On top of streamlining basic accounting tasks, nonprofit accounting software might also track how donations and grants are being used, store information about donors, include fundraising tools and make it easy to accept online donations, among other industry-specific capabilities.
While products built specifically for nonprofits are more likely to deliver on those features, organizations can use non-industry-specific accounting software, like Xero, and integrate with third-party apps, too.
Before making a decision, consider whether you need a solution that uses fund accounting. Nonprofits use this bookkeeping method to monitor how funds are used and track each separately. Your decision will also boil down to the size of your nonprofit, your budget and whether or not you want an all-in-one product.
Here are our top picks for nonprofit accounting software.
Our Nerdy picks for
Built-in CRM tools
AplosHR management features
AccufundBest Accounting Software for Nonprofits
Product | Promotion | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Aplos | Best for Built-in CRM tools | $79/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $139; $189. | 15-day free trial | |
Accufund | Best for HR management features | N/A | N/A | |
Xero Learn more on Xero's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Integrations | $13/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $37, $70. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on Xero's secure website |
QuickBooks Enterprise | 4.0/5 Best for Desktop option | $1,410/year Additional pricing tiers (per year): $1,830; $2,250; $4,400. Adding users or cloud access costs extra. | 30-day free trial | |
Sage Intacct Learn more on Sage Intacct's secure website | Best for Large nonprofits | N/A | 30-day free trial | Learn more on Sage Intacct's secure website |
NetSuite | Best for Enterprise resource planning solution | N/A | N/A |
Our pick for
Built-in CRM tools
Aplos
Starting at
$79/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $139; $189.
Promotion
15-day free trial
Pros
- Designed for nonprofits and churches.
- Tools to build and host your website, plus the ability to accept online donations.
- Donor database collects information like giving history and lets you create groups.
- Fund accounting features for tracking how grants and donations are used.
Cons
- Accounting features like budgeting and recurring transactions require a plan upgrade.
Our pick for
HR management features
Accufund
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
Pros
- Built specifically for nonprofits and government agencies.
- Fund accounting features for tracking how donations and grants are used.
- Built-in human resources management system for payroll, benefits, time tracking and more.
- Web payment module lets you accept donations online.
Cons
- Quote-based pricing makes it difficult to compare with competitors.
Our pick for
Integrations
Xero
Learn more
on Xero's secure website
Starting at
$13/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $37, $70.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
With more than 1,000 third-party integrations available, Xero is a user-friendly, scalable, cloud-based accounting product that can be customized to fit the needs of your nonprofit organization. Need to manage a membership base? Connect Xero with MembershipWorks. Need to track donations? You can link your Xero account to Infoodle for seamless donor communication and analysis.
Pros
- Unlimited users in all pricing plans.
- Easy sharing with accountants or bookkeepers.
- Scalable; integrates with more than 1,000 third-party apps including MembershipWorks and Infoodle.
- 25% off discount for nonprofits.
Cons
- No live phone support.
- Not built specifically for nonprofits.
Our pick for
Desktop option
QuickBooks Enterprise
Starting at
$1,410/year
Additional pricing tiers (per year): $1,830; $2,250; $4,400. Adding users or cloud access costs extra.
Promotion
30-day free trial
QuickBooks Enterprise is an accounting solution for a variety of different industries, but it still includes certain industry-specific features, like a nonprofit chart of accounts that shows your organization’s assets, expenses and revenue from both donations and retail sales. At tax time, you can easily transfer your data to the relevant IRS forms. Customizable reports allow you to manage budgets for various programs, view contributions by donor and track top-tier donors. QuickBooks Enterprise is a desktop program, but users can pay more for cloud access.
Pros
- Nine nonprofit-specific reports to track donors, manage budgets by program and more.
- Integrates with more than 200 apps.
- Priority customer service with 24/7 phone and chat support.
- Customize donor forms and payment receipts.
Cons
- Remote access is an additional charge.
- Expensive annual subscription.
- Limited to Windows users.
Our pick for
Large nonprofits
Sage Intacct
Learn more
on Sage Intacct's secure website
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
30-day free trial
Pros
- Manage grant budgets.
- Revenue recognition tool helps nonprofits stay compliant.
- Automation features streamline grant, fund and billing processes.
- Fund accounting features for tracking how donations and grants are used.
Cons
- Quote-based pricing makes it difficult to compare with competitors.
- Not suitable for small nonprofits that don’t plan to grow.
Our pick for
Enterprise resource planning solution
NetSuite
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
Similar to Sage Intacct, NetSuite offers specialized, advanced accounting functions for businesses in many industries. At its heart, the product is an ERP program that helps businesses manage both financial and operational tasks from one place. This makes it an especially good option for nonprofits that plan to grow in the future and prefer an all-in-one solution to having to integrate with various third-party apps.
Pros
- Fund accounting features for tracking how donations and grants are used.
- Variety of fundraising and donor reports.
- Dashboards made for different types of leaders within the organization, such as CEO, development manager and grants manager.
- Built-in enterprise resource planning capabilities.
Cons
- Quote-based pricing makes it difficult to compare with competitors.
How to choose nonprofit accounting software
When choosing nonprofit accounting software, you’ll want to identify the obstacles blocking your work. Then, look for features that can push those roadblocks aside.
That might be robust CRM functions that let you track, analyze and engage a large donor or membership base. Or maybe you need a way to easily accept online donations and some basic accounting functions.
Here are a few other features to look for:
- The ability to budget by fund, project and/or tag.
- Automated reporting for IRS Form 990.
- Grant management features to meet time and use restrictions.
Balance the features you need alongside your budget and whether the software checks other boxes, like scalability and ease of use, to choose the best accounting software for your organization.
» MORE: 25 best small-business apps
Last updated on November 1, 2022