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Nonprofits · head to head

Charity Navigator vs MemberClicks

Charity Navigator logo

Charity Navigator

Nonprofits

Nonprofit intelligence and rating platform

From
Free
Rated
-
MemberClicks logo

MemberClicks

Nonprofits

Association management for professional bodies and trade associations

From
On request
Rated
-

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).; MemberClicks pricing is not published, which is a marked step down in transparency from Wild Apricot at the tier below it
  • They diverge on capability: Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, MemberClicks covers Membership management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Charity Navigator and MemberClicks differ
AttributeCharity NavigatorMemberClicks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2001Unknown

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
  • Web support

Only in MemberClicks

  • Membership management
  • Chapters and committees
  • Continuing education
  • Events and registration
  • Job board
  • Member community

What people use each for

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

Charity Navigator

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

MemberClicks

  • Professional associations tracking continuing education credits for membersnot Charity Navigator
  • Trade associations with chapters that manage their own membershipnot Charity Navigator
  • Chambers of commerce running events, directories and job boardsnot Charity Navigator
  • Organisations that have outgrown a small-club membership toolnot 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).

MemberClicks

  • Pricing is not published, which is a marked step down in transparency from Wild Apricot at the tier below it
  • Annual contracts and implementation fees make it a considerably larger commitment than the per-month membership tools
  • The interface is dated in places, particularly the website content management
  • Migration from Wild Apricot is a real project despite the shared ownership, and buyers sometimes assume otherwise
  • Smaller associations will pay for chapter and continuing education machinery they never use

Pricing, plan by plan

Charity Navigator

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

MemberClicks

On request
  • MemberClicks$undefined/year
    • Membership management
    • Events
    • Chapters and committees
  • MC Professional$undefined/year
    • Continuing education
    • Job board
    • Advanced 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 MemberClicks if

  • You need membership management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want chapters and committees.

Questions people ask

Is Charity Navigator or MemberClicks better?
Neither clearly leads. Charity Navigator starts at Free and MemberClicks at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Charity Navigator or MemberClicks?
Charity Navigator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Charity Navigator and On request for MemberClicks.
Does Charity Navigator or MemberClicks run on more platforms?
Charity Navigator runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. MemberClicks runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Charity Navigator for free?
Yes. Charity Navigator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MemberClicks 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 MemberClicks is typically brought in for.
What can Charity Navigator do that MemberClicks cannot?
Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Financial analysis, Donor reviews, Impact metrics. MemberClicks covers Membership management, Chapters and committees, Continuing education, Events and registration.

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
MemberClicks: How does it differ from Wild Apricot?

Chapters, committees and continuing education credit tracking. Those structures are what make professional associations different from clubs, and they are where simpler tools fail.

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.

MemberClicks: What does it cost?

Not published. It is an annual contract with implementation, quoted on member count and modules.

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.

MemberClicks: Is migration from Wild Apricot easy?

Not automatically. Both are owned by Personify, but they are separate products and a migration is a project with data mapping and re-implementation.

MemberClicks: Does it handle continuing education?

Yes, including credit tracking and certification records, which is one of the main reasons professional bodies choose it.

MemberClicks: Who should not buy it?

Small clubs and associations without chapters or education requirements. The machinery that justifies the price will sit unused.

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