What Benefit Kitchen does

Benefit Kitchen is a benefits-technology platform that models eligibility for 25 federal, state, and county work-support programs — including Medicaid, SNAP, tax credits, childcare, and D-SNP health plans — and returns to-the-dollar estimates of what a household is leaving unclaimed, based on inputs such as ZIP code, household size, income, and age. Its core technology consists of a continuously updated eligibility engine, a recertification-prediction algorithm, and a Basic Income Needs Generator (BING) that calculates county-level cost-of-living budgets. The platform is delivered through four surfaces: a free consumer-facing screener at app.benefitkitchen.com (live in eight states), a RESTful API live in all 50 states, a lightweight CRM for caseworker outcome tracking with nightly data feeds into existing CRM/EHR systems, and white-label / custom-themed embeds for partner websites and 211/311 call centers. A Model Context Protocol server launched in 2026 extends the engine to AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Cursor, and Copilot, and Censerio, launched in 2019, packages the engine for healthcare payers and providers addressing Social Determinants of Health. The company is privately held, headquartered in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and structured as Benefit Kitchen LLC.

Benefit Kitchen's revenue is generated primarily through B2B channels: API licensing/subscription contracts with healthcare payers and providers, government agencies (cities and municipalities using AccessNYC-style integrations), and large nonprofits such as United Ways, supplemented by paid add-ons including white-label custom theming, professional-services-style integrations (nightly data feeds, pre-screener question capture), and the Censerio healthcare product. Pricing for enterprise/API/white-label tiers is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the consumer-facing screener is free. Go-to-market is multi-modal — API-first for developer and platform buyers, embedded/OEM white-label for government and nonprofit point-of-service deployment, and consultative enterprise field sales supported by a prominent "Request a demo" call-to-action and [email protected] inbound channel. The company has won civic-tech recognition (BigApps NYC Grand Prize 2015, Technical.ly Brooklyn 2017, Make It in Brooklyn 2018, MetLife Foundation/Verb Financial Innovation 2018) and has participated in accelerators including Civic Hall Labs, CivicX (Points of Light Foundation), and 1776.

Name

Benefit Kitchen

Legal name

Benefit Kitchen LLC

Website

https://benefitkitchen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Benefit Kitchen is a benefits-tech platform that provides to-the-dollar eligibility screening for 25 federal, state, and county benefit programs across all 50 states. It serves healthcare payers and providers, government agencies, and nonprofits via API, white-label, and consumer-facing screening tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Benefits Eligibility Technology

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Income Support & Cash Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAE)

Keywords

• Public benefits screening
• Benefits eligibility software
• Social services technology
• Healthcare benefits API
• Government benefits platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. API Licensing / Subscription: Organizations (healthcare, nonprofits, government) license Benefit Kitchen's API to embed benefit screening into their own systems. White-label and custom theming are available as add-on for-fee services. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
2. SaaS Platform (Screener): Self-serve benefit screener available to end consumers at app.benefitkitchen.com. The platform is free for individuals to use. Revenue is derived from B2B partnerships rather than direct consumer fees.
3. Professional Services / Custom Integrations: Nightly data feeds to customers with in-place CRM/EHR, pre-screener questions for custom client/patient information, and white-label customization represent additional for-fee services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Benefit Kitchen is a benefits-tech platform that provides to-the-dollar eligibility screening and benefit estimation for 25 federal, state, and county work-support programs (Medicaid, SNAP, tax credits, childcare, health plans including D-SNP) across all 50 states. It offers a consumer-facing self-serve screener at app.benefitkitchen.com plus a RESTful API and white-label tools that organizations embed into their own websites, call centers (211/311), or CRM/EHR systems. A proprietary recertification algorithm anticipates household benefit loss at recertification intervals, helping working families access up to an estimated $10,000 in unclaimed public benefits per household.

