Instrumentl vs GrantHub: Why Neither is Right for Small Nonprofits
Instrumentl and GrantHub sit at opposite ends of the grant software spectrum. Instrumentl offers comprehensive features at enterprise pricing ($399-$549/month). GrantHub offers basic tracking at affordable pricing ($50-$100/month) but no discovery tools. Neither is optimized for the needs of small to mid-sized nonprofits.
The Problem with Both Options
Instrumentl: Too expensive for small nonprofits at $4,788+/year. GrantHub: Too limited—no grant discovery, no AI features, no federal grants. Both: Don't address the complete grant workflow for budget-conscious organizations.
Complete Comparison Table
| Feature | Expirely | Instrumentl | GrantHub |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $49-$99 | $399-$549 | $50-$100 |
| Annual Cost | $588-$1,188 | $4,788-$6,588 | $600-$1,200 |
| Foundation Database | 41,000+ | 400,000+ | |
| AI Grant Matching | |||
| AI Writing Assistant | |||
| Federal Grants Search | |||
| 990-PF Research Center | |||
| Application Tracking | |||
| Deadline Management | |||
| SMS Alerts | |||
| Document Storage | |||
| Analytics Dashboard | |||
| Team Collaboration |
The Instrumentl Problem: Price
Instrumentl is excellent software with robust features. The problem? At $4,788-$6,588 per year, it's designed for well-funded organizations with dedicated grant departments.
What $399/month Means for Small Nonprofits:
- That's the annual salary of a part-time program coordinator
- Nearly $5,000 that could directly fund your programs
- 8-10 times more expensive than alternatives with similar features
- Harder to justify to your board when affordable options exist
If you're pursuing $500,000+ in annual grant funding with a full-time grants team, Instrumentl's pricing might make sense. For smaller organizations pursuing $50-200K annually, it's budget-breaking.
The GrantHub Problem: Limited Features
GrantHub is affordable, but it only solves one piece of the puzzle: tracking grants you've already identified.
What's Missing from GrantHub:
- No grant discovery. You still need Foundation Directory ($149+/month) or spend hours searching manually.
- No AI matching. You manually research every foundation to see if it's a fit.
- No writing assistance. You're on your own drafting narratives and budgets.
- No federal grants. You search Grants.gov separately and manually add them.
- No 990-PF research. Limited ability to analyze foundation giving patterns.
GrantHub is perfect if you already have a grant research process you love and just need tracking. But most small nonprofits need discovery + tracking in one platform.
Why Expirely is the Middle Ground
Expirely was built specifically for small to mid-sized nonprofits who need Instrumentl's features at GrantHub's price point.
What You Get with Expirely:
Discovery Features:
Workflow Features:
$49-$99/month
All-in-one platform at 1/5 the cost of Instrumentl
The Value Proposition Breakdown
| Metric | Expirely | Instrumentl | GrantHub |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery + Tracking | Tracking only | ||
| Affordable for Small Orgs | |||
| AI Features | Matching + Writing | Matching only | |
| Best For | Small-mid nonprofits | Large orgs | Existing researchers |
What Users Are Saying
"Expirely saved us $4,200/year vs Instrumentl"
"We were using Instrumentl but couldn't justify $549/month to our board. Expirely has the same core features we actually used—discovery, tracking, analytics—at 1/5 the price."
— David R., Community Development Corp
"No more toggling between GrantHub and Foundation Directory"
"With GrantHub, we still had to pay $149/month for Foundation Directory. Expirely's built-in database means everything is in one place, and we're saving $1,200/year."
— Amanda K., Arts Education Nonprofit
"The AI writing assistant is unique"
"Neither Instrumentl nor GrantHub helped us write better applications. Expirely's AI Writing Assistant and content snippets have improved our success rate noticeably."
— Carlos M., Youth Services Organization
The Bottom Line
Instrumentl is excellent but priced for enterprise budgets. GrantHub is affordable but incomplete. Expirely delivers comprehensive features at a price small nonprofits can actually afford.
You shouldn't have to choose between affordability and functionality. With Expirely, you get both.
Try the Complete Platform Free
14-day trial • No credit card • All features included
See why small nonprofits choose Expirely over Instrumentl and GrantHub
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Expirely have fewer features than Instrumentl?
Instrumentl has a larger foundation database (400K vs 41K) and more advanced corporate giving data. For 95% of small nonprofits, Expirely's feature set is sufficient—and we add AI writing assistance that Instrumentl doesn't have.
Can I migrate from Instrumentl or GrantHub to Expirely?
Yes! Both platforms support CSV exports. Import your applications, contacts, and tracking data into Expirely in less than an hour.
Which platform has the best grant database?
Instrumentl has the largest (400K+). Expirely focuses on 41K+ foundations that accept applications. GrantHub has no built-in database. For most small nonprofits, Expirely's focused database is more useful than Instrumentl's exhaustive one.
Do you offer nonprofit discounts?
Our base pricing ($49-$99/month) is already designed for nonprofit budgets. We occasionally offer special pricing for organizations with annual budgets under $100K—contact us to discuss.
Last updated: October 21, 2025 • Pricing and features subject to change