Empower App vs OutreachCircle

Empower App helps organizations build supporter networks and organize action through volunteers’ personal relationships. Organizers can coordinate open or door-to-door canvassing, use automatic turf cutting, and let volunteers request nearby turf. Relational calls to action support recruiting, mobilizing, events and fundraising. Volunteers can contact people by calling or through text, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram and Signal. The app supports English and Spanish and offers organizational branding within the app. Listed integrations and data options include NGP VAN, LAN, EveryAction, ActBlue, Tableau, SQL, JSON, AWS, BigQuery and CSVs; integrations and APIs are available. Empower says users own their data, can export it at any time, and that the company will not sell it. Training, coaching and ongoing support are offered, and pen-and-paper options are available for volunteers who use low-tech methods. The maker says the app facilitated 9 million friend-to-friend conversations during its 2024 programs. Approved 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) and labor organizations have a free plan for organizer and activist smartphone apps. Campaign pricing for political parties, PACs and candidates is not published; the maker asks them to contact Empower.

OutreachCircle helps campaigns and organizations manage supporters, coordinate organizing, and send texts. Supporters can contact friends, family, and neighbors through personal outreach by text, email, or social media. The Supporter Action Hub lets organizations recruit and track supporters, manage them, and assign actions over time. For affinity P2P texting, an administrator uploads contact lists and supporters personalize messages sent from their own phone numbers. Groups support customized workflows, segmentation, tracking, unique links and QR codes, and follow-up email and text messages for selected groups. The Action Hub supports native actions and third-party integrations; the maker identifies PDI as a close partner working on a deep integration. Supporters can sign up through a browser on mobile, tablet, or desktop without downloading an app, or use the available iPhone and Android apps. OutreachCircle supports SMS and MMS and lists native CRM integrations. It has a free plan, listed at free for the Supporter Action Hub. The maker describes its users as volunteers, activists, and donors supporting campaigns, organizations, and causes.