This study critically examines the foreign aid motives, strategies, and methods of the U.S. and China in sub-Saharan Africa during the period 2001–2024. Two theories have been used to provide a theoretical framework—realist theory and soft power. This study argues that both nations’ foreign aid policies are driven by national interests—reflecting the realist perspective—and are operationalized through soft power strategies, where aid is used as a practical tool reflecting the donor’s national interest. A soft power strategy increases the legitimacy of the donor and its influence on the African continent. Using a qualitative comparative analysis, this study has examined official governmental documents, scholarly books, and peer-reviewed articles.The results show that the strategies and methods employed by the U.S. and China differ significantly, while their motives do not differ as much. The interest in African resources is a common motive shared by both countries. The U.S. tends to set political requirements, such as the promotion of democracy and human rights, for recipient countries in order for aid to be disbursed, while China uses its "non-interference policy," offering aid without conditions.These different aid strategies reflect both ideological and historical differences. China is characterized by its non-colonial legacy, and the U.S. is characterized by its dominance within financial institutions (IMF and World Bank), which shape the global political economy. This research paper concludes that foreign aid is often framed as humanitarian, but it can be seen as a mask through which donor countries are driven by self-interest, reinforcing the realist assumption. Both the U.S. and China use aid to form political alliances and promote economic interests.