11 Best Accounting Software for Nonprofits in 2024

Nonprofit organizations face unique financial challenges, from managing restricted funds to tracking diverse revenue streams. Selecting the best accounting software for nonprofits is crucial for maintaining transparency, ensuring compliance, and streamlining operations. 

These top nonprofit accounting software tools are tailored to meet the specific needs of nonprofits, helping you make an informed decision to support your organization’s financial management and mission.

Recommended: While accounting software is a great tool for nonprofits, we still recommend consulting with an accountant to ensure your nonprofit’s finances are properly managed. Visit 1-800Accountant today to find an accountant for your nonprofit. 

Top Nonprofit Accounting Software Tools

Accounting software is a helpful tool for nonprofits to track and manage their finances such as expenses, donations, and budgets. These nonprofit accounting software tools are built to help 501(c)(3) organizations easily manage their accounts and get back to making a difference. 

  1. QuickBooks: Best Financial Management Software Overall
  2. Zoho Books: Best Reporting Features
  3. FreshBooks: Best for Expense Management 
  4. Aplos: Best Software Built for Nonprofits
  5. Sage Intacct: Best for Advanced Accounting Features
  6. Wave: Best Budget-Friendly Software
  7. Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT: Best Automated Features 
  8. Xero: Best Mobile-Friendly Features 
  9. Realm: Best for Churches 
  10. ACCOUNTS: Best Fund Accounting Features 
  11. AccuFund: Best Customizable Plans 

1. QuickBooks

QuickBooks is a robust business accounting software used by small businesses, nonprofits, and more. The nonprofit accounting software offered by QuickBooks features all the necessary tools to manage an organization’s expenses, budget, and bookkeeping needs. Plus, the platform includes features to make accepting donations by credit, debit, bank transfer, cash, or check easier than ever. 

Additionally, QuickBooks includes helpful reporting features to maintain compliance, create specialized reports, and automate reporting tasks to save nonprofits time. For nonprofits looking for an all-in-one accounting and bookkeeping software, QuickBooks is the best choice. 

Key Features

  • Access to expert tax help 
  • Bookkeeping automation features  
  • Banking with 5.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) 
  • Bill management tools 
  • Invoice and payment tools 

Pricing

  • Plus: $90 per month
  • Advanced: $200 per month 
  • Enterprise for Nonprofit: $180 per month

Recommended: Try QuickBooks accounting software today to manage your nonprofit’s finances. 

2. Zoho Books

Zoho Books books is an accounting software that does it all. With Zoho Books, nonprofits can easily manage their finances from cash flow to expenses all in one dashboard. The software also includes features for fund organization and management, allowing customers to generate reports and easily track spending. 

In addition to accounting and expense management, Zoho Books users benefit from several donation features. Organizations can receive donations in multiple currencies, send payment receipts, and easily manage donor relations from the platform. 

Key Features

  • Comprehensive dashboard provides overview of all major finances
  • Ability to create separate expense accounts 
  • Role-based access for remote teams 
  • Free customer support via email, chat, or phone 

Pricing

  • Free: $0/month
  • Standard: $25/month 
  • Professional: $40/month 
  • Premium: $60/month 
  • Elite: $120/month 
  • Ultimate: $240/month 

Zoho Books offers registered charities, trusts, and societies a 15% discount on original pricing. 

3. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting software that offers a discount for registered nonprofits. Users gain access to extensive features like unlimited expense tracking, donation management, time tracking, and spend reporting. FreshBooks also makes it simple to track spending, allowing users to monitor and allocate funds to better manage restricted funds. 

Key Features

  • Late payment reminder and fees  
  • Donation management tools 
  • Volunteer and team member time tracking 
  • Customizable invoices 

Pricing

  • Lite Plan: $19/month 
  • Plus Plan: $33/month 
  • Premium Plan: $60/month 
  • Select Plan: Custom pricing 

4. Aplos

Aplos is an all-in-one church or nonprofit accounting and financial management software. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of features to help organizations manage their finances, including fund accounting, donation tracking, and budgeting tools. With deep reporting and analytics capabilities, users can easily monitor their financial health using tools designed specifically for nonprofits and faith-based organizations. 

Key Features

  • Fund accounting
  • Online giving and donation tracking
  • Integrated CRM software 
  • Advanced tracking and reporting tools 

Pricing

  • Lite Plan $79/month 
  • Core Plan: $49.50/month 
  • Advanced Plan: Custom pricing 

5. Sage Intacct

Sage Intacct is a robust, cloud-based fund accounting software designed for growing nonprofits with complex accounting needs. Powerful features like fund accounting, grant management, and compliance reporting are all combined into one easy-to-use platform. Sage Intacct provides real-time financial insights and customizable dashboards, enabling organizations to make data-driven decisions while saving time through robust automations. 

