OpenVC vs Signal NFX for Founders (2026)
Quick answer
Both are free. OpenVC is a searchable directory of investors that takes your deck through its own platform. Signal NFX is a network of individual investors that looks for a warm introduction through your Gmail contacts.
OpenVC: Free. Premium: $99 per month or $299 per year. 18,513 investors in its search. (source, checked 10 Nov 2026.)
Signal NFX: Free. Its FAQ says NFX will never charge for it. 32,821 investors added (its own counter). (source, checked 10 Nov 2026.)
How do OpenVC and Signal NFX compare?
| OpenVC | Signal NFX | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | 18,513 investors in its search | 32,821 investors added (its own counter) |
| Price | Free. Premium: $99 per month or $299 per year | Free. Its FAQ says NFX will never charge for it |
| Contacts included | Outreach runs through the platform. Premium allows up to 5 investors per day | No contact details on list pages. Intro paths appear after you sign in with Gmail |
| Export | Not published | Not published |
| Free tier | Unlimited investor search, deck sharing and CRM on the free plan | Everything. A list page loads 8 investors, then a load-more button |
| Data source | Not published | Investor profiles with community edits (477,526 edits on its counter) |
| Checked | source, checked 10 Nov 2026 | source, checked 10 Nov 2026 |
Should you pick OpenVC or Signal NFX?
Pick OpenVC if
- You want to search investors for free before you spend anything
- You are happy to send your deck through a platform and track replies there
- You raise outside the US, UK and Europe: its country filter is global
Pick Signal NFX if
- You want named individual investors, not firms
- Your Gmail network may hold a warm introduction and you want the tool to find it
- You do not need a spreadsheet
When does a downloadable list fit better than either?
Neither OpenVC nor Signal NFX is a spreadsheet you own. If you want to filter, sort and load investors into your own tools, a one-time file fits better. The Investor Database is a one-time download of 4,178 startup investors, built from public filings, registers and each firm's own website. One-time: $197 US file, $149 UK, $99 Europe, $297 all three, $49 for a single list. 25 rows free on every list page, and a 100-investor sample file.
- You want a file you keep: one payment, no renewal
- You want US firms tied to SEC filings: 2,390 of the 3,019 US investors carry a Form D filing date
- You raise in the UK or Europe too: 416 UK and 725 European investors are in the same file, with SEIS and EIS funds tagged
- You want to see 25 rows of any list before you pay
Skip it if you need the largest count: several tools on this page list more investors than we do.
One-time payment. No subscription. No account.
Or get the free sample file (100 investors) first.
Questions
Is OpenVC better than Signal NFX?
Neither is better for everyone. Pick OpenVC if: you want to search investors for free before you spend anything. Pick Signal NFX if: you want named individual investors, not firms.
How much does OpenVC cost?
Free. Premium: $99 per month or $299 per year. Source: https://www.openvc.app/pricing, checked 10 Nov 2026.
How much does Signal NFX cost?
Free. Its FAQ says NFX will never charge for it. Source: https://signal.nfx.com/faq, checked 10 Nov 2026.
Can I export investors from OpenVC or Signal NFX?
OpenVC does not publish an export option. Signal NFX does not publish an export option. The Investor Database is delivered as Excel and CSV files.
Do OpenVC and Signal NFX include investor contact details?
OpenVC: Outreach runs through the platform. Premium allows up to 5 investors per day. Signal NFX: No contact details on list pages. Intro paths appear after you sign in with Gmail.
See all tools side by side on the comparison page.
Related
OpenVC alternativeSignal NFX alternativeVC Sheet vs OpenVCInvestor databases comparedWhere to buy an investor listWhat is in the investor databaseInvestor email list: fill ratesHow to build an investor listHow many VC firms are in the USInvestor matching toolVenture capital firms in the US (2,975)Active venture capital firms in the US (1,574)Startup investors in the UK (416)InvestorLists.vc alternativePitchBuilder alternativeCrunchbase alternative
Sources and check dates
Every fact about another tool on this page comes from that tool's own website on the date shown. "Not published" means its page did not show the figure when we looked.
- OpenVC, coverage: 18,513 investors in its search. https://www.openvc.app/, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- OpenVC, price: Free. Premium: $99 per month or $299 per year. https://www.openvc.app/pricing, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- OpenVC, contacts included: Outreach runs through the platform. Premium allows up to 5 investors per day. https://www.openvc.app/pricing, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- OpenVC, export: Not published. https://www.openvc.app/pricing, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- OpenVC, free tier: Unlimited investor search, deck sharing and CRM on the free plan. https://www.openvc.app/pricing, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- OpenVC, data source: Not published. https://www.openvc.app/, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- Signal NFX, coverage: 32,821 investors added (its own counter). https://signal.nfx.com/investor-lists, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- Signal NFX, price: Free. Its FAQ says NFX will never charge for it. https://signal.nfx.com/faq, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- Signal NFX, contacts included: No contact details on list pages. Intro paths appear after you sign in with Gmail. https://signal.nfx.com/investor-lists/top-saas-seed-investors, checked 9 Nov 2026.
- Signal NFX, export: Not published. https://signal.nfx.com/investor-lists, checked 10 Nov 2026.
- Signal NFX, free tier: Everything. A list page loads 8 investors, then a load-more button. https://signal.nfx.com/investor-lists/top-saas-seed-investors, checked 9 Nov 2026.
- Signal NFX, data source: Investor profiles with community edits (477,526 edits on its counter). https://signal.nfx.com/investor-lists, checked 10 Nov 2026.
Disclosure: The Investor Database publishes this page and sells one of the products on it, which is why it is listed last. We have not tested the other tools' data, so this page says nothing about their accuracy. If a fact here is out of date, email hello@theinvestordatabase.com and we will correct it.