Product overview

Benefit Kitchen is a benefits-tech platform offering a suite of products centered on public benefit eligibility screening and real cost measure budgeting. The core offering is the Benefit Screener (web-based tool for individuals) and the API (for developer/system integration), both providing to-the-dollar eligibility estimates for 18-25 federal, state, and local benefit programs. Supporting products include the CRM (outcome tracking for caseworkers), BING (Real Cost Measure Budget calculator), Datasets, Virtual Assistant (automated client follow-ups), Integrations (nightly data feeds for CRM/EHR systems), MCP (AI platform connectivity), and White Label/Custom Themes. The healthcare sub-brand Censerio addresses Social Determinants of Health. The platform serves healthcare payers/providers, nonprofits, government agencies, and retailers, with coverage across all 50 states via API and 8 states via the consumer-facing screener.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Censerio: Healthcare-specific screening product designed to help healthcare organizations address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), identifying eligible Medicaid recipients and other benefits.
• BING (Basic Income Needs Generator)

Products and services

• Benefit Screener Web-based screening tool that provides to-the-dollar estimates of eligibility for 18-25 federal, state, and local benefit programs. Users complete a 10-minute questionnaire and receive specific dollar estimates for benefits including Medicaid, SNAP, tax credits, and childcare. Free for individuals.
• Benefits API RESTful API enabling developers to integrate benefit eligibility screening and referral functionality into their own systems. Covers all 50 states and provides programmatic access to Benefit Kitchen's benefit eligibility engine with to-the-dollar estimates for 25 benefit programs.
• CRM Lightweight outcome tracking Client Relationship Management system with reporting tools for caseworkers and managers. Includes lightning-fast sort/search for filtering and exporting data subsets, agency admin interfaces, and Virtual Assistant integration for automated client follow-ups.
• BING (Basic Income Needs Generator) Real Cost Measure Budget tool that calculates what it costs for households to make ends meet in their county. Uses ZIP code and family demographics to return expense breakdowns including rent, food, healthcare, transportation, childcare, and taxes. Available nationwide via API.
• Censerio Healthcare-specific brand and product for addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). Screens patients for Medicaid eligibility and other benefits to increase disposable income, improve health outcomes, and reduce clinical costs.
• MCP (Model Context Protocol) Model Context Protocol server that bridges AI models to Benefit Kitchen's benefit eligibility engine, enabling AI assistants to provide accurate public-benefit eligibility, estimates, and application resources across all 50 states.
• SMS Screening Beta SMS-based screening service allowing families in California and New York to learn about benefits by texting 'benefits' to (339) 227-6776.
• Virtual Assistant Automated email/SMS reminder system for caseworkers and clients with configurable intervals (15 days, monthly, 90 days) to prompt clients to update their benefit application status.
• White Label / Custom Themes Custom branding service enabling organizations to apply their own branding to Benefit Kitchen's screener and CRM tools, available as a for-fee service to increase community trust.

