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Nonprofits · head to head

Aplos vs Fluxx

Aplos logo

Aplos

Nonprofits

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fluxx logo

Fluxx

Nonprofits

Configurable grants management for foundations that run complex, multi-stage funding programmes

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.; Fluxx configuration flexibility means the system does very little until someone configures it, and foundations without a dedicated systems administrator end up paying the vendor or a partner for every change.
  • They diverge on capability: Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, Fluxx covers Configurable data model.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aplos and Fluxx actually diverge.

Attributes where Aplos and Fluxx differ
AttributeAplosFluxx
Pricing modelPer month by feature tierquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

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 Fluxx

  • Configurable data model
  • Card-based interface
  • Multi-programme workflows
  • Board and committee review
  • Payment scheduling
  • Applicant portal

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

Fluxx

  • A foundation running six distinct funding programmes that each need their own application form, review panel and payment schedulenot Aplos
  • A regranting intermediary administering funds for multiple donors who each require separate reportingnot Aplos
  • A public agency distributing grant funds with statutory eligibility rules that must be enforced before an application can be submittednot Aplos
  • A funder moving off spreadsheets and email after grant volume made manual board packet preparation unworkablenot 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.

Fluxx

  • Configuration flexibility means the system does very little until someone configures it, and foundations without a dedicated systems administrator end up paying the vendor or a partner for every change.
  • Implementation commonly runs four to eight months and is priced separately from the subscription, so first-year cost is far above the annual licence figure.
  • No pricing is published and quotes scale with assets under management, which means two foundations making the same number of grants can be quoted very differently.
  • The card-based interface is unfamiliar to new users and reviewer adoption suffers without training, which matters because trustees use it a few times a year and forget between meetings.
  • Reporting is capable but the report builder is technical, and many foundations end up exporting to a spreadsheet or a BI tool for board-ready output.

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

Fluxx

On request
  • Fluxx Grantmaker$undefined/year
    • Configurable grantmaking workflows
    • Applicant portal and reviewer access
    • Priced by assets under management and grant volume
  • Fluxx Grantseeker$undefined/year
    • Free portal for applicants submitting to Fluxx funders
    • Tracks submissions and requirements across funders

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 Fluxx if

  • You need configurable data model.
  • You also want card-based interface.
Fluxx review

Questions people ask

Is Aplos or Fluxx better?
Neither clearly leads. Aplos starts at On request and Fluxx at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aplos or Fluxx?
Aplos starts at On request and Fluxx at On request.
Does Aplos or Fluxx run on more platforms?
Aplos runs on Web, iOS, Android. Fluxx runs on Web.
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 Fluxx is typically brought in for.
What can Aplos do that Fluxx cannot?
Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, Nonprofit financial statements, Donor management, Online giving pages. Fluxx covers Configurable data model, Card-based interface, Multi-programme workflows, Board and committee review.

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.

Fluxx: Is Fluxx Grantseeker really free?

Yes, for applicants. It is the submission portal, and funders pay for Grantmaker.

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.

Fluxx: How is Fluxx priced?

By quote, scaling with assets under management and grant volume. Implementation is a separate professional services fee.

Aplos: Can it replace QuickBooks?

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

Fluxx: Can we configure Fluxx ourselves?

Yes, that is the point of it. But it requires a trained internal administrator; foundations that do not appoint one become dependent on paid services.

Aplos: Does it handle payroll?

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

Fluxx: How long does implementation take?

Typically four to eight months for a multi-programme funder, driven mostly by how long the foundation takes to agree its own process.

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