3 Reasons to Avoid Free Nonprofit Accounting Software

If you have a small non-profit organization, whether a small church, local animal rescue, or state-sponsored organization, you’re probably always looking for ways to cut costs. With money being so tight and wanting as much to go into your mission as possible, you’re on the lookout for as much free stuff as possible. We don’t blame you – free stuff can be a game changer for a nonprofit!

However, nonprofit accounting software is something you should definitely consider a worthy investment rather than looking for the free options. We’re sharing five reasons why you should avoid or give up your free nonprofit accounting software to better serve your organization.

Free Nonprofit Accounting Software Offers Little Support

While you may think you’ll ever use customer support with your accounting software, you may be surprised how many questions you’ll run into. Having convenient, accessible support can save you hours of headache and stress and prevent you from losing essential information.

Because most free accounting software is open source, meaning the coding is freely available and often modified and updated, there is minimal customer support. There may be tutorials or an FAQ section, but the ability to get real, live help is unlikely.

Limited Functionality in Free Nonprofit Accounting Software

Accounting software is meant to save you time and reduce your stress by keeping your financial records and data in one place. Unfortunately, most of the free options only include basic functionality such as the general ledger to track income or donations and expenses and simple reporting.

By having accounting software that includes fund accounting, payroll, budgeting, accounts payable, and other features, you can save time keeping your books balanced while improving your financial accuracy. When you’re juggling different files, having to import and export information, and use multiple types of software, you’re more likely to make mistakes that can be costly over time.

Free Nonprofit Accounting Software Is Difficult to Scale

The goal of every nonprofit organization is to grow over time. This will mean you’ll have to scale your organization to keep up with the growth – new staff members, larger offices, updated technology – it’s important to have systems in place as soon as possible that can grow with you so you don’t lose valuable information.

Unfortunately, as you grow, your free software may not be able to keep up with the accounting needs of your organization. You’ll need fund accounting functionality, the ability to accept payments, and even automate tasks both in accounting and even human resources. While many of the best nonprofit accounting software programs offer this, none of the free ones can scale to the extent you need.

How to Save on Your Nonprofit Accounting Software

We understand that you want to reduce costs, but the right accounting software can do that by helping you forecast your financial positions and budget more accurately. This will help you make the right decisions for your organizations so you can save and fundraise more effectively.

Also, many nonprofit accounting platforms offer free trial periods so you can test out the software and make sure it’s the right fit for your organization before purchasing. This prevents you from investing in a product without full confidence that it’s what you need.

Just as important as the free trial, working with an organization like Capital Business Solutions can help ensure you’re connected with the right nonprofit software solutions. For over 20 years, our company has been providing accounting and fundraising software, developing applications, and so much more to help nonprofits, charitable organizations, and arts & cultural programs have the support and resources they need to thrive!

Contact Us for Nonprofit Accounting Software

If you’re not sure what kind of accounting software is right for your business nor how to implement it, we can help! Schedule a consultation with a member of our team today by calling (888) 249-6008 or contact us to get started!