OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using CRM Software Methodology v3.0
CRM Software Methodology v3.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum CRM Software Methodology v3.0: the technical score from the specifications is the base, and independent expert and video reviews (up to ±0.5 points), owner opinions (up to ±0.3) and best-of lists (up to +0.3) move it up or down.
Explore CRM Software Methodology v3.0

NationBuilder review: 54 specs compared

Starting price:34 USD/user/moFree plan:noAI assistant:noBuilt-in quotes and invoicing:yesWorkflow automation:yes

NationBuilder Review: Compare 54 technical specifications and 2 expert reviews to see how this product ranks in the CRM Software category and whether it is worth buying.

NationBuilder
7.5/10

Overall score

Score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
Our main score for this model, 1–10. It combines specs, expert reviews and best-of lists.
How we count it
Parts: Technical score 40%, Reviews score 30%, List score 30%
Marks: Each part gets a mark out of 10. For reviews, lists and owners, a typical model in this category gets about 8 and the best one gets 10.
No data yet: A part with no data shows "?". It counts as the mark of a weaker model in this category (4 in 5 models with data score higher). This way, models with reviews, lists and owners usually come out ahead.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 89% of models
Score components

40%

7.5

Technical score

30%

7.5

Reviews score

30%

?

List scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.5, the mark of a weaker model in this category

â–¼Worse than 89% of CRM software
7.5

Technical score

Technical score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 85% of models
Score components

25%

6.9

Product & Pricing

25%

8.5

Core CRM

20%

6.8

Sales & Automation

15%

8.3

Integrations & Access

15%

7.0

Security & Deployment

â–¼Worse than 85%
7.5

Reviews score

Reviews score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
How we count it
Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
Share: Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 90% of models

7.5

Mark 7.8 is below the typical mark 8.0 of this category, so it cannot lift the score above the technical score

80%

8.1

Average grade

20%

6.9

Popularity

Grades by review (2)
2 reviews, average 8.0/10. We use 3 reviews; the 1 missing counts as the category's typical 8.1: (8.0 × 2 + 8.1 × 1) ÷ 3 = 8.0. Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
â–¼Worse than 90%
?

List score

List score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
How we count it
Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 30% of the overall score.
Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
Lists with this model (0)
Not in any best-of list yet, so this part counts as 7.5. Models in a list get 8 to 10.
Not in any best-of list yet
Pricing & Access
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of CRM platform NationBuilder

Technical score
Technical score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 85% of models
Score components:

25%

6.9

Product & Pricing

25%

8.5

Core CRM

20%

6.8

Sales & Automation

15%

8.3

Integrations & Access

15%

7.0

Security & Deployment

7.5
Reviews score
7.5
List score
?
Starting price
34 USD/user/mo
Market range: <0 USD/user/mo – >100 USD/user/mo
This CRM platform has a starting price of 34 USD/user/mo, which is lower than that of 52.4% of CRM platforms.
Billing period
Monthly, Annual
Free plan
no
This CRM platform does not offer a permanent free plan.
Free trial
yes
This CRM platform offers a time-limited free trial.
14 days.
Minimum seats
1 seat
Market range: <1 seat – >6 seats
This CRM platform has a minimum purchase requirement of 1 seat, which is lower than that of 1.9% of CRM platforms and equal to that of 98.1% of CRM platforms.
Show more
Account and company management
yes
This CRM platform supports account and company management. 0.2% of CRM platforms support account and company management.
Contact management
yes
This CRM platform supports contact management. 0% of CRM platforms support contact management.
Lead management
yes
This CRM platform supports lead management. 0.2% of CRM platforms support lead management.
Lead intake and qualification tracking.
Deal and pipeline management
yes
This CRM platform supports deal and pipeline management. 0.2% of CRM platforms support deal and pipeline management.
Visual sales and opportunity pipeline.
Custom fields
yes
This CRM platform supports custom fields. 0% of CRM platforms support custom fields.
Show more
AI assistant
no
This CRM platform does not offer an AI assistant. 22% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Workflow automation
yes
This CRM platform supports workflow automation. 0.5% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Automated workflow rules and activity triggers.
Lead scoring
no
This CRM platform does not support lead scoring. 19.8% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Email sync and tracking
yes
This CRM platform supports email sync and tracking. 0.5% of CRM platforms offer these features.
Sales forecasting
no
This CRM platform does not support sales forecasting. 15% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Show more
Marketplace integrations
yes
This CRM platform offers marketplace integrations. 1.9% of CRM platforms offer marketplace integrations.
NationBuilder integration directory with Zapier and third-party tools.
API access
yes
This CRM platform offers API access. 0.2% of CRM platforms offer API access.
Webhooks
yes
This CRM platform supports webhooks. 1.4% of CRM platforms support webhooks.
Mobile apps
yes
This CRM platform offers mobile apps. 2.4% of CRM platforms offer mobile apps.
Native mobile applications for iOS and Android for NationBuilder.
Data import and export
yes
This CRM platform supports data import and export. 0% of CRM platforms support data import and export.
Show more
Single sign-on (SSO)
no
This CRM platform does not support single sign-on. 23.2% of CRM platforms support single sign-on.
Security certifications
SOC 2
Role-based permissions
yes
This CRM platform supports role-based permissions. 0.7% of CRM platforms support role-based permissions.
Role-based access levels and user permissions.
Audit logs
yes
This CRM platform provides audit logs. 2.6% of CRM platforms provide audit logs.
System activity log tracking user actions.
Supported operating systems
Web, iOS, Android
Show more

NationBuilder vs the average CRM platform

246810TotalProduct & PricingCore CRMSales & AutomationIntegrations & AccessSecurity & Deployment
  • Supports marketing automation
    This CRM platform supports marketing automation, while the average CRM platform does not. 28.9% of CRM platforms support marketing automation.
    Integrated donor newsletters, appeal emails, and volunteer campaigns.
  • In-quote online payments
    This CRM platform supports online payments within quotes, while the average CRM platform does not. 32% of CRM platforms support online payments within quotes.
    Built-in online donation processing via Stripe and PayPal.
  • Offers a client portal
    This CRM platform offers a client portal, while the average CRM platform does not. 36.3% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Donor self-service portal to manage recurring gifts and tax receipts.
  • 5 USD/user/mo $/user/mo lower starting price
    User score
    7.0/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average of independent expert reviews and videos, graded by us; missing reviews count as 7/10.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how independent test sites and video reviewers rate the product in real use.
    Score distribution
    ▼▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    NationBuilder
    the average CRM platform
    NationBuilder has a lower starting price than the average CRM platform (34 USD/user/mo vs 39 USD/user/mo). The average starting price across CRM platforms is 39 USD/user/mo.
    34 USD/user/mo vs 39 USD/user/mo
  • 5 USD/user/mo $/user/mo lower starting price
    User score
    7.0/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average of independent expert reviews and videos, graded by us; missing reviews count as 7/10.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how independent test sites and video reviewers rate the product in real use.
    Score distribution
    ▼▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    NationBuilder
    the average CRM platform
    NationBuilder has a lower starting price than the average CRM platform (34 USD/user/mo vs 39 USD/user/mo). The average starting price across CRM platforms is 39 USD/user/mo.
    34 USD/user/mo vs 39 USD/user/mo
  • Offers a client portal
    This CRM platform offers a client portal, while the average CRM platform does not. 36.3% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Donor self-service portal to manage recurring gifts and tax receipts.
  • Supports marketing automation
    This CRM platform supports marketing automation, while the average CRM platform does not. 28.9% of CRM platforms support marketing automation.
    Integrated donor newsletters, appeal emails, and volunteer campaigns.
  • In-quote online payments
    This CRM platform supports online payments within quotes, while the average CRM platform does not. 32% of CRM platforms support online payments within quotes.
    Built-in online donation processing via Stripe and PayPal.
  • Lower contact limit
    This CRM platform includes fewer contacts than the average CRM platform (1,000 contacts vs unlimited contacts).
    1,000 contacts vs unlimited contacts
  • 5.1% lower review score
    Reviews score
    7.5/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
    How we count it
    Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
    Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
    Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
    Share: Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    â–¼ Worse than 90% of models

