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Should I use ProPublica?

Nonprofit investigative journalism in the public interest - propublica.org

Skip. ProPublica is a free nonprofit newsroom, not a purchasable tool — use it as an investigative news source and for its Nonprofit Explorer IRS database. Skip it if you are evaluating software: there are no plans, seats, or business features to buy.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~30 public sources; overwhelmingly journalism coverage — almost no product, pricing, or security evidence.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo usability evidence in sources
  • Feature depthNot a product; no feature evidence
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free

ModelDonations
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Readers wanting investigative reporting
  • Researchers using Nonprofit Explorer IRS data
  • Donors backing nonprofit journalism

Not for

  • Anyone shopping for software — it is a news site, not a tool
  • Teams needing CRM, analytics, or workflow features
  • Buyers wanting SLAs, support, or integrations

Gotchas - check before you buy

low

Expect frequent donation asks and fundraising emails; free is donor-funded.

low

Third-party reviews are scarce (5 on Trustpilot); little signal on service quality.

low

Funding from large donors drew criticism; weigh when citing independence.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Entire site free to read; donation-supported
  • Nonprofit Explorer exposes millions of IRS filings free
  • Runs SecureDrop so sources can tip anonymously
  • MacArthur Foundation grantee; independent nonprofit

Cons

  • Not software — no plans, seats, or admin features
  • Only five Trustpilot reviews; little buyer feedback
  • Criticized for taking millions from secret donors
  • Staff strikes reported, signaling internal labor disputes

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/30/2026 - 11 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x3review x3security x2news x3

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 11

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free to read; nothing to pay
  • Ease of use. No usability evidence in sources
  • Feature depth. Not a product; no feature evidence
  • Support quality. No support evidence in sources
  • Security posture: 4/5. Runs SecureDrop; publishes security page
  • $0 Price Free-to-read journalism; donations optional
  • Donations Funding model Nonprofit; no owners or shareholders
  • Millions Nonprofit Explorer data IRS filings browsable free
  • 5 Trustpilot reviews Very thin third-party feedback

Pricing

Free

$0

  • All investigative reporting
  • Nonprofit Explorer IRS database
  • Optional donations

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

User feedback is sparse; Reddit commenters broadly praise ProPublica's rigor and credibility, with some debate over bias and funding.

Companies that use it

  • BoothBook
Full analysis

Based on ~30 public sources; overwhelmingly journalism coverage — almost no product, pricing, or security evidence.

Free nonprofit newsroom, not software. Read it, mine Nonprofit Explorer, donate if you value it — nothing to buy.

Methodology

Based on ~30 public sources; overwhelmingly journalism coverage — almost no product, pricing, or security evidence.

Sources

  1. official
  2. ProPublica — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    news
  3. review
  4. official
  5. official
  6. security
  7. Product security pagepropublica.org
    security
  8. news
  9. review
  10. review
  11. news

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