Beacon vs NationBuilder
Beacon
beaconcrm.org
NationBuilder
nationbuilder.comSide by side
| Figure | Beacon | NationBuilder |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £37/mo | $34/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 3 |
| Spec score · Nonprofit CRM Software | 9.2 (#1) | 8.7 (#7) |
| Documentation | The help centre contains articles covering data management, forms, reporting, payments, Gift Aid, integrations, security, automation, account administration and developers. | The help center contains dedicated sections for people, websites, communications, fundraising, workflows, data, integrations, security and API topics. |
| Founded | 2017 | 2011 |
| Fundraising | Fundraising tools include branded donation forms, grants, major gifts, legacies, funds, recurring payments, Gift Aid and JustGiving integration. | Donation pages accept one-time and recurring gifts through NationBuilder Payments and integrated processors such as ActBlue, Anedot and WinRed. |
| Headquarters | Shoreditch, London, United Kingdom | The company lists a mailing address of PO Box 811428, Los Angeles, CA 90081. |
| Integrations | The integration directory lists Stripe, GoCardless, PayPal, Mailchimp, Gmail, Outlook, Gift Aid, JustGiving, Enthuse, Xero, QuickBooks, WordPress, Wix, Drupal, Joomla and Zapier among others. | The official directory lists integrations including Zapier, Qomon, iWave, FieldEdge, 123FormBuilder, Google Analytics, Pipedream and Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.7 out of 5 from 10 reviews | 4.2 out of 5 from 108 reviews |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 2.5 out of 5 from 13 reviews | 3.2 out of 5 from 1 review |
| Security controls | The company states that data is encrypted at rest, traffic uses HTTPS, two-factor authentication is available, and permissions can be controlled at feature, record and field level. | Official documentation states each customer has a separate database, control-panel access is encrypted, and permissions can be customized for unlimited users. |
| Support | All plans include live chat and email support, free Lighthouse training and webinars; Beacon targets a five-minute response time. | Enterprise includes a dedicated account manager and tailored onboarding, and the company offers professional services and training. |
Plans
Beacon
- Starter£37 a month
- Standard£127 a month
- Premium£325 a month
- UltimatePriced on request
In their own words
Beacon
Beacon is a CRM built especially for charities, combining fundraising, memberships, events, and case management. Fundraising tools include branded donation forms, grants, major gifts, legacies, recurring payments, and Gift Aid. Organizations can create branded membership and event ticketing forms and track attendance. For service work, Beacon tracks enquiries, ongoing use, and activities over time. Workflow automation and AI tools support data filtering, email drafting, and database logic.
Listed integrations include Mailchimp, Dotdigital, Sendgrid, Xero, JustGiving, Stripe, GoCardless, PayPal, and Zapier. Beacon also provides a documented RESTful API for custom integrations and Beacon-powered features. The service has web, iOS, Android, and API platform listings. Plans start at £37/mo, with annual billing also listed for Starter, Standard, and Premium; Ultimate pricing is custom. Beacon says its infrastructure and customer data are hosted in the UK and that it holds ISO 27001:2022 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications. All plans include in-app chat and email support. Implementation is not included in plan pricing and is handled by certified Implementation Partners. Beacon was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Shoreditch, London.
NationBuilder
NationBuilder has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.