Aplos
Aplos is a comprehensive fund accounting and donor management software designed specifically for nonprofits and churches to streamline financial tracking, donation processing, and member engagement in one integrated platform.
ShelbyNext Financials
ShelbyNext Financials is a cloud-based church accounting software designed to help ministry leaders manage multi-fund accounting, payroll, and financial reporting with specialized compliance tools for non-profit organizations.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Aplos | ShelbyNext Financials |
|---|---|---|
| Website | aplos.com | shelbysystems.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Custom |
| Starting Price | $79/month | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 15 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2009 | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Fresno, USA | Florence, USA |
Overview
Aplos
Aplos provides a specialized suite of tools designed to handle the unique financial needs of nonprofits and churches. You can move away from generic spreadsheets and use a true fund accounting system that tracks every dollar by its specific purpose or restricted fund. This ensures your financial reports are always audit-ready and transparent for your board or congregation.
Beyond accounting, you can manage your entire community from a single dashboard. The platform lets you track donor relationships, automate recurring giving, and send professional email communications to your supporters. Whether you are a small plant church or a growing national nonprofit, you can centralize your operations to save time on administrative tasks and focus more on your core mission.
ShelbyNext Financials
ShelbyNext Financials gives you a dedicated accounting suite built specifically for the unique needs of churches and ministries. You can move away from generic business tools and manage your mission with true fund-based accounting that tracks every dollar across multiple departments or campuses. The platform ensures your ministry stays compliant with non-profit regulations while providing clear visibility into your financial health through automated reporting and real-time data syncing.
You can streamline your entire back-office operation by integrating your accounting directly with your giving and membership data. This eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors in your ledger. Whether you are managing a single local parish or a large multi-site ministry, you can customize the chart of accounts to fit your specific structure and generate the exact reports your board or elders need to see.
Overview
Aplos Features
- True Fund Accounting Track restricted funds and generate specialized nonprofit financial statements like Statement of Activities and Statement of Functional Expenses automatically.
- Online Donation Tracking Accept one-time or recurring donations online and have them automatically sync with your accounting ledgers and donor profiles.
- Donor Management (CRM) Maintain detailed records of your supporters, track their giving history, and segment your list for more personalized outreach.
- Contribution Statements Generate and email professional, tax-compliant annual giving statements to all your donors with just a few clicks.
- Budgeting by Fund Create specific budgets for different programs or departments to monitor your spending against your actual income in real-time.
- Email Marketing Design and send beautiful newsletters and donation appeals directly from the platform using built-in templates and your donor data.
- Bank Integration Connect your bank accounts to automatically import transactions, making bank reconciliation faster and reducing manual data entry errors.
- Member Portal Provide your members with a secure login where they can manage their own profiles, view giving history, and make payments.
ShelbyNext Financials Features
- True Fund Accounting. Manage multiple restricted and unrestricted funds with ease to ensure every donation is used exactly as intended.
- General Ledger. Maintain a flexible chart of accounts that mirrors your church structure for precise tracking of income and expenses.
- Payroll Management. Process staff salaries and housing allowances correctly while staying compliant with unique clergy tax laws and regulations.
- Accounts Payable. Automate your bill payments and track vendor history to keep your ministry operations running smoothly and on time.
- Bank Reconciliation. Connect your bank accounts to automatically import transactions and reconcile your books with just a few clicks.
- Financial Reporting. Generate professional statements of activities and financial position to share with your board or congregation instantly.
- Accounts Receivable. Track miscellaneous income and manage invoices for church-run schools, daycares, or facility rentals in one place.
- Fixed Assets. Track your ministry's physical property and equipment while automatically calculating depreciation for more accurate financial statements.
Pricing Comparison
Aplos Pricing
- Fund accounting for 1 user
- Donor management (CRM)
- Online donation tools
- Standard financial reports
- Automated bank reconciliation
- Email support
- Everything in Lite, plus:
- Automatic recurring giving
- Budgeting by fund/tag
- Customizable reports
- Bulk contribution entry
- Check printing
ShelbyNext Financials Pricing
Pros & Cons
Aplos
Pros
- True fund accounting specifically built for nonprofit needs
- Intuitive interface that is easy for non-accountants to navigate
- Excellent customer support with deep nonprofit expertise
- Seamless integration between the donor database and accounting
- Simplifies the creation of year-end tax statements
Cons
- Pricing is higher than generic small business software
- Limited customization options for advanced reporting needs
- Occasional slowness when processing very large datasets
- Mobile app features are limited compared to desktop
ShelbyNext Financials
Pros
- Excellent compliance with specific non-profit and clergy tax laws
- Robust multi-fund tracking that generic software often lacks
- Seamless integration with ShelbyNext Membership and Giving modules
- Highly detailed audit trails for superior financial accountability
- Reliable cloud access for remote staff and treasurers
Cons
- Steep learning curve for users without accounting backgrounds
- Interface feels dated compared to modern consumer apps
- Initial setup and implementation can be time-consuming