Comparison
Forward Motion vs. OnBoard
This one is less a rivalry than a fork in the road. OnBoard is a polished board portal built for organizations with staff — an executive assistant or governance professional who assembles board books and administers the platform. Forward Motion is built for boards where the trustees are the staff. Which side of that line you're on decides this comparison more than any feature list.
Where OnBoard shines
OnBoard is a mature product with a strong story around board books, security, and the needs of larger organizations — hospital systems, credit unions, universities, companies with real governance departments. If your organization has a paid administrator whose job includes assembling and distributing board materials, and procurement is comfortable with quote-based enterprise software, OnBoard is a credible, well-regarded choice. We mean that without a wink.
Side by side
| Forward Motion | OnBoard | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for volunteer boards without staff support | Yes | Built for organizations with staff to run it |
| Meetings, agendas, and board packets | Yes | Yes — board books are a strength |
| Governance cadence — COI attestations, compliance calendar, onboarding checklists, evaluations | Yes | Varies by plan — ask them |
| Configured to your bylaws — quorum fraction, fiscal year, notice rules | Yes | Ask them |
| Transparent pricing | One published plan | Quote-based |
| Full data export, any day | Yes | Ask them |
| Single-tenant — your board runs on its own database | Yes | Enterprise platform |
| Support | A person — you know his name | Account & support teams |
| Price | $149/mo billed annually + $1,000 onboarding | Quote-based — typically annual contracts; ask for current numbers |
We try to keep this page fair and current, and we hedge where we can't verify. Spot something outdated? Emailteam@keepforwardmotion.com and we'll fix it.
Which one fits your board?
Choose OnBoard if…
- You have staff whose job includes administering board software and assembling board books.
- Your organization's size or sector calls for enterprise procurement, contracts, and compliance review.
- Polished board-book production is the center of your board's workflow.
Choose Forward Motion if…
- Nobody on your board does this as their day job — the software has to run itself.
- You want a price a treasurer can read on a website and approve at the next meeting.
- The gap you're closing is follow-through between meetings — the cadence of COI, compliance, onboarding, and action items.
Let’s get your board moving.
A 30-minute call: you bring your bylaws and how your board works today; I’ll show you the app and answer everything. No pitch deck, no pressure.
Prefer email? team@keepforwardmotion.com