RawRecruit vs NCSA: Which Is Better for College Recruiting?
Choosing a college recruiting platform is one of the biggest decisions a high school athlete and their family will make. NCSA (Next College Student Athlete) has been in the market since 2000 and is the most recognized name in recruiting services. RawRecruit is a newer, AI-powered platform built by Kevin Monangai, who personally guided his brother Kyle from overlooked prospect to the NFL Draft (Chicago Bears, 2025). This comparison breaks down the real differences in features, pricing, approach, and value. We're transparent about what each platform does well and where the trade-offs lie.
TL;DR
RawRecruit uses AI to match athletes across 5 dimensions with 1,800+ programs and provides direct coach contact info (emails, phones, social). NCSA connects athletes to a human recruiting coach who manually manages the process. RawRecruit starts free and tops out at $499/mo with founder-led 1:1 calls. NCSA starts around $500 and goes up to $4,200 for their MVP+ tier.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | RawRecruit | NCSA |
|---|---|---|
| AI-powered school matchingRawRecruit's 5-dimension Fit Score vs. NCSA's manual coach assignments | ||
| Number of schools covered | 1,838 programs | ~1,500 programs |
| Sports covered | 5 (FB, MBB, WBB, MTF, WTF) | 34 sports |
| Coach emails (direct access)NCSA routes messages through their platform | ||
| Coach phone numbers | Varsity+ ($29.99/mo) | |
| Coach social media profiles | Varsity+ ($29.99/mo) | |
| Fit Score / match algorithm | 5-dimension (135+ data points) | Manual coach assessment |
| Free tier available | Yes (Prospect, permanent) | Limited free profile |
| AI Recruiting Advisor (24/7) | Varsity+ ($29.99/mo) | |
| 1:1 strategy calls with founder | Blue Chip (Founding Member rate $499.99/mo, limited to 80 members) | |
| 1:1 calls with recruiting coach | Included in paid tiers | |
| Video highlight integration | Link + thumbnail | Full video hosting |
| Roster analytics | Varsity+ ($29.99/mo) | |
| Cultural fit matchingCampus setting, climate, diversity, financial fit | ||
| Travel distance calculator | ||
| Multi-athlete family plans | Dynasty ($64.99-$999/mo) | Separate accounts |
| Public athlete profile | Varsity+ ($29.99/mo) | All paid tiers |
Pricing Comparison
| Tier | RawRecruit | NCSA |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (Prospect, permanent) | Limited free profile |
| Entry paid | $12.99/mo (Varsity Lite) | ~$500/yr (estimated) |
| Full features | $29.99/mo ($269/yr) | ~$1,800/yr (ProConnect) |
| Premium (founder-led) | Blue Chip Founding Members $499.99/mo, locked-in for life. Pricing escalates to $749.99, $999.99, and $1,499.99/mo as the 80-member cap fills. | ~$4,200/yr (MVP+), no founder access |
| Family plan | $64.99-$999/mo | Separate accounts (2x cost) |
Key Differences
RawRecruit gives you direct coach contact information (emails, phone numbers, social profiles). You reach out on your timeline. NCSA routes all communication through their platform.
RawRecruit's Fit Score algorithm evaluates 135+ data points across 5 dimensions. NCSA relies on a human recruiting coach's judgment and manual school matching.
RawRecruit's Blue Chip tier includes monthly 30-minute 1:1 strategy calls with Kevin Monangai himself. Kevin is a former NFL running back (Eagles, Vikings), former NFL coach (Giants), and a Villanova standout with three-time All-CAA honors. He personally mentored his brother Kyle through the recruiting process to the NFL Draft. Blue Chip is limited to 80 active members because Kevin delivers every call himself. Founding Member slots (1-10) start at $499.99/mo and lock in that rate for life. Pricing escalates as seats fill: $749.99/mo, $999.99/mo, and $1,499.99/mo by application only for the final 50 slots. NCSA's top tier (~$4,200/yr) gets you a dedicated recruiting coach the company hired, not the founder of the company.
RawRecruit has a permanent free tier (Prospect) that includes Top 5 matches, coach emails, and 5 searches per month. NCSA's free option is extremely limited.
NCSA covers 34 sports, significantly more than RawRecruit's current 5. If you play lacrosse, soccer, swimming, or another sport not on RawRecruit, NCSA is your only option among these two.
NCSA has been operating since 2000 with an established network of college coaches. RawRecruit is newer but uses data-driven matching that removes human bias from the process.
The Verdict
For football, basketball, and track & field athletes, RawRecruit offers more data, direct coach contact, AI-powered matching, and significantly lower pricing. NCSA's advantage is broader sport coverage (34 vs. 5 sports) and an established human coaching model. If you value data-driven matching and direct access to coaches, RawRecruit is the stronger choice. If you want a human recruiting coach to manage the process and you play a sport RawRecruit doesn't cover, NCSA is the better fit.
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See My Fit Score, FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Is NCSA worth the money?
NCSA charges $500-$4,200/year depending on the tier. The value depends on your sport and how proactive you are. If you want a human coach to manage the process for you, NCSA can be worth it. If you prefer direct access to coach contact information and AI-powered matching at a lower price point, RawRecruit offers more data for less money, starting at $0 for the free Prospect tier.
Can I use both NCSA and RawRecruit?
Yes. Many families use multiple platforms. RawRecruit's free Prospect tier gives you Top 5 matches and coach emails at no cost, which you can use alongside any NCSA subscription. The platforms have different strengths: RawRecruit for data-driven matching and direct coach contact, NCSA for human-guided recruiting coaching.
Does NCSA guarantee scholarships?
No. Neither NCSA nor RawRecruit can guarantee scholarships. NCSA explicitly states that scholarships are not guaranteed. What both platforms can do is help you find programs where you're a realistic fit and provide tools to reach coaches.
Why is RawRecruit cheaper than NCSA?
RawRecruit uses AI and automation for matching, which dramatically reduces the cost of operation compared to NCSA's model of assigning human recruiting coaches to each family. The savings are passed to users. RawRecruit's founder, Kevin Monangai, is available for monthly 30-minute 1:1 calls through the Blue Chip tier. Blue Chip is limited to 80 active members because Kevin personally delivers every call. The first 10 families join at $499.99/mo as Founding Members and lock in that rate for life. Pricing escalates as seats fill to $749.99, $999.99, and $1,499.99/mo.
Which platform has more schools?
RawRecruit covers 1,838 programs across football, basketball, and track & field in all 7 divisions (FBS, FCS, D-I, D-II, D-III, NAIA, JUCO). NCSA covers approximately 1,500 schools across 34 sports. RawRecruit has more depth per school (135+ data points) while NCSA has broader sport coverage.
Does RawRecruit replace NCSA?
For football, basketball, and track & field athletes, RawRecruit provides more data, more direct coach access, and lower pricing than NCSA. For athletes in other sports (soccer, lacrosse, swimming, etc.), NCSA is currently the better option since RawRecruit focuses on 5 sports at launch.