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Nonprofits · head to head

Aplos vs Facebook Fundraisers

Aplos logo

Aplos

Nonprofits

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Facebook Fundraisers logo

Facebook Fundraisers

Nonprofits

Integrated fundraising on Facebook

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Facebook Fundraisers has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Facebook Fundraisers no donor email collection unless donor explicitly opts in, limiting donor stewardship and relationship-building
  • They diverge on capability: Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, Facebook Fundraisers covers Campaign creation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aplos and Facebook Fundraisers actually diverge.

Attributes where Aplos and Facebook Fundraisers differ
AttributeAplosFacebook Fundraisers
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer month by feature tierUnknown
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Facebook Fundraisers

  • Campaign creation
  • Donation collection
  • Social sharing
  • Donation tracking
  • Team fundraising
  • Facebook Pages
  • Instagram
  • Messenger

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 Facebook Fundraisers
  • A church tracking contributions, designated funds and giving statements in one systemnot Facebook Fundraisers
  • A small organisation replacing QuickBooks plus a spreadsheet of fund balancesnot Facebook Fundraisers
  • An Aplos and Keela buyer wanting gifts to post from the CRM into the ledger without exportnot Facebook Fundraisers

Facebook Fundraisers

  • Business operationsnot Aplos
  • Productivitynot Aplos
  • Automationnot 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.

Facebook Fundraisers

  • No donor email collection unless donor explicitly opts in, limiting donor stewardship and relationship-building
  • Slow payouts of 15-45 days for enrolled nonprofits, up to 90 days for unenrolled organizations
  • No recurring giving option after discontinuation in 2023, limiting lifetime donor value
  • Limited customization and branding control compared to dedicated fundraising platforms
  • Not available in European Economic Area countries as of July 1, 2024

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

Facebook Fundraisers

Free
  • Standard$undefined/mo
    • Donation collection
    • Birthday fundraisers
    • Matching donations on Instagram

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 Facebook Fundraisers if

  • You need campaign creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want donation collection.
Facebook Fundraisers review

Questions people ask

Is Aplos or Facebook Fundraisers better?
Neither clearly leads. Aplos starts at On request and Facebook Fundraisers at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aplos or Facebook Fundraisers?
Facebook Fundraisers has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Aplos and Free for Facebook Fundraisers.
Does Aplos or Facebook Fundraisers run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Facebook Fundraisers for free?
Yes. Facebook Fundraisers has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aplos starts at On request.
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 Facebook Fundraisers is typically brought in for.
What can Aplos do that Facebook Fundraisers cannot?
Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, Nonprofit financial statements, Donor management, Online giving pages. Facebook Fundraisers covers Campaign creation, Donation collection, Social sharing, Donation 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.

Facebook Fundraisers: Are there any fees for Facebook Fundraisers for nonprofits?

Meta covers payment processing fees for 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. However, PayPal Giving Fund, which processes all donations, applies 1.99% + $0.49 per donation in the US. For eligible nonprofits, Meta covers these fees, so the nonprofit keeps 100% of donations.

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.

Facebook Fundraisers: When will I receive my donations?

Enrolled nonprofits receive donations within 15-45 days. Unenrolled organizations wait up to 90 days. Payouts go through PayPal Giving Fund.

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.

Facebook Fundraisers: Can I collect donor email addresses?

No. Facebook only provides the donor's name and donation amount unless the donor explicitly opts in to share their email during the donation process.

Source
Aplos: Does it handle payroll?

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

Facebook Fundraisers: Does Facebook Fundraisers support recurring monthly donations?

No. Native recurring giving was discontinued in October 2023. Donors can only make one-time contributions.

Source
Facebook Fundraisers: What platforms can I use to fundraise on?

Facebook Fundraisers are available on Facebook Pages, Instagram, and WhatsApp for verified 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Donors can contribute via donation buttons on posts, stories, live streams, and matching donation features on Instagram.

Source
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