Chasing money is uncomfortable for any business, and more so for a charity, where the payer might be a funder, a member, or a local authority you cannot afford to antagonise. The UK has more than more than 160,000 registered charities across the UK, and many run their finances on the same accounting systems as small businesses, yet none of the mainstream accounts receivable tools is built specifically for the sector.
So this is a guide about fit, not about a charity-only product that does not exist. We ranked the tools that suit a non-profit finance team on the things that actually matter here: tone-sensitive, segmented chasing; the ability to handle slow public-sector payers; and pricing a charity can justify. Prices and review scores were checked in June 2026.
The best AR software for non-profits, ranked
Paidnice is the best-value pick for most non-profits on Xero or QuickBooks: its customer groups let you set a gentle tone for funders and members while still chasing commercial debtors firmly, on flat pricing from $69 a month, with a 5.0 Xero App Store average. Satago is worth a close look for charities exposed to slow local-authority payers, because it pairs chasing with credit checks and UK invoice finance. The right choice depends on who owes you and how much relationship management the chasing needs.
The ranked shortlist:
- Paidnice: best value; tone-sensitive customer groups, native Xero, flat pricing.
- Satago: credit checks and UK invoice finance for slow public-sector payers.
- Chaser: deep workflow segmentation for larger charities.
- Kolleno: AI-assisted AR for bigger non-profits and social enterprises.
- Xero reminders: the free baseline, fine for simple charity ledgers.
A generic AR tool
- Assumes commercial debtors
- Pushes hard on every account
- No grant or funder logic
- One cadence for everyone
A nonprofit-aware setup
- Segments funders from trading debtors
- A gentler cadence for funders
- Holds statutory interest in reserve
- Bridges the cash gap
Why a nonprofit needs more than a tool built for commercial collections.
How we judged each tool
Because no tool is charity-specific, we judged each on how well it handles the things that are genuinely different about non-profit receivables:
- Tone-sensitive chasing. Can you set a softer cadence and wording for funders and members, and a firmer one for commercial customers, from the same system?
- Slow public-sector payers. Local authorities are notoriously slow; does the tool help you manage, or bridge, that gap?
- Accounting fit. Native links to Xero or QuickBooks, where most small charities keep their books.
- Value. Pricing a charity finance team can defend, ideally flat and predictable.
- Reviews. Verified scores from the Xero App Store and elsewhere, checked June 2026.
The standout need is segmentation: a charity must be able to chase a commercial debtor firmly without sending the same tone to a grant funder.
What makes non-profit receivables different
A charity's debtor ledger is not like a trading business's, and standard AR tools can get it wrong in ways that cost relationships. Five differences matter when you choose.
Grants and milestones are not overdue invoices
Grant income is often only due when conditions are met, so a generic AR tool can flag it as overdue and fire a reminder at a funder, which is exactly the wrong message. Keep grant and milestone income out of the automated chasing, or segment it tightly.
Membership and donations are high-volume and low-value
Subscriptions, memberships and regular giving generate many small receivables that need different handling from a handful of large commissioned-service invoices. Look for segmentation rather than one schedule for everything.
Local authorities pay slowly, and you may not want to push
Charities delivering commissioned services are heavily exposed to slow council payments, yet are often reluctant to apply statutory interest to a funder. A tool that lets you bridge the cash gap, as Satago's invoice finance does, can matter more than one that simply chases harder.
Tone is a governance issue, not just a preference
An automated final notice to a long-standing funder is a reputational risk. The ability to set a gentle, human cadence for relationship-critical payers, and reserve firmness for commercial debtors, is the single most important feature for the sector.
SORP and restricted funds add reporting complexity
The 2026 Charities SORP tightens income recognition, and AR tools do not track restricted versus unrestricted funds. For that you still need charity-aware fund accounting; the AR tool's job is the chasing, not the fund tracking.
Nonprofit receivables are a mix, and each type needs a different collections touch.
AR software for non-profits compared
| System | Best for | Tone-sensitive segmentation | Helps with slow payers | Accounting fit | Pricing | Reviews (Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paidnice | Most charities on Xero or QuickBooks | Yes, customer groups | Statements, payment plans | Xero, QuickBooks | From $69/mo, flat | 5.0, 81 (Xero) |
| Satago | Charities with slow LA payers | Reminder schedules | Yes, invoice finance + credit checks | Xero, Sage, QuickBooks | From £45/mo | 4.93, 92 (Xero) |
| Chaser | Larger charities and social enterprises | Workflow segmentation | Credit monitoring | Xero, QuickBooks, Sage | From £199/mo | 4.98, 374 (Xero) |
| Kolleno | Bigger non-profits | AI-led cadence | Portal, reconciliation | Via integrations | From £80/mo | 5.0, 18 (Xero) |
No tool here is charity-specific; this compares fit for non-profit use. Prices and scores checked June 2026 and change over time.
A collections workflow that protects the funder relationships you depend on.
Paidnice
Best valueBest for: most charities and non-profits on Xero or QuickBooks that need a gentle touch for funders and a firmer one for commercial debtors.
Paidnice's customer groups are what make it fit charity work. You can route grant funders and members into a soft, human reminder cadence while commercial debtors get the full ladder, all from one system, and add statements or payment plans where pushing harder would damage a relationship.
It is native to Xero, where many small charities keep their books, runs on flat pricing without a per-user bill, and holds a 5.0 average across 81 Xero App Store reviews. It is not a fund-accounting tool, so restricted-fund tracking stays in your charity ledger, but for the chasing itself it is the best value here.
