Fabi.ai vs Polymer Search for Nonprofits
Two very different tools for nonprofit data work: Fabi.ai deploys AI analyst agents that write SQL, run Python, and deliver automated insights from complex multi-source data. Polymer Search transforms a spreadsheet into an interactive dashboard in under two minutes with zero technical knowledge required. Your choice hinges on whether your data challenge is complexity or simplicity, and whether your team has the skills to match.
Quick Verdict
Choose based on your nonprofit's data capacity and needs:
Choose Fabi.ai if:
- •Your team includes a data analyst or anyone comfortable with SQL
- •You need to combine data from HubSpot, Salesforce, databases, or multiple sources
- •Automated weekly/monthly reports delivered to Slack or email would save hours
- •You handle sensitive beneficiary data requiring SOC 2 compliance
- •You want nonprofit 501(c) discount pricing after qualification
Choose Polymer Search if:
- •Your data lives in spreadsheets or Google Sheets and you need dashboards fast
- •No one on your team has SQL experience and you need zero learning curve
- •Your budget is very tight and $10-$50/month is the ceiling
- •You only need basic visualizations filtered across a single data source
- •You need a working dashboard ready in under five minutes
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Feature | Fabi.ai | Polymer Search | Winner / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free (25 AI req/mo); $39/seat/mo paid | $10/month Basic; free trial | Polymer for low price floor |
| Nonprofit Discount | Yes (501c eligible; contact sales) | None documented | Fabi.ai |
| Technical Skill Required | Some SQL/Python helps | None (spreadsheet level) | Polymer for beginners |
| Time to First Dashboard | 1-3 hours (setup + onboarding) | Under 2 minutes | Polymer wins clearly |
| AI Capabilities | Analyst Agent: SQL, Python, regression, multi-step reasoning | Auto-dashboard, natural language queries (10-30/mo cap) | Fabi.ai (much deeper) |
| Live CRM Connectors | HubSpot, Salesforce, Airtable (live) | Airtable only; HubSpot/Salesforce coming soon | Fabi.ai wins |
| Data Warehouse Support | Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks, PostgreSQL | None (spreadsheets and basic connectors only) | Fabi.ai wins |
| Automated Report Delivery | Yes (Slack, email, Google Sheets schedule) | No (share links and PDF export only) | Fabi.ai wins |
| Multi-Table Joins / SQL | Yes (full SQL + Python via Smartbooks) | No (single source, no SQL joins) | Fabi.ai wins |
| Security Certifications | SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR/CCPA ready | Standard cloud security (no SOC 2 advertised) | Fabi.ai wins |
| White-Label Dashboards | Shareable interactive dashboards | Yes (custom brand colors, fonts, logos) | Polymer for branding |
| Best For | Teams with data skills needing deep, multi-source analysis | Non-technical teams needing fast spreadsheet dashboards | Depends on your team |
Last updated: February 28, 2026. Pricing and features subject to change; verify with vendors before purchasing.
Why This Comparison Matters for Nonprofits
Nonprofits are drowning in data. Program outcomes, donor behavior, volunteer engagement, grant compliance metrics, financial performance. The promise of AI-powered data tools is that you no longer need a dedicated data team to extract meaning from all of it. Both Fabi.ai and Polymer Search make that promise, but they fulfill it in fundamentally different ways that suit very different organizations.
Polymer Search was built on a simple insight: most people in nonprofits are not data engineers. They have spreadsheets and Google Sheets with valuable information, and they need to visualize that information quickly for reports, board presentations, and funder updates. Polymer eliminates every technical barrier between the data and the dashboard. Upload a file, and within seconds you have charts, filters, and an interactive report ready to share.
Fabi.ai starts from a different premise. It assumes your organization's most important data is not in a single spreadsheet but distributed across a CRM, a database, a financial system, and several other platforms. Its AI Analyst Agent is designed to bridge all of those sources, answer complex questions using SQL and Python, and then automatically deliver those answers to the right people on a recurring schedule. The result is closer to having a junior data analyst on staff than a simple dashboard tool.
The challenge for nonprofits is that neither tool is universally "better." Polymer's simplicity is an advantage for an organization without technical staff, and a constraint for an organization with sophisticated analysis needs. Fabi.ai's depth is an asset for organizations that can use it, but overkill for a team that just needs their Google Sheet turned into a shareable chart. This comparison helps you identify which camp your organization falls into, and which tool will genuinely serve your mission.
What Is Fabi.ai?
