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Best Accounting Software for Non-Profits

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The GoCardless content team comprises a group of subject-matter experts in multiple fields from across GoCardless. The authors and reviewers work in the sales, marketing, legal, and finance departments. All have in-depth knowledge and experience in various aspects of payment scheme technology and the operating rules applicable to each. The team holds expertise in the well-established payment schemes such as UK Direct Debit, the European SEPA scheme, and the US ACH scheme, as well as in schemes operating in Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. See full bio

Last editedMar 20222 min read

Australia’s non-profit sector continues to grow, and along with this growth comes the development of a fresh range of exciting technology. When your organisation is just starting out, you might get by with a simple spreadsheet and filing system. Yet as it grows, you’ll need more comprehensive accounting systems to track donations, keep accurate records, and generate reports. The best accounting software for non-profits will do all that – and more.

Xero

We’ll start the list with Xero, which is widely regarded as one of the best options when it comes to non-profit accounting. One of its strengths is its scalability and ability to integrate with hundreds of third-party apps for complete customisation. There are three subscription levels to choose from, freeing your admin team to work on member outreach and fundraising. At its core, Xero helps with expense tracking, invoicing, and financial report generation. This helps non-profits accept and track donations in a sleek, organised system.

Intuit QuickBooks

The QuickBooks family of software includes QuickBooks Enterprise Non-Profit or the general QuickBooks Online, both of which have standout features to help with payroll, financial statements, and donor management. Send out invoices and donation letters automatically, while tracking inventory and keeping on top of required reporting. Like Xero, it integrates easily with hundreds of additional apps, including membership management tools.

Sage Intacct

Sage Intacct stands out for its capability to provide real-time data reporting, so that small non-profits can monitor donor activities more closely. Core features include financial reporting as well as cash flow management, general ledger entries, and an automated accounts payable and receivable account. Even without extensive background accounting knowledge, you can handle donations and finances from a central dashboard.

Araize

Araize FastFund is one of the best accounting software for non-profits looking for a user-friendly, all-in-one solution. While some of the options on this list are more general accounting tools, Araize is specifically designed with a non-profit’s fundraising needs in mind. Users can pick and choose between fundraising, payroll, or accounting software – or bundle all three together into a full-service package. This means you have the option to tack on more features as your group starts to grow with additional staff and payroll needs. Beyond its scalability, Araize is also a great choice for processing and tracking donations. You can set up a checkout page directly on your website, accept SMS donations, or opt for credit card payments. Video training and webinars are available for those just starting out, and you can even pay a little extra for a one-on-one tutorial.

Aplos

Non-profits following the double-entry accounting system can benefit from Aplos’ range of features. It makes short work of creating automatic journal entries to balance the books with each donation. Users can also track cash flow and tackle fundraising tasks from a simple dashboard. There’s an online donation tool to make payments easy for non-profit organisers and donors alike. Create budgets and financial forecasts, manage membership lists, and generate database reports. Aplos is easy for beginners to get a handle on, but one thing to note is that it doesn’t have a payroll feature so it’s best for smaller clubs and groups.

GoCardless

GoCardless integrates easily with many of the software listed above, integrating seamlessly with major accounting partners like Xero. Whether integrated or used on its own, it allows non-profits to collect recurring payments directly from donors’ bank accounts. This streamlines the process and encourages donors to continue giving, whether it’s through recurring or one-off payments.

From organising fundraising efforts to tracking donations, the best accounting software for non-profits puts you in full control. You can choose from a selection of features, price plans, and integrations to best suit your growing organisation.

We can help

GoCardless helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of admin your team needs to deal with when chasing invoices. Find out how GoCardless can help you with ad hoc payments or recurring payments.