Quantifiable outcome

• One in three families who see their dollar estimate pursue new benefits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• United Ways of CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with United Ways of California for VITA site screenings (nearly 2,000 screenings in 2015 tax season) and collaborative broadband benefit screening. United Ways of CA also identified preferred ISP partners for the broadband screening program. United Way of California is a foundational nonprofit partner for Benefit Kitchen's public benefit mission.
• EveryoneOncoreTechnology or IntegrationNonprofit collaboration providing broadband screening API. Benefit Kitchen's algorithm utilizes EveryoneOn's APIs to provide customized broadband offers (as little as $10/mo), expanding Benefit Kitchen's screening to include non-governmental 'benefits'. This was Benefit Kitchen's first foray into non-governmental benefits.
• Brooklyn Borough President (Eric L. Adams)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to roll out Benefit Kitchen to Constituent Assistance Centers throughout Brooklyn, including press events highlighting the partnership. Collaborated with St. John's Bread and Life and Teaching Firms of America to deploy the screening tool.
• St. John's Bread and LifesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner using Benefit Kitchen in services for guests and families, as part of the Brooklyn Borough President's initiative. Deploys the screener to support their social service delivery.
• Teaching Firms of America's Professional Preparatory Charter SchoolsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner using Benefit Kitchen to support students' families, integrated into the Brooklyn Borough President's initiative.
• Civic Hall LabsminorOthersBenefit Kitchen completed tenure in the first cohort at Civic Hall Labs, Civic Hall's non-profit accelerator in May 2016. Gained program intensity, staff investment, and mentorship.
• Points of Light Foundation CivicXminorOthersBenefit Kitchen participated in CivicX cohort 7 in June 2016, concluding mid-June. Peer invested $100K in PYT Funds and New York On Tech as part of the program. Received mentorship and program intensity from the Points of Light Foundation's civic accelerator.
• 1776 IncubatorminorOthersAccepted into the 1776 incubator program in December 2016. Working out of the Navy Yard in Brooklyn with access to great people, resources, and views.
• NYC (AccessNYC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the City of New York to highlight progressive anti-poverty programs and integrate with AccessNYC, the city's benefit application system. NYC released a new open data set providing benefit, program, and resource information for 40+ health and human services, integrated into Benefit Kitchen's Resources page via API.
• Kaiser Family FoundationsupportingTechnology or IntegrationBenefit Kitchen embedded the Kaiser Family Foundation's ACA (Obamacare) subsidy calculator into its screening tool. On the 'Resources' tab, users can access pre-populated ACA eligibility and premium/copay amount calculations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Pyx Health: Health-plan-focused member engagement and SDOH-screening platform with a human-touch support layer. Adjacent overlap with Benefit Kitchen's healthcare vertical, but oriented around Medicaid/Medicare plan members specifically.

Broad incumbents

• WellSky: Large healthcare and social-services software platform (post-Healthify acquisition) spanning SDOH referrals and care coordination. Represents an incumbent threat to Benefit Kitchen's Censerio healthcare vertical with deeper EHR integrations and broader enterprise reach.
• Benefits.gov: Federal-government-run benefits-discovery portal covering 1,000+ programs. The most authoritative free benefits-navigation resource in the U.S. and a baseline competitor for any consumer-facing screener, though lacking API/embedding and to-the-dollar estimates.
• Unite Us: Larger, venture-backed social-care coordination network spanning benefits navigation, closed-loop referrals, and SDOH. Overlaps with Benefit Kitchen on government and healthcare buyers but operates a much broader end-to-end platform with significantly more capital.

Direct peers

• Healthify: SDOH and benefits-navigation platform serving healthcare payers and providers to connect members to community resources. Closely comparable to Benefit Kitchen's Censerio sub-brand and healthcare vertical strategy.
• findhelp (formerly Aunt Bertha): The largest U.S. social-care network connecting users to benefits and social services across all 50 states. Most directly comparable to Benefit Kitchen in mission (benefits discovery/referral), target users (low-income families, caseworkers), and B2B go-to-market via healthcare and nonprofit channels.
• Single Stop: National nonprofit operating benefits-screening and access programs for low-income families, often embedded in colleges and community organizations. Comparable mission and population served, with stronger institutional/funder backing.
• One Degree: Nonprofit-built benefits-navigation platform covering health, housing, food, and employment resources across multiple U.S. markets. Comparable to Benefit Kitchen's free consumer screener, multi-program coverage, and nonprofit/government customer base.
• NowPow (a Unite Us company): Community-resource referral platform with SDOH focus, now part of Unite Us. Closely comparable to Censerio's healthcare/SDOH screening and referral workflow.

Others

• CharityTracker: Case-management and benefits-coordination software for nonprofits and faith-based organizations. Comparable on CRM/case-management workflow functionality for social-service caseworkers, complementary rather than directly competing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/benefitkitchen
• Facebookfacebook.com/benfitkitchenapp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/benefit-kitchen

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Benefit Kitchen