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Nonprofits · head to head

Charity Navigator vs Classy

Charity Navigator logo

Charity Navigator

Nonprofits

Nonprofit intelligence and rating platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Classy logo

Classy

Nonprofits

Platform for modern nonprofit fundraising

From
$300/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Charity Navigator has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Charity Navigator charity Navigator is a free 501(c)(3) nonprofit service funded by donor donations rather than charging the charities it rates, so it has no vendor pricing model to compare (own about-us page).; Classy email receipts come from platform rather than organization email, causing issues with spam filtering
  • They diverge on capability: Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Classy covers Online fundraising platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Charity Navigator and Classy actually diverge.

Attributes where Charity Navigator and Classy differ
AttributeCharity NavigatorClassy
Starting priceFree$300/month
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWeb, Mobile
Founded20012006

Identical on both: 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 Charity Navigator

  • Nonprofit ratings
  • Financial analysis
  • Donor reviews
  • Impact metrics
  • Fundraising data
  • GiveWell
  • BBB Wise Giving Alliance
  • Mobile-responsive support

Only in Classy

  • Online fundraising platform
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Event management
  • Donation management
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Salesforce
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Charity Navigator

  • Nonprofit evaluation and researchnot Classy
  • Charitable giving decisionsnot Classy
  • Donor due diligencenot Classy

Classy

  • Business operationsnot Charity Navigator
  • Productivitynot Charity Navigator
  • Automationnot Charity Navigator

Where each one falls short

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

Charity Navigator

  • Charity Navigator is a free 501(c)(3) nonprofit service funded by donor donations rather than charging the charities it rates, so it has no vendor pricing model to compare (own about-us page).

Classy

  • Email receipts come from platform rather than organization email, causing issues with spam filtering
  • Limited customization options for donation page templates and design
  • No live phone support, only email tickets with slow response times
  • Salesforce integration reportedly has implementation issues and does not follow best practices
  • High pricing and onboarding complexity unsuitable for small organizations

Pricing, plan by plan

Charity Navigator

Free
  • Free ProfileFree
    • Nonprofit profile
    • Ratings
    • Financial data

Classy

$300/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Classy review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Charity Navigator if

  • You need nonprofit ratings.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want financial analysis.
Charity Navigator review

Choose Classy if

  • You need online fundraising platform.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want peer-to-peer fundraising.
Classy review

Questions people ask

Is Charity Navigator or Classy better?
Neither clearly leads. Charity Navigator starts at Free and Classy at $300/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Charity Navigator or Classy?
Charity Navigator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Charity Navigator and $300/month for Classy.
Does Charity Navigator or Classy run on more platforms?
Charity Navigator runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. Classy runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Charity Navigator for free?
Yes. Charity Navigator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Classy starts at $300/month.
What is Charity Navigator best used for?
Charity Navigator is most often used for nonprofit evaluation and research, charitable giving decisions, donor due diligence. Of those, nonprofit evaluation and research and charitable giving decisions are not what Classy is typically brought in for.
What can Charity Navigator do that Classy cannot?
Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Financial analysis, Donor reviews, Impact metrics. Classy covers Online fundraising platform, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Event management, Donation management. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Charity Navigator: Is Charity Navigator free to use?

Yes, Charity Navigator provides completely free access to its database of charity ratings, donor education resources, Giving Basket donation tool, and AI-powered charity recommendations.

Source
Classy: What is the pricing structure for Classy/GoFundMe Pro?

GoFundMe Pro pricing is custom and enterprise-based, starting around $300+ per month plus per-transaction platform fees. Organizations typically sign annual subscriptions with tiered pricing based on feature set and fundraising volume, with multi-year contracts locking in commitments.

Source
Charity Navigator: How does Charity Navigator make money if its services are free?

Charity Navigator operates through donations to the organization itself. The site includes a 'Support Charity Navigator' link for users who wish to contribute.

Classy: Does Classy integrate with Salesforce?

Yes, GoFundMe Pro (Classy) offers deep Salesforce integration with real-time sync of donations, supporters, and campaigns to Salesforce. Data syncs to Gift Transactions, Gift Commitments, and Person Accounts for unified donor insights.

Source
Charity Navigator: What information can I access for free on Charity Navigator?

Free access includes searching and rating charities, using the Giving Basket donation tool, accessing donor education materials, and using Horizon AI Search for personalized charity recommendations.

Classy: How customizable are donation pages on Classy?

Classy offers limited design customization for donation pages, with most campaigns using similar templates. While organizations can build highly branded experiences, there are constraints compared to some competitors.

Source
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