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Software · head to head

NextRequest vs CKAN

NextRequest logo

NextRequest

Software

Public Records Request Management

From
$300/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CKAN logo

CKAN

Software

Open Source Data Portal Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CKAN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: NextRequest now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site; CKAN the package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install
  • They diverge on capability: NextRequest covers Request Intake, CKAN covers Dataset Management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NextRequest and CKAN actually diverge.

Attributes where NextRequest and CKAN differ
AttributeNextRequestCKAN
Starting price$300/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20152006

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 NextRequest

  • Request Intake
  • Workflow Management
  • Document Redaction
  • Public Portal
  • Reporting
  • Document Systems
  • Email
  • Payment Processors

Only in CKAN

  • Dataset Management
  • Data Harvesting
  • API Access
  • Visualization
  • Extensions
  • DataPusher
  • Harvester
  • Third-party Tools

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

NextRequest

  • Receiving and routing public records and FOIA requestsnot CKAN
  • Tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrallynot CKAN
  • Redacting documents before release with RapidReviewnot CKAN
  • Invoicing and collecting payment for records requestsnot CKAN
  • Publishing a public-facing request portal for residentsnot CKAN

CKAN

  • Publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portalnot NextRequest
  • Self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an APInot NextRequest

Where each one falls short

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

NextRequest

  • Now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site
  • Pricing is not published
  • Aimed at government agencies, so it is not a general purpose request or ticketing tool

CKAN

  • The package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install
  • Only Solr 9 and Solr 8 are supported, and from CKAN 2.10 they are the only Solr versions supported at all
  • A working deployment requires PostgreSQL, Solr, Redis, nginx, supervisor and uWSGI to be installed and maintained separately
  • Python 3.10 or later is required

Pricing, plan by plan

NextRequest

$300/month
  • Standard$300/month
    • Request Management
    • Document Redaction
    • Public Portal

CKAN

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Data Management
    • API Access
    • Visualization

Which should you pick?

Choose NextRequest if

  • You need request intake.
  • You also want workflow management.
NextRequest review

Choose CKAN if

  • You need dataset management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data harvesting.
CKAN review

Questions people ask

Is NextRequest or CKAN better?
Neither clearly leads. NextRequest starts at $300/month and CKAN at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NextRequest or CKAN?
CKAN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $300/month for NextRequest and Free for CKAN.
Does NextRequest or CKAN run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CKAN for free?
Yes. CKAN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NextRequest starts at $300/month.
What is NextRequest best used for?
NextRequest is most often used for receiving and routing public records and foia requests, tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrally, redacting documents before release with rapidreview, invoicing and collecting payment for records requests. Of those, receiving and routing public records and foia requests and tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrally are not what CKAN is typically brought in for.
What can NextRequest do that CKAN cannot?
NextRequest covers Request Intake, Workflow Management, Document Redaction, Public Portal. CKAN covers Dataset Management, Data Harvesting, API Access, Visualization. Both handle Web support.
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