Looking for a SmartSimple alternative? Submit.com is the fast-launch option for grantmakers
A clear, source-linked comparison of Submit.com and SmartSimple Cloud for teams running grant, scholarship and awards programmes. See how each platform handles implementation, pricing, compliance and configuration so you can choose with confidence.
Quick take: Submit.com vs SmartSimple
Submit.com is a purpose-built grant, scholarship and awards management platform for local authorities, universities, foundations and nonprofits that want configurable workflows without a long services-led build. SmartSimple Cloud is an established, highly configurable grants and CSR platform. SmartSimple, Foundant and GivingData have joined forces under a single combined company, as stated on each vendor's homepage.
Both tools manage the full grant lifecycle. They differ most on four things: how fast you can launch, how pricing is structured, whether configuration is self-serve or services-led, and how the two platforms position for UK and Ireland public sector buyers. This page summarises publicly available information for both products, sourced throughout. Where a detail is not publicly disclosed, we say so rather than guess.
Sources reviewed in this section
Submit.com and SmartSimple at a glance
Submit.com
- Pricing from €5,995 per year, with a custom quote based on programme volume, users and modules.
- Purpose built for grant, scholarship, awards and broader submission workflows including permits, licences and HR.
- SOC 2 Type 1 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified. Cyber Essentials certified. GDPR compliant. UK G-Cloud listed supplier. AWS Technology Partner.
- No-code drag-and-drop workflow builder with pre-built templates.
- Multilingual applicant portals with verified support for Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English.
- SSO, MFA and role-based permissions deployed in production by public sector bodies.
- Stripe-powered payments for fee collection and award disbursement.
- Verified public sector customers include Suffolk County Council, Cork City Council, Mid Ulster District Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Kildare County Council, Meath County Council and University College Cork (Ignite).
SmartSimple Cloud
- Pricing structure: a one-time implementation fee plus a recurring subscription, per SmartSimple's pricing page. Specific figures are not publicly disclosed.
- Configurable cloud platform for grants, research funding, government funding and CSR.
- Support: 24x5 with 24x7 critical support per SmartSimple's UK G-Cloud listing.
- SmartSimple, Foundant and GivingData are part of a single combined company, per the SmartSimple homepage.
- Salesforce-native option available via the Salesforce AppExchange.
- Services-led implementation methodology refined over 20 years (per SmartSimple).
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Online applications processed by Cork City Council on Submit.com in 2020, up from approximately 1,000 the year before
Source: Cork City Council case study
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Active forms across 8 departments at Cork City Council, up from a single pilot
Source: Cork City Council case study
0 days
Saved per month at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown LEO on evaluation committee meetings alone
Source: DLR LEO case study
Why Submit.com stands out
If you are comparing Submit.com and SmartSimple, these are the differences most often cited by public sector buyers. Each is drawn from Submit.com's own materials and verified customer case studies.
What sets Submit.com apart
Submit.com publishes a starting figure (from €5,995 per year). SmartSimple does not publish specific figures.
Submit.com's documentation states most teams go live within days using pre-built templates. SmartSimple's methodology begins with a scoping phase.
Programme teams configure forms, workflows, scoring and notifications without IT tickets or developer time.
SOC 2 Type 1, SOC 2 Type 2, Cyber Essentials, GDPR, UK G-Cloud listed supplier, AWS Technology Partner.
Verified support for Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English. Used by Kildare County Council to meet statutory Irish language compliance.
External judges and panellists can be limited to specific categories. Cork Lifelong Learning Awards configured 23 external judges with category-restricted access on Submit.com.
Online fee collection, application charges and award disbursement supported natively via Stripe. Used in production at Cork City Council for parking permit payments.
Grants, scholarships, awards, permits, licences, HR vacancies, talent casting and broader submission workflows on a single platform.
We've got a slick, efficient grant process now. Happier team, way less paperwork. Going digital was not just a tech upgrade, it was a mindset shift, and it's really made all the difference.
Beverley Davies, Grants & Programmes Manager, Suffolk County Council
Submit.com vs SmartSimple: feature-by-feature comparison
The table below uses only claims that appear on each vendor's own materials, the G2, Capterra, GetApp and SourceForge listings, or the vendors' UK G-Cloud submissions. Items that are not publicly disclosed are labelled accordingly.
