ElectionBuddy vs. ElectionChamp

Both platforms run online elections. But they're built on very different pricing philosophies. Here's an honest, side-by-side comparison so you can make the right choice for your organization.

Lower Prices

A 200-voter election costs $10 on ElectionChamp and $29 on ElectionBuddy.

No Add-On Fees

SMS and reminders included, never a paid add-on.

All Features Included

No tiered plans. Every feature on every election.

Free Tier

Up to 20 voters completely free. No credit card required.

Feature Comparison

Side-by-Side Feature Breakdown

Both platforms cover the core features. The differences are in pricing structure, plan limitations, and approach.

Feature	ElectionChamp	ElectionBuddy
Anonymous / Secret Ballot	✓ All plans	✓ All plans
Ranked Choice Voting	✓ Included (Borda count)	✓ Included
Plurality / Multi-seat Voting	✓ Included	✓ Included
Yes/No/Abstain Motions	✓ Included	✓ Included
Email Notifications	✓ All plans	✓ All plans
SMS Notifications	✓ Included	$29 add-on on PlusIncluded on Premium and Professional
Reminders to Non-Voters	✓ Included1 on free elections, up to 5 on paid	By tier1 on Plus, 3 on Premium, 10 on Professional
Candidate Bios / Profiles	✓ Included	✓ Included
Write-In Candidates	Nominations onlyMembers type in names on a nomination question; no write-in line on election ballots	✓ Included
Custom Branding	✓ All plans	Plus tier and upLogo on ballot from the $29 Plus tier
Results Export	✓ All plans	✓ All plans
Ballot Items & Candidates	✓ Up to 50Ballot items, each with up to 50 candidates, on every plan	Not listed on pricing page
Voter Audit Trail	✓ Full audit	✓ Full audit
Free Tier	✓ Up to 20 votersAll features included	Up to 20 votersEmail notice only, results kept 30 days
Pricing Model	Per election, all-inclusiveOne price, every feature	Per-election tiers + add-onsPlus / Premium / Pro; annual plans too
Feature Gating	None: every feature includedSame features for 20 or 20,000 voters	TieredSome features locked to higher plans

Pricing Comparison

What You'll Actually Pay

Both platforms charge per election. The difference is what's included: ElectionBuddy's lower tiers gate features and charge add-ons (like SMS), while ElectionChamp includes everything. Here's how real-world elections compare.

Election Scenario	ElectionChamp	ElectionBuddy
10-member board vote	Free	Free (limited features)
50-member committee election	$10	$29 (Plus), +$29 for SMS
200-member HOA annual election	$10	$29 (Plus), +$29 for SMS
500-member nonprofit board vote	$25	$99 (Premium)
1,500-member union ratification	$75	$299+ (Professional)
5,000-member association election	$250	$299+ (Professional)

ElectionBuddy per-election pricing, checked October 3, 2026 (Free up to 20, Plus $29 up to 350, Premium $99 up to 1,000, Professional $299+). Lower tiers charge add-ons. For example, SMS is a $29 add-on on the Plus tier but is included free on every ElectionChamp election. Pricing may change; verify current rates. ElectionChamp pricing is always per-election with all features included.

Pricing Philosophy

Every Feature Included, No Add-Ons

ElectionBuddy also charges per election, but its lower tiers gate features and rely on add-ons. Want SMS notifications on a smaller election? That's a $29 add-on on top of the plan. Need extra reminders or mailed paper ballots? Those live in higher tiers.

ElectionChamp charges per election based on voter count, and every feature is included on every election: encryption, all voting methods, email and SMS notifications, reminders, and a full audit trail. No tiers, no add-ons, no "upgrade to unlock." The price you see is the price you pay.

Email and SMS notifications included, never a paid add-on

Reminders and support included on every election

No feature gating: same features on every plan

No "upgrade to unlock" surprises mid-setup

When ElectionBuddy might make sense

We're being fair here. ElectionBuddy is a mature platform with a solid reputation, a longer track record, and more brand recognition. For some organizations it's the right call.

