# Page 2 | BoardEffect Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 2 - Is BoardEffect the right Board Management solution for you? Explore 127 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/151082/BoardEffect/reviews --- BoardEffect 4.4 (127) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/151082/BoardEffect/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 2 - Reviews of BoardEffect ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 26-50 of 127 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use BM Bonnie M. HR Banking Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Was a good platform, until the change to fully incorporate Diligent" January 20, 2026 2.0 Prior to the changeover, it was a really good platform for the basics we used it for. Once the change occurred, it hasn't been efficient enough for our needs, and the customer service has been incredibly poor. Pros I liked BoardEffect a lot more before it transitioned to being fully led by Diligent. It was a good space to keep our board documents and was easy enough to use for even our least tech-savvy members. Cons Since the transition in early fall, my senior leadership has been unable to access a link to upload their monthly reports for the board to review. I've raised this issue with the BE/Diligent team and have had an active ticket open for a month and a half. Occasionally, I will receive an email from someone on their team that they are working on the issue, and it could be resolved when they decide to roll out their next update. I requested a customer service rep/account rep who is located in the US for the ability to communicate during working hours, but that hasn't happened. The only communications I receive are at times that are not reasonable to be able to create a conversation about the issue. The work has piled up for me because they have been unable to fix this issue, and the lack of support has finally pushed me to the point where we will be looking to leave the platform when our contract is up. I feel there are many other platforms that can do this simple task of sending an upload link to contributors, but for some reason, this issue is the most challenging they have faced, and the support is terrible. Review Source Response from Diligent March 17, 2026 Hi Bonnie, Thank you for taking the time to share this detailed feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear about the challenges you’ve experienced since the transition and the impact it has had on your workflow. This is not the level of service or support we aim to provide, and we understand how frustrating it must be especially when timely access and communication are critical for your board processes. The issue you described regarding contributor upload links should not be causing such disruption, and the extended resolution time you’ve encountered is unacceptable. We would value the opportunity to resolve this for you as quickly as possible and restore your trust in the platform. If you’re open to it, please reach out to us at valvarez@diligent.com, and we will ensure your case is escalated to the appropriate team for immediate attention. Thank you again for your candid feedback and for the time you’ve spent with BoardEffect. —The BoardEffect Team IL Ilona L. GC and Corporate Secreatry Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Mixed bag- some good/some need improvements " February 24, 2026 4.0 The tool is something we inherited but we believe it could use some updates. For example, the ease of navigating and a bit more intuitive approach to organization of the folders. Pros Agenda management. It is easy to build an agenda in BoardEffect and a good central location for all of our board-related materials. Cons How difficult it is to operate. There are so many ways to organize the folders and the links to different folders then become very confusing. It is also not a complete tool for Board Management. Ideally, we would have liked to see a way to handle our nom com work through Board Effect. it is also difficult for our board to navigate the tool and it is not as collaborative as we would have liked it to be Review Source Response from Diligent March 17, 2026 Hi Ilona, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad to hear that agenda management and having a central location for board materials have been helpful for your team. At the same time, we’re sorry that navigation, folder structure, and collaboration capabilities haven’t met your expectations. We understand how important it is for board members to be able to move through the platform intuitively, without confusion around folder organization or links. Your comments about ease of use, navigation, and the desire for more complete board‑management workflows are incredibly valuable to us. We’re actively investing in updates that directly address many of these areas. This includes a more intuitive user interface, improved navigation, and enhancements that support clearer organization and more collaborative board work. Thank you again for your thoughtful feedback and please feel free to contact us at valvarez@diligent.com for additional feedback. —The BoardEffect Team JO John O. CEO Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Change back" February 24, 2026 3.0 Positive until recently, this new version is not acceptable and does not meet our needs