Aplos Reviews

“Helpful nonprofit tools”

Pros

Aplos works well for nonprofit accounting especially with its nonprofit-focused setup. Having multiple users access it online is really useful and the online giving integration is a big plus. The Form 990 support also gives us a nice head start and saves time.

Cons

The pricing has gone up quite a bit since we first began using it which has been frustrating. Donor receipt customization inside Aplos also needs a lot more flexibility. It's also missing better ways to contact donors individually, by selected groups or all at once. I'd really like the option to email year-end contribution receipts as PDF attachments.

“Excellent fit for church finance”

Pros

Using it has been a very good experience for our church staff. Since we don't have an accountant and financial decisions are handled by a committee, it fits our setup really well. Running reports is simple, entering data is simple and reconciling accounts is just as manageable.

Cons

The biggest limitation for us was donor tracking. To keep track of who gave what, we had to duplicate our entire people database inside Aplos and then keep both systems updated. That extra maintenance ended up pushing us to choose another option. If it could connect with an existing database like Elvanto, we probably would have fully committed to it.

“Powerful reports for nonprofits”

Pros

Getting around the different functions felt very user-friendly and setting up our accounts and budget was simple. The cloud-based setup is a big plus and the variety of reports covers everything our organization needs. Bank reconciliation is also very simple to manage. Our small nonprofit even received a monthly discount which was appreciated. The training videos were concise, helpful and surprisingly entertaining.

Cons

I'd like to see deposit slip printing included in the basic version. It may be available in an upgraded plan but I'm not sure.

“Fantastic support all around”

Pros

Honestly it's been amazing across the board. I really wish more products offered the same high level of customer support that Aplos provides.

Cons

There's nothing to point out at this stage.

“Paypal integration works well”

Pros

Connecting it with PayPal is simple and works really well.

Cons

Getting everything set up takes a bit of time at first.

“Fantastic value and support”

Pros

Packed with features and it's simple to use whether you have an accounting background or not. The pricing is excellent and the support team plus customer service have been outstanding.

Cons

I honestly haven't come across any issues so far.

“Cloud-based donor tracking win”

Pros

It has the features I needed, including cloud access, support for multiple collaborators and donor information management. Since it's hosted online, neither I nor anyone on my team has to worry about handling updates or security ourselves.

Cons

When I brought up Aplos Fund Accounting to our bookkeeper, she wasn't very excited because she was still getting comfortable with QuickBooks. At times even the name of the software can make people hesitate about moving ahead.

“Affordable and fantastic support”

Pros

It is budget-friendly, simple to use and backed by awesome customer service.

Cons

We've only been using the program for about a month so we're still getting familiar with many of the features. We also haven't had the opportunity to explore all of the tools or run reports yet. At this point, though, everything has been working well.

“Powerful dashboard, buggy navigation”

Pros

Right away, the dashboard gives a strong overview with a lot of useful data visible up front. The reports also come out looking very polished and professional and the customer support team has been excellent whenever help was needed.

Cons

A few parts of the navigation feel awkward, like having to enter the Percentage before the Amount in AP, clicking several + signs to expand sections in certain reports and manually typing each dollar amount to pay bills when the full amount really should populate by default. I also lost data more than once while trying to look up accounts during Receipt entry because there was no warning that leaving the receipt screen would erase what I had already entered.

“Bank integration is excellent”

Pros

The bank integration works really well and makes handling transactions much more convenient.

Cons

Budgeting and expense analysis could be more refined and useful.

“Reliable access and excellent reports”

Pros

Having an online accounting system has been a big plus since I can log in from home, while traveling or anywhere else I happen to be. The reports work really well for what we need, customer support has been seuperb and the pricing feels quite reasonable.

Cons

I've shared a few feature ideas over time but they don't seem to have been treated as a priority or the team may not see those additions as necessary.

“All-in-one fund accounting upgrade”

Pros

Instead of juggling several separate tools, this brought everything together in one place, accounting, credit card processing, year-end tax statements, donor communication and fund management. I've only been using it for about six months and during that time they've already updated multiple features which makes it clear they pay attention to user feedback and keep improving the product.

Cons

A way to create a bank deposit slip is still missing although I've been told that feature is in progress. Moving between certain functions can also feel a bit inconvenient at times. That said after using QuickBooks for many years, I still prefer this product by a lot when it comes to fund accounting.

“Best nonprofit accounting fit”

Pros

Compared with the other options out there, this has been the best accounting software for nonprofits. The donation management platform alone makes it worthwhile. It plays a crucial role in helping nonprofits bring in funding and Aplos lets you keep track of all that data effectively.

Cons

Overall the product has been good but the user interface did take some time to figure out and get comfortable with.

“Fund tracking that just works”

Pros

Despite being a full double-entry bookkeeping system, it's very approachable for people without an accounting background. The platform does a good job of keeping technical accounting jargon to a minimum, both when entering information and when running reports. Connecting it directly to a bank account saves a lot of time and makes reconciliation much less of a hassle. It's especially valuable for organizations that need to monitor multiple funds at once. On top of that, the support team is quick to reply whenever questions come up.

Cons

I want more reporting flexibility especially when it comes to customizing the layout of printed reports.

“Helpful support, confusing workflow”

Pros

Their customer service has been phenomenal and I really appreciate that there are several different ways to get in touch with them.

Cons

The platform isn't especially user-friendly and can feel a bit confusing to handle. I've also run into a few glitches in how the system operates which have led to some snags.

“Helpful tools and stellar support”

Pros

Managing everything in Aplos has been really simple and the customer service has been exceptional. It helps with so many tasks and the tutorials make it even more useful.

Cons

I honestly don't have any complaints at this point. I've been happy with everything the software offers so far.

“Built for nonprofits”

Pros

Compared with the bigger accounting names like QuickBooks, this turned out to be a really solid platform. It's especially designed for nonprofits which makes it stand out right away.

Cons

The interface can feel a bit confusing when you're using the product for the first time.

“Helpful videos and clear guidance”

Pros

The YouTube videos from the vendor did a really good job of showing how the software works and how to get around in it. Seeing those walkthroughs made it much easier to understand the platform and played a big part in my decision to buy Aplos.

Cons

One thing I'd really want added to the contributions module is the ability to import contributions from a CSV file. Right now, each contribution has to be entered manually which takes extra time.

“Fantastic service and polished results”

Pros

Handling a complicated process feels much more manageable with it because it breaks things down in a way that's simple to follow and understand. It's user-friendly while still producing professional-quality results. On top of that, the product itself is excellent and the support team is just as impressive. The people at Aplos consistently go above expectations and deliver an outstanding experience.

Cons

The only thing I'm still missing is a currency conversion feature.

“Reliable support and usability”

Pros

We found it easy to operate, it works well in a multi-user setup and the customer service is brilliant.

Cons

Handling several things at once can be difficult and more complicated tasks are not always simple to manage.