You need mailed paper ballots or printed notices

You need a platform your board already recognizes by name

Budget isn't the primary decision factor

ElectionChamp is better when:

You run 1–5 elections per year (most organizations)

You don't want to pay extra for SMS or reminders

You want every feature without tier shopping

Feature Access

Every Feature Included. No Tier Shopping.

ElectionBuddy's tiered pricing means some features are only available on higher plans. SMS notifications are an add-on. Custom branding is restricted on lower tiers. Advanced ballot types may require a plan upgrade.

ElectionChamp takes a different approach: every election gets every feature. A free 20-voter board election has the same capabilities as a 5,000-voter association election. The only differences are price and reminders: free elections include 1 voter reminder, and paid elections include up to 5. No one should have to choose between "affordable" and "full-featured."

SMS included, no per-message charges

Custom branding on every election, even free ones

All voting methods: plurality, RCV, yes/no, multi-select

Full audit trail and results export, always

The "Which Plan Do I Need?" Problem

With tiered pricing, you inevitably hit this mid-setup: "Oh, I need SMS notifications? That's the next plan up." Or: "Two-factor authentication requires Premium."

You start on the Plus plan, realize you need a feature, upgrade

You pay for the higher tier "just in case" and overpay

You skip the feature because you're already over budget

ElectionChamp eliminates this problem entirely. One price, all features. Pick the option that matches your voter count and you're done.

The Bottom Line

Who Should Choose What

Both are legitimate platforms. Here's our honest recommendation.

Choose ElectionChamp if…

The better fit for most organizations

You run one election a year or many (volume pricing available)

You want every feature included, not sold as add-ons

Cost matters: $10 vs $29 for a 200-voter election

You want a free tier that's the full platform, up to 20 voters

You need SMS notifications included

You want to start from a template and set up in about 10 minutes

You want a live ballot preview, CSV voter upload and a modern, simple interface

You want flexible billing: pay per election, or subscriptions and volume discounts on request

Choose ElectionBuddy if…

Could be the right call in specific situations

You need mailed or printed paper ballots for offline voters

You need a specialized tally method like Condorcet or Bucklin

You specifically need a longer-established, name-brand vendor

FAQ

Comparison Questions

Yes, and we've kept it factual. ElectionBuddy is an established platform, but the core difference is concrete: they price by tier and charge add-ons for things like SMS and extra reminders, while ElectionChamp includes every feature on every election at one transparent price, for example $10 vs $29 for a 200-voter election. We've still noted the specific cases where ElectionBuddy is the better fit.

Yes. There's no data migration needed: each election is independent. If you have a voter list from a previous ElectionBuddy election, just upload the same CSV on the Voters step and match its columns. Your next election can be on ElectionChamp regardless of where you ran the last one.

ElectionBuddy's per-election prices (Free up to 20, Plus $29, Premium $99, and Professional $299+) come from their public pricing page, checked October 3, 2026, and exclude add-ons like the $29 SMS option on the Plus tier. ElectionChamp's prices are flat and current. We recommend checking both sites for the latest pricing before deciding.

Both provide encrypted voting, one-voter-one-ballot enforcement, and audit trails, so neither is less secure for standard elections. The difference is that ElectionChamp includes its full security stack (AES-256 encryption, SSL, unique single-use 16-character voter keys, anonymous ballots, and a complete audit trail) on every election, including the free tier, with nothing gated behind a higher plan.

Try both. ElectionChamp offers a completely free election for up to 20 voters with all features, and no credit card is required. Run a test election, see how the platform works, and compare the experience. If you like it, use Make a copy on My elections to turn the test into your real election, with or without its voter list. If not, you haven't spent anything.

Try It Free

See the Difference for Yourself

Create a free test election. All features included. No credit card. No subscription. No commitment.

Create Your Free Election Talk to Our Team

Questions? support@electionchamp.com