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Nonprofits · head to head

Tendenci vs Zeffy

Tendenci logo

Tendenci

Nonprofits

Open-source association management system for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeffy logo

Zeffy

Nonprofits

100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Tendenci self-hosting is a real operational commitment, and organisations without technical capacity should not treat the free licence as a free system; Zeffy revenue model relies entirely on donor voluntary tips with no guaranteed income
  • They diverge on capability: Tendenci covers Open-source licence, Zeffy covers Donation forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tendenci and Zeffy actually diverge.

Attributes where Tendenci and Zeffy differ
AttributeTendenciZeffy
Pricing modelOpen source, with paid hosting availablefree
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, CloudWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Tendenci

  • Open-source licence
  • Events and registration
  • Donations
  • Content-managed website
  • Email

Only in Zeffy

  • Donation forms
  • Event ticketing
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Recurring donations
  • Mailchimp
  • Zapier
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Both cover

  • Membership management

What people use each for

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

Tendenci

  • Nonprofits whose boards require member and donor data to stay under their own controlnot Zeffy
  • Organisations with data residency obligations a hosted platform cannot satisfynot Zeffy
  • Groups with technical capacity wanting to avoid per-member subscription costs at scalenot Zeffy
  • Associations needing to customise workflows beyond what a proprietary platform allowsnot Zeffy

Zeffy

  • Donation collection for nonprofitsnot Tendenci
  • Event ticketing with check-innot Tendenci
  • Membership sales with tiersnot Tendenci
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising campaignsnot Tendenci
  • In-person payment with Tap to Paynot Tendenci

Where each one falls short

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

Tendenci

  • Self-hosting is a real operational commitment, and organisations without technical capacity should not treat the free licence as a free system
  • The community is small compared with mainstream open-source projects, so answers are harder to find and contributors are few
  • The interface is dated against the commercial association platforms and this is the most common user complaint
  • Fewer integrations than commercial competitors, and building them is a development task rather than a configuration one
  • Feature depth in events and continuing education is behind the specialist commercial systems

Zeffy

  • Revenue model relies entirely on donor voluntary tips with no guaranteed income
  • All features included equally with no upgrade path for additional capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

Tendenci

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full source code
    • No per-member licence
    • Community support
  • Managed hosting$undefined/month
    • Hosted and maintained
    • Updates applied
    • Support included

Zeffy

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • Unlimited donations
    • Ticketing
    • Memberships

Which should you pick?

Choose Tendenci if

  • You need open-source licence.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud.
  • You also want events and registration.
Tendenci review

Choose Zeffy if

  • You need donation forms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want event ticketing.
Zeffy review

Questions people ask

Is Tendenci or Zeffy better?
Neither clearly leads. Tendenci starts at Free and Zeffy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Tendenci or Zeffy?
Tendenci starts at Free and Zeffy at Free.
Does Tendenci or Zeffy run on more platforms?
Tendenci runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud. Zeffy runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Tendenci for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Tendenci best used for?
Tendenci is most often used for nonprofits whose boards require member and donor data to stay under their own control, organisations with data residency obligations a hosted platform cannot satisfy, groups with technical capacity wanting to avoid per-member subscription costs at scale, associations needing to customise workflows beyond what a proprietary platform allows. Of those, nonprofits whose boards require member and donor data to stay under their own control and organisations with data residency obligations a hosted platform cannot satisfy are not what Zeffy is typically brought in for.
What can Tendenci do that Zeffy cannot?
Tendenci covers Open-source licence, Events and registration, Donations, Content-managed website. Zeffy covers Donation forms, Event ticketing, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Recurring donations. Both handle Membership management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tendenci: Is Tendenci really free?

The software is, under an open-source licence with no per-member fee. Running it is not: hosting, updates, backups and security are the organisation responsibility unless managed hosting is purchased.

Zeffy: How much does Zeffy cost for nonprofits?

Zeffy is completely free for nonprofits. There are no platform fees, transaction fees, credit card processing fees, monthly subscriptions, or setup costs. Nonprofits retain 100% of funds raised.

Source
Tendenci: Who should choose it?

Organisations with a genuine requirement to control their own data, and the technical capacity to act on it. Choosing it purely to avoid subscription cost usually ends badly.

Zeffy: How does Zeffy make money if it's free?

Zeffy relies on voluntary donor tips at checkout. On average, 2 out of 3 donors leave a tip. Tips are optional and donors can opt out, but Zeffy operates on this voluntary contribution model.

Source
Tendenci: Can I move my data out?

Yes, entirely. That is the point. Data lives in a PostgreSQL database you control, and there is no vendor holding it.

Zeffy: What nonprofit organizations can use Zeffy?

Schools, churches, sports teams, animal rescues, food banks, volunteer fire departments, arts organizations, and PTAs can all use Zeffy. Over 100,000 nonprofits globally use the platform.

Source
Tendenci: How does it compare to Wild Apricot?

Wild Apricot is easier, better supported and better looking. Tendenci is the answer when data ownership is a requirement rather than a preference.

Tendenci: Is it actively maintained?

It is developed openly on GitHub with a small team and community. Check recent commit activity before committing, as with any small open-source project.

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