Key Features

  • Accounts payable automation 
  • Grant tracking and billing 
  • Compliance-centered revenue management 
  • Robust reporting and visualizations 

Pricing

Pricing for Sage Intacct is based on the specific needs of each organization and requires a custom quote.

6. Wave 

Wave is a free, cloud-based accounting software that can be a good fit for small nonprofits with basic financial management needs. The platform boasts bookkeeping and accounting features with a variety of reporting capabilities, allowing organizations to easily create financial statements and view their financial data. Wave is a simple financial management platform with an intuitive interface making it usable regardless of accounting experience. 

Key Features

  • Online payment processing (fees included) 
  • Invoice, payroll, and payment reporting 
  • Automated bookkeeping features 
  • Easy-to-use platform 

Pricing

  • Starter Plan: $0/month
  • Pro Plan: $16/month 

7. Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT

Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT is a comprehensive fund accounting software built for nonprofits. It offers robust features like grant management, budgeting and forecasting, and extensive automations to reduce administrative burden. Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT also provides a centralized database of grants, restricted funds, and projects with customizable reporting options to help organizations gain deeper insights into their financial performance.

Key Features

  • Automated bank and credit card reconciliation 
  • Automated budget creation 
  • Spend management and enforcement tools
  • Robust reporting and tracking with custom visualizations 

Pricing

Pricing for Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT is based on the specific needs of each organization and requires a custom quote.

8. Xero

Xero is a cloud-based accounting software that offers a discount for nonprofit organizations. With Xero, nonprofits can track donations, manage expenses, and reconcile bank accounts. The software also generates financial reports and offers a mobile app for easy access to financial data on the go.

Key Features

  • Extensive integrations with third-party apps 
  • Mobile app capabilities 
  • Online payroll with tax deductions and wages 
  • Customizable financial reporting

Pricing

  • Early: $15/month 
  • Growing: $42/month 
  • Established: $78/month

Xero’s nonprofit discount provides 25% off standard pricing.

9. Realm

Realm is an all-in-one church management software with tools for everything from volunteer management to donor management. Their accounting software can be used to manage all aspects of church finances including employee payroll, account records, income tracking, and bill pay. 

Overall, the feature set is robust and built specifically for churches, making it best for these organizations. Plus, the platform integrates with other Realm products to create a full tech stack that meets all the organization’s management needs. 

Key Features

  • Account segmentation by department, campuses, and more 
  • Multiple accounting methods to choose from 
  • Chart of Accounts organized by core accounts and funds 
  • Automatically post deposits and contributions 
  • Income and expense tracking 

Pricing

Realm does not include pricing information on their website. However, you can do a 30-day free trial to explore the software further. 

10. ACCOUNTS 

ACCOUNTS is an accounting software by Software4Nonprofits. The platform provides users with fund accounting capabilities such as customizable charts of accounts, budgeting tools, and financial statement generation features. Plus, users can easily integrate ACCOUNTS with other software offered by the company to build an end-to-end nonprofit management system that flows seamlessly. 

Key Features

  • Custom chart of accounts 
  • Unlimited technical support 
  • Donation management integration
  • Budget creation and tracking 
  • Report creation for income statements, balance sheets, and more 

Pricing

  • ACCOUNTS Standard: $129/year 
  • ACCOUNTS OnDemand: $199/year

11. AccuFund

AccuFund‘s accounting software is a cloud-based system that allows nonprofits to manage their finances via internet browser. The accounting software is a part of the AccuFund Core System which includes features accounts payable, cash receipts, financial reporting, and general ledger tools. Additionally, users can customize their plan with AccuFund’s extensive list of add-on modules including grant management, client invoicing, and program management tools. 

Key Features

  • Accounts payable 
  • Bank reconciliation 
  • General ledger allocation
  • Add-on modules available 
  • Single login from any device 

Pricing

To learn more about AccuFund’s pricing, you will need to sign up for a live demo as the company does not disclose pricing information on the website. 

Conclusion

Using an accounting software solution can help keep your nonprofit’s finances organized and ensure you’re tracking all expenses, donations, and budgets effectively. To choose the best accounting software for your organization, consider the price, features, and capabilities of the platform to determine the best software solution for your 501(c)(3) organization. 

Accounting software is a great starting point for nonprofits. However, with the help of a trained accountant, you can rest easy knowing your nonprofit’s finances are properly managed. Visit 1-800Accountant to find an accountant for your nonprofit today.  

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