Nonprofit & Fundraising · head to head
SignUpGenius vs GuideStar
SignUpGenius
Nonprofit & Fundraising
Online sign-up and scheduling tool
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
GuideStar
Nonprofit & Fundraising
Nonprofit profile and intelligence platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: SignUpGenius free tier displays ads on sign-up pages and caps communication limits; removing ads and raising limits requires a paid plan; 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
- They diverge on capability: SignUpGenius covers Sign-up forms, GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which SignUpGenius and GuideStar actually diverge.
| Attribute | SignUpGenius | GuideStar |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Founded | 2000 | 1995 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Mobile-responsive), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofit & Fundraising).
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 SignUpGenius
- Sign-up forms
- Email reminders
- Volunteer tracking
- Scheduling
- Communication
- Google Calendar
Only in GuideStar
- Nonprofit profile
- Impact data
- Donor verification
- Financial transparency
- Ratings
- Salesforce
- Google Analytics
Both cover
- Web support
- Mobile-responsive support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
SignUpGenius
- Schools and volunteer coordinators organizing sign-up sheets for shifts, events, and potlucksnot GuideStar
GuideStar
- Business operationsnot SignUpGenius
- Productivitynot SignUpGenius
- Automationnot SignUpGenius
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
SignUpGenius
- Free tier displays ads on sign-up pages and caps communication limits; removing ads and raising limits requires a paid plan
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
Pricing, plan by plan
SignUpGenius
Free- FreeFree
- Basic sign-up forms
- Email reminders
- Premium$19.99/month
- Advanced customization
- No ads
- Premium support
GuideStar
Free- ProfileFree
- Nonprofit profile
- Basic data
- Gold$300/month
- Enhanced profile
- Donor verification
- Impact reporting
Which should you pick?
Choose SignUpGenius if
- You need sign-up forms.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
- You also want email reminders.
Choose GuideStar if
- You need nonprofit profile.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
- You also want impact data.
Questions people ask
- Is SignUpGenius or GuideStar better?
- Neither clearly leads. SignUpGenius starts at Free and GuideStar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, SignUpGenius or GuideStar?
- SignUpGenius starts at Free and GuideStar at Free.
- Does SignUpGenius or GuideStar run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Mobile-responsive, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use SignUpGenius for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is SignUpGenius best used for?
- SignUpGenius is most often used for schools and volunteer coordinators organizing sign-up sheets for shifts, events, and potlucks. Of those, schools and volunteer coordinators organizing sign-up sheets for shifts, events, and potlucks is not what GuideStar is typically brought in for.
- What can SignUpGenius do that GuideStar cannot?
- SignUpGenius covers Sign-up forms, Email reminders, Volunteer tracking, Scheduling. GuideStar covers Nonprofit profile, Impact data, Donor verification, Financial transparency. Both handle Web support, Mobile-responsive support.