| Dimension | Submit.com | SmartSimple |
|---|---|---|
| Core use case | Grant, scholarship, awards and broader submission management (permits, licences, HR, casting) for public sector, education, foundations and nonprofits. | Grants, research funding, government funding and CSR programmes on a configurable cloud platform. |
| Deployment model | Cloud-based SaaS. AWS Technology Partner. | Cloud-based SaaS, hosted on AWS per UK G-Cloud listing. |
| Starting price | From €5,995 per year. Custom quote based on programme volume, users and modules. | Not publicly disclosed. Third-party listings reference variable starting figures; verify directly with SmartSimple. |
| Pricing structure | Annual subscription. Quote-based per programme. | Two components per SmartSimple's pricing page: a one-time implementation fee plus a recurring subscription fee. |
| Workflow configuration | No-code drag-and-drop builder with pre-built templates. Configured by programme teams without IT tickets. | "Completely based on configuration, not customization", per SmartSimple's UK G-Cloud listing. Typically services-led. |
| Typical time to first programme | Per Submit.com, most teams launch their first programme within days using no-code templates. | Services-led methodology refined over 20 years. Begins with a scoping phase. |
| Security and compliance stack | SOC 2 Type 1 certified, SOC 2 Type 2 certified, Cyber Essentials certified, GDPR compliant, UK G-Cloud listed supplier, AWS Technology Partner. | UK G-Cloud listed (service ID 381817298686710). Further certifications not consolidated on the SmartSimple public pricing page; verify with the vendor. |
| UK public sector procurement | Listed on the UK G-Cloud framework on the Digital Marketplace. | Listed on the UK G-Cloud framework on the Digital Marketplace. |
| Multilingual applicant portal | Verified support for Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English, with a straightforward translation process. Used by Kildare County Council for statutory Irish language compliance. | 40+ languages listed on SmartSimple's GetApp profile. Verify scope with the vendor. |
| SSO and MFA | SSO and MFA supported and deployed in production. Cork City Council uses SSO for internal-network sign-in and MFA for remote access. | SSO supported per SmartSimple G-Cloud listing. |
| Salesforce-native option | Not publicly disclosed. | Listed on the Salesforce AppExchange. |
| Integrations (publicly listed) | Includes Stripe for online payments and Dropbox for file uploads. Full catalogue on Submit.com's Platform pages. | Third-party directories reference Salesforce, DocuSign, QuickBooks, Sage, Stripe, PayPal, Tableau, Power BI, Okta, Zoom, Microsoft Outlook and others. Verify with SmartSimple. |
| API | API available (per Submit.com platform page). | API available (per SmartSimple and G-Cloud listings). |
| External reviewer functionality | External reviewers can be limited to specific categories. Cork Lifelong Learning Awards configured 23 external judges with category-restricted access; scores calculated automatically. | Reviewer management referenced in Research Grants Management materials, including attribute matching and committee management. Verify scope with vendor. |
| Support model | Ongoing customer support included. Submit.com publishes G2 badges including Easiest to Use and Best Support (Small Business). | Standard support included. Premium Support available. 24x5 with 24x7 critical support per SmartSimple's UK G-Cloud listing. |
| Best fit | Teams wanting fast launch, transparent starting pricing and procurement-ready UK and Ireland footprint, with self-serve configuration. | Teams with complex, research-heavy or large-scale operational processes planning a services-led rollout and a potentially wider philanthropic product stack. |
Sources reviewed in this section
Best fit by team: Submit.com or SmartSimple?
Pick the team type closest to yours to see where Submit.com and SmartSimple each tend to suit.
Small grants team in a UK or Irish local authority
Submit.com is usually the faster route for local authorities. It is a UK G-Cloud listed supplier, Cyber Essentials certified, GDPR compliant, and SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 certified, with multilingual applicant portals covering Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English. It is already in production at Suffolk County Council, Cork City Council, Mid Ulster District Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Kildare County Council and Meath County Council, across grants, permits, licences, awards and HR processes. SmartSimple is also available through the UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace. Ask both vendors to confirm which framework lot applies to your procurement route, and whether the named service covers the modules you need.
Large research institution or national research council
SmartSimple is often strong for heavy research workflows. It publishes a Research Grants Management solution with modules for reviewer management, attribute matching, scoring rubrics and legal frameworks for awards. Submit.com supports research grant, scholarship and fellowship workflows and is already used by higher education institutions including University College Cork (UCC) for the Ignite graduate incubation programme, and by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) for its innovation hub. For the largest and most complex research workflows, request a scoped demo from both vendors against your actual review rubric.
Foundation or corporate impact team
Submit.com suits foundations that want to move quickly. Foundations and corporate impact teams are a dedicated Submit.com sector, with named customers including The Katherine Howard Foundation, the High Fives Foundation and Developing Healthy Communities. SmartSimple offers a CSR and employee giving solution. SmartSimple, Foundant and GivingData now operate as a single combined company, which may be a strength or a variable depending on your appetite for navigating a consolidating vendor stack.