Fabi.ai is an AI-native business intelligence platform that positions itself as the middle ground between a general AI assistant like ChatGPT and a full enterprise BI platform like Tableau. The core product is the Analyst Agent: an AI system that accepts questions in plain English, generates the SQL or Python code needed to answer those questions, executes that code against your connected data sources, and interprets the results back in plain language. What makes Fabi.ai different from other AI data tools is that it lets users inspect, edit, and override every piece of generated code, giving data-savvy staff full transparency and control.
The platform's Smartbooks are collaborative AI-native notebooks where SQL, Python, and no-code blocks coexist in a single document. These are designed for the kind of recurring analysis that nonprofits need repeatedly: monthly donor retention reports, quarterly program outcome summaries, or annual grant impact analyses. Once built, a Smartbook can be scheduled to run automatically and push results to Slack, email, or Google Sheets, turning a one-time analysis into an automated reporting pipeline.
Fabi.ai connects to over 30 data sources including major data warehouses (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks), relational databases (PostgreSQL, Supabase), CRM platforms (HubSpot and Salesforce both have live connectors), marketing tools, financial platforms including Stripe, and spreadsheet applications including Google Sheets and Airtable. The platform is SOC 2 Type 2 certified and GDPR/CCPA ready, making it suitable for nonprofits that handle sensitive beneficiary information.
Core Strengths
- AI Analyst Agent generates SQL and Python with full code transparency
- Connects to 30+ live data sources including HubSpot and Salesforce
- Automated report delivery to Slack, email, and Google Sheets
- SOC 2 Type 2 certified and GDPR/CCPA compliant
- Nonprofit 501(c) discount program available on request
Key Limitations
- •Some SQL or data literacy accelerates meaningful use
- •Team plan requires 4 seats minimum ($200/month before discount)
- •Free tier is limited to 25 AI requests/month (insufficient for regular use)
- •Extra app connectors on the Builder plan cost $100/month each
- •Setup and data configuration requires meaningful upfront time investment
What Is Polymer Search?
Polymer Search is a no-code data visualization platform designed for teams who work primarily in spreadsheets and need to transform that data into interactive dashboards without any technical expertise. The product philosophy is radical simplicity: upload a CSV file or connect a Google Sheet, and Polymer's AI automatically categorizes every column, selects appropriate chart types, and builds a fully functional interactive dashboard in seconds. There is no data modeling, no SQL, and no configuration required.
Beyond simple uploads, Polymer supports live connections to around a dozen platforms including Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Shopify, Airtable, Zendesk, and Jira. Dashboards built from Google Sheets update automatically as the underlying spreadsheet changes, making it effective for teams that maintain running trackers in Sheets. The platform also supports natural language queries where users can type a question about their data and watch the visualization update in response, though this feature is capped at 10 to 30 queries per month depending on the plan.
Polymer also has a distinct embedded analytics product aimed at software developers who want to add analytics features to their own applications via API. For nonprofits evaluating Polymer as an internal data tool, the standard dashboard product is the relevant offering. The platform includes white-label customization options, making it useful for organizations that want to present dashboards with their own branding for board meetings, funder reports, or public-facing impact pages.
Core Strengths
- Fastest path from data to dashboard (under 2 minutes from upload)
- Zero technical knowledge required, no SQL or coding
- Very affordable entry at $10/month with no negotiation needed
- Live Google Sheets sync for teams with running data trackers
- White-label dashboards for branded funder and board presentations
Key Limitations
- •Cannot perform SQL joins or combine data from multiple tables
- •Salesforce and HubSpot connectors not yet live (coming soon status)
- •AI queries capped at 10-30/month even on paid plans
- •Not suitable for complex statistical analysis or modeling
- •No documented nonprofit discount program
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
Six dimensions that matter most for nonprofit data work, with a clear verdict on which tool serves each need better.
AI Analysis Capabilities
How deeply can each tool analyze your data?
Fabi.ai
The Analyst Agent performs genuine multi-step reasoning. It can generate SQL joins across multiple tables, write Python scripts for statistical analysis, run regression models, calculate propensity scores, and handle cohort analysis. When it cannot confidently answer a question, it acknowledges the limitation rather than hallucinating an answer. The depth of analysis available is comparable to having a junior data analyst on staff.
Polymer Search
Polymer's AI auto-generates dashboards and supports natural language questions against a single data source. The results are visualizations and filtered views rather than statistical computations. The 10-to-30 monthly AI query cap means it cannot serve as a primary analysis tool for organizations that need frequent data exploration. For simple "show me this data in a different way" requests, it works well.
