ReliefScout vs GiveInstead
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ReliefScout
Instantly find local nonprofit and charity resources based on your needs and zip code. Discover opportunities for financial, medical, educational, housing, and career assistance. Save your favorite programs for easy access.
- Explore free and reduced cost resources
- Get matched to opportunities
- Locate support by zip code
- Save favorite programs
- Find financial assistance
- Discover medical programs
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ReliefScout instantly connects you to resources from nonprofits, charities, and other organizations in your area. The app works by analyzing your needs and locating relevant opportunities within your zip code. Find assistance with finances, education, medical needs, housing, career, food, and so much more. Key Features: +Explore free and reduced cost resources +Get matched to opportunities +Locate support easily based on zip code +Save your favorite programs for later use What You’ll Find: +Financial Assistance +Benefit Programs +Career Support +Childcare Help +Education Grants +Medical Programs ReliefScout is completely free to download and use
GiveInstead
This app facilitates charitable giving by allowing users to donate funds they would have otherwise spent on non-essential purchases. It offers a unique way for individuals to practice generosity and for charities to receive additional support.
- Redirect planned spending to charities
- Support favorite charities
- Track charitable giving
- Ministry-focused giving
- Simple donation process
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GiveInstead helps givers give and charities receive in a new, unique way. Anecdotes are best. I'm on my way to work and plan to stop by for a froofy coffee on the way. I know I'm called to give as God has given so generously, and to be a good steward of what He's provided. So, I decide to pop open the GiveInstead app, type $5.87 into the amount field and - because my favorite charity is already defaulted - I just touch "Give", and I move on. I just gave ... instead of buying something I wanted but did not really need. What a concept! GiveInstead is a simple app for giving, helping generous people give in moments where they planned to spend money either way, but wish to choose giving over consuming. Imagine the result... hundreds or dollars (thousands?) given each month rather than buying stuff, "where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal" (Matt 6:19). And if you're one of the charities involved, imagine receiving more donations, on top of one-time gifts and monthly recurring giving. This app - in short - is a ministry intended to prime our collective pumps for GIVING as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave so fully and sacrificially. GiveInstead is a ministry of HowGiving. Learn more at GiveInstead.app or HowGiving.org.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: GiveInstead at 5.0 against ReliefScout's 4.3. GiveInstead also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). ReliefScout's advantage is ratings volume (46 vs 3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
GiveInstead holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ReliefScout has 46 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ReliefScout ships an update monthly, GiveInstead every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ReliefScout | GiveInstead |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (46 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 46 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Modaramo | HowGiving LLC |
Customer experience
ReliefScout
GiveInstead
In-app purchases
ReliefScout
No in-app purchases
GiveInstead
No in-app purchases







