Best Charitylog Alternatives for UK Charities in 2026
Compare the best Charitylog alternatives for UK charities. Independent guide covering case management, reporting features, pricing, and which platform fits your needs.
Charitylog, developed by Dizions Ltd, is one of the most widely used case management systems in the UK voluntary sector. Over 1,000 charities and nonprofits rely on it, particularly Citizens Advice bureaux, advice agencies, and community support organisations. It handles client records, activity tracking, outcomes recording, referrals, and basic reporting across multiple sites.
But the charity technology landscape has shifted considerably. The 2025 Charity Digital Skills Report found that 76% of UK charities are now using AI tools, up from 61% in 2024. Organisations are looking for platforms that do more than store records — they need software that actively reduces administrative burden, automates reporting, and helps caseworkers spend more time with the people they support.
If you are evaluating Charitylog alternatives, this guide provides a factual, independent comparison of the five strongest options available in 2026. We cover features, pricing, strengths, and limitations so you can make an informed decision.
TL;DR: Charitylog remains a solid case management system for UK charities, but its dated interface, limited AI capabilities, and rigid reporting are pushing organisations to explore alternatives. Plinth is the strongest modern replacement, offering AI-powered case notes, Theory of Change tracking, and a free tier for case management. Lamplight is a close competitor in the same market with modular pricing. Salesforce Nonprofit suits large enterprises with complex requirements. Makerble focuses on impact measurement. Views (by Substance) is a straightforward option for smaller organisations.
What you'll learn: How five leading Charitylog alternatives compare on case management features, reporting, AI capabilities, pricing, and ease of use.
Who this is for: UK charities, advice agencies, community organisations, and housing associations currently using Charitylog or evaluating case management software for the first time.
Why Charities Look for Charitylog Alternatives
Charitylog has served the sector well. Its income-based pricing model — starting at around £49 per month with unlimited user licences — makes it accessible, and the UK-based data storage and dedicated support team are genuine advantages. However, several recurring limitations drive organisations to consider alternatives:
The interface feels dated. Charitylog's user experience has not kept pace with modern web applications. New caseworkers accustomed to contemporary software often find the learning curve steeper than it needs to be. According to the 2025 Charity Digital Skills Report, 63% of charities said they had made progress with digital in the past year, down from 76% the previous year — a figure partly attributed to legacy tools slowing adoption.
Reporting is rigid. While Charitylog supports output KPIs and can merge data into Excel spreadsheets, building custom reports often requires significant support from the Dizions team. Organisations with complex funder reporting requirements frequently find this a bottleneck.
AI and automation are limited. With 76% of UK charities now using AI tools at work, there is growing expectation that case management systems should offer intelligent features — automated case notes, transcription, pattern recognition, and predictive insights. Charitylog does not currently offer these capabilities.
Mobile experience is basic. Although Charitylog is cloud-based, its mobile interface is limited compared to purpose-built mobile experiences offered by newer platforms.
Customisation requires vendor support. Setup and configuration changes often depend on Dizions consultancy, which can introduce delays and additional costs for organisations that need to adapt quickly.
None of these are deal-breakers for every charity. But for organisations whose needs have outgrown what Charitylog provides, it is worth understanding what the alternatives offer.
Comparison Table: Charitylog Alternatives at a Glance
| Capability | Plinth | Lamplight | Salesforce Nonprofit | Makerble | Views |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case management | Full pathway-based case management | Full case and activity tracking | Customisable via configuration | Basic case tracking via CRM | Session and contact tracking |
| AI case notes | Yes — transcription and AI drafting | No | No (requires third-party add-ons) | No | No |
| Outcomes tracking | Theory of Change framework | Outcomes and indicators | Customisable outcomes models | Built-in impact surveys and indicators | KPI and target tracking |
| Referral management | Partner CRM with integrated referrals | Basic referral logging | Customisable referral workflows | No dedicated referral system | Basic referral tracking |
| Reporting | AI-assisted impact reports, dashboards | Filtered reports with Excel export | Highly customisable (requires expertise) | Real-time dashboards | Statistics wizard, stakeholder reports |
| Mobile app | Yes | No | Yes (Salesforce mobile) | Yes | Yes |
| Appointment booking | Built in | No | Via add-on | No | Via calendar |
| Free tier | Yes — free case management tier | No (1-month free trial) | 10 free licences for eligible nonprofits | Free tier per product | No |
| Pricing model | Tiered; free tier available | From £15/project/month + modules at £5/month | Free licences + discounted additional (typically £150+/user/month before discount) | From £4.95/user/app/month | Contact for pricing |
| UK data hosting | Yes | Yes (AWS UK, ISO 27001) | Configurable (not guaranteed UK) | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Advice charities, community orgs, housing associations | Small-to-medium charities | Large, complex organisations | Impact-focused organisations | Smaller charities, youth services |
1. Plinth — Best Modern AI-Powered Alternative
Plinth is a purpose-built case management platform designed for UK charities, advice agencies, and community organisations. It represents the most direct modern alternative to Charitylog, addressing the specific limitations that drive organisations to switch.