Verdict: Fabi.ai wins by a significant margin for analytical depth. Polymer is sufficient for basic exploration of a single dataset.
Data Source Connectivity
Which tool can actually reach your nonprofit's data?
Fabi.ai
Over 30 active connectors including Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks, PostgreSQL, Supabase, HubSpot (live), Salesforce (live), Google Ads, PostHog, Segment, Stripe, Airtable, and Google Sheets. This covers the majority of platforms that modern nonprofits use for donor management, program tracking, and financial oversight. For the nonprofit that uses HubSpot as a CRM and PostgreSQL for program data, Fabi.ai can query both simultaneously.
Polymer Search
Approximately 12 live connectors including Google Sheets, Google Drive, Airtable, Shopify, Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Linear, Jira, Zendesk, and Dropbox. The CRM gap is significant: Salesforce and HubSpot are still listed as "coming soon." Nonprofits that store donor or constituent data in either platform cannot directly connect Polymer to that data yet, requiring manual exports to CSV as a workaround.
Verdict: Fabi.ai wins clearly. The missing Salesforce and HubSpot connectors are a meaningful gap for Polymer given how common these CRMs are in the nonprofit sector.
Setup Speed and Ease of Use
How quickly can your team get value from each tool?
Fabi.ai
Initial setup involves connecting data sources, which requires database credentials or API keys. Understanding what questions the Analyst Agent can and cannot answer requires some experimentation. Staff with SQL or Python background will reach productivity faster. The platform's interface is well-designed and business-user-friendly in the "self-service" mode, but realizing the full value of Smartbooks and automated workflows requires more investment.
Polymer Search
Genuinely the fastest setup in the data tool category. Upload a CSV, and within 30 seconds the platform has auto-categorized every column and built an initial dashboard. There is no configuration, no credentials, and no tutorial needed to get started. A program director who has never used a BI tool can have a working impact dashboard ready in under five minutes. This simplicity is Polymer's most significant competitive advantage.
Verdict: Polymer Search wins decisively on speed and ease of entry. Fabi.ai has a steeper ramp but more ceiling.
Automated Reporting and Delivery
Can the tool reduce manual reporting work?
Fabi.ai
Smartbooks can be scheduled to run automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly cadence and deliver results directly to Slack channels, email addresses, or Google Sheets. For a nonprofit development director who sends the same donor engagement report to leadership every Monday, this eliminates a manual process entirely. The automated delivery feature alone can save several hours per week for teams with recurring reporting obligations to funders or boards.
Polymer Search
Polymer does not offer scheduled report delivery. Stakeholders access reports through shared public links, iframe embeds, or PDF exports that users generate manually. The live Google Sheets sync means that if someone opens a shared dashboard link, they see the current data, but the sharing and distribution is still a manual step each time. This is suitable for dashboards that stakeholders check on their own schedule, but not for proactive delivery.
Verdict: Fabi.ai wins for organizations with recurring reporting obligations. Polymer is purely reactive (dashboards you go look at) rather than proactive (insights delivered to you).
Security and Compliance
Is the tool safe for sensitive nonprofit data?
Fabi.ai
SOC 2 Type 2 certified, which means an independent auditor has verified that Fabi.ai's security controls meet industry standards for data protection. The platform is also GDPR and CCPA ready. For nonprofits handling sensitive beneficiary data, health information, or donor financial details, SOC 2 certification provides meaningful assurance about how the vendor manages and protects that data.
Polymer Search
Polymer uses standard cloud security practices including encryption in transit and at rest, but does not publicly advertise SOC 2 Type 2 certification, HIPAA compliance, or other formal security certifications. For nonprofits handling only aggregated program metrics or publicly available data, this is likely acceptable. For organizations working with health information, immigration data, or sensitive personal details, the lack of formal certification may be a disqualifying factor.
Verdict: Fabi.ai wins for organizations with compliance requirements. Polymer is acceptable for nonprofits working with non-sensitive, aggregated data.
Collaboration and Team Access
How well does each tool support multi-user nonprofit teams?
Fabi.ai
Smartbooks support real-time collaboration similar to Google Docs. Multiple team members can work in the same notebook simultaneously, and the platform includes version control to track changes. The viewer count on paid plans is generous (25-50 dashboard viewers on paid plans), meaning staff who only need to consume reports rather than create them can access dashboards without needing a full paid seat.
