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Nonprofits · head to head

GuideStar vs Qgiv

GuideStar logo

GuideStar

Nonprofits

Nonprofit profile and intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Qgiv logo

Qgiv

Nonprofits

Complete fundraising platform for nonprofits

From
$40/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; Qgiv qgiv has been renamed Bloomerang Fundraising and qgiv.com/pricing now redirects to bloomerang.com/pricing
  • They diverge on capability: GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Qgiv 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 Qgiv actually diverge.

Attributes where GuideStar and Qgiv differ
AttributeGuideStarQgiv
Starting priceFree$40/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWeb, IOS, Android
Founded19952007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Qgiv

  • Online donation forms
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Event registration
  • Text-to-give
  • Auction management
  • Blackbaud
  • Mailchimp
  • Constant Contact

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

GuideStar

  • Business operationsnot Qgiv
  • Productivitynot Qgiv
  • Automationnot Qgiv

Qgiv

  • Nonprofit fundraisingnot GuideStar
  • Donor relationship managementnot GuideStar
  • Volunteer managementnot GuideStar
  • Church givingnot 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

Qgiv

  • Qgiv has been renamed Bloomerang Fundraising and qgiv.com/pricing now redirects to bloomerang.com/pricing
  • The fundraising product starts at $40 per month billed annually but must be purchased as part of a bundle with Bloomerang CRM, which itself starts at $125 per month
  • All published prices are billed annually with no monthly billing option shown
  • The full Giving Platform starts at $242 per month billed annually
  • Every listed price is a starting price and the page directs buyers to Contact Sales for actual pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

GuideStar

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

Qgiv

$40/month
  • Bloomerang Fundraising$40/month
    • Donation forms
    • Events
    • Mobile apps
  • Bloomerang CRM$125/month
    • Donor management
    • Predictive insights
    • Marketing automation
  • Bloomerang Volunteer$119/month
    • Volunteer recruitment
    • Scheduling
    • Communications
  • The Giving Platform (All-in-One)$242/month
    • Fundraising, CRM, Volunteer management all included
    • Prospect AI
    • Predictive insights

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 Qgiv if

  • You need online donation forms.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want peer-to-peer fundraising.
Qgiv review

Questions people ask

Is GuideStar or Qgiv better?
Neither clearly leads. GuideStar starts at Free and Qgiv at $40/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GuideStar or Qgiv?
GuideStar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GuideStar and $40/month for Qgiv.
Does GuideStar or Qgiv run on more platforms?
GuideStar runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. Qgiv runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use GuideStar for free?
Yes. GuideStar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Qgiv starts at $40/month.
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 Qgiv is typically brought in for.
What can GuideStar do that Qgiv cannot?
GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Impact data, Donor verification, Financial transparency. Qgiv covers Online donation forms, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Event registration, Text-to-give. Both handle Salesforce, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Qgiv: How much does QGIV cost?

QGIV's website redirects to Bloomerang, which offers pricing starting at $40/month for Fundraising, $119/month for Volunteer, $125/month for CRM, or $242/month for the all-in-one Giving Platform.

Source
Qgiv: What is Bloomerang's pricing model?

Bloomerang uses constituent-based pricing where costs scale with the number of records/contacts in your database, not per user. All plans include unlimited users.

Source
Qgiv: What does the Giving Platform include?

The Giving Platform at $242/month (billed annually) is an all-in-one solution including fundraising, CRM, volunteer management, Prospect AI, and predictive insights with unlimited users.

Source
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