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Nonprofits · head to head

Charity Navigator vs Virtuous

Charity Navigator logo

Charity Navigator

Nonprofits

Nonprofit intelligence and rating platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Virtuous logo

Virtuous

Nonprofits

CRM designed for faith-based and mission-driven organizations

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).; Virtuous the pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver for any product; every tier says Request Pricing
  • They diverge on capability: Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Virtuous covers Donor management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Charity Navigator and Virtuous differ
AttributeCharity NavigatorVirtuous
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20012013

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
  • Mobile-responsive support

Only in Virtuous

  • Donor management
  • Volunteer tracking
  • Giving analysis
  • Ministry management
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Charity Navigator

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

Virtuous

  • Donor management and pipeline tracking for mid-sized and large nonprofitsnot Charity Navigator
  • Marketing automation and supporter journeys tied to giving datanot Charity Navigator
  • Online donation forms and giving pages connected to the CRMnot 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).

Virtuous

  • The pricing page publishes no rate, no minimum and no cost driver for any product; every tier says Request Pricing
  • Tier eligibility is set by the nonprofit's own annual fundraising revenue, with a $5 million threshold separating Platform from Enterprise
  • CRM+, Raise, Insights, Analytics, Volunteer and Momentum are packaged as separate products, each with its own Request Pricing button
  • Momentum, the AI fundraising agent, is sold separately from the CRM rather than included

Pricing, plan by plan

Charity Navigator

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

Virtuous

On request
  • Starter$99/month
    • Donor management
    • Volunteer tracking
  • Advanced$199/month
    • Giving analysis
    • Ministry management
    • Email campaigns

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 Virtuous if

  • You need donor management.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want volunteer tracking.
Virtuous review

Questions people ask

Is Charity Navigator or Virtuous better?
Neither clearly leads. Charity Navigator starts at Free and Virtuous at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Charity Navigator or Virtuous?
Charity Navigator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Charity Navigator and On request for Virtuous.
Does Charity Navigator or Virtuous run on more platforms?
Charity Navigator runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. Virtuous 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. Virtuous 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 Virtuous is typically brought in for.
What can Charity Navigator do that Virtuous cannot?
Charity Navigator covers Nonprofit ratings, Financial analysis, Donor reviews, Impact metrics. Virtuous covers Donor management, Volunteer tracking, Giving analysis, Ministry management. Both handle Web 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
Virtuous: How are Virtuous tiers defined?

Virtuous offers a Platform Tier for nonprofits with fundraising revenue up to $5 million annually and an Enterprise Tier for organizations over $5 million. Specific pricing requires a demo request.

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.

Virtuous: What products are included in Virtuous?

Virtuous offers CRM+, Raise (donation forms and pages), Momentum (AI-powered donor outreach), Insights (donor segmentation), Analytics (business intelligence), and Volunteer (recruitment and scheduling).

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.

Virtuous: How do I get a Virtuous pricing quote?

Virtuous does not publish pricing online. Visit their pricing page to request pricing or schedule a demo with their sales team.

Source
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