Aplos Review: How to Make Money as an Affiliate

Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What Is Aplos?

Aplos is accounting software built for nonprofits and churches. That's the whole focus. It isn't a general small business tool with a "nonprofit mode" bolted on.

Why does that matter? Because nonprofits don't track money the way a regular business does. They need to know which dollars are restricted, which are unrestricted, which grant paid for what, and how it all lines up for the board and for tax reporting. Aplos is built around that kind of fund accounting.

Aplos says more than 65,000 organizations use it. It's also part of a bigger family of nonprofit tools called Velora, alongside Keela (donor management) and Raisely (online fundraising). Aplos syncs with both.

Here's what you get:

• Fund accounting that tracks restricted and unrestricted balances and ties every transaction to a fund
• Board-ready reports, funder reports and Form 990-mapped reports
• Budgeting so you can compare budget to actual by grant, program or project (on higher plans)
• Day-to-day bookkeeping tools like a checking register, accounts payable and receivable, bank imports and reconciliation
• Custom reports you can filter by fund, tag or month, then email or export
• Outsourced bookkeeping from nonprofit specialists, if you'd rather not do it yourself
• Free support from staff trained in nonprofit accounting

How Does Aplos Work?

For Users

1. Start a free trial from the Aplos website. The site says no credit card is required.
2. Set up your funds, accounts and bank connections.
3. Record income and expenses, or import them from your bank.
4. Connect tools like Raisely or Keela if you use them, so donations and donor records flow into your books.
5. Run reports for your board, your funders and your year-end filings.

For Affiliates

1. Apply to the Aplos partner program. Aplos has a "Partner with Aplos" page and a Referral Partner Agreement, and the offer is listed on PartnerStack.
2. Once approved, grab your referral link from your partner dashboard.
3. Write helpful content for nonprofit and church leaders: reviews, comparisons and how-to guides.
4. Readers click your link, try Aplos and become paying customers.
5. You earn a commission under the program's terms.

Aplos Pricing

Aplos keeps its pricing simple and public, which I like. Here's how the plans looked when I checked:

Aplos sometimes runs promotions for new customers, and prices can change. Check the Aplos pricing page for current numbers before you buy.

Who Should Use Aplos?

Aplos is a good fit if you are:

• A small or mid-sized nonprofit that has outgrown spreadsheets
• A church that needs to track designated giving and report to its board
• A treasurer or volunteer bookkeeper who isn't an accountant and wants something built for this work
• An executive director who needs clear, board-ready reports without chasing an outside firm every month

Who shouldn't use it? A for-profit business. If you're running a regular company, a general tool like QuickBooks or Xero makes more sense.

Pros and Cons of Aplos

Pros

• Built only for nonprofits and churches, so fund accounting is the core, not an add-on
• Public, straightforward pricing
• Free support from people who understand nonprofit accounting
• Connects with Raisely and Keela for fundraising and donor management
• Optional bookkeeping service if you want to hand the work off

Cons

• Budgeting by fund, grant or project only comes on the Advanced plan
• The lower plans include just 2 users, so bigger teams pay more
• Not useful at all for for-profit businesses
• Monthly cost is real money for a very small church or volunteer group

Aplos vs Alternatives

Most people comparing Aplos are also looking at general accounting tools. Here's how they stack up:

The simple version: if you're a nonprofit or church, Aplos speaks your language. If you're a business, the others are the better fit.

And if the organization has staff on payroll, they'll need a payroll tool too. My RUN Powered by ADP review covers one option.

How to Make Money with Aplos as an Affiliate

Aplos runs a referral partner program, and the offer is listed on PartnerStack. The commission rate and cookie length are not published on the Aplos website, so check the terms inside your partner dashboard once you're approved. I won't guess at numbers here.

New to PartnerStack? My PartnerStack review walks you through how the network works.

Here's the good part. Nonprofit accounting is a niche with clear, specific search intent. People searching for this stuff usually have a real problem to solve. That's the kind of traffic that converts.

Angle 1: "Best accounting software for churches"

Church treasurers and pastors search for this all the time. Write an honest roundup, explain what fund accounting is in plain English, and show where Aplos fits.

Angle 2: Aplos vs QuickBooks for nonprofits

Lots of small nonprofits start on QuickBooks and hit a wall. A clear comparison helps them decide whether to switch. Link both reviews and let the reader choose.

Angle 3: How-to guides for nonprofit bookkeeping

Think "how to track restricted donations" or "how to prepare a board financial report." Teach the task first, then show how Aplos makes it easier.

Keyword ideas that are worth targeting:

• aplos review
• aplos pricing
• aplos vs quickbooks
• church accounting software
• nonprofit fund accounting software
• best accounting software for small nonprofits

Low competition, high intent. Simple content, done well, can rank here.

Common Questions About Aplos

Is Aplos only for nonprofits?

Yes. Aplos is built for nonprofits and churches. For-profit businesses are better served by general accounting tools.

Does Aplos have a free trial?

The Aplos website offers a free trial with no credit card required. Check the site for the current trial length.

How much does Aplos cost?

When I checked, plans started at $79/month for Lite, $129/month for Core and $229/month for Advanced, with custom pricing for larger organizations. Check the Aplos pricing page for current numbers.

Does Aplos work with Raisely and Keela?

Yes. Aplos, Raisely and Keela are part of the same Velora suite. Raisely syncs online donations into Aplos, and Keela keeps donor records in sync with your books.

Does Aplos have an affiliate program?

Aplos has a referral partner program with its own partner agreement, and the offer is available through PartnerStack. Commission details are shared after you join.

Final Thoughts

Aplos isn't trying to be everything for everyone. It's built for nonprofits and churches, and that focus shows.

For users, that means fund accounting that makes sense and reports the board can actually read. For affiliates, it means a focused niche with readers who know exactly what they need.

If you write for nonprofit leaders, church admins or treasurers, Aplos is a natural fit to recommend.

Check out Aplos here.

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