Head to head
Fastweb vs ScholarshipOwl: which scholarship site fits you?
Short answer
ScholarshipOwl scores higher overall on our weights, 6.75 to 5.45. Fastweb scores higher on cost, privacy and database size; ScholarshipOwl scores higher on effort saved, matching, help and ratings; they tie on transparency. ScholarshipOwl charges a membership after a free trial; Fastweb 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 | Fastweb | ScholarshipOwl | Higher score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application effort saved | 25% | 3 / 10 A search and recommendation tool; no auto-apply, one application for many or reapplication is 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% | 7 / 10 A questionnaire plus optional profile details (activities, employment, parents' information) drive personalized recommendations. | 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% | 7 / 10 Says every listing is researched and vetted by real people to keep scams out; applicant counts are not stated. | 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. | Tie |
| Cost to the student | 10% | 10 / 10 Free scholarship search; no paid plan seen. | 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. | Fastweb |
| Privacy and data sharing | 10% | 3 / 10 The policy ties free service to being contacted by colleges or marketing partners, says information may be sold to colleges, and lists sharing with data aggregators and marketers. | 2 / 10 The policy says it may sell identifiers and may sell certain sensitive personal information, such as ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. | Fastweb |
| Help along the way | 10% | 4 / 10 The app manages your scholarship list; essay help 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% | 2 / 10 Trustpilot 1.2 from 232 reviews (unclaimed) and App Store 2.7 from 85 ratings. | 7 / 10 Trustpilot 4.2 from 1,260 reviews (claimed, paid subscription) and App Store 4.7 from 228 ratings. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Database size, as stated | 5% | 9 / 10 States 1.5 million scholarships worth over $3.4 billion. | 4 / 10 States 10,000+ scholarships, far fewer than the millions Fastweb and Scholarships.com state. | Fastweb |
| Total | 100% | 5.45 | 6.75 | ScholarshipOwl |
How do the facts compare?
| Fact | Fastweb | ScholarshipOwl |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Founded 1995; sold to Monster Worldwide in 2001 (per Fastweb). The privacy policy is issued by Iron Corp US Inc. | Scholarship Services, Inc. (d/b/a ScholarshipOwl), Wilmington, Delaware |
| Cost | Free Free. No paid plan seen. | Paid after free trial Paid membership after a free trial. Plan prices are not on ScholarshipOwl's public pages. |
| Database, as stated | 1.5 million scholarships worth over $3.4 billion | 10,000+ scholarships |
| Applying | Personalized recommendations from a profile; no auto-apply or one application for many stated. | 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 information "may be sold to colleges" and may be shared with colleges, employers, recruiters, "data aggregators, marketers". | Policy says "we may sell Identifiers generally" and may sell certain sensitive personal information, like ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. |
| Ratings | Trustpilot: 1.2 from 232 reviews (unclaimed profile). App Store (US): 2.7 out of 5 from 85 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, 5.45 / 10 | Yes, 6.75 / 10 |
Source: Fastweb homepage
Source: Fastweb about page
Source: Fastweb privacy policy
Source: Fastweb College Scholarships on the App Store
Source: Fastweb 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 Fastweb if
Students who want a large free database with listings checked by people.
It scores highest of the two on cost and privacy.
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?
- Fastweb: The weakest ratings in the scored set: 1.2 on Trustpilot and 2.7 on the App Store.
- 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, Fastweb or ScholarshipOwl?
ScholarshipOwl scores higher on application effort saved (9 to 3). Fastweb: Personalized recommendations from a profile; no auto-apply or one application for many stated. 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 Fastweb or ScholarshipOwl free?
Fastweb: Free. No paid plan seen. ScholarshipOwl: Paid membership after a free trial. Plan prices are not on ScholarshipOwl's public pages.
Do Fastweb and ScholarshipOwl sell student data?
Fastweb: Policy says information "may be sold to colleges" and may be shared with colleges, employers, recruiters, "data aggregators, marketers". 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.