Small nonprofit
Submit.com is typically the better fit for small nonprofits. Submit.com advertises no-code setup and launch within days using pre-built templates, and publishes a starting price from €5,995 per year. SmartSimple's methodology begins with a scoping phase and is typically services-led, and SmartSimple does not publish specific starting pricing. Small teams without dedicated IT often favour the faster-start route. Verify with each vendor which resourcing model applies to your situation.
Sources reviewed in this section
Submit.com or SmartSimple? A 3-question check
Answer these three quick questions to see a general steer. This is a rule-of-thumb guide, not a recommendation. Always run a scoped demo with either vendor before deciding.
Tell us about your programme
1. How soon do you need your first programme live?
2. Do you have dedicated IT or implementation resource?
3. Are your workflows primarily...
Your steer
Workflows, reporting and integrations
Both Submit.com and SmartSimple offer configurable, multi-stage workflows with role-based permissions. The main difference is who does the configuring and how quickly a change propagates.
Workflows
- Submit.com: drag-and-drop, no-code workflow configuration. Supports unlimited programmes, each with its own eligibility rules, review stages, weighted scoring and reporting. Programme teams make changes without waiting on IT or a delivery partner. Auto-tagging, auto-scoring and auto-reject reduce repetitive manual work.
- SmartSimple: branching logic, triggered automation, role-based access control and "complex workflow" management on its Government Funding solution page. Positioned as "no programming or coding required" on SmartSimple's UK G-Cloud listing.
Reporting
- Submit.com: real-time dashboards, downloadable reports (CSV, Excel, PDF), full audit trails and immutable activity logs. Designed to support GDPR, board reporting and internal audit requirements.
- SmartSimple: "Report Builder Neo" is referenced on SmartSimple's Government Funding page as a reporting engine for custom, outcomes-based reports.
Integrations
- Submit.com: publicly listed integrations include Stripe for online payments and fee collection (used in production at Cork City Council for parking permit payments), Dropbox for file uploads, and SSO with social and enterprise identity providers. API available for connection to CRMs, finance systems and data warehouses.
- SmartSimple: third-party directories (GetApp, SourceForge) reference integrations with Salesforce, DocuSign, QuickBooks, Sage Accounting, PayPal, Stripe, Tableau, Power BI, Okta, Zoom, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel, Oracle Fusion Cloud Financials, SAP Business One, Google Maps, Candid GuideStar and SignEasy. Ask SmartSimple for a current, contractually supported integration list.
Sources reviewed in this section
Implementation and onboarding
Implementation style is the biggest practical difference between Submit.com and SmartSimple.
Submit.com states that most organisations launch their first programme within days using pre-built templates and the no-code builder. Timelines depend on workflow, form, approval and reporting complexity, but the programme team can make changes directly. Submit.com's Solutions and Customer Success teams provide guided onboarding and training; Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, for example, configured 22 admin users across 8 departments with restricted permissions during onboarding.
SmartSimple publishes a services-led methodology that begins with a scoping phase to capture business processes, followed by a detailed project plan, waterfall or agile project management, and on-site or remote configuration. SmartSimple's UK G-Cloud listing confirms pricing has two components: a one-time implementation fee for system build, plus a recurring subscription that includes support and maintenance.
Exact implementation length and cost vary by implementation for both vendors and are not publicly published.
Sources reviewed in this section
Submit.com pricing vs SmartSimple pricing
Submit.com publishes a starting price. SmartSimple does not. That is the simplest way to frame the pricing difference.
- Submit.com: from €5,995 per year. Custom quote per programme based on volume, user counts and modules. Request a quote.
- SmartSimple: published structure is a one-time implementation fee plus a recurring subscription fee. Specific figures are not publicly disclosed on the SmartSimple pricing page.
Sources reviewed in this section
When to choose Submit.com
Choose Submit.com over SmartSimple if you want:
- Transparent starting pricing from €5,995 per year, with a quote based on your specific programme.
- A fast-start platform designed to launch your first programme in days using no-code templates.
- A strong public sector compliance stack: SOC 2 Type 1, SOC 2 Type 2, Cyber Essentials, GDPR, UK G-Cloud listed supplier, AWS Technology Partner.
- A platform already used by Suffolk County Council, Cork City Council, Mid Ulster District Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Kildare County Council, Meath County Council, Cork City LEO, DLR LEO and University College Cork.
- Multilingual applicant portals with verified support for Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English.
- One platform across programme types: grants, scholarships, awards, permits, licences, HR vacancies, talent casting and broader submission workflows.
- Self-serve configurability without large professional services fees for every change.
- Stripe payments and external reviewer controls already proven in production at Cork City Council.