as well as the previous version Pros I liked the usability of the previous version. Since the change to the new Diligent one platform it is not as good Cons The new version is difficult for my directors to use and function in well, making meetings less satisfactory and less effective Review Source Response from Diligent March 17, 2026 Hi John, Thank you for sharing this feedback with us. We’re truly sorry to hear that the transition to the new version has had its challenges. Ensuring a smooth and intuitive experience for board members is incredibly important, and we understand how disruptive this has been. Your input is timely and valuable. We’re actively rolling out a series of updates, including an improved user interface and enhanced navigation to make the platform more intuitive, more accessible, and better aligned with how board members work. These changes are designed specifically to address many of the pain points that customers like you have raised since the transition. We welcome the opportunity to connect with you directly so we can better understand your specific challenges and help ensure the upcoming improvements meet your needs. Please feel free to reach out to us at valvarez@diligent.com, and we’ll make sure your feedback is shared with the right teams. Thank you again. —The BoardEffect Team BW Beth W. Executive Director Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Executive Director" March 3, 2026 2.0 Fairly poor. Product poor. Support and interest in customer experience poor. Partnership to ease use poor. Pros We converted from Boardpaq to Board Effect 1.5 yrs ago. We remain unhappy with the change. The tool is less efficient and more prone to operator error. Cons Inability to search on content. Board members comfort and adoption. Not as straightforward. The link to virtual meeting is better than Boardpaq Switched from [BoardPaq](https://www.capterra.com/p/151905/BoardPaq/) Board effect acquired boardpaq. Cxxxxxxxx Review Source Response from Diligent March 17, 2026 Hi Beth, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience transitioning from BoardPaq to BoardEffect has fallen short of expectations. We understand how critical usability and efficient search are for effective board operations, and we regret the frustration these challenges have caused you and your board. Your comments on search functionality, ease of use, adoption hurdles, and support are invaluable. You deserve a responsive and we apologize that this has not been your experience. Please know we’re actively investing in platform improvements, including better navigation, a more intuitive interface, and features designed to reduce errors —many directly informed by feedback like yours. If you’re open to it, we’d welcome the chance to connect and better understand your needs. You can reach us at valvarez@diligent.com, and we’ll ensure your concerns are shared with the appropriate team. Thank you again for your candid feedback. —The BoardEffect Team SG Sheila G. Administrative Coordinator Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Cornell University" August 4, 2025 5.0 Overall I'm pleased with it however I wish we had a bit more flexibility with running reports. I'm still learning how to navigate reports but feel I keep hitting roadblocks as it doesn't quite let me do what I need it to. Pros It is, for the most part, an all-encompassing platform to hold a lot of different information. It seems that our constituents find it someone easy to navigate once they get the hang on it. Cons I don't like that you can't alter a survey once you've received a response, and the fact that the server goes down at the most inopportune times, without notification that it's down so we can be better prepared to answer questions when we receive inquiries from our constituents as to why they are not able to log in to BE. Review Source OJ Omar J. Director of Board Relations Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "BoardEffect has been a game-changer!" July 8, 2025 4.0 Overall, BoardEffect has made our efficiency much better when it comes to Board meetings. It has been great to see our technologically hesitant Board members embrace the simplicity of the platform. Pros I love that documents are securely stored within the platform. It makes it easier for Board members to find specific documents. Cons 1\. I wish there was a way to update one document that is stored in multiple places, and it be updated everywhere. Instead of having to edit each document individually in different places. 2. I wish there was a way to integrate BoardEffect and external platforms like Microsoft Sharepoint so it is easier to edit documents. 