How long does switching from ChatGPT / generic LLMs actually take?

An evening for most accounts. The export from ChatGPT / generic LLMs is the slow step - the import side runs in minutes once the field mapping is settled. Larger teams (50+ seats with custom field schemas) sometimes split it across two sessions: import first, reorganise the next day.

Will I lose data when I switch?

Nothing structural. The CSV/JSON export from ChatGPT / generic LLMs preserves the data: records, fields, history, and attachments come over intact. What doesn't transfer is anything tied to ChatGPT / generic LLMs-specific UI metadata (custom views, saved searches, in-app annotations) - those don't sit in the export, they sit in the source product's UI. Plan an evening to rebuild your most-used views once you're in.

What about my existing ChatGPT / generic LLMs subscription?

Run both side-by-side until you're confident, then cancel ChatGPT / generic LLMs from their side. We don't lock you in - export from Grants is one click in account settings, same as import.

Is the import path free?

The import button is open on every plan, including the free tier - we don't paywall the way out of a competitor. The data going in still has to fit your plan's per-type quotas (the free-tier caps are listed on /sales); paid plans raise those caps. If you're moving a large set, check the caps first or write to /support and we can advise.

Can I get help with the switch?

Yes. Write to /support - both founders see those threads directly. Reply within a working day. For the field-mapping itself we typically resolve things in one or two exchanges; if your dataset is unusually large or ChatGPT / generic LLMs's export shape is unfamiliar, we'll say so up front.

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Grants: the alternative to ChatGPT / generic LLMs

What moving from ChatGPT / generic LLMs to Grants actually looks like in 2026.

Switching

EXIST

ChatGPT

Finn GlasCo-Founder + Engineering

·January 22, 2026·

1 min read

Grants is what people use when ChatGPT / generic LLMs stops fitting. Below is the honest side-by-side - same product surface, different posture: hosted in Germany, no third-party trackers, one honest price - plus the migration mechanics that decide whether the switch lands in an evening or in a quarter.

At a glance

ChatGPT is unmatched at getting something on the page when you are blank. It is also unmistakably ChatGPT - reviewers spot the cadence in two paragraphs, the safety-rounded conclusions, the "moreover, furthermore" connective tissue. Grants carries the missing context: PTJ language conventions, EXIST review criteria, common rejection reasons (no academic anchor, innovation threshold not met, no LoIs from customers). Use ChatGPT to start; use us to finish.

Switching

What moving from ChatGPT / generic LLMs actually looks like

The switch goes in three rough phases: export from ChatGPT / generic LLMs, import into Grants, and reorganise what came over. Most people allocate an evening for it. The export side is where the time goes - ChatGPT / generic LLMs hands you a CSV/JSON dump and the field mapping isn't always obvious; once that's resolved the import is a couple of minutes. We don't paywall the import path or pretend it's a pro-only feature, and you can run both side-by-side while you decide.

Grants vs ChatGPT / generic LLMs: feature comparison

	Ours Grants	Theirs ChatGPT / generic LLMs
Knows what PTJ reads for
Knows EXIST review criteria
Generic-tone detection feedback
Free for unlimited drafts
Hosted in Germany / no US training
Strong at translating EN ↔ DE	Adequate

When to pick which

Pick Grants when

You're past the blank-page stage and ready for criteria-aligned editing.

EU/German data residency is required.

Pick ChatGPT / generic LLMs when

You have not started yet and need bulk text to react against.

You only need one or two passages translated, not the whole application reviewed.

Step by step

Export from ChatGPT / generic LLMs

Find the export option in ChatGPT / generic LLMs's account settings. Most tools provide a CSV or JSON download. Save the dump locally - that's the source of truth for the next step.

Account settings → Export / Download data

Pick the broadest format the tool offers (usually JSON)

Map fields in Grants

Open the import tool in Grants. ChatGPT / generic LLMs's field names rarely match Grants' 1:1; the import flags any unmapped columns so you can pair them up before anything commits.

Account settings → Import

Resolve the mapping prompts the tool surfaces

Run the import

Run the import. Grants shows a preview of the first parsed rows in the import dialog so you can sanity-check the column mapping + a sample of records before anything commits. If you're nervous about a large dump, import a small subset first, verify it landed the way you expected, then run the full file.

Re-create your views, tags, saved searches

ChatGPT / generic LLMs-specific UI metadata (custom views, saved filters, in-app annotations) doesn't transfer with the data export. Spend an evening rebuilding the views you used most - usually a 30-minute job once you've done it once.

Cancel ChatGPT / generic LLMs when you're confident

Run both side-by-side for a couple of weeks if you want to be sure. When you're confident, cancel the ChatGPT / generic LLMs subscription from their side. Grants keeps your export option self-serve in account settings - no lock-in either direction.

Switching from ChatGPT / generic LLMs

The five questions we get most often before someone moves their data over.

Start with Grants

Free plan, no credit card. We host in Germany. Export + delete are self-serve.

Written by

Finn Glas

Co-Founder + Engineering

Finn is one of the Co-Founders. He owns the engineering side, the infrastructure, and most of the late-night fixes that ship before anyone notices.

finn.glas at aicuflow dot comLinkedIn Website