for one user (VCSE Essentials, voluntary and community organisations only); £1,500 a year for up to three users (Growth, also open to registered small businesses); Enterprise on enquiry | Grant funding: over 8,500 live funding opportunities, plus funding and policy news | Councils, charities, housing associations, education providers and consultants who need UK-wide grant searches | UK | Their page |
| Funds Online (Directory of Social Change) | From £475 plus VAT a year for one dataset and one user | Over 8,000 grant-making charities, companies and statutory funders | Charities researching trusts and foundations in depth | UK | Their page |
| My Funding Central (Idox) | Free for the smallest organisations; a sliding scale of subscriptions above that | Funding for charities, community groups and social enterprises, including social investment | Small charities and community groups | England | Their page |
| Find a grant (GOV.UK) | Free | Government grants, with eligibility checks and how to apply | Anyone looking for central government grants | UK | Their page |
| Contracts Finder and Find a Tender (GOV.UK) | Free | Public sector contracts and tenders | Suppliers looking for public contracts anywhere in the UK | UK | Their page |
When Bearings is the right choice
- You are in the North West of England and want everything open to you in one place: grants, loans, investment, support and contracts.
- You want it free, with no subscription, and with links straight to the funder, investor or buyer.
- You want new opportunities sent to you: free email alerts, RSS feeds or the open API.
- You want to see what is coming: funding calls and contracts announced but not yet open.
When another tool may suit you better
- You are outside the North West, or need UK-wide grant searches: a UK database such as GrantFinder.
- You are a charity researching trusts and foundations in depth: Funds Online or My Funding Central.
- You only need central government grants or public contracts: the free GOV.UK services above.
Questions
Is Bearings free?
Yes. Searching, the email alerts, the RSS feeds and the open API are all free. There is no subscription and no paid tier.
Is Bearings an alternative to GrantFinder?
For businesses and organisations in the North West of England, often yes: Bearings is free, covers loans, investment, support and contracts as well as grants, and links every opportunity to the organisation that runs it. GrantFinder covers grant funding across the whole UK and adds policy news, so it can suit councils and national charities better.
Does Bearings cover tenders and investment, not just grants?
Yes. It lists public contracts, angel networks and funds, loans, accelerators, expert advice, training and facilities, and it shows funding calls and contracts that buyers have announced but not opened yet.
How often is Bearings updated?
Every weekday morning it checks 1,159 funders, investors, programmes, universities and tender portals, reads each opportunity to work out who can apply, and removes what has closed.
Does Bearings cover the whole UK?
It is built for the North West of England: Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region, Cheshire and Warrington, Lancashire and Cumbria. It also lists national and international offers that North West businesses can apply for. If you are elsewhere in the UK, a UK-wide database may suit you better.
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