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Nonprofits · head to head

Charity Navigator vs Salsa CRM

Charity Navigator logo

Charity Navigator

Nonprofits

Nonprofit intelligence and rating platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salsa CRM logo

Salsa CRM

Nonprofits

Integrated CRM and email marketing for nonprofits

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).; Salsa CRM no longer sold as Salsa. salsalabs.com redirects to Bonterra, which absorbed it alongside EveryAction
  • They diverge on capability: Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Salsa CRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Charity Navigator and Salsa CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Charity Navigator and Salsa CRM differ
AttributeCharity NavigatorSalsa CRM
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20012000

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 Salsa CRM

  • Contact management
  • Email marketing
  • Fundraising tools
  • Advocacy campaigns
  • Analytics
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Salesforce

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 Salsa CRM
  • Charitable giving decisionsnot Salsa CRM
  • Donor due diligencenot Salsa CRM

Salsa CRM

  • 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).

Salsa CRM

  • No longer sold as Salsa. salsalabs.com redirects to Bonterra, which absorbed it alongside EveryAction
  • Pricing is not published

Pricing, plan by plan

Charity Navigator

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

Salsa CRM

On request
  • Essential$85/month
    • Contact management
    • Email marketing
  • Advanced$200/month
    • Fundraising tools
    • Advocacy campaigns
    • 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.
Charity Navigator review

Choose Salsa CRM if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want email marketing.
Salsa CRM review

Questions people ask

Is Charity Navigator or Salsa CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Charity Navigator starts at Free and Salsa CRM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Charity Navigator or Salsa CRM?
Charity Navigator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Charity Navigator and On request for Salsa CRM.
Does Charity Navigator or Salsa CRM 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. Salsa CRM 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 Salsa CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Charity Navigator do that Salsa CRM cannot?
Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Financial analysis, Donor reviews, Impact metrics. Salsa CRM covers Contact management, Email marketing, Fundraising tools, Advocacy campaigns. 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
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.

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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