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Nonprofits · head to head

SmartSimple Cloud vs Trello for Nonprofits

SmartSimple Cloud logo

SmartSimple Cloud

Nonprofits

Configurable grants, research and case management platform for large funders

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trello for Nonprofits logo

Trello for Nonprofits

Nonprofits

Simple project management for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Trello for Nonprofits has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: SmartSimple Cloud almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.; Trello for Nonprofits free plan limited to 10 collaborators per Workspace, which restricts larger team usage
  • They diverge on capability: SmartSimple Cloud covers Configurable object model, Trello for Nonprofits covers Kanban boards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SmartSimple Cloud and Trello for Nonprofits actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartSimple Cloud and Trello for Nonprofits differ
AttributeSmartSimple CloudTrello for Nonprofits
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2011

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 SmartSimple Cloud

  • Configurable object model
  • Workflow and approval engine
  • Peer review
  • Budget and payments
  • Grantee portal
  • Report writer
  • Research administration

Only in Trello for Nonprofits

  • Kanban boards
  • Card management
  • Team collaboration
  • Integrations
  • Labels and checklists
  • Slack
  • Google Drive
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

SmartSimple Cloud

  • A national research council running peer-reviewed funding calls with panel conflict rules and multi-year milestone paymentsnot Trello for Nonprofits
  • A private foundation whose grant process differs enough between programmes that packaged software would need four separate instancesnot Trello for Nonprofits
  • A government department that must show a full audit trail of every decision and payment against public fundsnot Trello for Nonprofits
  • A health charity running grants and beneficiary case management in one system with shared contact recordsnot Trello for Nonprofits

Trello for Nonprofits

  • Project management and team collaboration for nonprofit organizationsnot SmartSimple Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

SmartSimple Cloud

  • Almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.
  • Because each deployment is bespoke, upgrades and new platform features often need configuration work before they apply to your instance, which slows the benefit of paying an annual subscription.
  • Organisations that lose their internal configurator become dependent on the vendor or a partner for even routine form changes, which turns small requests into billable work.
  • The user interface is dense and utilitarian; occasional users such as grant reviewers and applicants need instructions, which increases support load during a funding round.
  • It is priced and scoped for large funders, so a small foundation running one annual round will pay for flexibility it never uses and would be served faster by a packaged tool.

Trello for Nonprofits

  • Free plan limited to 10 collaborators per Workspace, which restricts larger team usage
  • Pricing shown is per-user monthly subscription; total cost grows with team size

Pricing, plan by plan

SmartSimple Cloud

On request
  • SmartSimple Cloud$undefined/year
    • Configurable grants, review and case management
    • Grantee and reviewer portals
    • Annual subscription plus separate implementation engagement

Trello for Nonprofits

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 collaborators per Workspace
    • Unlimited cards
    • Up to 10 boards
  • Standard$5/month
    • Annual billing; $6 USD per user per month with monthly billing
    • AI features
    • Unlimited boards
  • Premium$10/month
    • Annual billing; $12.50 USD per user per month with monthly billing
    • Multiple views (Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard, Map)
    • Unlimited command runs
  • Enterprise$17.5/month
    • Billed annually at $210 per user per year
    • Unlimited Workspaces
    • Organization-wide permissions

Which should you pick?

Choose SmartSimple Cloud if

  • You need configurable object model.
  • You also want workflow and approval engine.
SmartSimple Cloud review

Choose Trello for Nonprofits if

  • You need kanban boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want card management.
Trello for Nonprofits review

Questions people ask

Is SmartSimple Cloud or Trello for Nonprofits better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartSimple Cloud starts at On request and Trello for Nonprofits at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SmartSimple Cloud or Trello for Nonprofits?
Trello for Nonprofits has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for SmartSimple Cloud and Free for Trello for Nonprofits.
Does SmartSimple Cloud or Trello for Nonprofits run on more platforms?
SmartSimple Cloud runs on Web. Trello for Nonprofits runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Trello for Nonprofits for free?
Yes. Trello for Nonprofits has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartSimple Cloud starts at On request.
What is SmartSimple Cloud best used for?
SmartSimple Cloud is most often used for a national research council running peer-reviewed funding calls with panel conflict rules and multi-year milestone payments, a private foundation whose grant process differs enough between programmes that packaged software would need four separate instances, a government department that must show a full audit trail of every decision and payment against public funds, a health charity running grants and beneficiary case management in one system with shared contact records. Of those, a national research council running peer-reviewed funding calls with panel conflict rules and multi-year milestone payments and a private foundation whose grant process differs enough between programmes that packaged software would need four separate instances are not what Trello for Nonprofits is typically brought in for.
What can SmartSimple Cloud do that Trello for Nonprofits cannot?
SmartSimple Cloud covers Configurable object model, Workflow and approval engine, Peer review, Budget and payments. Trello for Nonprofits covers Kanban boards, Card management, Team collaboration, Integrations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SmartSimple Cloud: How long does implementation take?

Plan in months, not weeks. Complex multi-programme funders routinely run six to twelve month implementations, and that work is billed separately from the subscription.

Trello for Nonprofits: How much does Trello Standard plan cost?

Trello Standard costs $5 USD per user per month with annual billing, or $6 USD per user per month with monthly billing. Standard includes AI features, unlimited boards, custom fields, card mirroring, and 1,000 workspace command runs monthly.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by modules, user counts and configuration scope. Ask specifically what future configuration changes cost, because that is the recurring surprise.

Trello for Nonprofits: What is the difference between Trello Premium and Enterprise plans?

Premium ($10 per user per month annually, $12.50 monthly) includes multiple views, unlimited command runs, and admin controls. Enterprise ($17.50 per user per month or $210 annually) adds unlimited Workspaces, organization-wide permissions, multi-board guests, Atlassian Guard Standard, and 24/7 Enterprise Admin support.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Can it handle multi-currency, multi-year grants?

Yes. Tranche payments conditional on milestone reports and multi-currency awards are among the reasons large international funders choose it.

Trello for Nonprofits: What is included in Trello Free plan?

Trello Free includes unlimited cards, up to 10 boards, up to 10 collaborators per Workspace, Inbox, unlimited Power-Ups, assignees, due dates, mobile apps, and two-factor authentication. No payment required.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Do we need our own administrator?

Practically, yes. Organisations without an internal configurator end up paying the vendor for routine form and workflow changes.

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Related pages

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