Head to head
ScholarshipOwl vs Scholarships.com: which scholarship site fits you?
Short answer
ScholarshipOwl scores higher overall on our weights, 6.75 to 5.10. ScholarshipOwl scores higher on effort saved, matching, transparency, help and ratings; Scholarships.com scores higher on cost, privacy and database size. ScholarshipOwl charges a membership after a free trial; Scholarships.com 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 | ScholarshipOwl | Scholarships.com | Higher score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application effort saved | 25% | 9 / 10 One application is reused for many scholarships, with one-click apply on many listings and automatic reapplication to recurring awards. | 3 / 10 No auto-apply, one application for many or reapplication is stated on the homepage, About page or App Store listing. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Match quality | 20% | 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. | 5 / 10 Free search for every student level, with about half the database location-based; how matches are made is not described. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Transparency and scam protection | 15% | 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. | 6 / 10 Describes a verified, continuously updated database and links a Trust Center; per-listing vetting details and applicant counts are not stated. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Cost to the student | 10% | 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. | 10 / 10 States "100% free". | Scholarships.com |
| Privacy and data sharing | 10% | 2 / 10 The policy says it may sell identifiers and may sell certain sensitive personal information, such as ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. | 4 / 10 The policy says it may sell or share personal information for marketing and advertising; sharing with colleges and education partners is with consent. | Scholarships.com |
| Help along the way | 10% | 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. | 4 / 10 Sends scholarship alerts; essay help and application tracking are not stated. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Ratings from users | 5% | 7 / 10 Trustpilot 4.2 from 1,260 reviews (claimed, paid subscription) and App Store 4.7 from 228 ratings. | 3 / 10 App Store 5.0 from only 5 ratings and Trustpilot 2.9 from 2 reviews: too few to tell much. | ScholarshipOwl |
| Database size, as stated | 5% | 4 / 10 States 10,000+ scholarships, far fewer than the millions Fastweb and Scholarships.com state. | 10 / 10 States over 3.7 million scholarships and grants worth about $19 billion, the largest figure in the set. | Scholarships.com |
| Total | 100% | 6.75 | 5.10 | ScholarshipOwl |
How do the facts compare?
| Fact | ScholarshipOwl | Scholarships.com |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Scholarship Services, Inc. (d/b/a ScholarshipOwl), Wilmington, Delaware | Scholarships.com, LLC (since 1998) |
| Cost | Paid after free trial Paid membership after a free trial. Plan prices are not on ScholarshipOwl's public pages. | Free Free. The homepage says "100% free". |
| Database, as stated | 10,000+ scholarships | Over 3.7 million scholarships and grants totaling about $19 billion |
| Applying | One application for many scholarships, one-click apply on many listings, and automatic reapplication to scholarships that pick winners more than once a year. | Search and scholarship alerts; no auto-apply or one application for many stated. |
| Own no-essay award | $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. | None stated |
| Data sharing | Policy says "we may sell Identifiers generally" and may sell certain sensitive personal information, like ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. | Policy says "We may sell or share personal information", including for marketing and advertising; sharing with colleges and education partners is with consent. |
| 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 | App Store (US): 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings. Trustpilot: 2.9 from 2 reviews (claimed profile since March 2021) |
| Scored on this site | Yes, 6.75 / 10 | Yes, 5.10 / 10 |
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
Source: Scholarships.com homepage
Source: Scholarships.com on the App Store
Source: Scholarships.com about page
Source: Scholarships.com privacy policy
Source: Scholarships.com on Trustpilot
Which one should you choose?
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.
Choose Scholarships.com if
Students who want the biggest stated database, including local awards, at no cost.
It scores highest of the two on cost and privacy.
What should you watch for?
- 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.
- Scholarships.com: Too few ratings to judge: 5 on the App Store and 2 on Trustpilot.
Frequently asked questions
Which saves more time on applications, ScholarshipOwl or Scholarships.com?
ScholarshipOwl scores higher on application effort saved (9 to 3). 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. Scholarships.com: Search and scholarship alerts; no auto-apply or one application for many stated.
Is ScholarshipOwl or Scholarships.com free?
ScholarshipOwl: Paid membership after a free trial. Plan prices are not on ScholarshipOwl's public pages. Scholarships.com: Free. The homepage says "100% free".
Do ScholarshipOwl and Scholarships.com sell student data?
ScholarshipOwl: Policy says "we may sell Identifiers generally" and may sell certain sensitive personal information, like ethnicity and citizenship, to third parties. Scholarships.com: Policy says "We may sell or share personal information", including for marketing and advertising; sharing with colleges and education partners is with consent. "Privacy terms not read" means we could not read the policy, not that the site does not share data.