Why it suits non-profits
- Customer groups for tone-sensitive, segmented chasing.
- Statements and payment plans instead of pressure where relationships matter.
- Native Xero and QuickBooks, flat pricing, unlimited users on Pro.
What reviewers say
5.0 across 81 reviews on the Xero App Store, with support frequently praised.
Where it fits
Best for the chasing itself. Charities needing restricted-fund accounting will still run that in a charity-aware ledger; Paidnice handles the receivables, not the fund tracking.
Satago
Best for: charities exposed to slow local-authority or public-sector payers.
Satago's edge for the sector is what it adds around the chasing. Its Experian-backed credit checks help you judge a new commercial customer, and its UK invoice finance can bridge the cash-flow gap when a council sits on an invoice for 90 days, which is a more useful answer for a charity than chasing a funder harder. It holds a 4.93 average across 92 Xero App Store reviews and starts at £45 a month.
Why it suits non-profits
- Invoice finance to bridge slow public-sector payment.
- Experian credit checks on commercial debtors.
- Low entry price for a small charity finance team.
What reviewers say
4.93 across 92 reviews on the Xero App Store.
Where it fits
Strong where slow councils are the problem. The Basic plan caps emails at 100 a month and sends from Satago's address unless you upgrade, so a busy ledger will need a higher tier.
Chaser
Best for: larger charities and social enterprises that want deep workflow control.
Chaser's detailed workflow segmentation lets a bigger charity build distinct chase paths for funders, members and commercial clients, and its credit monitoring flags risky debtors. It is the most established tool here, with a 4.98 average across 374 Xero App Store reviews, but its £199 entry price is hard to justify for a small charity.
Why it suits non-profits
- Granular, segmented chase workflows for different payer types.
- Credit risk monitoring.
- A shared workspace for a finance team.
What reviewers say
4.98 across 374 reviews on the Xero App Store, the largest review base in the category.
Where it fits
Best for larger non-profits with a finance team; the £199 entry price prices out most small charities, and late fees are manual.
Kolleno
Best for: bigger non-profits and social enterprises wanting AI-assisted AR.
Kolleno suits a larger non-profit running a more complex ledger, using AI to time and route chases and bringing payments and reconciliation together. It holds a 5.0 average, though across a smaller base of 18 Xero reviews, and pricing is not published.
Why it suits non-profits
- AI-timed, multi-channel chasing.
- Payments and reconciliation in one platform.
Where it fits
A mid-to-large option; the unpublished pricing and small review base make it harder to judge than the established tools, and it is aimed above a small charity.
Xero reminders (free)
Best for: small charities with simple, low-volume ledgers.
For a small charity with a handful of reliable payers, Xero's free reminders may be enough.
Where it fits
One schedule for everyone is the problem: you cannot soften the tone for a funder while firming up for a commercial debtor, and there is no late-fee or SMS option. The moment tone-sensitive segmentation matters, an add-on earns its place.
How a charity should choose
Three questions narrow it for a non-profit:
Who owes you, and how sensitive is the relationship?
If your debtors are mostly funders and members, prioritise tone-sensitive segmentation above all. If they are commercial customers, you can chase as any business would.
Are slow councils your main problem?
If public-sector payment delays are the issue, a tool that can bridge the gap with invoice finance, like Satago, may help more than one that simply chases harder.
What can the charity justify spending?
Flat, low, predictable pricing is easier to defend to trustees than a per-user or quote-based plan. Match the tool to the size of the ledger, not the size of the brochure.
For most UK charities the answer is a native, flat-priced tool with proper segmentation, so funders get a gentle cadence and commercial debtors get a firm one, from the same system.
Frequently asked questions
Is there accounts receivable software made specifically for charities?
Not really. No mainstream AR or credit-control tool is built specifically for non-profits. The practical answer is to choose a general tool that fits charity needs well, especially tone-sensitive segmentation, and to keep restricted-fund tracking in a charity-aware accounting ledger.
How should a charity chase a slow-paying funder or council?
Carefully and on a softer cadence than a commercial debtor. Segment funders and public-sector payers so they receive gentle, human reminders, keep statutory interest in reserve, and consider bridging the cash-flow gap with invoice finance rather than escalating against a funder you rely on.
Can a charity charge late payment interest?
On a commercial business-to-business invoice, yes, the same statutory rights apply. In practice charities are often reluctant to apply interest to funders for relationship reasons, which is why segmentation, applying it to commercial debtors but not funders, matters more than the headline right.
What is the best value AR tool for a small charity?
For most small charities on Xero or QuickBooks, Paidnice offers the best value, with tone-sensitive customer groups, native integration and flat pricing from $69 a month. Satago is worth comparing if slow local-authority payers are your main problem, as it adds invoice finance from £45 a month.
The bottom line
There is no charity-specific receivables tool, so the choice is about fit. The non-negotiable is segmentation: the ability to chase a commercial debtor firmly while keeping funders and members on a gentle, human cadence, from one system.
Satago helps most where slow councils are the problem, Chaser suits larger charities with a finance team, and Kolleno fits bigger, more complex non-profits. For most UK charities on Xero or QuickBooks, Paidnice is the best-value choice, and you keep restricted-fund accounting in your charity ledger alongside it.
Sources and further reading
- Charity Commission: sector overview
- Xero App Store: Paidnice
- GOV.UK: charging interest on commercial debt
No tool reviewed is charity-specific; this compares general AR tools for non-profit fit. Prices and scores checked June 2026 and may change. This article is published by Accounting.Events, powered by Paidnice.
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