Polymer Search
Polymer's standard plans include only one editor seat per workspace, with additional viewers able to access shared dashboards via public link or iframe. The Teams plan ($250/month) expands to three editor seats. For a small nonprofit where one person creates dashboards and others consume them, the single-editor model is workable. For teams where multiple staff members need to build and modify their own dashboards, costs scale quickly.
Verdict: Fabi.ai offers richer collaboration for teams where multiple people contribute to analysis. Polymer's single-editor model works for organizations with one designated "data person."
Pricing Breakdown and Total Cost of Ownership
Fabi.ai Pricing
- • 25 AI requests/month
- • 5 Smartbooks, 10 dashboard viewers
- • 1 database connector, 50MB file upload
- • Good for: initial evaluation only
- • 300 AI requests/month per seat
- • 10 Smartbooks, 25 viewers
- • 1 database connector (extras: $100/mo each)
- • Good for: 1-3 person data team
- • Unlimited AI requests
- • Unlimited Smartbooks, 50 viewers
- • 2 database connectors + unlimited app connectors
- • Good for: growing teams with recurring reporting needs
- • Unlimited everything
- • Custom security review
- • Quarterly roadmap reviews
- • Fractional data science team access
Polymer Search Pricing
- • 1 editor seat
- • File uploads and Google Sheets only
- • Manual data sync, no AI chat
- • Good for: very simple single-source dashboards
- • 1 editor seat
- • All live connectors, daily auto-sync
- • 10 AI chat responses/month
- • Good for: nonprofits with live data source needs
- • 1 editor seat
- • Hourly auto-sync, 20 AI chat responses
- • 5 accounts per connector
- • Good for: more frequent data refreshes needed
- • 3 editor seats
- • Hourly sync, 30 AI chat responses
- • Unlimited templates
- • Good for: small teams sharing dashboard creation
Total Cost of Ownership: Three Nonprofit Scenarios
Scenario 1: Small Nonprofit (1-5 staff, basic reporting needs)
Fabi.ai estimate
Builder plan: $39/month (1 seat). Plus potential nonprofit discount reducing to $20-30/month. Annual: $240-$468. Setup time: 4-8 hours. Works if you have at least one person with data familiarity.
Polymer Search estimate
Basic plan: $10/month or Starter: $50/month. Annual: $120-$600. Zero setup time. Immediate value if your data is in spreadsheets. Best fit for this scenario if technical capacity is low.
Scenario 2: Mid-Size Nonprofit (10-25 staff, multiple data sources)
Fabi.ai estimate
Team plan: $200/month (4 seats at $50/seat). With nonprofit discount: possibly $120-$160/month. Annual: $1,440-$2,400. Connects to HubSpot or Salesforce, automates weekly board reports. Strong ROI if it replaces manual analyst hours.
Polymer Search estimate
Pro plan: $100/month (1 editor). Annual: $1,200. Limited because Salesforce and HubSpot are not live yet. Would require exporting data to CSVs for Polymer to work with CRM data. Adding a 3rd editor requires jumping to Teams at $250/month.
Scenario 3: Large Nonprofit (50+ staff, complex multi-source reporting)
Fabi.ai estimate
Enterprise plan (custom pricing). Likely $400-$800/month or more. Replaces expensive consultant engagements for recurring data work. High ROI if it saves 10+ hours/month of analyst or consultant time.
Polymer Search estimate
Enterprise plan (custom pricing via API). At this scale, Polymer's lack of SQL capabilities, missing CRM connectors, and single-source limitation would likely make it unsuitable without supplementing with a more capable BI tool. Not the right fit for this scenario.
Nonprofit Discounts and Special Pricing
Fabi.ai Nonprofit Pricing
Fabi.ai explicitly states that 501(c) organizations and educational institutions are eligible for a discount. To apply, send an email to [email protected] with your organization's nonprofit status documentation.
The exact discount percentage is not published publicly and appears to be determined on a case-by-case basis. This is common for B2B tools where pricing is negotiated rather than fixed.
What to request: Ask for the nonprofit 501(c) rate on the Builder or Team plan, clarify whether the student 50% discount policy applies to staff at nonprofits, and request a 30-day extended trial to evaluate the platform before committing.
Polymer Search Nonprofit Pricing
No formal nonprofit discount program has been documented for Polymer Search as of early 2026. Their pricing page and help documentation make no mention of nonprofit or charity pricing.
The Basic plan at $10/month is accessible enough that many small nonprofits may not need a discount to afford it. For higher-tier plans, contacting their sales team via the website may yield a case-by-case accommodation, though there is no guarantee.
