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.
Zeffy
Zeffy is a 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits that covers all transaction fees through voluntary contributions from donors to ensure every dollar goes directly to your mission.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Aplos | Zeffy |
|---|---|---|
| Website | aplos.com | zeffy.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Free |
| Starting Price | $79/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 15 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2009 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Fresno, USA | Montreal, Canada |
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.
Zeffy
Zeffy is a specialized fundraising platform designed exclusively for nonprofits who want to keep 100% of their donations. Instead of charging platform fees or taking a cut of credit card transactions, the system relies on voluntary tips from donors. You can manage everything from simple donation forms and peer-to-peer campaigns to complex event ticketing and lottery management without worrying about hidden costs or monthly subscriptions.
You can easily track your donor database, automate tax receipts, and sell memberships or merchandise through a single dashboard. It solves the common problem of losing 3-5% of every gift to processing fees, making it an ideal choice for small to mid-sized charities, schools, and community groups looking to maximize their impact. The platform is accessible to any registered nonprofit in North America looking for a transparent, zero-cost financial solution.
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.
Zeffy Features
- Custom Donation Forms. Create branded, mobile-responsive donation forms that you can embed on your website or share via direct links.
- Event Ticketing. Sell tickets for galas or workshops and check in guests using a built-in QR code scanner on your phone.
- Peer-to-Peer Campaigns. Empower your supporters to launch their own fundraising pages and reach new donor networks on your behalf.
- Automated Tax Receipts. Save hours of admin work by automatically sending customizable, brand-compliant tax receipts to your donors instantly.
- Membership Management. Launch and manage recurring membership programs with automated renewals and dedicated member communication tools.
- E-commerce Shop. Sell branded merchandise or physical goods through a simple online store integrated directly into your fundraising dashboard.
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
Zeffy Pricing
- Unlimited donation forms
- Zero transaction fees
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Event & ticket management
- Automated tax receipting
- Donor management (CRM)
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Optional donor tipping
- No cost to the nonprofit
- Transparent checkout
- Full platform access
- Standard support
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
Zeffy
Pros
- Completely eliminates credit card and platform fees
- Extremely simple setup process for non-technical users
- Automatic tax receipting saves significant administrative time
- Responsive customer support team for nonprofit needs
Cons
- Donor tipping prompt can occasionally confuse supporters
- Limited advanced customization for complex reporting needs
- Currently restricted to registered North American nonprofits