If you're reading this, you already know your board needs to get off email threads, shared drives and printed board packs, the question is what are the alternatives and which software is the right one for you?
This guide covers what board management software is, why UK boards are adopting it now at an increasing rate, and we compare five of the best board management software used by UK boards today.
Key takeaways
- Board management software streamlines admins, saving you time and helping apply repeatable structure and processes.
- The best board management software for your organisation depends on your needs, the size of your organisation, and the complexity of your governance.
- BoardPro is our top pick for UK SMEs, charities and schools. Simple enough for every board member to use, with pricing designed for smaller boards rather than enterprise budgets.
What is board management software?
Board management software is a secure online platform that brings the whole board cycle together in one place.
Put together agendas in minutes, build and distribute board packs with a click, organise minutes, track decisions and actions, and store all of your governance records. This is all about running more efficient board meetings so you can spend more time focused on your organisations mission.
Board management software is also sometimes called a "board portal", the terms are used interchangeably, though "board portal" more often refers to corporate-grade tools built for large listed companies, while "board management software" covers broader workflow tools built for SMEs, non-profits, and charities.
Why are UK boards moving to board management software?
A few pressures are pushing UK boards to digital, streamlined systems:
- Governance expectations are rising. The Charity Governance Code was substantially revised in winter 2025, with a sharper focus on transparency and board decision-making, harder to evidence from an inbox than from a system with a built-in decision register.
- Security concerns with email. Board papers routinely contain commercially or personally sensitive information. Emailing PDFs or storing them on shared drives offers little control over who can access them, or for how long.
- Administrative overload. Chairs, company secretaries and administrators lose real time each cycle assembling agendas, chasing papers, consolidating board packs and organising changes, and formatting minutes by hand.
- A widening digital gap. Sector research has found a meaningful share of smaller UK charities are still in the early stages of digital adoption generally, which shows up acutely in board administration, often the last process to modernise.
This doesn't mean that your board needs the most feature-heavy platform on the market. But it does mean understanding your options and the problems a software like BoardPro can solve are more important than ever.
The 5 best board management software
At a glance
|
Provider |
Best for |
Starting price |
Capterra rating |
|
BoardPro |
SMEs, charities, schools |
From £75 per month for qualifying charities |
4.8 / 5 |
|
Board Intelligence |
Enterprise, financial services |
Custom quote (enterprise) |
4.8 / 5 |
|
Diligent Boards |
Large listed companies |
Custom quote (enterprise) |
4.7 / 5 |
|
OnBoard |
Mid-market and corporate boards |
Custom quote, not published |
4.7 / 5 |
|
iBabs |
European boards, public sector |
Custom quote, tiered, undisclosed |
4.7 / 5 |
1. BoardPro, best overall for UK boards
We're biased of course, but with good reason. BoardPro is built so that every board member uses it, not just the administrator setting it up.
Agendas, board packs, minutes, decisions, actions and an interest register all live under one login, with pricing built for SMEs, charities and schools rather than enterprise-scale corporate boards.
Trusted by over 30,000 board members in 38 countries.
"We selected BoardPro because it was simple, intuitive, and scalable. We have quite a complicated group structure, lots of boards, committees, and forums flying about.
It's made our lives very easy in terms of assembling and communicating documents, adding minutes, tracking actions, recording decisions across our entire group."
- David Hosier, Head of Governance and Risk Compliance, Ariel Re
Why it's #1 for UK boards:
- Simple enough that non-tech-savvy board members adopt it without training
- Everything, agendas, packs, minutes, actions, decisions, interests, in one place, not spread across multiple tools
- Pricing built for SME and charity budgets, not enterprise procurement cycles
- UK-hours support and a growing UK customer base
Pricing: From £75 per month for qualifying charities and schools; commercial pricing available. See current pricing →
Other Top Board Software
2. Board Intelligence
Board Intelligence is a strong fit for enterprise and financial services boards that want AI-powered report writing alongside board management, its Insight Driver and analytics tools go beyond what most SME-focused platforms offer. London-headquartered with a strong UK and EMEA presence.
Best for: Enterprise boards, financial services, organisations wanting AI-assisted report writing Pricing: Custom quote
3. Diligent Boards
Diligent is the broadest platform on this list, board meetings are one part of a wider governance, risk and compliance suite. That breadth makes sense for larger listed companies with dedicated governance teams, but it's more than most SME or charity boards need.
Best for: Large listed companies with existing GRC requirements Pricing: Custom quote
4. OnBoard
OnBoard focuses on AI-assisted meeting workflows and book building, aimed at mid-market and corporate boards. It's primarily US-headquartered, and UK pricing isn't published, so budgeting requires a sales conversation up front.
Best for: Mid-market and corporate boards comfortable with a US-based provider Pricing: Custom quote, not published
5. iBabs
iBabs is a long-standing European board portal provider with a strong reputation for device support and public sector use. It's a reasonable option for European boards, though pricing is undisclosed and tiered, making it hard to compare directly without a quote.
Best for: European boards, public sector organisations Pricing: Custom quote, tiered, undisclosed
Final thoughts: what to look for
There are a lot of great options on the market, and whilst we obviously believe BoardPro is the best the choice ultimately comes down to your needs and the needs of your board members.
Whichever provider you shortlist, weigh these above a feature checklist:
- Will your board use it? The simplest platform your least tech-confident director can pick up without training beats the most powerful one nobody opens.
- Does it save real time? Agendas, board packs and minutes should come together in minutes, not hours of manual formatting and chasing.
- Is it all in one place? A tool that only handles part of the board cycle means running two or three systems instead of one.
- Is it secure? Board papers are sensitive by nature, look for encrypted storage and proper access controls, not email attachments and shared drives.
BoardPro leads this list because it scores well on all four for the SME, charity and school boards it's built for.
Start a free 30-day trial, no credit card required, and run a real meeting cycle before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a board portal and board management software?
The terms are used interchangeably in practice. Where a distinction is drawn, "board portal" often refers to corporate-grade, document-focused tools for large listed companies, while "board management software" more often describes broader workflow tools built for SMEs, charities and smaller boards.
How much does board management software cost in the UK?
Pricing varies widely, from corporate portals starting in the thousands of pounds per year, to software built specifically for SMEs and charities like BoardPro which are a fraction of that cost. Check whether charity or nonprofit rates are available.
Can board management software support multiple boards or sub-committees?
Most modern platforms do, though the way sub-committees are handled (separate workspaces vs. shared records) varies.
Do UK charities need board management software?
There's no legal requirement to use board software, but the Charity Governance Code's emphasis on transparent, well-evidenced decision-making has made it a practical choice for a growing number of trustee boards.
Is board management software UK GDPR compliant?
This depends on the provider and your own data protection setup, not a status any vendor should claim in blanket terms. Ask directly about hosting, processing agreements and access controls, and check against the ICO's guidance.