--- title: "SmarterSelect Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about SmarterSelect Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Scholarship Management products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/140270/SmarterSelect/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # SmarterSelect Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on July 21, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) SmarterSelect ## What is SmarterSelect? With an over 95% customer retention rate and over 98% customer satisfaction rate, SmarterSelect provides a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use, online application management solution for scholarships, grants, awards, fellowships, data collection, etc. Create, collect, analyze, and evaluate applications using our mobile-responsive user interface, text message notifications, inline calculations, dynamic application rules, online recommendations, file uploads, and much, much more. ## What is SmarterSelect used for? [Scholarship Management](https://www.capterra.com/scholarship-management-software/)[Grant Management](https://www.capterra.com/grant-management-software/)[Nonprofit](https://www.capterra.com/nonprofit-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 227 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 93% Neutral 5% Negative 2% Starting price $2000 Per Feature, Per Year Free trial available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for SmarterSelect?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=http://www.smarterselect.com&name=SmarterSelect) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### SmarterSelect 4.4 (227) VS. [4.3 (96)](https://www.capterra.com/p/146625/Fluxx-Software-for-Grantmakers/reviews/) Starting Price $2000 Per Feature, Per Year Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.1 (227) Ease Of Use 3.9 (189) Value For Money 4.5 (207) Value For Money 4.1 (178) Customer Service 4.5 (203) Customer Service 4.0 (181) ## SmarterSelect alternatives Highest Rated [4.8 (398)](https://www.capterra.com/p/158382/Submittable/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.7 (40)](https://www.capterra.com/p/232111/RQ-Awards/reviews/) Starting price $1275.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.8 (21)](https://www.capterra.com/p/206672/Good-Grants/reviews/) Starting price $3000.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (73)](https://www.capterra.com/p/140294/OpenWater-Awards/reviews/) Starting price $5100.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/140270/SmarterSelect/alternatives/) ## FAQs about SmarterSelect Overview ### What problems does SmarterSelect solve? SmarterSelect solves paper-heavy, fragmented scholarship and grant workflows by centralizing applications, reviewer scoring, messaging, reporting, and applicant tracking in one system. It reduces manual sorting, duplicate data entry, and committee coordination delays. Scholarship coordinators, foundation staff, volunteer reviewers, and small nonprofit teams benefit most. Answer based on 163 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from SmarterSelect? SmarterSelect is most used by nonprofit leaders, program teams, and administrative staff managing applications, scholarships, grants, and selection workflows. Executive directors and foundation leaders use it for oversight and decision-making, while program managers, coordinators, and assistants streamline applicant intake, review processes, communications, and recordkeeping across complex funding programs. Answer based on 226 reviews Talk to an expert ### More questions? Ask our experts Overview ### What company size and industries is SmarterSelect built for? SmarterSelect serves small organizations in nonprofit and education settings, with 90% of reviewers from small businesses and 49% from Non-Profit Organization Management. It is built for foundations, associations, higher education organizations, and corporations, with 17% in Education Management and 7% in Philanthropy, often for scholarship management. Answer based on 227 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of SmarterSelect? SmarterSelect includes core application management features like customizable forms and questions, applicant tracking, deadline management, and reporting. Its differentiating features focus on scholarship management and applicant review, including evaluator access, scoring, recommendations, bulk email reminders, data export, and common applications that support multiple programs. Answer based on 80 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does SmarterSelect integrate with? SmarterSelect integrates with Zapier. Answer based on 5 reviews Getting Started and Support ### How easy is it to onboard and train a team on SmarterSelect? SmarterSelect offers in-person training, live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos. Reviewers say applicants, volunteers, and nontechnical staff usually learn basic tasks quickly, often with minimal guidance. Admins configuring scoring, reports, and application rules tend to need more time, with some citing a clear learning curve and uneven training depth. Answer based on 21 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does SmarterSelect offer, and how do users rate the experience? SmarterSelect offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, a knowledge base, and chat. Users often describe support as quick, helpful, and thorough, with strong online resources for common questions. Some report delays during urgent or complex issues, mixed results with chat, and frustration when explaining problems through written support requests. Answer based on 80 reviews Security ### How well does SmarterSelect support evaluator access? SmarterSelect gives evaluators convenient online access to applications, scoring tools, and comments from almost anywhere. Scholarship committees, grant reviewers, and small teams like easier assignment and reduced paper handling, though some organizations find evaluator setup less intuitive, want better side-by-side review visibility, or need features locked behind higher plans. Answer based on 40 reviews Features and Usability ### How well does SmarterSelect handle applicant review? SmarterSelect makes applicant review easier by centralizing applications, scoring, reminders, and communication in one system. Grantmakers, scholarship teams, and small nonprofits value custom forms, reviewer summaries, and data exports, though some users run into clunky grouping, confusing applicant naming, limited branding, and missing review completion notifications. Answer based on 75 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 129 Scholarship Management reviews Capterra reviewers point to these as the top features buyers look for in scholarship management software: - **Customizable Questions** (**75%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Applicant Portal** (**71%**) - **Data Import/Export** (**61%**) SmarterSelect