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Software · head to head

GuideStar vs Donorbox

GuideStar logo

GuideStar

Software

Nonprofit profile and intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Donorbox logo

Donorbox

Software

Online fundraising platform for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GuideStar guideStar and Foundation Directory are being retired and merged into a single Candid platform, per Candid's own learning.candid.org help pages, with existing subscribers redirected to log in at app.candid.org; Donorbox standard plan charges 2.95-3.95% platform fee per donation on top of payment processor fees (2.2-2.49% + card processing)
  • They diverge on capability: GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Donorbox covers Custom donation forms.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GuideStar and Donorbox actually diverge.

Attributes where GuideStar and Donorbox differ
AttributeGuideStarDonorbox
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWeb
Founded19952016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 GuideStar

  • Nonprofit profile
  • Impact data
  • Donor verification
  • Financial transparency
  • Ratings
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics

Only in Donorbox

  • Custom donation forms
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Payment processing
  • Donor management
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Mobile-responsive support

What people use each for

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

GuideStar

  • Business operationsnot Donorbox
  • Productivitynot Donorbox
  • Automationnot Donorbox

Donorbox

  • Small to mid-sized nonprofits needing affordable donation processing in 96+ countriesnot GuideStar
  • Organisations seeking integrated event ticketing and peer-to-peer fundraisingnot GuideStar
  • Multi-channel giving strategies including text-to-give and membership programmesnot GuideStar

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GuideStar

  • GuideStar and Foundation Directory are being retired and merged into a single Candid platform, per Candid's own learning.candid.org help pages, with existing subscribers redirected to log in at app.candid.org
  • Candid's own pricing page lists Candid Premium (annual) at $1,199 per year in USD, and $219 per month if billed monthly, with an Ultimate annual tier at $1,699 per year adding compliance monitoring features
  • Candid's free tier limits search results, profile views and dashboards; full grants and profile data downloads are capped even on Premium annual, at 1,000 grants downloads and 5,000 profile downloads per month

Donorbox

  • Standard plan charges 2.95-3.95% platform fee per donation on top of payment processor fees (2.2-2.49% + card processing)
  • Premium plan pricing requires contacting sales, not displayed publicly
  • Pro plan limited to growing organisations; larger nonprofits must upgrade to Premium with custom pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

GuideStar

Free
  • ProfileFree
    • Nonprofit profile
    • Basic data
  • Gold$300/month
    • Enhanced profile
    • Donor verification
    • Impact reporting

Donorbox

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Donorbox review.

Which should you pick?

Choose GuideStar if

  • You need nonprofit profile.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want impact data.
GuideStar review

Choose Donorbox if

  • You need custom donation forms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want peer-to-peer fundraising.
Donorbox review

Questions people ask

Is GuideStar or Donorbox better?
Neither clearly leads. GuideStar starts at Free and Donorbox at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GuideStar or Donorbox?
GuideStar starts at Free and Donorbox at Free.
Does GuideStar or Donorbox run on more platforms?
GuideStar runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. Donorbox runs on Web.
Can I use GuideStar for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GuideStar best used for?
GuideStar is most often used for business operations, productivity, automation. Of those, business operations and productivity are not what Donorbox is typically brought in for.
What can GuideStar do that Donorbox cannot?
GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Impact data, Donor verification, Financial transparency. Donorbox covers Custom donation forms, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Payment processing, Donor management. Both handle Web support, Mobile-responsive support.
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Related pages

More on GuideStar

More on Donorbox

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