Diligent serves some of the largest organizations in the world. But for mid-market boards — credit unions, regional healthcare systems, nonprofits, and community foundations — that scale often works against them. Here is what organizations are telling us about why they switched.
What Customers Actually Said (Independent Research, March 2026)
“Diligent serves billion-dollar organizations and is not cost-effective for mid-sized credit unions.”
Pricing described as “2–3x Aprio’s cost” by an organization that evaluated both platforms.
Diligent’s product portfolio includes BoardEffect (acquired), Diligent Boards, and a growing suite of ESG, risk, and compliance tools. This breadth means mid-market customers are often paying for an enterprise infrastructure they will never fully use.
Independent pricing research (March 2026) shows even BoardEffect’s entry tier starts at $9,000/year for 20 users, with full features requiring the Plus tier at $12,300 plus a $1,500 setup fee. There is no nonprofit discount.
Organizations that switch from Diligent consistently cite the same frustration: support responsiveness. When your board package needs to go out on a Friday afternoon, waiting in a queue behind Fortune 500 companies is not acceptable.
| Support Metric | Aprio (Verified) | Diligent (Reported) |
|---|---|---|
| Average Response Time | Under 15 minutes | “Significantly less responsive” |
| Resolution Time | 1–2 hours | “Issues went unresolved for weeks” |
| Weekend Support | ✅ Available | Varies by plan |
| Agent Expertise | Former board admins | General IT support |
| Dedicated CSM | ✅ Yes, for every client | Enterprise tiers only |
Source: Independent customer interviews (8 organizations), March 2026.
Diligent is built for enterprise complexity — multi-entity governance, ESG reporting, regulatory compliance at global scale. For a 15-person credit union board or a 20-person hospital foundation, that complexity becomes overhead.
Organizations that switch to Aprio consistently describe the transition as going from a platform that was “too much” to one that fits exactly how their board works:
Switching board portals feels daunting, but Aprio’s white-glove migration team handles the entire process:
See how Aprio delivers enterprise-grade governance at mid-market pricing.
⭐ 4.6/5 on Capterra — 100% recommended by verified reviewers
See how Aprio compares on pricing, security & support
Get a Custom Pricing Comparison