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Software · head to head

GuideStar vs GiveWP

GuideStar logo

GuideStar

Software

Nonprofit profile and intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GiveWP logo

GiveWP

Software

WordPress donation plugin for nonprofits

From
$199/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GuideStar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; GiveWP recurring donations and fee recovery only available in Pro and Elite tiers; Essentials tier ($199/year) limited to one-time donations
  • They diverge on capability: GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, GiveWP covers Donation forms.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GuideStar and GiveWP actually diverge.

Attributes where GuideStar and GiveWP differ
AttributeGuideStarGiveWP
Starting priceFree$199/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWordPress plugin (self-hosted on WordPress sites)
Founded19952012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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
  • Mobile-responsive support

Only in GiveWP

  • Donation forms
  • Recurring donations
  • Donor management
  • Fundraising campaigns
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

GuideStar

  • Business operationsnot GiveWP
  • Productivitynot GiveWP
  • Automationnot GiveWP

GiveWP

  • WordPress-hosted nonprofits managing donors with self-hosted data (no third-party donor database)not GuideStar
  • Organisations needing text-to-give and multi-gateway payment processing (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Apple Pay, Google Pay)not 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

GiveWP

  • Recurring donations and fee recovery only available in Pro and Elite tiers; Essentials tier ($199/year) limited to one-time donations
  • Email marketing integrations (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Salesforce) require Pro tier or higher
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising only available in Elite tier ($599/year); not in lower tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

GuideStar

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

GiveWP

$199/year

No published plan breakdown. See the GiveWP 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 GiveWP if

  • You need donation forms.
  • You work on WordPress plugin (self-hosted on WordPress sites).
  • You also want recurring donations.
GiveWP review

Questions people ask

Is GuideStar or GiveWP better?
Neither clearly leads. GuideStar starts at Free and GiveWP at $199/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GuideStar or GiveWP?
GuideStar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GuideStar and $199/year for GiveWP.
Does GuideStar or GiveWP run on more platforms?
GuideStar runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. GiveWP runs on WordPress plugin (self-hosted on WordPress sites).
Can I use GuideStar for free?
Yes. GuideStar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GiveWP starts at $199/year.
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 GiveWP is typically brought in for.
What can GuideStar do that GiveWP cannot?
GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Impact data, Donor verification, Financial transparency. GiveWP covers Donation forms, Recurring donations, Donor management, Fundraising campaigns. Both handle Web support.
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