Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Charity Navigator vs Little Green Light

Charity Navigator logo

Charity Navigator

Nonprofits

Nonprofit intelligence and rating platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Little Green Light logo

Little Green Light

Nonprofits

Affordable donor management for small nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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).; Little Green Light pricing is driven purely by constituent record count, so inactive and lapsed records still raise the bill
  • They diverge on capability: Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Little Green Light covers Donor database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Charity Navigator and Little Green Light actually diverge.

Attributes where Charity Navigator and Little Green Light differ
AttributeCharity NavigatorLittle Green Light
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Founded20012008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Little Green Light

  • Donor database
  • Prospect tracking
  • Relationship management
  • Task management
  • PayPal
  • Stripe
  • Google Drive

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 Little Green Light
  • Charitable giving decisionsnot Little Green Light
  • Donor due diligencenot Little Green Light

Little Green Light

  • Donor management and gift tracking for small nonprofitsnot Charity Navigator
  • Segmenting constituents for appeals and mailingsnot Charity Navigator
  • Online donation forms with pay-as-you-go processingnot 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).

Little Green Light

  • Pricing is driven purely by constituent record count, so inactive and lapsed records still raise the bill
  • The base plan is $45 per month for up to 2,500 constituents, rising to $135 per month at 50,000
  • Above 50,000 records each additional 10,000 tier adds $15 per month
  • An account is hard-capped at 200,000 constituent records
  • Online donation processing costs from 2.2% plus $0.30 per transaction to the payment processor
  • The 10% saving requires annual rather than monthly billing

Pricing, plan by plan

Charity Navigator

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

Little Green Light

Free
  • Up to 2,500 constituents$45/month
  • Up to 5,000 constituents$60/month
  • Up to 10,000 constituents$75/month
  • Up to 20,000 constituents$90/month

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 Little Green Light if

  • You need donor database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want prospect tracking.
Little Green Light review

Questions people ask

Is Charity Navigator or Little Green Light better?
Neither clearly leads. Charity Navigator starts at Free and Little Green Light at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Charity Navigator or Little Green Light?
Charity Navigator starts at Free and Little Green Light at Free.
Does Charity Navigator or Little Green Light 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 nonprofit evaluation and research, charitable giving decisions, donor due diligence. Of those, nonprofit evaluation and research and charitable giving decisions are not what Little Green Light is typically brought in for.
What can Charity Navigator do that Little Green Light cannot?
Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Financial analysis, Donor reviews, Impact metrics. Little Green Light covers Donor database, Prospect tracking, Relationship management, Task management. 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
Little Green Light: How much does Little Green Light cost?

Little Green Light uses tiered pricing starting at $45/month for up to 2,500 constituents, scaling up to $135/month for up to 50,000 constituents. All tiers include unlimited users and all features. Annual prepayment offers a 10% discount.

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.

Little Green Light: Is there a free trial for Little Green Light?

Yes, Little Green Light offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required, giving full access to all platform features during the trial period.

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.

Little Green Light: What additional fees does Little Green Light charge?

Online donation processing charges 2.2% plus $0.30 per transaction paid to the payment processor. There are no setup fees, cancellation fees, or contracts.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Charity Navigator

More on Little Green Light

Keep looking

Other head to heads