Kuali Research vs ResearchMaster Enterprise

Kuali Research9.0Visit ResearchMaster Enterprise8.7Visit

Higher score Kuali Research #3 in Research Administration Software 9.0/10 Pricing on request ✓ 7 of 7 features Visit Kuali Research

vs

ResearchMaster Enterprise #6 in Research Administration Software 8.7/10 Pricing on request ✓ 7 of 7 features Visit ResearchMaster

• Kuali Research fits best

  Research offices needing deep compliance coverage

• ResearchMaster Enterprise fits best

  Research offices needing broad enterprise workflows

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Side by side

Feature	Kuali Research 9.0/10 Visit ↗	ResearchMaster Enterprise 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.7
Ranking	#3 in Research Administration Software	#6 in Research Administration Software
Best for	Research offices needing deep compliance coverage	Research offices needing broad enterprise workflows
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	Pricing on request	Pricing on request
Free plan	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Support	Email, Docs, Tickets	Tickets, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, SSO/SAML, 2FA	ISO 27001, PCI DSS
Integrations	3 integrations	10 integrations
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Kuali Research 7/7 · ResearchMaster Enterprise 7/7
Grant lifecycle	✓	✓
Proposal management	✓	✓
Award management	✓	✓
Compliance workflows	✓	✓
Agreement management	✓	✓
Budget tracking	✓	✓
API access	✓	✓
Our review
Pros	Covers proposals, awards, budgets, submissions, subawards, and closeout Includes ethics, biosafety, radiation safety, and export-control workflows Supports REST APIs, GraphQL, and direct Grants.gov submission	Covers grant applications, awards, ethics, contracts, IP, costing, and outputs. Configurable forms and automated approval workflows support varied processes. APIs and feeders connect finance, HR, student, content, and research systems.
Cons	Pricing requires contacting sales rather than reviewing public plan details Broad compliance coverage may exceed the needs of narrower teams Configurable workflows and controls require administrative design	Pricing is handled through contact with sales. Its broad scope is focused on universities and tertiary institutions. Integration fit depends on supported external systems and data feeders.
Our verdict	Kuali Research is a research administration suite for colleges and universities managing the full research lifecycle. It brings proposal development, internal routing, compliant budget creation, Grants.gov submission and status tracking,… Read the review →	ResearchMaster Enterprise is a web-based research management system for universities and tertiary institutions. It brings together project applications, pre-award and post-award funding, ethics workflows, contracts, intellectual property,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Kuali Research — where it wins

  • Covers proposals, awards, budgets, submissions, subawards, and closeout
  • Includes ethics, biosafety, radiation safety, and export-control workflows
  • Supports REST APIs, GraphQL, and direct Grants.gov submission

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires contacting sales rather than reviewing public plan details
  • Broad compliance coverage may exceed the needs of narrower teams
  • Configurable workflows and controls require administrative design

• ResearchMaster Enterprise — where it wins

  • Covers grant applications, awards, ethics, contracts, IP, costing, and outputs.
  • Configurable forms and automated approval workflows support varied processes.
  • APIs and feeders connect finance, HR, student, content, and research systems.

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing is handled through contact with sales.
  • Its broad scope is focused on universities and tertiary institutions.
  • Integration fit depends on supported external systems and data feeders.

• Kuali Research9.0/10 · Pricing on request

  A broad research administration suite for institutions with complex compliance workflows.

  Visit Kuali ResearchFull verdict →
• ResearchMaster Enterprise8.7/10 · Pricing on request

  A broad research administration system spanning grants, ethics, contracts, costing, and reporting.

  Visit ResearchMasterFull verdict →