3. It would also be nice to be able to see older drafts of documents that have been edited. That way, we can see the changes that have been made with each document. Review Source JS Jennifer S. Attorney Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Very User-Friendly" July 10, 2025 5.0 Fantastic. I began using it 9 months ago and feel very confident in all aspects. I also appreciate the customer service that I receive when I have a question. Pros The organization of the platform and how user-friendly it is. I am the BoardEffect Administrator for MyMichigan Health and am able to manage all workrooms and assist users with ease. Cons I would like for users to have the opportunity to reset their own password when they have issues logging in, rather than doing it as the BoardEffect Administrator. Review Source YL Yvonne L. Executive Assistant Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "New User, But Pleased Overall" July 2, 2025 4.0 Overall, BoardEffect is an upgrade from our past software. The users like the platform. Support has been very responsive and polite while quickly solving one issue and a recent use question. Pros Ease of user experience. Once we have our Trustees logged in, they seem to be able to easily navigate the information. Cons Setting up reports and Board books for the first time was time consuming. There are hidden menus for some of the options I would have liked to have set up during the initial use. Alternatives considered [OnBoard](https://www.capterra.com/p/179015/OnBoard-Board-Portal/) Reason for choosing BoardEffect We didn't know of another organization like ours utilizing the Onboard platform. Switched from [BoardPaq](https://www.capterra.com/p/151905/BoardPaq/) The product is no longer available and Diligent BoardEffect handled the data transfer. Review Source HC Hannah C. Board Member Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Good Governance and document management" February 24, 2026 5.0 I enjoy the ease of use and the way the documentation streamlines my workflow. It helps me stay organized and prepared, which in turn makes my meetings run more smoothly and feel more productive Pros I love the simplicity and how everything is outlined in a way that allows me to clearly see the agenda, meeting goals, and outcomes from past meetings. Cons Logging in can feel disconnected; I wish this functioned more like a fully integrated meeting software platform. Review Source Response from Diligent March 17, 2026 Hi Hannah, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with BoardEffect. We’re really glad to hear that the platform’s clarity, structure, and meeting documentation help you stay organized and make your meetings more productive. It’s wonderful to know that the simplicity and layout support your workflow. We also appreciate your feedback about the login process feeling disconnected. A seamless experience from signing in to engaging with meeting materials is important, and we understand how a more integrated approach would enhance your overall use of the platform. The good news is that we’re actively working on updates to create a more unified, streamlined workflow across the platform. Your feedback is incredibly valuable as we continue to enhance BoardEffect, and we’re grateful you took the time to share it. —The BoardEffect Team WK Wendy K. Executive Officer Biotechnology Used the software for: 2+ years ### "BoardEffect" July 10, 2025 4.0 Mostly positive. As of late, the integration with Diligent has been disappointing. Incorrect information has been shared and changed. Planning and preparing our users for this integration has been confusing. As an administrator there are unknowns of what to expect. My confidence in a successful transition is low. Pros Basic, clean and usability is positive. I have implemented BoardEffect at two organizations. We were looking for a cost-effective, simple solution. Cons Previous experience with BoardEffect and support was more positive than today. Because we are looking for a cost-effective, simple solution, the price may be at the high end. Review Source JR Jamie R. Human Resources Manager and Corporate Secretary Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I can't imagine our Board without BoardEffect" July 8, 2025 5.0 My overall experience has been good. Implementation was really great and prepared us for introducing BoardEffect to our Board. Recently, I've had a few issues with emailing and not receiving responses back. It seems that our reps have changed quite a few times, and we've never received an introduction email to notify us of the changes. I also reached out to support a few weeks ago and received excellent service and help from the rep. Pros BoardEffect has significantly improved our Board process; creating consistent Board packets, a library to house important documents that remain at the fingertips of our \[sensitive content hidden\], and an easy way for us to provide Board information to our auditors. Cons With the ease of use that BoardEffect brought us, I was hoping the Minutes Module would offer the same; however, after a demo, I was disappointed to see that it didn't offer me any more ease or convenience from what I am already doing on my own. I'm really hopeful this is something that is expanded on and improved in the near future. Review Source RH Raegan H. Executive Assistant Financial Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Love library features!" June 16, 2025 4.0 Pros I love the workroom libraries - they make it so easy for a user to find information from a previous meeting. Cons I wish I could have various e-mail templates. My emails for various meetings differ a bit so it isn't convenient to use the current email template in BoardEffect. Alternatives considered [OnBoard](https://www.capterra.com/p/179015/OnBoard-Board-Portal/) Reason for choosing BoardEffect I thought transitioning within the same company would be easy. I was pleased with the features and other admins I spoke with were pleased with the product. Switched from [BoardPaq](https://www.capterra.com/p/151905/BoardPaq/) BoardPaq was being eliminated and no longer available. Review Source TK Tiffany K. Senior Executive Assistant and Board Liaison Fund-Raising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Pleased with BoardEffect" July 8, 2025 4.0 Great customer support and has cut down on administrative work. I am pleased overall with the product. Pros Very intuitive and easy for myself and my Board members to use. Can make changes instantly and send out updates to all or just a few. Cons Editing messages within BoardEffect is tricky. The formatting doesn't always stay the way I put it in. I would like to be able to run my meetings directly from BoardEffect and have a copy of the recording saved in the library for those that could not join. Review Source MG Micci G. Executive Administrative Assistant Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Satisfied BoardEffect User" July 11, 2025 5.0 I have been successfully using BoardEffect since 2016 and truly appreciate having such a great tool to assist me in my role. Pros Ease of use. The product is very intuitive and even those who aren't very tech-savvy are able to navigate and use the it. Cons When creating a survey, I have to really pay attention to the due date and reminder calendar option to make sure I have the correct date and time. Review Source EP Ellie P. Executive Assistant Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A great first year!" July 8, 2025 4.0 Very positive, we're looking to continue for a second year with the service. I appreciate the support in set up from Diligent staff too. Pros It really is user friendly, easy interface, plenty of storage, and security. It produces professional looking pages and documents and is quick and easy to update and make changes. Cons It has been difficult to get my board members to log in and use the interface regularly. I wish you could preview and edit the digest emails in advance of sending them out. Switched from [Dropbox Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/143068/Dropbox-Business/) The format was easily disorganized and cumbersome to update. Review Source SW Sonia W. Director Banking Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Pros and cons of a board portal " July 15, 2025 4.0 Pretty okay with the Portal but do think it can be improved by making it more user friendly for non savvy technology personnel. Pros One can have access off-line thus enables you to do certain work anywhere Having easy mobile access where ever you are. Great for traveling I like that it opened like a book so I just keep scrolling down to the next page or agenda item. The built in calendar is very useful for me. Can also see a full directory of other member whic sure helps with collaboration. Cons Have difficulties knowing if my message was sent. Not very user friendly (having difficulties using the pen and the hi-lighter. Have difficulty using the pen and hi-lighter section at time and can’t get them off. Not too sure if my emails are sent. Switched from [BoardPAC](https://www.capterra.com/p/153900/BoardPAC/) They were finishing away with the Portal Review Source AL Audra L. Executive Assistant Telecommunications Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Board Effect Review" June 16, 2025 5.0 Overall we have had a great experience with BoardEffect. It allows us to send board documents to our board members to review prior to the Board Meetings and keeps us all organized and informed. Pros BoardEffect keeps our board organized and informed. I like the way the meeting books work for our board members. The calendar is nice where you can see what meetings are coming up and I as the coordinator appreciate the RSVP button and the Teams link option as our board members sometimes have to join via Teams. Cons It works well for us but sometimes onboarding new members takes a little while to find everything. I have tried to use the minutes feature but it just doesn't seem to work as well as I would like so I don't use it. Alternatives considered [Onboard](https://www.capterra.com/p/214297/Onboard/) Reason for choosing BoardEffect It looked to be the easiest for our board to move to as it was the most like BoardPaq that we used before and had the options that we needed for our board management. Switched from [BoardPaq](https://www.capterra.com/p/151905/BoardPaq/) BoardPaq discontinued. We researched and found that BoardEffect would be the best option to transfer to. Review Source DR Debi R. Executive Assistant Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "BoardEffect Evaluation " July 8, 2025 5.0 Excellent, easy to setup, learn, and use for staff members and Board members. The tutorials are very helpful, cover all of the topics, and are easy to locate based on the subject matter. I like that there are separate tutorials for Administrators and Board members. Colleagues in the office found the platform easy to learn. It is intuitive in navigating. Pros It is intuitive and user friendly. Very easy to learn. The training videos cover all of the topics and are easy to locate when assistance is needed. Cons I would like to be able to change the spacing in the message space when sending out Board meeting books. Alternatives considered [Notepad++](https://www.capterra.com/p/185965/Notepad/) Reason for choosing BoardEffect Ease of use. Simple format. Customer