When SmartSimple Cloud may fit better
To be fair and transparent, SmartSimple is likely the better fit when:
- You run complex research grants programmes where SmartSimple's Research Grants Management, Committee Manager and attribute-matching reviewer assignment modules are directly relevant.
- You want a Salesforce-native deployment option, available via the Salesforce AppExchange.
- You prefer a services-led, deeply scoped implementation with a long-standing methodology and dedicated professional services teams.
- You need multi-language support spanning 40+ languages, as listed on SmartSimple's third-party GetApp profile.
- You plan to adopt products across the combined SmartSimple, Foundant and GivingData family.
Sources reviewed in this section
Frequently asked questions: Submit.com vs SmartSimple
Is Submit.com a good alternative to SmartSimple Cloud?
Yes. Submit.com and SmartSimple both manage the full grant lifecycle, covering application intake, review, scoring, awards and reporting, for public sector bodies, foundations, universities and nonprofits. Submit.com differentiates on transparent starting pricing (from EUR 5,995 per year), speed to launch (within days using pre-built templates), a strong compliance stack (SOC 2 Type 1, SOC 2 Type 2, Cyber Essentials, GDPR, UK G-Cloud listed supplier) and no-code self-serve configuration. SmartSimple differentiates on depth of services-led implementation, a Salesforce-native option and broader language coverage on third-party profiles.
How much does Submit.com cost compared to SmartSimple?
Submit.com publishes a starting price from EUR 5,995 per year, with a custom quote per programme. SmartSimple publishes that its pricing has two components, a one-time implementation fee plus a recurring subscription, but does not disclose specific figures on its pricing page. Request a written quote from both vendors based on your programme volume, users and modules before comparing totals.
Does Submit.com support multilingual applicant portals?
Yes. Submit.com supports multilingual applicant portals with verified coverage for Irish (Gaeilge), Welsh, Polish and English. Kildare County Council uses Submit.com's multilingual functionality to meet statutory Irish language requirements, with a translation process the Council describes as straightforward and requiring no additional technical expertise. SmartSimple lists 40+ languages on its GetApp profile.
Can Submit.com support UK public sector procurement?
Yes. Submit.com is a UK G-Cloud listed supplier on the Digital Marketplace, Cyber Essentials certified, GDPR compliant, and SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 certified. Verified UK public sector customers include Suffolk County Council and Mid Ulster District Council. SmartSimple is also available via the UK G-Cloud Digital Marketplace.
Does Submit.com support SSO and MFA?
Yes. Submit.com supports single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA), and is in production with both at Cork City Council. Staff on the internal network sign in automatically via SSO; when working remotely, a second authentication layer is required. The deployment included a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) to satisfy GDPR obligations for forms handling sensitive personal data.
Does SmartSimple integrate with Salesforce?
Yes. SmartSimple Cloud for Salesforce is listed on the Salesforce AppExchange. A Salesforce-native Submit.com integration is not publicly disclosed at this level of detail.
How long does implementation take on Submit.com vs SmartSimple?
It varies by implementation for both vendors. Submit.com states most teams launch their first programme within days using pre-built templates. SmartSimple publishes a services-led methodology starting with a scoping phase, refined over 20 years. Ask both vendors for a written scoping estimate for your specific programme.
Which platform is better for research grants?
SmartSimple publishes dedicated Research Grants Management features, including reviewer attribute matching, committee management and legal framework tools. Submit.com supports research grant, scholarship and fellowship workflows for higher education institutions including University College Cork (Ignite graduate incubation programme) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). For the most complex research programmes, request a scoped demo from both vendors against your actual review rubric.
Can Submit.com handle complex, multi-stage grant workflows?
Yes. Submit.com supports multi-stage, multi-year grant cycles with configurable eligibility, review, weighted scoring and reporting per programme. Cork City Council manages over 100 active forms across 8 departments on Submit.com, including grants, parking permits, road licensing, FOI requests and the Cork Lifelong Learning Awards (with 23 external category-restricted judges).
Does Submit.com replace spreadsheets end to end?
Yes. Submit.com positions itself as a single platform replacing spreadsheets and disconnected tools across application, review, award, payments and reporting. Cork City Council moved from approximately 1,000 paper-based applications in 2019 to 22,000 online applications in 2020 after deploying Submit.com.
See Submit.com in action
Book a 15-minute demo and see how Submit.com handles your specific grant programme, from applicant intake through to post-award reporting. Pricing from €5,995 per year.
Sources reviewed
All SmartSimple claims on this page are drawn from publicly available materials published by SmartSimple Software Inc. or by independent third-party review directories. All Submit.com claims are drawn from Submit.com's own website and published customer case studies.