Site review
Bold.org review 2026: free, donor-funded scholarships
Short answer
Bold.org ranks 2 of 4 on our weights at 6.30 out of 10. It is free, its listings show the funder, number of winners and key dates, and it has the strongest ratings in the scored set. Its scholarships are ones awarded on Bold.org rather than a search of all scholarships, and its privacy policy says it may sell or share data with scholarship providers and schools.
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 does Bold.org score?
Rank 2 of 4 on our default weights
- EF
- Application effort saved: 6 / 10
- MQ
- Match quality: 6 / 10
- TR
- Transparency and scam protection: 8 / 10
- CO
- Cost to the student: 10 / 10
- PR
- Privacy and data sharing: 4 / 10
- HE
- Help along the way: 4 / 10
- RA
- Ratings from users: 9 / 10
- DB
- Database size, as stated: 3 / 10
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application effort saved | 25% | 6 / 10 | One-tap applications for no-essay scholarships in the app; auto-apply and automatic reapplication are not stated. |
| Match quality | 20% | 6 / 10 | Says new scholarships are matched to you daily; how matching works is not described on the pages we read. Source: Bold.org homepage |
| Transparency and scam protectionHighest in set | 15% | 8 / 10 | Listings show the funder, eligibility, number of winners, deadline and winners-announced date, and the site discloses paid partner placements. |
| Cost to the studentTied highest | 10% | 10 / 10 | States "100% free no fees, ever". Source: Bold.org homepage |
| Privacy and data sharingTied highest | 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. Source: Bold.org privacy policy |
| Help along the wayTied lowest | 10% | 4 / 10 | Essay help, application tracking and reminders are not stated on the pages we read. Source: Bold.org homepage |
| Ratings from usersHighest in set | 5% | 9 / 10 | Trustpilot 4.8 from 218 reviews and App Store 4.7 from 3.2K ratings, the most ratings in the set. |
| Database size, as statedLowest in set | 5% | 3 / 10 | States "thousands" of scholarships awarded only on Bold.org, with no exact count. Source: Bold.org homepage |
At a glance
- Owner
- Bold.org, Inc.
- Cost
- Free
Free. The homepage says "100% free no fees, ever".
- Database, as stated
- "Thousands of Scholarships Exclusively Awarded on Bold.org" (no exact count)
- Applying
- One-tap applications for no-essay scholarships in the app.
- Own no-essay award
- None stated
- Data sharing
- Policy says it may sell data
Policy says "We may sell to or share your information with, and generate revenue from, scholarship providers, applicable academic institutions".
- Ratings
- Trustpilot: 4.8 from 218 reviews (claimed profile since May 2026)
Source: Bold.org on Trustpilot
App Store (US): 4.7 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings
What does Bold.org do, according to its own pages?
Model
Donors create scholarships on Bold.org ("Join 10,000+ Bold.org Donors"; donations described as "100% tax-deductible"). The homepage lists celebrity donors such as Dwyane Wade and Imagine Dragons.
Source: Bold.org homepage
Awarded
The homepage shows "$17,961,130 Total scholarships awarded" and "20k+ donors".
Source: Bold.org homepage
Listings
Scholarship pages show the funder, eligibility, award and number of winners, the application deadline and the date winners are announced. An applicant count was not shown on the page we read.
Matching
"Exclusive new scholarships published daily and matched to you." How matching works is not described on the pages we read.
Source: Bold.org homepage
App
"Apply with one tap (no-essay) or write a standout response."
Bold Rewards
Earn Bold Points through your profile, applications or a free browser extension, and redeem them "for student loan payments and more".
Source: Bold.org homepage
Paid placements
The scholarships page says: "We may be paid by companies displayed who are part of our Vetted Partner Program".
Source: Bold.org scholarships page
Privacy
May sell or share your information with scholarship providers and academic institutions, may sell to educational institutions in your profile, and takes part in "partner advertising programs". Policy effective August 29, 2024.
Source: Bold.org privacy policy
Not stated
Auto-apply, automatic reapplication, essay help and a credibility score are not stated on the homepage, scholarships page or App Store listing.
Source: Bold.org homepage
Where is Bold.org strong?
- Free, with the clearest listing details we saw: funder, eligibility, number of winners, deadline and winners-announced date.
- The strongest ratings in the scored set: 4.7 from 3.2K App Store ratings and 4.8 on Trustpilot.
What are Bold.org's limits?
- Its listings are scholarships awarded on Bold.org, with no exact count, so it is not a search of all scholarships.
- Its privacy policy says it may sell or share your information with scholarship providers and academic institutions, and the scholarships page discloses paid partner placements.
How does Bold.org compare?
Frequently asked questions
Is Bold.org free?
Yes. Its homepage says "100% free no fees, ever".
Are Bold.org scholarships real?
Bold.org says donors create the scholarships, and its homepage shows $17,961,130 in total scholarships awarded. Each listing we read names the funder and the number of winners.
Does Bold.org sell my data?
Its privacy policy says it may sell to or share your information with, and generate revenue from, scholarship providers and academic institutions, and that it takes part in partner advertising programs.