supports all three of the features reviewers rate highest: **Customizable Questions**, **Applicant Portal**, and **Data Import/Export**. Together, these capabilities help organizations tailor applications to their selection criteria, give applicants a clear place to submit and track materials, and move data in and out of the system more efficiently, allowing teams to manage scholarship programs with greater accuracy and less manual work. Customizable Questions 4.5 (57) 66.67% of 57 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Tailored or customizable questions for more targeted and relevant data collection Applicant Portal 4.1 (28) 75.00% of 28 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Gateway through which end users can update personal information, track their applications, and more Data Import/Export 4.0 (51) 66.67% of 51 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Import and export data to and from software applications Customizable Forms 4.3 (42) 59.52% of 42 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Customize contracts and forms to collect specific information Applicant Tracking 4.4 (37) 64.86% of 37 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Find and manage potential candidates and their applications and resumes through the recruiting life cycle Grant Application Management 4.2 (33) 81.82% of 33 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track and manage the status of grant applications SmarterSelect 46 features ### All Features - Activity Tracking: Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - Applicant Portal: Gateway through which end users can update personal information, track their applications, and more - Applicant Tracking: Find and manage potential candidates and their applications and resumes through the recruiting life cycle - Application Management: Track, manage and store the applications of potential future members, customers or candidates - Audit Management: Plan, schedule, and execute organization's accounts and assets to ensure compliance with policies and laws - Commenting/Notes: Leave comments and notes on documents for others to view - Communication Management: Manage and track all internal and external communication conducted via calls, email, text, or chat - Compliance Management: Track and manage adherence to policies for any service, product, process, or supplier - CRM: Built-in customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities or integration with a third-party CRM system - Customizable Fields: Customize data fields to support various needs and use cases - Customizable Forms: Customize contracts and forms to collect specific information - Customizable Questions: Tailored or customizable questions for more targeted and relevant data collection - Customizable Reports: Alter the layout and content of reports - Customizable Templates: Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Deadline Management: Specify or track the date/time a project, task, etc., is due for completion - Document Review: Review and analyze existing information across documents - Electronic Payments: Electronically collect payments for goods or services - Email Reminders: Reminders sent via email - For Grantmakers: Software designed for grantmakers - For Nonprofits: Software specialized for non-profit organizations - For Schools: Designed to be used by kindergarten, primary, middle, and senior secondary schools. - Forms Management: Store, manage and track all forms in a centralized location - Grant Application Management: Track and manage the status of grant applications - Grant Award Tracking: Track grant submission requirements, deadlines, and financial documentation for awarded grants - Grant Management: Monitor application statuses, proposals and award funds - Interview Management: Create and track interviews with a reminder system - Member Database: Add, store and access information pertaining to members - Multi-Currency: Manage and handle various international currencies - Preview Functionality: Preview materials before finalizing projects - Progress Tracking: Reporting on how each user, task or process has advanced since its initiation - Ratings/Reviews: Ratings/Reviews - Recommendations: Algorithmically generated suggestions based on user behaviors, preferences, or data patterns to enhance UX, productivity, or engagement - Reminders: Timed notification for any upcoming task, deadline, appointment, or activity - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Reviewer Management: Ability that helps reviewers analyze applications, add comments/notes, and more - Role-Based Permissions: Set & manage permission levels based on user roles and restrict access to only authorized individuals - Scoring: Automatically calculate score after the assessment - Search/Filter: Search and filter data across systems to locate required information by entering keywords or certain criteria - Single Sign On: Allow users to access multiple services after entering their login credentials once - SSL Security: Security protocol that ensures secure, encrypted communication over the internet, safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access - Status Tracking: Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction - Third-Party Integrations: Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes - Web Forms: Web form that allows users to enter data that is sent and processed for different reasons - White Label: Ability that lets users rebrand the software to make it look like their own --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.2 (227) 4.2 Based on 227 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.5 (207) Free Trial Basic $2,000 Per Feature,Per Year Value for money 4.5 (207) 4.5 Based on 207 reviews ## Integrations [ Zapier](https://www.capterra.com/p/130182/Zapier/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.5 (203) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.5 (203) 4.5 Based on 203 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.4 Based on 227 reviews Filter by rating 5(117) 4(94) 3(12) 2(4) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent SM Stephanie M. Project Lead for the OSV Challenge Non-Profit Organization Management ### "We will keeping on using Smarter Select" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 September 21, 2022 Smarter Select has helped us expedite our goals with the OSV Challenge and that has been wildly beneficial. Pros We were able to design and customize each of our applications. The onboarding for the program was easy. We also liked the features that we would use with the evaluators as well. Cons There are a few components of the exporting system that aren't as intuitive as the rest of the system. Switched from [Fluxx Grantmaker](https://www.capterra.com/p/146625/Fluxx-Software-for-Grantmakers/) Fluxx was difficult to navigate and use Reasons for choosing SmarterSelect We were able to onboard the program quickly and easily Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. NP Nadine P. Consulting Program Officer Philanthropy ### "Needs more Customization" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 2.0 2.