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Nonprofits · head to head

Keela vs TechSoup

Keela logo

Keela

Nonprofits

Nonprofit CRM and fundraising platform with Canadian tax receipting built in

From
On request
Rated
-
T

TechSoup

Nonprofits

Technology solutions and discounts for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only TechSoup 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.; TechSoup plus membership requires $200 annual commitment
  • They diverge on capability: Keela covers Donor records and segmentation, TechSoup covers Software marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keela and TechSoup actually diverge.

Attributes where Keela and TechSoup differ
AttributeKeelaTechSoup
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer month by contact countfreemium
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown1987

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 TechSoup

  • Software marketplace
  • Hardware discounts
  • Vendor directory
  • Technology resources
  • Training
  • Various vendors
  • Web support

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 TechSoup
  • A development team of two to five people replacing spreadsheets and a mailing toolnot TechSoup
  • An organisation already running Aplos fund accounting that wants gifts to post through automaticallynot TechSoup
  • A bilingual charity sending French and English donor communications from one contact listnot TechSoup

TechSoup

  • Business operationsnot Keela
  • Productivitynot Keela
  • Automationnot 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.

TechSoup

  • Plus membership requires $200 annual commitment
  • Advanced courses at high original cost ($5,900 valued)
  • Community networking limited to 10 members in dedicated space
  • Chat support only available to Plus members

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

TechSoup

Free
  • TechSoup CoreFree
    • Up to 90% discounts on 100+ software and hardware
    • Basic and intermediate courses
    • Select webinars
  • TechSoup Plus$200/year
    • All Core benefits
    • Exclusive limited-time partner offers
    • Advanced courses at 80% discount

Which should you pick?

Choose Keela if

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

Choose TechSoup if

  • You need software marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want hardware discounts.

Questions people ask

Is Keela or TechSoup better?
Neither clearly leads. Keela starts at On request and TechSoup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keela or TechSoup?
TechSoup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Keela and Free for TechSoup.
Does Keela or TechSoup run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use TechSoup for free?
Yes. TechSoup 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 TechSoup is typically brought in for.
What can Keela do that TechSoup cannot?
Keela covers Donor records and segmentation, CRA and IRS receipting, Donation forms and pages, Email and automation. TechSoup covers Software marketplace, Hardware discounts, Vendor directory, Technology resources.

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.

TechSoup: How much does TechSoup cost?

TechSoup Core is free, while TechSoup Plus costs $200 per year and includes exclusive offers, advanced courses, expert consultations, and networking events.

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.

TechSoup: Is TechSoup free to join?

Yes, TechSoup Core membership is completely free and provides access to 100+ discounted software and hardware solutions from major partners like Microsoft, Adobe, and AWS.

Source
Keela: Is pricing per user?

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

TechSoup: What additional benefits does TechSoup Plus provide?

TechSoup Plus ($200/year) adds exclusive partner offers, advanced courses at 80% discount, expert-led webinars, personalized tech audits, one-on-one consultations, and a dedicated community space.

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.

TechSoup: Who qualifies for TechSoup membership?

TechSoup is designed for nonprofits and provides discounted access to software from Microsoft, Adobe, Intuit, AWS, Cisco, Dell, and other technology partners.

Source
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