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Nonprofits · head to head

GuideStar vs Kindful

GuideStar logo

GuideStar

Nonprofits

Nonprofit profile and intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kindful logo

Kindful

Nonprofits

Simple donor management and fundraising

From
On request
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; Kindful kindful's own site now states that Kindful is a Bloomerang product and directs visitors to demo Bloomerang instead
  • They diverge on capability: GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Kindful covers Online donation forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GuideStar and Kindful actually diverge.

Attributes where GuideStar and Kindful differ
AttributeGuideStarKindful
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
Founded19952014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 GuideStar

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

Only in Kindful

  • Online donation forms
  • Donor segmentation
  • Recurring donation management
  • Volunteer portal
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp

Both cover

  • Google Analytics
  • Web support
  • Mobile-responsive support

What people use each for

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

GuideStar

  • Business operationsnot Kindful
  • Productivitynot Kindful
  • Automationnot Kindful

Kindful

  • Donation and fundraising managementnot GuideStar
  • Nonprofit donor relationship managementnot GuideStar
  • Grant and donation trackingnot 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

Kindful

  • Kindful's own site now states that Kindful is a Bloomerang product and directs visitors to demo Bloomerang instead
  • The Bloomerang Giving Platform starts at $242 per month billed annually
  • Bloomerang Fundraising starts at $40 per month billed annually but must be purchased as part of a bundle with Bloomerang CRM
  • All plans are annual; there is no month to month option
  • Pricing is constituent based, so the bill rises with the size of the donor database
  • Only a starting price is published and the actual figure comes from contacting sales

Pricing, plan by plan

GuideStar

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

Kindful

On request
  • Starter$50/month
    • Online donation forms
    • Donor segmentation
  • Growth$120/month
    • Volunteer portal
    • Multi-channel fundraising

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 Kindful if

  • You need online donation forms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want donor segmentation.
Kindful review

Questions people ask

Is GuideStar or Kindful better?
Neither clearly leads. GuideStar starts at Free and Kindful at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GuideStar or Kindful?
GuideStar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GuideStar and On request for Kindful.
Does GuideStar or Kindful run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile-responsive, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use GuideStar for free?
Yes. GuideStar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kindful starts at On request.
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 Kindful is typically brought in for.
What can GuideStar do that Kindful cannot?
GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Impact data, Donor verification, Financial transparency. Kindful covers Online donation forms, Donor segmentation, Recurring donation management, Volunteer portal. Both handle Google Analytics, Web support, Mobile-responsive support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kindful: How much does Kindful cost?

Kindful does not publish pricing on its website. Contact their sales team at 888-854-3230 or [email protected], or schedule a demo to receive a custom quote.

Source
Kindful: Does Kindful offer transaction fees for donations?

Transaction fee information is not disclosed on the website. Contact Kindful sales for details on payment processing costs.

Source
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