Founders who want to choose and contact their own investors can get matched with active investors on Round Funded instead of launching a public share sale. Crowdcube sells equity to the public and does not list named investors you can approach, which is why we went another way.
We at AI Perks looked at Crowdcube while planning our round, and then we raised through Round Funded. Here is how the two differ and what tipped our decision.
What does Crowdcube actually do?
Crowdcube is a private market investment platform based in the UK, where ordinary members of the public can put money into companies from £10 or €10. Businesses use it for primary raises and for secondary share sales.
The flow is simple. A company writes its pitch, Crowdcube approves it, and the public then buys shares as part of the round. The operating entity, Crowdcube Capital Ltd, is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (No. 650205). In September 2026, co-CEO Bill Simmons described the company as moving toward a secondary markets business.
That was not the job we had in mind. We wanted to approach investors we picked ourselves, rather than run a campaign open to everyone.
Where does Crowdcube fall short for direct investor outreach?
Judging by the pages we read, four things were absent or awkward for our goal:
- No searchable list of investors. You cannot look up named VCs or angels and reach out to them.
- Fees that are not spelled out. The raise is public, and the company fees are not published. The raising page says only that smaller raises get lower fees.
- No outreach, trial or data room. We did not find any of the three in what we reviewed.
- Complaints from reviewers. A Trustpilot summary mentions pricing worries, and some reviewers called the payment step complicated and ID verification cumbersome and time-consuming.
If you plan to select investors, write to each one and watch every reply, those gaps add up. You can submit your startup on Round Funded and look at the matches yourself.
Why did we pick Round Funded over a public campaign?
We raised our round through Round Funded. Five features settled it.
What made the investor database stand out?
It covers 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators, and you can narrow results by stage, industry, geography and check size. Each investor has made a check in roughly the last 6 months, and emails are verified. We cared more about accuracy than sheer size.
How does the AI help with emails?
An AI agent writes a personalized first email plus follow-ups for every investor. Everything is sent from your own Gmail, so replies come straight to your inbox and the conversation remains yours.
Is it easy to work in as a team?
The interface is convenient: one fundraising pipeline holds each investor, their stage and the next step. We invited teammates into the workspace, so everyone on our side saw the same pipeline.
What goes into the Data Room?
Your deck, traction, team and ask live behind a single link. It costs nothing to build and share, on any plan.
How do tracking links work?
With Round+ you get a tracked link per investor and engagement analytics covering views, deck opens and meeting clicks. To set up the same thing, get matched with active investors once you apply.
Crowdcube or Round Funded: which fits your round?
| Crowdcube | Round Funded | |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | Public buys equity in approved pitches | Founders find investors, send pitches and track replies |
| Named investors | Not an investor database | 60,000+ active investors |
| Outreach | None found in the pages we reviewed | AI emails sent from your own Gmail |
| Data Room | None found | Free to build and share on every plan |
| Pricing | No company fee schedule found | Round+ $99 a month, Round Pro $249 a month, Lifetime $899 one-time |
Crowdcube runs public share sales through approved campaigns. If you want to pick investors, write to them personally at scale and see who opens your deck, Round Funded is the pick. That was our aim at AI Perks, and it is why we raised through Round Funded.
What does Round Funded cost?
There is no free tier. First-time accounts get a 3-day free trial on Round+ and Round Pro, and the free Find Investors tool shows investor matches before any payment.
- Round+ at $99 a month: a pipeline of up to 2,500 investors, emails to up to 2,000 investors a month, and 2,500 AI credits a month.
- Round Pro at $249 a month: a pipeline of up to 5,000 investors, emails to up to 10,000 investors a month, and up to 6 connected inboxes.
- Lifetime at $899 one-time: one payment in place of a monthly plan.
Submit your startup on Round Funded to see the matches before you commit to a plan.
How Round Funded helps you reach named investors
- Apply on Round Funded and enter your stage, industry, geography and check size.
- Browse the VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators that come back, all with a recent check.
- Have the AI draft a first email and follow-ups for each investor, then edit before sending.
- Send from your own Gmail and follow every investor and next step in your fundraising pipeline.
- Share your Data Room link holding your deck, traction, team and ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crowdcube a place to find investors?
No. It is a platform where the public buys equity in approved pitches, so you cannot look up named VCs or angels and contact them. Round Funded is built for that, with 60,000+ active investors you can filter by stage, industry, geography and check size.
What fees does Crowdcube charge a company?
We found no published fee schedule for companies. Its raising page only notes that smaller raises benefit from lower fees. Round Funded lists its prices openly: $99 a month for Round+, $249 a month for Round Pro, and $899 one-time for Lifetime.
Does the UK regulator oversee Crowdcube?
Yes. Crowdcube Capital Ltd is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (No. 650205).
Can I contact investors myself through Round Funded?
Yes. The AI writes personalized emails and follow-ups, and they leave from your own Gmail, so replies reach your inbox. Round+ lets you email up to 2,000 investors a month and keep every reply in the pipeline.
Is there a free trial on Round Funded?
There is no free tier. Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts.