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Nonprofits · head to head

Keela vs Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Keela logo

Keela

Nonprofits

Nonprofit CRM and fundraising platform with Canadian tax receipting built in

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Nonprofit Program logo

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Nonprofits

Free Microsoft tools for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Nonprofit Program has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Keela pricing scales with contact count, so a charity that keeps twenty years of lapsed donors pays every month for records it never contacts, and the only fix is deleting history it may need for reporting.; Microsoft Nonprofit Program schools, universities, government agencies, banks, insurers, professional associations, sports bodies and political and labour groups are all ineligible
  • They diverge on capability: Keela covers Donor records and segmentation, Microsoft Nonprofit Program covers Office Suite.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keela and Microsoft Nonprofit Program actually diverge.

Attributes where Keela and Microsoft Nonprofit Program differ
AttributeKeelaMicrosoft Nonprofit Program
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer month by contact countfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android, Desktop
FoundedUnknown1975

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 Keela

  • Donor records and segmentation
  • CRA and IRS receipting
  • Donation forms and pages
  • Email and automation
  • Grant and pledge tracking
  • Reporting dashboards

Only in Microsoft Nonprofit Program

  • Office Suite
  • Cloud storage
  • Email and collaboration
  • Analytics
  • CRM
  • Data analytics
  • Teams
  • SharePoint

What people use each for

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

Keela

  • A Canadian registered charity that must issue CRA compliant receipts without building templates itselfnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • A development team of two to five people replacing spreadsheets and a mailing toolnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • An organisation already running Aplos fund accounting that wants gifts to post through automaticallynot Microsoft Nonprofit Program
  • A bilingual charity sending French and English donor communications from one contact listnot Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

  • Nonprofit organization technology needsnot Keela
  • Educational institutionsnot Keela
  • Charitable organizationsnot Keela
  • Eligible 501(c)(3) organizationsnot Keela

Where each one falls short

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

Keela

  • Pricing scales with contact count, so a charity that keeps twenty years of lapsed donors pays every month for records it never contacts, and the only fix is deleting history it may need for reporting.
  • The email marketing tools are adequate for donor appeals but weaker than a dedicated platform, so organisations with heavy newsletter programmes end up paying for a second tool and syncing lists.
  • Custom reporting is limited to the fields and filters Keela exposes, so questions the product did not anticipate require exporting to a spreadsheet.
  • The integration list is short next to Salesforce or Blackbaud, so a charity running an unusual event, membership or advocacy tool will be moving data by CSV.
  • Since the 2023 Aplos acquisition the roadmap serves a combined accounting and fundraising suite, so investment favours the accounting join rather than standalone CRM depth.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

  • Schools, universities, government agencies, banks, insurers, professional associations, sports bodies and political and labour groups are all ineligible
  • Free granted licences cover paid employees and unpaid executive staff only; volunteers and temporary staff get discounts rather than grants
  • Organisations must keep at least 85 percent of granted licences actively used
  • Licence counts vary by country and a group of organisations can hold only one grant account

Pricing, plan by plan

Keela

On request
  • Keela$undefined/month
    • Published tiers priced by number of contacts held, not by user seat
    • Higher tiers unlock automation, custom fields and additional reporting
    • Card processing is charged separately by the payment processor

Microsoft Nonprofit Program

Free
  • Nonprofit ProgramFree
    • Office 365
    • Azure
    • Dynamics 365

Which should you pick?

Choose Keela if

  • You need donor records and segmentation.
  • You also want cra and irs receipting.
Keela review

Choose Microsoft Nonprofit Program if

  • You need office suite.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want cloud storage.
Microsoft Nonprofit Program review

Questions people ask

Is Keela or Microsoft Nonprofit Program better?
Neither clearly leads. Keela starts at On request and Microsoft Nonprofit Program at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keela or Microsoft Nonprofit Program?
Microsoft Nonprofit Program has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Keela and Free for Microsoft Nonprofit Program.
Does Keela or Microsoft Nonprofit Program run on more platforms?
Keela runs on Web. Microsoft Nonprofit Program runs on Web, IOS, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Microsoft Nonprofit Program for free?
Yes. Microsoft Nonprofit Program has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Keela starts at On request.
What is Keela best used for?
Keela is most often used for a canadian registered charity that must issue cra compliant receipts without building templates itself, a development team of two to five people replacing spreadsheets and a mailing tool, an organisation already running aplos fund accounting that wants gifts to post through automatically, a bilingual charity sending french and english donor communications from one contact list. Of those, a canadian registered charity that must issue cra compliant receipts without building templates itself and a development team of two to five people replacing spreadsheets and a mailing tool are not what Microsoft Nonprofit Program is typically brought in for.
What can Keela do that Microsoft Nonprofit Program cannot?
Keela covers Donor records and segmentation, CRA and IRS receipting, Donation forms and pages, Email and automation. Microsoft Nonprofit Program covers Office Suite, Cloud storage, Email and collaboration, Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keela: Does Keela issue CRA compliant tax receipts?

Yes, receipt numbering, required wording and batch issuance are built in, which is the main reason Canadian charities choose it over US products.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program: How much does Microsoft 365 cost for nonprofits?

Microsoft offers 75% discount on Microsoft 365 Business Premium for eligible nonprofits, with exact pricing depending on organization verification. Additional nonprofit discounts include 15% on Microsoft 365 Copilot and 60% on Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Source
Keela: Who owns Keela?

Aplos Software, a US fund accounting vendor, acquired it in 2023. Keela is still sold as its own product but shares a roadmap with Aplos.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program: What Azure benefits do nonprofits receive?

Eligible nonprofits receive $2,000 USD in annual Azure services credits with access to the complete Azure product portfolio. Exact annual allocation depends on nonprofit verification and registration status.

Source
Keela: Is pricing per user?

No, it is by contact count. Adding staff does not raise the bill, growing the mailing list does.

Microsoft Nonprofit Program: How do I verify my organization is eligible for nonprofit discounts?

Organizations must register through Microsoft's nonprofit portal and confirm eligibility to access published discounts. Nonprofits typically include 501(c)(3) organizations and other government-recognized charitable entities, requiring verification before accessing discount rates.

Source
Keela: Can it replace a fund accounting system?

No. It records income and pledges but does not do fund accounting, so you still need Aplos, QuickBooks or an equivalent.

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