Practical alternative: If budget is the primary constraint, start with Polymer's Basic plan or free trial. Annual billing typically reduces the monthly cost significantly across both platforms.
Use Case Scenarios for Nonprofits
Real-world nonprofit data challenges mapped to which tool is the better fit and why.
Scenario 1: Monthly Donor Retention Reporting
Development team needs to track donor retention by cohort and present to board monthly.
Fabi.ai Approach
Build a Smartbook that queries HubSpot or Salesforce directly, calculates retention by acquisition cohort using SQL, and schedules automatic delivery to the board Slack channel on the first of every month. Once built, this runs without anyone touching it.
Polymer Search Approach
Export donor data from your CRM to a CSV each month, upload to Polymer, and use the auto-generated dashboard to create a visual report. Share the link with board members. Works but requires a manual export step monthly and cannot pull directly from CRM yet.
Best fit: Fabi.ai for automation and direct CRM access. Polymer works but requires ongoing manual effort.
Scenario 2: Program Outcome Dashboard for Funders
Program director needs a shareable impact dashboard for a funder site visit, with numbers from a tracking spreadsheet.
Fabi.ai Approach
Connect Google Sheets, use the Analyst Agent to calculate outcome metrics and build visualizations. More flexible for complex calculations, but requires some setup time and familiarity with the platform to move quickly.
Polymer Search Approach
Upload the spreadsheet or connect Google Sheets directly. Dashboard auto-generates in under two minutes. Apply your organization's brand colors. Share a public link with the funder. Exactly as fast as it sounds. This is where Polymer genuinely excels.
Best fit: Polymer Search for fast, polished, shareable dashboards from existing spreadsheets. Minimal setup, professional results.
Scenario 3: Combining Program and Financial Data
Leadership wants a dashboard that combines program client counts with budget spend to calculate cost-per-outcome metrics.
Fabi.ai Approach
Connect both data sources (program database and financial system or spreadsheet), write a Smartbook that joins the data and calculates cost-per-outcome, then build a dashboard displaying the combined metric. This is precisely what Fabi.ai was designed for.
Polymer Search Approach
Polymer cannot perform SQL joins across multiple data sources. To use Polymer for this, you would need to first combine the data in Google Sheets (using VLOOKUP or similar) and then upload the merged result. Doable, but adds a manual data preparation step every time the numbers need updating.
Best fit: Fabi.ai. Multi-source joins are a core capability gap for Polymer that cannot be worked around easily.
Scenario 4: Volunteer Engagement Tracking
Volunteer coordinator tracks hours logged in a spreadsheet and wants to visualize participation trends by program area.
Fabi.ai Approach
Connect Google Sheets or Airtable, use the Analyst Agent to build trend visualizations and cohort analysis. Suitable, but more than what's strictly needed for simple trend tracking from a single spreadsheet.
Polymer Search Approach
Upload the volunteer hours spreadsheet or connect Google Sheets. Auto-generated dashboard immediately shows trends by program area, volunteer, and time period. Apply filters to answer any specific question. This is an ideal Polymer use case: simple, single-source data that needs fast visualization.
Best fit: Polymer Search for simplicity and speed. Fabi.ai would work but is more tool than this task requires.
Ease of Use and Learning Curve
Fabi.ai: Ramp Time
Staff with SQL background move through this faster. Non-technical staff can still use the self-service interface, but building complex analyses requires data literacy or working with someone who has it.
Polymer Search: Ramp Time
Polymer's learning curve is genuinely flat for anyone who has used a spreadsheet. There is virtually no technical barrier to getting value from day one.
Support Resources
Fabi.ai
- • Comprehensive documentation and tutorials
- • Email support on all plans
- • Dedicated account support on Enterprise
- • 14-day free trial with full feature access
Polymer Search
- • Help center and tutorial videos
- • Email and chat support
- • Dedicated support on Enterprise tier
- • Free trial available before purchase
Integration and Compatibility
| Data Source / Tool | Fabi.ai | Polymer Search |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets | Live connector | Live connector + auto-sync |
| HubSpot | Live connector | Coming soon |
| Salesforce | Live connector | Coming soon |
| Airtable | Live connector | Live connector |
| PostgreSQL / MySQL | Live connector | Not supported |
| Snowflake / BigQuery / Redshift | Live connector | Not supported |
| Google Analytics | Via Segment | Live connector |
| Stripe | Live connector | Coming soon |
| Slack (delivery) | Automated report delivery | Not supported |
| CSV / Excel file upload | Up to 500MB | Supported |
Important note for nonprofits using CRMs:
If your donor or constituent data is in Salesforce or HubSpot, Polymer Search requires exporting to CSV as a workaround until their connectors go live. Fabi.ai connects directly to both platforms today. This is the most consequential integration difference for the majority of mid-size and larger nonprofits.