    7.5

    Mark 7.8 is below the typical mark 8.0 of this category, so it cannot lift the score above the technical score

    80%

    8.1

    Average grade

    20%

    6.9

    Popularity

    Grades by review (2)
    2 reviews, average 8.0/10. We use 3 reviews; the 1 missing counts as the category's typical 8.1: (8.0 × 2 + 8.1 × 1) ÷ 3 = 8.0. Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
    User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
    7.5 vs 7.9
  • 1.1% worse value for money
    NationBuilder offers worse value for money than the average CRM platform (8.25 vs 8.3).
    8.25 vs 8.34
  • 5.1% lower review score
    Reviews score
    7.5/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
    How we count it
    Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
    Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
    Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
    Share: Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    â–¼ Worse than 90% of models

    7.5

    Mark 7.8 is below the typical mark 8.0 of this category, so it cannot lift the score above the technical score

    80%

    8.1

    Average grade

    20%

    6.9

    Popularity

    Grades by review (2)
    2 reviews, average 8.0/10. We use 3 reviews; the 1 missing counts as the category's typical 8.1: (8.0 × 2 + 8.1 × 1) ÷ 3 = 8.0. Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
    User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
    7.5 vs 7.9
  • 1.1% worse value for money
    NationBuilder offers worse value for money than the average CRM platform (8.25 vs 8.3).
    8.25 vs 8.34
  • Lower contact limit
    This CRM platform includes fewer contacts than the average CRM platform (1,000 contacts vs unlimited contacts).
    1,000 contacts vs unlimited contacts

Video reviews

Hands-on testing and real-world video evaluations

Brand video

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

8.0
pcmag.com
✓ explicit
10/01/2017
Hands-on review · Membership tool
Verdict
NationBuilder is a website and membership tool built to attract supporters, with strong social media features, but it is less suited to managing existing members.
8.0
au.pcmag.com
✓ explicit
10/01/2017
Editors' review · Member CRM
Verdict
NationBuilder is a website and member-engagement platform for causes and campaigns, strong at building social followers but weaker for managing members.

Third-party reviews

What we like about NationBuilder

  • Specialized donor management with contribution tracking, recurring pledge schedules, and fundraising campaigns.
  • Visual workflow automation builder facilitating status updates, assignment rules, and reminder notifications.
  • Built-in quotation and invoice creation directly connected to digital payment gateways for accelerated client checkout.
  • Extensive marketplace connectors complemented by full REST API endpoints and webhooks for software stack integration.
  • Native iOS and Android mobile applications granting commercial teams full pipeline access during on-the-road client meetings.

What we don't like about NationBuilder

  • Absence of a permanent free plan, requiring an ongoing recurring subscription starting around $25/user/month.
  • Lacks native enterprise SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) in standard plans, complicating centralized corporate authentication.
  • Native telephony dialer and call recording are not built into the core interface, requiring third-party VoIP software.
  • Multi-tenant public cloud hosting only, without on-premise installation choices or dedicated European data residency.

Verdict

NationBuilder is a dedicated nonprofit CRM and donor management platform developed by NationBuilder to cultivate donor relationships and streamline fundraising operations. The system centralizes individual constituent profiles, recurring gift commitments, grant tracking, and targeted fundraising campaign performance. Operational workflows are supported by automated donor acknowledgment letters, online donation form processing. Nonprofit administrators benefit from donor segmentation tools, tax receipt generation, integration with accounting suites, and event attendance tracking. However, drawbacks include the absence of a permanent free tier, with starting fees at $25 monthly, plus payment processing fees on online transactions. It represents a premier operational platform for charitable foundations, non-governmental organizations, and advocacy groups seeking long-term donor stewardship. Furthermore, administrative settings maintain flexible oversight as operational requirements expand. In addition, overall system stability and structured data governance support daily commercial routines.

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