Proven vs FounderPass: the VC & PE vendor management comparison
FounderPass is the stronger choice for individual founders and small-business owners who want a low-cost personal perks membership — annual or lifetime — across 350+ self-service deals. Proven is purpose-built vendor management for venture capital and private equity firms — best suited for platform teams that need pre-vetted vendor sourcing, full portfolio tech-stack visibility, and measurable savings tracking delivered to every portfolio company under the fund's brand.
Proven vs FounderPass, side by side
The same dimensions every platform team weighs when choosing a vendor management solution for their portfolio.
| Capability | Proven | FounderPass |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | VC & PE firms managing portfolio vendors | Individual founders & small businesses |
| Who buys it | The fund, for its whole portfolio | The founder, for one company |
| Free tier | Free for any firm under $1B AUM | Yes — free basic deals |
| Entry paid pricing | $12K–$24K / yr (firms over $1B AUM) | $99 / yr or $499 lifetime (per founder) |
| Fund-branded portfolio marketplace | ||
| Pre-vetted, fund-controlled vendor selection | ||
| Portfolio tech-stack visibility | ||
| Fund-level redemption & savings tracking | ||
| Exclusive deals & perks library | ||
| Open to any business owner (non-VC-backed) | ||
| Purpose-built for venture & private equity | ||
| Used by | 60% of the top-10 largest VC firms | 100,000+ founders |
Pricing and feature data as of 2026, from FounderPass's public pricing page and Proven's product pages. FounderPass Premium is billed per founder at $99/yr, with a $499 one-off lifetime option.
Where Proven stands out
Pre-vetted vendor sourcing
Proven verifies vendor references for you, so portfolio companies only ever connect with approved, qualified providers.
Full tech-stack visibility
See exactly which tools and vendors every portfolio company uses, and benchmark by size, sector, and stage.
Measurable savings tracking
Track redemptions and dollars saved across the portfolio — the number platform teams put in their LP reports.
Fund-branded marketplace
Every deal lives under your fund's brand and is funded by vendor partnerships — not a personal membership founders buy themselves.
Built for VC & PE
Designed with feedback from venture and private equity customers — trusted by 60% of the top-10 largest VC firms.
Portfolio community
A peer-review layer where founders share vendor experiences, compare tools, and strategize across the portfolio.
Where FounderPass fits
Low-cost personal membership
A $99/yr plan or a $499 one-off lifetime membership any founder or small-business owner can buy directly.
Broad self-service deal catalog
350+ partner companies with new deals added weekly — strong coverage for a founder hunting individual discounts.
Open to any business owner
Not limited to venture-backed startups — solopreneurs and small businesses can join and claim deals.
When to choose Proven
Choose Proven when you're a VC or PE firm that wants to deliver perks across the whole portfolio under your own brand — with pre-vetted vendor sourcing, full visibility into your portfolio's tech stack, and savings you can measure and report to LPs.
When to choose FounderPass
Choose FounderPass when you're an individual founder or small-business owner who wants a cheap personal perks membership for your own company — rather than a fund rolling out and tracking a perks programme across a portfolio.
Keep comparing
Proven vs FounderPass, answered
The questions platform teams ask most when comparing the two.
Is Proven better than FounderPass?
Proven is better for venture capital and private equity firms that need to deliver and track a perks programme across a whole portfolio. FounderPass is better for an individual founder or small-business owner who wants a low-cost personal perks membership.
What is the difference between Proven and FounderPass?
Proven is fund-side vendor management — pre-vetted sourcing, portfolio tech-stack visibility, and savings tracking under the fund's brand. FounderPass is a founder-purchased membership offering self-service access to 350+ discounts for one company.
Is Proven cheaper than FounderPass?
They price differently. Proven is free for any firm under $1B AUM, with paid plans for larger firms from roughly $12,000–$24,000 per year. FounderPass is billed per founder at $99 per year, with a $499 one-off lifetime option.
Can Proven replace FounderPass?
For a fund, Proven replaces FounderPass at the portfolio level and adds fund-branded delivery, pre-vetted sourcing, tech-stack visibility, and savings tracking. An individual founder seeking only a personal membership may still prefer FounderPass.
Who should use FounderPass instead of Proven?
Individual founders, solopreneurs, and small-business owners who want an inexpensive personal perks membership for their own company — rather than a fund deploying and measuring a perks programme across a portfolio — may prefer FounderPass.
Help your portfolio companies with strategy. Leave the vendor management to us.
We’ll take on the grunt work of onboarding and verifying vendors and managing benefits and deals. You help your portcos make smarter decisions.
Sounds too good to be true? See Proven in action.
