Software · head to head
Charity Navigator vs GuideStar
The short version
- 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).; GuideStar guideStar and Foundation Directory are being retired and merged into a single Candid platform, per Candid's own learning.candid.org help pages, with existing subscribers redirected to log in at app.candid.org
- They diverge on capability: Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Charity Navigator and GuideStar actually diverge.
| Attribute | Charity Navigator | GuideStar |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | subscription |
| Founded | 2001 | 1995 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Mobile-responsive), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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
Only in GuideStar
- Nonprofit profile
- Impact data
- Donor verification
- Financial transparency
- Ratings
- Salesforce
- Google Analytics
Both cover
- Web support
- Mobile-responsive support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Charity Navigator
- Business operations
- Productivity
- Automation
GuideStar
- Business operations
- Productivity
- Automation
Both are used for business operations, productivity, automation, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
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).
GuideStar
- GuideStar and Foundation Directory are being retired and merged into a single Candid platform, per Candid's own learning.candid.org help pages, with existing subscribers redirected to log in at app.candid.org
- Candid's own pricing page lists Candid Premium (annual) at $1,199 per year in USD, and $219 per month if billed monthly, with an Ultimate annual tier at $1,699 per year adding compliance monitoring features
- Candid's free tier limits search results, profile views and dashboards; full grants and profile data downloads are capped even on Premium annual, at 1,000 grants downloads and 5,000 profile downloads per month
Pricing, plan by plan
Charity Navigator
Free- Free ProfileFree
- Nonprofit profile
- Ratings
- Financial data
GuideStar
Free- ProfileFree
- Nonprofit profile
- Basic data
- Gold$300/month
- Enhanced profile
- Donor verification
- Impact reporting
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.
Choose GuideStar if
- You need nonprofit profile.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
- You also want impact data.
Questions people ask
- Is Charity Navigator or GuideStar better?
- Neither clearly leads. Charity Navigator starts at Free and GuideStar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Charity Navigator or GuideStar?
- Charity Navigator starts at Free and GuideStar at Free.
- Does Charity Navigator or GuideStar run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Mobile-responsive, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Charity Navigator for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Charity Navigator best used for?
- Charity Navigator is most often used for business operations, productivity, automation.
- What can Charity Navigator do that GuideStar cannot?
- Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Financial analysis, Donor reviews, Impact metrics. GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Impact data, Donor verification, Financial transparency. Both handle Web support, Mobile-responsive support.