Board portal pricing has historically been opaque — vendors hide costs behind “contact us” buttons and NDA-protected proposals. This page changes that.
In March 2026, independent researchers conducted live product demonstrations with five major board portal vendors under a standardized buyer profile: a Canadian nonprofit with approximately 15 users seeking a centralized governance solution. Every price on this page comes from actual sales quotes and proposals — not estimates, not rumors, not marketing materials.
All pricing based on actual quotes for a Canadian nonprofit with ~15 users. Amounts in CAD.
| Vendor | Annual Cost | Setup Fee | All Features Included? | Annual Escalation | Year 1 Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 Aprio | Flat fee, unlimited users | $0 | ✅ Yes — every feature for every customer | None | Contact for quote |
| Boardable | $5,916–$9,996 | None | ❌ AI, surveys, e-sigs gated to top tier | Not disclosed | $5,916–$9,996 |
| Convene (Azeus) | $6,250 | $700 | Included at base | 3% annual increase | $6,950 |
| BoardEffect (Diligent) | $9,000–$12,300 | $1,500 | ❌ AI minutes, messenger, analytics: Plus only (+37%) | Not disclosed | $10,500–$13,800 |
| OnBoard | $10,985 | Free (promo)* | ❌ AI is $3,500 add-on | Not disclosed | $10,985–$14,485 |
| Board Intelligence | $17,900 | 25% of annual | ❌ AI Minute Writer $7,350/yr add-on, AI Insight $3,700/yr add-on | RPI+4% (mandatory) | $22,375–$28,950 |
*OnBoard implementation fee waiver is promotional and deadline-conditional. Standard implementation fees apply after the promotional window. “57% discount” is calculated from a $25,385 list price.
BoardEffect’s pricing appears competitive at first glance with the Pro tier at $9,000/year. However, the Pro tier is deliberately limited. AI-powered meeting minutes, secure messenger, engagement analytics, and AI-powered search are all locked behind the Plus tier at $12,300 — a 37% premium. Combined with a $1,500 one-time setup fee and no nonprofit discount, the true Year 1 cost for a full-featured deployment is $13,800. BoardEffect is a subsidiary of Diligent, and the long-term independence of the BoardEffect brand remains uncertain.
OnBoard’s quoted price of $10,985 comes with an impressive-sounding “57% nonprofit discount.” The list price? $25,385 for 15 users. The AI bundle is a separate $3,500 line item. The implementation fee waiver is promotional and deadline-conditional — a closing tactic, not a standard offering. OnBoard also acquired Govenda (May 2024), creating product roadmap uncertainty for existing users.
Convene offers aggressive pricing at approximately $420/user/year. However, Convene is a Singapore-headquartered technology company (Azeus Systems, publicly traded on the SGX). While they offer Canadian data hosting, their governance expertise is broad, not deep in Canadian regulatory frameworks. Their support operates globally across 11 offices — with no dedicated Canadian support team or localized account management. For organizations subject to CNCA, FSRA, or provincial credit union acts, the distinction matters. Their per-user pricing also means costs scale linearly as you add committee members, observers, or advisory council members.
At $17,900/year for portal access alone, Board Intelligence is the most expensive option by a significant margin. AI Minute Writer adds $7,350/year, AI Insight Driver adds $3,700/year, and survey tools add another $11,000+. A fully loaded configuration reaches approximately $39,000 annually. The mandatory 36-month contract with an RPI+4% annual escalator means costs only increase. They also have no Canadian data hosting and operate from UK time zones.
Based on live demos, sales proposals, and product documentation. “Included” means available at the base price without additional fees or tier upgrades.
| Feature | Aprio | Convene | Boardable | BoardEffect | OnBoard | Board Intel. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📚 Board Books/Packs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 📋 Agenda Builder | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 🤖 AI Meeting Minutes | 🔴 Planned | ✅ | Pro+ only | Plus only | ✅ | ✅ |
| 📝 AI Summarization | 🔴 Planned | ✅ | ❌ | Plus only | ✅ | ✅ |
| 🔍 AI Document Q&A | ✅ Director Prep | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | $3,700+ add-on |
| ✍️ E-Signatures | ✅ | ✅ | Pro+ only | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 📊 Surveys | ✅ | ✅ | Pro+ only | ✅ | ✅ | $11,000+ add-on |
| 📱 Native Mobile App | In development | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 🔒 Offline Access | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 🇨🇦 Canadian Data Hosting | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ UK/US only |
| 💰 All-Inclusive Pricing | ✅ Every feature included | Per-user (scales with growth) | ❌ 3 tiers | ❌ 2 tiers + setup | ❌ Per-user + add-ons | ❌ Modular + per-seat |
| 👥 Unlimited Users | ✅ | ❌ +$416/user | ❌ per seat | ❌ per seat | ❌ +$499/user | ❌ $550-$1,850/seat |
| 🛠️ Setup Fee | $0 | $700 | $0 | $1,500 | Promo only* | 25% of annual |
* Feature gating means the capability requires a higher-priced tier or a separate add-on purchase beyond the base price.
⚠️ Before You Sign: Questions Every Board Should Ask
💰 Transparent, All-Inclusive Pricing
One flat fee. Unlimited users. Unlimited committees. No setup fees. No tier traps. No annual escalators. No add-on modules. Your cost stays the same whether you have 15 users or 50.
⏱️ Support That Actually Responds
Sub-15-minute response times. 1–2 hour resolution. Weekend and after-hours support. Every agent is a former board administrator who understands governance workflows — not a general IT help desk.
🇨🇦 Canadian Governance Expertise
20+ years serving Canadian boards. Deep fluency with CNCA, FSRA, provincial credit union acts, PIPEDA, and OSFI. Canadian hosting, Canadian support staff, Canadian governance expertise — not just a data center.
✅ Verified by Independent Customer Research (2026)
Get a transparent quote with no hidden fees, no pressure tactics, and no tier traps.
⭐ 4.6/5 on Capterra — 100% recommended by verified reviewers