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Nonprofits · head to head

Charity Navigator vs Kindful

Charity Navigator logo

Charity Navigator

Nonprofits

Nonprofit intelligence and rating platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kindful logo

Kindful

Nonprofits

Simple donor management and fundraising

From
On request
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).; Kindful kindful's own site now states that Kindful is a Bloomerang product and directs visitors to demo Bloomerang instead
  • They diverge on capability: Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Kindful covers Online donation forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Charity Navigator and Kindful differ
AttributeCharity NavigatorKindful
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20012014

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Mobile-responsive), 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

Only in Kindful

  • Online donation forms
  • Donor segmentation
  • Recurring donation management
  • Volunteer portal
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp
  • 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

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

Kindful

  • Donation and fundraising managementnot Charity Navigator
  • Nonprofit donor relationship managementnot Charity Navigator
  • Grant and donation trackingnot 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).

Kindful

  • Kindful's own site now states that Kindful is a Bloomerang product and directs visitors to demo Bloomerang instead
  • The Bloomerang Giving Platform starts at $242 per month billed annually
  • Bloomerang Fundraising starts at $40 per month billed annually but must be purchased as part of a bundle with Bloomerang CRM
  • All plans are annual; there is no month to month option
  • Pricing is constituent based, so the bill rises with the size of the donor database
  • Only a starting price is published and the actual figure comes from contacting sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Charity Navigator

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

Kindful

On request
  • Starter$50/month
    • Online donation forms
    • Donor segmentation
  • Growth$120/month
    • Volunteer portal
    • Multi-channel fundraising

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 Kindful if

  • You need online donation forms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want donor segmentation.
Kindful review

Questions people ask

Is Charity Navigator or Kindful better?
Neither clearly leads. Charity Navigator starts at Free and Kindful at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Charity Navigator or Kindful?
Charity Navigator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Charity Navigator and On request for Kindful.
Does Charity Navigator or Kindful 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?
Yes. Charity Navigator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kindful starts at On request.
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 Kindful is typically brought in for.
What can Charity Navigator do that Kindful cannot?
Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Financial analysis, Donor reviews, Impact metrics. Kindful covers Online donation forms, Donor segmentation, Recurring donation management, Volunteer portal. Both handle Web support, Mobile-responsive 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
Kindful: How much does Kindful cost?

Kindful does not publish pricing on its website. Contact their sales team at 888-854-3230 or [email protected], or schedule a demo to receive a custom quote.

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.

Kindful: Does Kindful offer transaction fees for donations?

Transaction fee information is not disclosed on the website. Contact Kindful sales for details on payment processing costs.

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.

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