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 4/10 September 21, 2022 I got the job done. But it could have an easier interface for applicants and staff. Pros Can't say. I don't have more to say so I will ramble on. This is part of the problem.... Cons Applicants had a hard time uploading content for the portfolio. Also difficult to select filters via categories. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. TS Tressa S. Foundation Director Education Management ### "Great for the value - cumbersome to learn. " 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 2.0 2.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 September 21, 2022 SmarterSelect has been an effective tool for scholarship management and tracking. The online training forums move very quickly. I can usually find posts of similar issues when troubleshooting which is nice to resolve and move on. Pros I have no basis for comparison with other software. I feel SmarterSelect is a great value, especially for smaller organizations. It provides all of the functions needed. Cons I'm not sure that I've learned all of the many tools available in this software. I dislike the long pause in between changing from one option to another. I wish once you left a record, it didn't leave a separate tab open. Ideally, it would so convenient to be able to have multiple views at one time. Reasons for choosing SmarterSelect n/a Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. FO Florence O. Country Representative Education Management ### "SWOT analysis of SmarterSelect" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 2.0 2.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 September 20, 2022 We are able to store applicants data for reference. Applicants can use it in any part of the world. It has made life easier. Pros The data storage. The importing and exporting of applicant details. Cons It is a cumbersome process. It takes about 3 to 4 hours for some one to fill. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. DF David F. Professor of Marketing Education Management ### "It works for scholarships, grants and more" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 September 19, 2022 We use SmarterSelect in conjunction with our parent organization who uses it for scholarships. We use it to track conference submissions. While it is more designed for scholarship and grant use, it serves well for what we do. Pros The best part is the ability to download PDFs of all submissions to work with offline. Cons Menu system is clunky until you get very comfortable navigating it. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AP Alyssa P. Program Director Non-Profit Organization Management ### "Great Scholarship Management System" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 September 19, 2022 Not only is this easy for our applicants, but has made reviewing and scoring the applications simple as well. Pros It is very user friendly and customizable to meet the needs of our scholarship application and reviewers. Cons I would like it to be a little easier to quickly view an application or see which sections they have completed. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CS Chris S. Executive Director Non-Profit Organization Management ### "SmarterSelect has taken our Foundation to a new level" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 September 19, 2022 SPSEF manages over 30 unique scholarship funds, and another six individual grant funds. WE are a small shop with only 1.5 FTE. SmarterSelect allows us to manage and process over 800 applications annually. When we made the decision to migrate over to Smarter Select, we found that we spend muck less time in the management process, which allowed us to spend more time fundraising and working with recipients and donors. Pros The software allows me to easily create a new scholarship application that is unique and reflective of the donors desires. The fact that I can continue to access data from previous years allows me to remain in contact with our recipients. Cons The integration inner business was not difficult. Right out of the box, there is a steep learning curve. However, the customer support is very responsive and helpful. I have suggested a few enhancements over the years and have found that SmarterSelect was eager to listen to my concerns and If they could not provide a workaround they will often fix the issue in a subsequent update. Reasons for choosing SmarterSelect As I evaluated both platforms, I quickly realized that SmarterSelect could be more customized to our business. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. NP Nadine P. Development Coordinator Museums and Institutions ### "Not user friendly" 2.0 Overall Rating 2.0 2.0 Ease of Use 1.0 1.0 Features 2.0 2.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 2/10 September 19, 2022 Pros I can't say I liked too much. It is not user friendly to our staff or the applicants that were filling it out for an awards ceremony we do once a year. Cons There was not enough training. Staff that was here when we originally started using the program are no longer here. I was told they only do one training session, had to beg for another. Customer service was very good because I had no idea how to do reports. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. GG Grace G. Assistant Director of Education and Leadership Initiatives Education Management ### "Gets the job done" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 6/10 September 19, 2022 Pros The evaluation of applications is a useful feature Cons Changing and updating programs and forms is not always intuitive. Assigning evaluators can be confusing and the program logic doesn't always work on the first try setting it up. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. BM Beth M. Director of Data & Evaluation Non-Profit Organization Management ### "SmarterSelect Review" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 September 16, 2022 SmarterSelect has made it possible for our organization to grow our programs quickly by streamlining our application processes. Pros It is easy to create customized forms in SmarterSelect, to evaluate and assign students to programs, and to email students directly through SmarterSelect. Cons It can be difficult to manage applications when you want to take into account multiple evaluations Switched from [FormAssembly](https://www.capterra.com/p/144453/FormAssembly/) SmarterSelect is a dedicated application management platform and has the tools we need to make application review and admissions more efficient and effective. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/140270/SmarterSelect/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. 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