Action Network vs NationBuilder

Action Network9.3Visit NationBuilder9.1Visit

Higher score Action Network #1 in Political Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Action Network

vs

NationBuilder #2 in Political Software 9.1/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit NationBuilder

• Action Network fits best

  Advocacy campaigns needing a broad action platform

• NationBuilder fits best

  Organizations wanting an all-in-one campaign CRM

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Action Network 9.3/10 Visit ↗	NationBuilder 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	9.1
Ranking	#1 in Political Software	#2 in Political Software
Best for	Advocacy campaigns needing a broad action platform	Organizations wanting an all-in-one campaign CRM
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	$15/mo	—
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Support	Email, Tickets, Docs	Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Docs
Integrations	20+ integrations	5 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Action Network 0/5 · NationBuilder 0/5
Voter contact tools	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Canvassing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Fundraising tools	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
SMS campaigns	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Mobile app	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Election coverage	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Combines petitions, legislator outreach, events, fundraising and surveys Email and SMS tools include targeting, workflows and performance analytics Network plan supports federated groups with centralized controls	Combines constituent profiles, segmentation and contact history Connects fundraising, memberships, email and text outreach Includes websites, events, petitions and volunteer signup tools
Cons	Email messaging is charged separately per 1,000 emails on paid plans The $125 monthly-minimum Network plan is a bigger step up from Movement Mobile messaging is an add-on with additional telecom fees	Starter and Pro database capacity varies by plan Enterprise pricing is custom The broad feature set may exceed the needs of groups seeking a focused tool
Our verdict	Action Network brings petitions, letters to elected officials, events, fundraisers, forms and surveys into a digital organizing platform for progressive organizations, campaigns and grassroots groups. It also manages supporter profiles,… Read the review →	NationBuilder brings supporter records and campaign activity together in a web-based platform for political campaigns, advocacy organizations, nonprofits and other groups organizing supporters. Its constituent database includes profiles,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Action Network — where it wins

  • Combines petitions, legislator outreach, events, fundraising and surveys
  • Email and SMS tools include targeting, workflows and performance analytics
  • Network plan supports federated groups with centralized controls

  Where it doesn't

  • Email messaging is charged separately per 1,000 emails on paid plans
  • The $125 monthly-minimum Network plan is a bigger step up from Movement
  • Mobile messaging is an add-on with additional telecom fees

• NationBuilder — where it wins

  • Combines constituent profiles, segmentation and contact history
  • Connects fundraising, memberships, email and text outreach
  • Includes websites, events, petitions and volunteer signup tools

  Where it doesn't

  • Starter and Pro database capacity varies by plan
  • Enterprise pricing is custom
  • The broad feature set may exceed the needs of groups seeking a focused tool

• Action Network9.3/10 · Free plan

  A broad advocacy platform spanning petitions, outreach, events, messaging and supporter data.

  Visit Action NetworkFull verdict →
• NationBuilder9.1/10 · 14-day trial

  An all-in-one hub for supporter records, fundraising, communications and campaign work.

  Visit NationBuilderFull verdict →