Key Features
- AI case notes with transcription: Caseworkers can record sessions and receive AI-generated case notes, reducing documentation time by over 50%. Citizens Advice North & West Kent reported that AI case notes saved their advisers more than half the time previously spent writing up cases.
- Theory of Change tracking: Rather than simple output counting, Plinth structures outcomes around your organisation's Theory of Change, connecting activities to measurable impact.
- Pathway management: Define and track client journeys through structured pathways, with automatic progress monitoring and alerts.
- Household reporting: Track outcomes at both individual and household level — particularly valuable for family support services and housing associations.
- Partner CRM with referrals: Manage relationships with partner organisations and process referrals within a single system, eliminating the email chains and spreadsheets that often sit alongside Charitylog.
- Appointment booking: Built-in scheduling reduces the need for separate booking tools.
- Caseworker task management: Assign, track, and prioritise tasks across teams with clear visibility for managers.
Pricing
Plinth offers a free tier for core case management, making it accessible to organisations of any size. Paid tiers unlock AI features, advanced reporting, and additional modules. This contrasts with Charitylog's income-based model, which starts at £49 per month but does not include AI capabilities at any tier.
Strengths
- The only Charitylog alternative with genuine, working AI case note generation
- Free tier removes the financial barrier to switching
- Purpose-built for UK charity case management workflows
- Modern, intuitive interface that reduces onboarding time
Limitations
- Newer platform, so the user community is still growing compared to Charitylog's established base
- Organisations needing highly bespoke configurations may require conversation with the Plinth team
Who It's Best For
Advice charities, Citizens Advice bureaux, community support organisations, housing associations, and any charity where caseworker time spent on documentation is a significant operational cost.
Learn more: Case Management | AI Case Notes | Partner CRM | Impact Reporting
2. Lamplight — Established Modular Alternative
Lamplight is a cloud-based CRM trusted by over 700 UK nonprofits. It occupies a similar market position to Charitylog, serving small-to-medium charities that need case management and outcomes tracking without enterprise-level complexity.
Key Features
- Configurable case and activity tracking across multiple projects
- Outcomes and indicator recording with filtered reporting
- Modular system — add or remove capabilities as your needs evolve
- Excel export for funder reports
- ISO 27001 accredited with UK-based data storage on AWS
Pricing
Lamplight uses a per-project pricing model: £15 per project per month (plus VAT) for the core system, with additional modules at £5 per month each. Packages are tiered by organisation size, from the Lantern Package (up to 5 users) through to options for larger organisations managing significant data volumes. Rolling monthly contracts can be cancelled after the first 3 months.
Strengths
- Modular approach means you only pay for what you use
- Strong UK charity sector pedigree with dedicated support
- ISO 27001 security certification provides assurance for data-sensitive organisations
- Rolling contracts offer flexibility that annual commitments do not
Limitations
- No AI-powered features for case notes, transcription, or automated reporting
- No native mobile app
- Reporting, while improved over Charitylog, still requires manual configuration and Excel-based workflows
- The modular pricing can add up for organisations needing multiple features
Who It's Best For
Small-to-medium charities that want a more modern interface than Charitylog, value modular flexibility, and do not require AI capabilities. Particularly suited to organisations running multiple distinct projects.