service. Review Source MJ Malik J. Administrative Director Civic & Social Organization Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Reliable Tool with Small Flaws" June 11, 2025 4.0 It’s a solid platform. There were a few minor issues, but generally it helped streamline our board’s communication and document sharing. Pros I appreciated being able to access the full calendar, RSVP to meetings, and check agendas right from my phone, especially when I was traveling for work. Cons There were times when I didn’t get notifications right away, especially for last-minute updates, which made me miss a few important documents. Review Source NB Nikki B. Executive Assistant Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "The small things makes a difference. " July 8, 2025 4.0 Being able to stay organized and on top of things. Being able to build your meeting book once and share it with all participants when done. Being able to notify users when documents are uploaded. Pros Convenience of all meeting documents in one place and notifying all members at once. Staying on top of which meetings coming up soon. The attendance sheet is very helpful. I have not learned or used the minute taking option but love that it is available. Cons Not so easy to find things by the category listed. Provide more drop downs to find what exactly youre lokking for. Also setting a reminder for upcoming meeting such as an email. Review Source KC Kristen C. Program Manager Board Operations Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Secure Platform" July 8, 2025 4.0 Pros It’s a secure platform with lots of features. It looked clean and was nice to organize files and events. Cons Some features were limiting to use given the complexity of our need for forms, signatures, etc. We had low user engagement. Alternatives considered [OnBoard](https://www.capterra.com/p/179015/OnBoard-Board-Portal/) Reason for choosing BoardEffect Price and features were key in choosing a vendor. Review Source DL Diana L. Administrative Assistant Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Best portal ever" June 16, 2025 5.0 The ease of having everything in one place... from creating attendance, getting RSVP, uploading meeting documents, and even accessing ZOOM from the portal. Definitely a good decision to make the migration. Pros The ease of managing everything in one place... Plus point is also that it is easily accessible. I have had alot of compliments from the Directors that it was easy to navigate and use. Cons Not at the moment. Everything was easy, quick, and clear. Though I was bugging the team when I was having some silly troubles of not getting the RSVP list up and making the book visible.... But after, it was really easy! Thank you BoardEffect Team for all you do! Alternatives considered [BoardPro](https://www.capterra.com/p/164493/boardPro/) Reason for choosing BoardEffect I did look around, but forgot the names and went with the recommendation emails. Switched from [BoardPAC](https://www.capterra.com/p/153900/BoardPAC/) It was the retirement of Boardpac hence we make the switch, but it was a good decision. Review Source SL Sue L. Executive Assistant and Commercial Services Real Estate Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great Work!" July 22, 2025 4.0 The customer support was excellent! (Thank you, \[sensitive content hidden\].) It was great to be able to reach out to the group and have them attend one of our BOD meetings virtually, to give an update. It is great having everything organized in the Workrooms for each of our committees. Pros Great customer support, fairly user friendly, agenda management was very helpful, project and task management work well. Cons It was a bit confusing when we first started, but it got easier once I played with it. Overall, it is good. Review Source SF Stephen F. Board member Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Fighting Back Scholarship Program Board of Directors " July 8, 2025 4.0 My experience has been very good. The training and implementation was good. The support which we have only used a handful of times has been excellent. Pros The structure and framework it provides that helps to facilitate governance for our board. I like the integration with Microsoft platform and others like zoom. Cons Learning new or deeper capabilities of BoardEffect. An example the survey tool. It is fairly easy to use once I became aware of it. This may be more of my own issue but if your not using the system everyday and experimenting you don’t fully realize all the capabilities. Alternatives considered [Google Drive](https://www.capterra.com/p/161425/Drive/) Reason for choosing BoardEffect It’s purpose built and the governance framework is built in. Review Source AR Amanda R. Executive Assistant Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Effective Communication Tool" July 8, 2025 4.0 Overall using BoardEffect is convenient and makes communication flow smoothly between committees, members, and agency employees. Pros I like the ability to have multiple rooms for different committees within one platform, and the ability to keep documents organized and accessible. Cons It is not as user friendly or intuitive as I would expect, and the BE trainer I was assigned was also not familiar so her learning session was not effective. Review Source Similar Products Featured