Aplos Review: Pros, Cons, Features, and Pricing

Aplos excels in nonprofit accounting, offering user-friendly tools tailored for small organizations without complex financial needs.

VP Finance & FCCA with 15+ years scaling finance at high-growth SaaS companies.

We review tools independently, and commissions help fund our testing. See our transparency policy, our methodology, or suggest a tool.

Aplos is an accounting software built specifically for nonprofits and faith-based organizations that need fund accounting, donation tracking, and donor management in one place. I'd consider it over QuickBooks if your organization needs native fund accounting without forcing a for-profit tool to work around your chart of accounts—QuickBooks wasn't designed for nonprofits, and Aplos was.

Aplos Evaluation Summary

Aplos manages fund accounting, budgeting, and donor tracking in one platform.
Customer rating

4.5/5

Pricing
  • From $79/month
  • 15-day free trial

Why Trust Our Software Recommendations

6,700+

Reviews

20

Industry experts

16+

Evaluation factors

14

Years

Our team has been testing and reviewing software since 2012. As finance leaders ourselves, we know how difficult—and important—it is to choose the right software.

For this guide, we evaluated tools using hands-on testing and independent research, scoring tools using our selection criteria.

Our reviews reflect our human editorial judgment, not a sales pitch.

Aplos Overview

Aplos is a solid choice for small nonprofit organizations seeking a straightforward accounting system. It stands out with its user-friendly interface and specialized fund accounting features. Compared to other software, Aplos excels in ease of use and onboarding, although it may lack the advanced capabilities needed by larger businesses. While its integration options may be limited, the value it offers for the price is compelling for those who don't need extensive features.

Pros

  • Easily manage fund accounting with specialized tools
  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • Excellent support for nonprofits and church accounting

Cons

  • Doesn’t offer advanced features for large businesses
  • Basic financial reporting capabilities
  • Integration options are not as extensive as those of competitors

Is Aplos Right For Your Needs?

Who Would be a Good Fit for Aplos?

Aplos is well-suited for small nonprofits, churches, and community organizations that need straightforward fund accounting and bookkeeping. If your work involves tracking donations and grants, Aplos's specialized tools simplify these tasks. This fund accounting software's focus on fund accounting makes it a strong choice for organizations prioritizing transparency and accountability in their financial management operations.

  • Small nonprofits
    Aplos streamlines fund accounting and reporting, making it an ideal solution for small nonprofits focused on managing donations (and their CPAs).
  • Churches
    Your church can benefit from Aplos's tools for managing tithes and offerings effectively.
  • Community organizations
    Aplos helps community organizations track grants and fund usage with ease.
  • Volunteer groups
    Volunteer groups will find Aplos's intuitive interface easy to use for managing finances without a dedicated accounting staff.
  • Educational programs
    Aplos supports educational programs by offering tools to manage scholarships and donations.
  • Charitable foundations
    Charitable foundations can use Aplos to track contributions and ensure proper fund allocation.

Who Would be a Bad Fit for Aplos?

Aplos isn't a great fit for large corporations or large or small businesses with complex accounting needs. If your team requires advanced features like multi-currency support or extensive integration options, Aplos may not meet your expectations. Those in industries with intricate financial structures or high transaction volumes may find Aplos lacking in the necessary depth and flexibility.

  • Large corporations
    A large corporation may find Aplos lacking in advanced features needed for complex financial operations.
  • International businesses
    International businesses that need multi-currency support will find Aplos unsuitable for their accounting needs.
  • Ecommerce companies
    Ecommerce companies with high transaction volumes might find Aplos's capabilities insufficient.
  • Manufacturing firms
    Manufacturing firms that require detailed inventory management will not benefit from Aplos's limited feature set.
  • Financial institutions
    Financial institutions that need extensive integration options may find Aplos inadequate for their operations.
  • Consulting agencies
    Consulting agencies or tax service providers that need advanced project tracking and billing features may find that Aplos doesn't meet their needs.

How We Test & Score Tools

We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.

Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.

Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)

The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.

Standout Features (25% of final scoring)

Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.

We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.

Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)

We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.

Onboarding (10% of final scoring)

We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.

Customer Support (10% of final scoring)

We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.

Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)

Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.

Value for Money (10% of final scoring)

Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.

Core Features

Fund accounting

Aplos lets you track funds separately, ensuring your team knows where every donation goes. This feature is crucial for transparency in nonprofit work.

Donation tracking

You can easily record and manage donations, keeping your team informed about contributions and donor relationships.

Budgeting

Aplos allows you to set and monitor budgets, helping your team stay on track with financial goals.

Reporting

Aplos provides templates and customizable reports that simplify sharing financial data with stakeholders and can update the balance sheet and other statements in real time.

Event registration

Manage event registrations and payments directly within Aplos, streamlining your team's planning process.

Online giving

Aplos offers tools for setting up online donation pages, making it simple for supporters to contribute.

Aplos screenshot
Tracks funds separately for clear nonprofit transparency.

Ease of Use

Aplos is incredibly user-friendly, especially for those without accounting experience. Its intuitive interface lets your team navigate tasks easily, from tracking donations to generating reports. The layout is clean, and the tools are logically organized, ensuring your work is efficient and hassle-free.

Aplos screenshot
Easy-to-use interface that simplifies tasks for teams of any skill level.

Integrations

Aplos integrates with Gusto, Pushpay, Bloomerang CRM, Diversified Billing, Martus, Online Giving, Mazlo, and Keela. Aplos also offers an API for custom integrations and connects with third-party integration tools.

Aplos screenshot
Integrates with multiple platforms plus API support for custom connections.

Aplos Specs

  • 2-Factor Authentication: Yes
  • Accounts Payable: Yes
  • Accounts Receivable: Yes
  • API: Yes
  • Balance Sheet: Yes
  • Billing/Invoicing: Yes
  • BitCoin: No
  • Budgeting: Yes
  • Calendar Management: No
  • Contact Management: No
  • CRM Integration: Yes
  • Customer Management: No
  • Dashboard: Yes
  • Data Export: Yes
  • Data Import: Yes
  • Data Visualization: Yes
  • Expense Tracking: Yes
  • External Integrations: Yes
  • Forecasting: Yes
  • General Account Ledger: Yes
  • Inventory Tracking: No
  • Multi-Currency: Yes
  • Multi-User: Yes
  • Notifications: Yes
  • P&L: No
  • PayPal: No
  • Payroll: Yes
  • SAP Integration: No
  • Stripe: No
  • Supplier Management: No
  • Tax Management: No

Alternatives to Aplos

Aplos FAQs