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Nonprofits · head to head

Aplos vs NeonCRM

Aplos logo

Aplos

Nonprofits

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NeonCRM logo

NeonCRM

Nonprofits

Cloud-based CRM for nonprofits

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.; NeonCRM neonCRM operates as Neon CRM under Neon One, whose own pricing page gates every figure rather than listing one
  • They diverge on capability: Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, NeonCRM covers Event management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aplos and NeonCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Aplos and NeonCRM differ
AttributeAplosNeonCRM
Pricing modelPer month by feature tiersubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile-responsive
FoundedUnknown2008

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
  • Online giving pages
  • Budgeting by fund
  • Church tools

Only in NeonCRM

  • Event management
  • Volunteer tracking
  • Email campaigns
  • Reporting
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Zapier
  • Google Analytics

Both cover

  • Donor management

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

NeonCRM

  • 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.

NeonCRM

  • NeonCRM operates as Neon CRM under Neon One, whose own pricing page gates every figure rather than listing one

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

NeonCRM

On request
  • Starter$50/month
    • Donor management
    • Event management
  • Professional$150/month
    • Volunteer tracking
    • Advanced analytics
    • Integrations

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 NeonCRM if

  • You need event management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want volunteer tracking.
NeonCRM review

Questions people ask

Is Aplos or NeonCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Aplos starts at On request and NeonCRM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aplos or NeonCRM?
Aplos starts at On request and NeonCRM at On request.
Does Aplos or NeonCRM run on more platforms?
Aplos runs on Web, iOS, Android. NeonCRM runs on Web, Mobile-responsive.
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 NeonCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Aplos do that NeonCRM cannot?
Aplos covers Fund accounting ledger, Nonprofit financial statements, Online giving pages, Budgeting by fund. NeonCRM covers Event management, Volunteer tracking, Email campaigns, Reporting. Both handle Donor management.

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.

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.

Aplos: Can it replace QuickBooks?

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

Aplos: Does it handle payroll?

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

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