Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Kindful vs Universe

Kindful logo

Kindful

Nonprofits

Simple donor management and fundraising

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Universe logo

Universe

Events

Ticketing and event management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Universe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kindful kindful's own site now states that Kindful is a Bloomerang product and directs visitors to demo Bloomerang instead; Universe limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • They diverge on capability: Kindful covers Online donation forms, Universe covers Ticketing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kindful and Universe actually diverge.

Attributes where Kindful and Universe differ
AttributeKindfulUniverse
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile-responsiveWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryNonprofitsEvents
Founded20142011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Kindful

  • Online donation forms
  • Donor segmentation
  • Recurring donation management
  • Volunteer portal
  • Mobile-responsive support

Only in Universe

  • Ticketing
  • Event pages
  • Guest lists
  • Check-in app
  • Analytics
  • Facebook
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp
  • Google Analytics
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Kindful

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

Universe

  • Event planningnot Kindful
  • Ticket salesnot Kindful
  • Attendee managementnot Kindful
  • Virtual eventsnot Kindful
  • Event marketingnot Kindful

Where each one falls short

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

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

Universe

  • Limited design customization for event pages and branding control
  • User interface becomes unintuitive for advanced features and complex event types
  • No ability to transfer attendees between time slots; requires full refund and repurchase
  • Difficult walk-up/credit card sales processing at physical events
  • Slow customer support for refunds and technical issues

Pricing, plan by plan

Kindful

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

Universe

Free
  • Free EventsFree
    • Free event creation and ticketing
  • Starter$0.79/per ticket
    • 2% + $0.79 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Basic event management
  • Standard$1.99/per ticket
    • 2.5% + $1.99 per ticket
    • Capped at $19.95 per ticket
    • Advanced features
  • Pro$undefined/custom
    • Dynamic pricing
    • RFID access control
    • Ticketmaster distribution

Which should you pick?

Choose Kindful if

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

Choose Universe if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want event pages.
Universe review

Questions people ask

Is Kindful or Universe better?
Neither clearly leads. Kindful starts at On request and Universe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kindful or Universe?
Universe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Kindful and Free for Universe.
Does Kindful or Universe run on more platforms?
Kindful runs on Web, Mobile-responsive. Universe runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Universe for free?
Yes. Universe has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kindful starts at On request.
What is Kindful best used for?
Kindful is most often used for donation and fundraising management, nonprofit donor relationship management, grant and donation tracking. Of those, donation and fundraising management and nonprofit donor relationship management are not what Universe is typically brought in for.
What can Kindful do that Universe cannot?
Kindful covers Online donation forms, Donor segmentation, Recurring donation management, Volunteer portal. Universe covers Ticketing, Event pages, Guest lists, Check-in app. Both handle Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp, Google Analytics.

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
Universe: What platforms does Universe support?

Universe is available on web, iOS, and Android, with support across 25 countries and 9 languages. Organizers can accept online, mobile, onsite, kiosk, and print-at-home tickets.

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
Universe: Does Universe integrate with other tools?

Yes. Universe integrates with 5,000+ partner applications through Zapier, allowing automation of ticket sales data to CRM, invoicing, and other business tools without code.

Source
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