Head to head
Bold.org vs ScholarshipOwl: which scholarship site fits you?
Short answer
ScholarshipOwl scores higher overall on our weights, 6.75 to 6.30. Bold.org scores higher on transparency, cost, privacy and ratings; ScholarshipOwl scores higher on effort saved, matching, help and database size. ScholarshipOwl charges a membership after a free trial; Bold.org is free.
By The Deadline Desk · Best Scholarship Sites · Published
Desk research from each site's public pages, app store listings and review profiles. Editorial assessment; we did not create accounts or apply for scholarships.
How do they score, criterion by criterion?
| Criterion | Weight | Bold.org | ScholarshipOwl | Higher score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application effort saved | 25% | 6 / 10 One-tap applications for no-essay scholarships in the app; auto-apply and automatic reapplication are not stated. | 9 / 10 One application is reused for many scholarships, with one-click apply on many listings and automatic reapplication to recurring awards. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Match quality | 20% | 6 / 10 Says new scholarships are matched to you daily; how matching works is not described on the pages we read. | 8 / 10 Matches on GPA, major, background, interests and activities, uses registration answers as eligibility filters, and lets you sort, filter, favorite and hide matches. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Transparency and scam protection | 15% | 8 / 10 Listings show the funder, eligibility, number of winners, deadline and winners-announced date, and the site discloses paid partner placements. | 7 / 10 The app shows a credibility score on every scholarship and the site says premium does not raise your odds, but applicant counts were not visible on the public pages we read. | Bold.org |
| Cost to the student | 10% | 10 / 10 States "100% free no fees, ever". | 3 / 10 Paid membership after a free trial; plan prices are not on its public pages and the terms say payments are non-refundable with limited exceptions. | Bold.org |
| Privacy and data sharing | 10% | 4 / 10 The policy says it may sell or share your information with scholarship providers and academic institutions and takes part in partner advertising programs. | 2 / 10 The policy says it may sell identifiers and may sell certain sensitive personal information, such as ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. | Bold.org |
| Help along the way | 10% | 4 / 10 Essay help, application tracking and reminders are not stated on the pages we read. | 8 / 10 Tracks applications in one place, sends smart daily reminders and offers a guided application wizard; essay review is listed only for the VIP plan, per Scholarships360. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Ratings from users | 5% | 9 / 10 Trustpilot 4.8 from 218 reviews and App Store 4.7 from 3.2K ratings, the most ratings in the set. | 7 / 10 Trustpilot 4.2 from 1,260 reviews (claimed, paid subscription) and App Store 4.7 from 228 ratings. | Bold.org |
| Database size, as stated | 5% | 3 / 10 States "thousands" of scholarships awarded only on Bold.org, with no exact count. | 4 / 10 States 10,000+ scholarships, far fewer than the millions Fastweb and Scholarships.com state. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Total | 100% | 6.30 | 6.75 | ScholarshipOwl |
How do the facts compare?
| Fact | Bold.org | ScholarshipOwl |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Bold.org, Inc. | Scholarship Services, Inc. (d/b/a ScholarshipOwl), Wilmington, Delaware |
| Cost | Free Free. The homepage says "100% free no fees, ever". | Paid after free trial Paid membership after a free trial. Plan prices are not on ScholarshipOwl's public pages. |
| Database, as stated | "Thousands of Scholarships Exclusively Awarded on Bold.org" (no exact count) | 10,000+ scholarships |
| Applying | One-tap applications for no-essay scholarships in the app. | One application for many scholarships, one-click apply on many listings, and automatic reapplication to scholarships that pick winners more than once a year. |
| Own no-essay award | None stated | $50,000 No Essay Scholarship: a monthly random draw for four students at $1,000 each, plus two extra winners in December. Signing up enters you automatically; no fee. |
| Data sharing | Policy says "We may sell to or share your information with, and generate revenue from, scholarship providers, applicable academic institutions". | Policy says "we may sell Identifiers generally" and may sell certain sensitive personal information, like ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. |
| Ratings | Trustpilot: 4.8 from 218 reviews (claimed profile since May 2026). App Store (US): 4.7 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings | Trustpilot: 4.2 from 1,260 reviews (claimed profile since May 2015; the profile notes a paid Trustpilot subscription). App Store (US): 4.7 out of 5 from 228 ratings |
| Scored on this site | Yes, 6.30 / 10 | Yes, 6.75 / 10 |
Source: Bold.org homepage
Source: Bold.org scholarship page example
Source: Bold.org Scholarships on the App Store
Source: Bold.org scholarships page
Source: Bold.org privacy policy
Source: Bold.org on Trustpilot
Source: ScholarshipOwl homepage
Source: ScholarshipOwl FAQ
Source: ScholarshipOwl on the App Store
Source: ScholarshipOwl /upgrade (returns 404)
Source: ScholarshipOwl terms of use
Source: ScholarshipOwl scholarships page
Source: ScholarshipOwl on Trustpilot
Which one should you choose?
Choose Bold.org if
Students who want free, donor-funded scholarships with clear rules on every listing.
It scores highest of the two on transparency and cost.
Choose ScholarshipOwl if
Students who want to send many applications with little repeat work and are willing to pay after the trial.
It scores highest of the two on effort saved and matching.
What should you watch for?
- Bold.org: Its listings are scholarships awarded on Bold.org, with no exact count, so it is not a search of all scholarships.
- ScholarshipOwl: It charges for membership after the free trial, its plan prices are not on its own public pages, and its terms say payments are non-refundable with limited exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
Which saves more time on applications, Bold.org or ScholarshipOwl?
ScholarshipOwl scores higher on application effort saved (9 to 6). Bold.org: One-tap applications for no-essay scholarships in the app. ScholarshipOwl: One application for many scholarships, one-click apply on many listings, and automatic reapplication to scholarships that pick winners more than once a year.
Is Bold.org or ScholarshipOwl free?
Bold.org: Free. The homepage says "100% free no fees, ever". ScholarshipOwl: Paid membership after a free trial. Plan prices are not on ScholarshipOwl's public pages.
Do Bold.org and ScholarshipOwl sell student data?
Bold.org: Policy says "We may sell to or share your information with, and generate revenue from, scholarship providers, applicable academic institutions". ScholarshipOwl: Policy says "we may sell Identifiers generally" and may sell certain sensitive personal information, like ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. "Privacy terms not read" means we could not read the policy, not that the site does not share data.