Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Aplos vs DonorPerfect

Aplos logo

Aplos

Nonprofits

Fund accounting for nonprofits and churches, with donor management and online giving attached

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DonorPerfect logo

DonorPerfect

Nonprofits

Comprehensive donor management software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aplos the donor management side is record keeping rather than fundraising software, so any organisation running segmented appeals or automation will still buy a CRM and pay twice.; DonorPerfect the pricing page publishes only a 'starting at $99/month' figure and asks for a custom quote for the Core, Plus and Pro tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, DonorPerfect covers Donor database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aplos and DonorPerfect actually diverge.

Attributes where Aplos and DonorPerfect differ
AttributeAplosDonorPerfect
Pricing modelPer month by feature tiersubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Desktop, Mobile
FoundedUnknown1995

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofits).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aplos

  • Fund accounting ledger
  • Nonprofit financial statements
  • Donor management
  • Online giving pages
  • Budgeting by fund
  • Church tools

Only in DonorPerfect

  • Donor database
  • Campaign management
  • Event management
  • Grant tracking
  • Financial reporting
  • QuickBooks
  • Salesforce
  • Constant Contact

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aplos

  • A nonprofit whose auditor has raised restricted fund reporting as a findingnot DonorPerfect
  • A church tracking contributions, designated funds and giving statements in one systemnot DonorPerfect
  • A small organisation replacing QuickBooks plus a spreadsheet of fund balancesnot DonorPerfect
  • An Aplos and Keela buyer wanting gifts to post from the CRM into the ledger without exportnot DonorPerfect

DonorPerfect

  • Donor management and gift tracking for small and mid sized nonprofitsnot Aplos
  • Running online donation, event and membership forms tied to a donor databasenot Aplos

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aplos

  • The donor management side is record keeping rather than fundraising software, so any organisation running segmented appeals or automation will still buy a CRM and pay twice.
  • It is not a general ledger for complex structures, so multi entity groups, consolidations and intercompany transactions push organisations back to a mainstream accounting package.
  • Higher tiers are needed for the budgeting and custom reporting many buyers assume are standard, so the entry price is rarely the real price.
  • Payroll is handled through a partner rather than natively, which adds a vendor and a reconciliation step for organisations with staff.
  • The bookkeeper ecosystem is far smaller than QuickBooks, so finding an accountant already fluent in the product is harder and handover after staff turnover takes longer.

DonorPerfect

  • The pricing page publishes only a 'starting at $99/month' figure and asks for a custom quote for the Core, Plus and Pro tiers
  • QuickBooks integration, crowdfunding, moves management, batch gift entry and ReadySetAuction are all withheld from the entry Core tier
  • Custom API access is available only on the top Pro tier
  • Enterprise direct mail segmentation and enterprise reports and graphs are Pro tier only
  • Scheduled reports are capped at 5 on Plus and 100 on Pro, and are unavailable on Core
  • Phone support is Pro tier only; Core and Plus get chat support
  • The bundled Constant Contact account is the Lite version on Core

Pricing, plan by plan

Aplos

On request
  • Aplos$undefined/month
    • Published monthly tiers separating core accounting from the full suite
    • Advanced accounting, budgeting by fund and custom reporting sit in higher tiers
    • Card and bank processing on donations charged separately

DonorPerfect

On request
  • Express$80/month
    • Donor database
    • Gift tracking
  • Professional$175/month
    • Campaign management
    • Grant tracking
    • Prospect research

Which should you pick?

Choose Aplos if

  • You need fund accounting ledger.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want nonprofit financial statements.
Aplos review

Choose DonorPerfect if

  • You need donor database.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want campaign management.
DonorPerfect review

Questions people ask

Is Aplos or DonorPerfect better?
Neither clearly leads. Aplos starts at On request and DonorPerfect at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aplos or DonorPerfect?
Aplos starts at On request and DonorPerfect at On request.
Does Aplos or DonorPerfect run on more platforms?
Aplos runs on Web, iOS, Android. DonorPerfect runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
What is Aplos best used for?
Aplos is most often used for a nonprofit whose auditor has raised restricted fund reporting as a finding, a church tracking contributions, designated funds and giving statements in one system, a small organisation replacing quickbooks plus a spreadsheet of fund balances, an aplos and keela buyer wanting gifts to post from the crm into the ledger without export. Of those, a nonprofit whose auditor has raised restricted fund reporting as a finding and a church tracking contributions, designated funds and giving statements in one system are not what DonorPerfect is typically brought in for.
What can Aplos do that DonorPerfect cannot?
Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, Nonprofit financial statements, Donor management, Online giving pages. DonorPerfect covers Donor database, Campaign management, Event management, Grant tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aplos: Is Aplos an accounting system or a CRM?

Primarily fund accounting. The donor management is included but shallow compared with a dedicated nonprofit CRM.

DonorPerfect: What is the minimum monthly cost to use DonorPerfect?

The Core plan starts at $99/month and includes basic donor management, outreach, and stewardship features. Constant Contact digital marketing is included in every plan.

Source
Aplos: What is the relationship with Keela?

Aplos acquired Keela in 2023. The two are being integrated, so a buyer comparing them is comparing products from one company.

DonorPerfect: What features distinguish the Plus and Pro tiers?

Plus tier adds QuickBooks integration, auction management, crowdfunding, moves management, batch gift entry, and 5 scheduled reports. Pro tier includes enterprise direct mail segmentation, unlimited scheduled reports (100), and custom API access. Exact pricing requires a custom quote.

Source
Aplos: Can it replace QuickBooks?

For a single entity nonprofit, usually yes, and it handles restricted funds far better. For multi entity consolidation, no.

DonorPerfect: Is there a free trial, and what does it include?

DonorPerfect offers a free practice trial with AI for Plus and Pro tiers. Free data transfers are also available from most CRM systems mentioned.

Source
Aplos: Does it handle payroll?

Through a partner integration rather than natively, so payroll is an extra subscription and an extra reconciliation.

DonorPerfect: Is data migration from another CRM included?

Yes, free data transfers from most CRMs are included. Expert onboarding support is available to help with setup and training.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Aplos

More on DonorPerfect

Keep looking

Other head to heads