3. Salesforce Nonprofit — Enterprise-Grade Option
Salesforce Nonprofit (recently rebranded as Agentforce Nonprofit under Salesforce's broader AI strategy) is the enterprise option. It offers extraordinary depth of customisation but comes with proportional complexity and cost.
Key Features
- Highly customisable CRM with case management, fundraising, and programme management
- Extensive third-party app ecosystem (AppExchange)
- Advanced reporting and analytics via Salesforce dashboards
- Workflow automation through Flow Builder
- Mobile app (Salesforce mobile)
- Integration with virtually any other system via APIs
Pricing
Eligible nonprofits receive 10 free Salesforce licences through the Power of Us programme. Additional licences are available at approximately 80% off standard pricing — but standard Enterprise licences cost upwards of £150 per user per month before discounts. Implementation costs are significant: most organisations require a Salesforce partner or consultant for setup, which can cost tens of thousands of pounds. The 2025 Charity Technology Leaders Report noted that 60% of charities have not accessed funding for digital costs in the past year, making Salesforce's total cost of ownership a serious consideration.
Strengths
- Virtually unlimited customisation for organisations with complex requirements
- Massive ecosystem of integrations and add-ons
- Free licences for qualifying nonprofits lower the entry barrier
- Strong for organisations that need CRM, fundraising, and case management in one platform
Limitations
- Implementation complexity is substantial — typically months rather than weeks
- Requires ongoing Salesforce expertise (internal or consultant) to maintain and customise
- The platform is not designed specifically for charity case management; it must be configured to fit
- Per-user pricing model means costs escalate quickly for organisations with many caseworkers or volunteers
- Over a third of charities report their CEO lacks the digital skills to evaluate such platforms, according to the 2025 Charity Digital Skills Report
Who It's Best For
Large charities and housing associations with dedicated IT resources, complex multi-programme operations, and the budget for professional implementation. Not typically cost-effective for organisations with fewer than 20 staff.
4. Makerble — Impact Measurement Specialist
Makerble takes a different approach to the case management problem. Rather than starting from client records, it starts from impact — surveys, outcomes, indicators, and dashboards designed to help organisations prove their value to funders and stakeholders.
Key Features
- Library of pre-built impact surveys, outcomes, and indicators
- Customisable forms and data collection tools
- Real-time impact dashboards with visualisations
- CRM with built-in calendar, messaging, tasks, and automations
- Integration with third-party databases including Salesforce
- Qualitative and quantitative data analysis
Pricing
Makerble charges per user per app: £4.95 per user per month per app, with three apps available (CRM, Dashboard, Surveys). The maximum per user is £14.85 per month. Setup costs £500 per day. Each product has a free tier, and premium tiers include a 30-day free trial. Discounted pricing is available for charities, social enterprises, and not-for-profit groups.
Strengths
- Purpose-built for impact measurement and outcomes reporting
- Pre-built survey and indicator libraries accelerate setup
- Affordable per-user pricing for smaller teams
- Free tiers available across all products
Limitations
- Case management features are less mature than dedicated systems like Charitylog or Plinth
- Not designed primarily for advice and information services workflow
- No AI case notes or transcription
- Referral management is not a core capability
- Setup costs (£500/day) can add up for complex implementations
Who It's Best For
Organisations where proving impact to funders is the primary driver, rather than day-to-day case management workflow. Community interest companies, social enterprises, and charities with strong funder reporting requirements.
5. Views — Straightforward Option for Smaller Organisations
Views, developed by Substance, is used by hundreds of charities and organisations across the UK for data capture and reporting. Its client base includes national organisations like Mind, Liverpool FC Foundation, and StreetGames, as well as smaller local charities.
Key Features
- Contact and session management
- Attendance tracking across activities and programmes
- Real-time KPI reporting and progress tracking against targets
- Statistics wizard for building custom queries
- Case study collation alongside survey responses and statistics
- Mobile app with calendar, attendance updates, and contact creation
- Data syncs automatically between mobile and web
Pricing
Views does not publish standard pricing — organisations need to contact Substance directly for a quote. Pricing is typically based on the scale of your organisation and the features you require.
