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Nonprofits · head to head

GuideStar vs MobileCause

GuideStar logo

GuideStar

Nonprofits

Nonprofit profile and intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MobileCause logo

MobileCause

Nonprofits

Mobile and text fundraising platform

From
$250/month
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; MobileCause custom pricing model lacks transparency, making cost forecasting difficult for nonprofits
  • They diverge on capability: GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, MobileCause covers SMS fundraising.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GuideStar and MobileCause actually diverge.

Attributes where GuideStar and MobileCause differ
AttributeGuideStarMobileCause
Starting priceFree$250/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWeb, Mobile
Founded19952009

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 GuideStar

  • Nonprofit profile
  • Impact data
  • Donor verification
  • Financial transparency
  • Ratings
  • Google Analytics
  • Mobile-responsive support

Only in MobileCause

  • SMS fundraising
  • Mobile app creation
  • Event fundraising tools
  • Peer-to-peer campaigns
  • Twilio
  • Stripe
  • Slack
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

GuideStar

  • Business operations
  • Productivity
  • Automation

MobileCause

  • Business operations
  • Productivity
  • Automation

Both are used for business operations, productivity, automation, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

MobileCause

  • Custom pricing model lacks transparency, making cost forecasting difficult for nonprofits
  • Limited customization options for organizations with unique branding needs
  • Integration with payment processors requires additional setup and fees

Pricing, plan by plan

GuideStar

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

MobileCause

$250/month

No published plan breakdown. See the MobileCause 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 MobileCause if

  • You need sms fundraising.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want mobile app creation.
MobileCause review

Questions people ask

Is GuideStar or MobileCause better?
Neither clearly leads. GuideStar starts at Free and MobileCause at $250/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GuideStar or MobileCause?
GuideStar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GuideStar and $250/month for MobileCause.
Does GuideStar or MobileCause run on more platforms?
GuideStar runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. MobileCause runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use GuideStar for free?
Yes. GuideStar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MobileCause starts at $250/month.
What is GuideStar best used for?
GuideStar is most often used for business operations, productivity, automation.
What can GuideStar do that MobileCause cannot?
GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Impact data, Donor verification, Financial transparency. MobileCause covers SMS fundraising, Mobile app creation, Event fundraising tools, Peer-to-peer campaigns. Both handle Salesforce, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MobileCause: What is the pricing structure?

MobileCause does not publicly list per-user pricing. Custom pricing starts around $250/month for SMBs and scales based on organization size and feature requirements.

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Related pages

More on GuideStar

More on MobileCause

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