Strengths
- Clean, straightforward interface focused on session and activity tracking
- Mobile app is well-suited to outreach and community-based work
- Strong reporting capabilities for programme monitoring
- Trusted by recognisable national organisations
Limitations
- No AI capabilities
- Less suited to complex, multi-pathway case management than Charitylog or Plinth
- Pricing transparency is limited — you cannot easily compare costs without requesting a quote
- Customisation options are narrower than more configurable platforms
Who It's Best For
Youth services, sports and activity-based charities, and smaller community organisations where session attendance and programme tracking are more important than complex case management pathways.
How to Choose the Right Charitylog Alternative
Selecting the right platform depends on your organisation's specific circumstances. Here is a practical framework:
Start with your primary pain point. If documentation time is your biggest issue, Plinth's AI case notes address this directly — no other alternative on this list offers equivalent functionality. If rigid reporting is the main frustration, Lamplight's modular reporting or Makerble's impact dashboards may be sufficient. If you need an enterprise platform that does everything, Salesforce is the option — but only if you have the resources to implement and maintain it.
Consider your team's digital confidence. The 2025 Charity Digital Skills Report found that 44% of charities rate their board's AI knowledge as poor. Choosing a platform with a steep learning curve when your team lacks digital confidence will result in low adoption and wasted investment. Plinth and Lamplight are both designed with charity users in mind. Salesforce is not.
Evaluate total cost of ownership. Charitylog's income-based pricing with unlimited users is genuinely good value for large teams. Lamplight's modular pricing can add up. Salesforce's free licences are attractive but implementation and ongoing consultancy costs often dwarf the licence fees. Plinth's free tier lets you evaluate before committing budget. Makerble's per-app pricing keeps costs predictable but setup fees apply.
Think about the next three years. Around 61,000 UK charities experienced a cyber breach in the past 12 months, according to the 2025 Cyber Breaches Survey. Data security, GDPR compliance, and UK data hosting are not optional considerations — they are essential. Ensure whichever platform you choose meets these requirements today and has a credible roadmap for tomorrow.
Plan your migration. Switching from Charitylog means migrating client records, case histories, and outcomes data. Ask each vendor about their migration support, data import capabilities, and typical transition timelines before making a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charitylog being discontinued?
No. Charitylog remains actively developed and supported by Dizions Ltd. It continues to serve over 1,000 UK nonprofits. Organisations considering alternatives are typically doing so because of specific feature gaps — particularly around AI, modern UX, and reporting flexibility — rather than because the platform is being retired.
Can I migrate my data from Charitylog to another platform?
Yes, though the process varies by destination platform. Charitylog offers an API that allows data to be read from and written to the system, which facilitates migration. Plinth provides migration support as part of onboarding. For Salesforce, migration typically requires consultant involvement. Ask your chosen vendor for a specific migration plan before committing.
Which Charitylog alternative is best for Citizens Advice bureaux?
Plinth is the most directly comparable option for Citizens Advice and advice agencies. It was designed for precisely this type of organisation, with features like AI case notes (which Citizens Advice North & West Kent have reported saves over 50% of case note writing time), pathway management, referral tracking, and household-level reporting. Lamplight is also a credible option for bureaux that do not require AI capabilities.
How much does it cost to switch from Charitylog?
Costs depend on the platform you choose. Plinth offers a free tier, so you can begin evaluating at no cost. Lamplight starts at £15 per project per month. Salesforce offers free licences but implementation typically costs thousands of pounds. Beyond software costs, factor in staff time for training and the transition period where you may run both systems in parallel.
Do any Charitylog alternatives offer a free plan?
Yes. Plinth offers a free tier for core case management. Salesforce provides 10 free licences to eligible nonprofits through the Power of Us programme. Makerble has free tiers across its CRM, Dashboard, and Surveys products. Lamplight and Views do not offer free plans, though Lamplight provides a 1-month free trial.
Recommended Next Pages
- What Is Case Management? — Understand the fundamentals of charity case management
- AI Case Notes Explained — How AI transcription and case note generation works in practice
- Partner CRM and Referral Management — Managing multi-agency referrals effectively
- Impact Reporting for Charities — Producing funder-ready impact reports with less manual effort
- Case Management Software for Charities — Broader guide to choosing case management tools
Last updated: February 2026 Ready for modern, AI-powered case management? Book a demo or contact our team.