Data Privacy, Security, and Compliance
| Security Feature | Fabi.ai | Polymer Search |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Type 2 | Certified | Not advertised |
| GDPR Compliance | Ready | Standard practices |
| CCPA Compliance | Ready | Standard practices |
| Encryption in Transit | Yes | Yes |
| Encryption at Rest | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliance | Contact vendor | Not advertised |
Guidance for Nonprofits Handling Sensitive Data
If your nonprofit works with any of the following types of data, Fabi.ai's SOC 2 Type 2 certification is an important safeguard: health or medical information about beneficiaries, immigration or legal status data, mental health or addiction treatment records, financial information from individual clients, or any data subject to HIPAA, state privacy laws, or funder confidentiality requirements.
For nonprofits that only work with aggregated program metrics, publicly available data, or anonymous survey results, Polymer Search's standard cloud security is generally acceptable. The key question is: if this data were exposed, would it cause harm to the people your organization serves? If yes, prioritize security certifications. If no, standard practices are likely sufficient.
Pros and Cons for Nonprofits
Fabi.ai
Pros
- AI Analyst Agent performs genuinely complex SQL and Python analysis
- Live connections to HubSpot, Salesforce, and 30+ data sources
- Automated delivery of insights to Slack, email, and Google Sheets
- SOC 2 Type 2 certified for organizations with compliance needs
- Nonprofit 501(c) discount available through direct application
- Full code transparency: every AI-generated SQL is visible and editable
Cons
- •Requires more technical capacity to unlock full value
- •Team plan minimum of 4 seats creates a $200/month baseline cost
- •Free tier is too limited for meaningful ongoing evaluation
- •Significant setup investment before delivering consistent value
- •Extra data connectors on Builder plan add $100/month each
Polymer Search
Pros
- Fastest path from data to dashboard of any tool in this category
- Zero technical knowledge required for any staff member
- Very affordable entry point at $10/month
- Live Google Sheets sync is ideal for running data trackers
- White-label dashboards for branded funder and board presentations
- Shareable public links and iframe embeds for easy distribution
Cons
- •Cannot join or combine data from multiple tables or sources
- •Salesforce and HubSpot connectors not yet live
- •AI chat limited to 10-30 queries/month depending on plan
- •No automated report delivery to Slack or email
- •No documented nonprofit discount program
Which Tool Should Your Nonprofit Choose?
The honest answer is that Fabi.ai and Polymer Search serve genuinely different organizations, and neither is universally better. The right choice depends on three variables: where your data lives, who on your team will use the tool, and how complex your analysis needs are.
Decision Framework
Question 1: Where does your most important data live?
If your critical data is in a CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce), a database, or spread across multiple platforms, Fabi.ai is the stronger choice because it can connect to and combine all of those sources. If your data primarily lives in spreadsheets or Google Sheets, either tool works, though Polymer gets you there faster.
Question 2: Does your team have data skills?
If you have a staff member or volunteer with SQL knowledge or data analysis experience, Fabi.ai unlocks dramatically more capability. If your team's technical ceiling is "comfortable with spreadsheets," Polymer Search is the appropriate ceiling as well, and it matches that level perfectly.
Question 3: Do you need automated recurring reports?
If you generate the same reports weekly or monthly and want them to run automatically without staff intervention, only Fabi.ai supports this. Polymer requires someone to manually share a link each time, which is fine for occasional reporting but adds friction for regular cycles.
Question 4: How fast do you need to get started?
If you have a board meeting in two days and need a polished impact dashboard from your program spreadsheet, Polymer Search is the only realistic choice. Fabi.ai's setup time makes it a poor fit for immediate-turnaround situations.
Question 5: Do you handle sensitive beneficiary data?
If your data includes health information, legal status, or other sensitive personal details, Fabi.ai's SOC 2 Type 2 certification provides meaningful additional assurance. For nonprofits working only with aggregate metrics, this distinction matters less.
Choose Fabi.ai if your nonprofit:
- Has data in HubSpot, Salesforce, or a database
- Has at least one data-savvy team member
- Needs recurring automated report delivery
- Requires SOC 2 compliance for sensitive data
- Can invest 1-3 months in setup for long-term payoff
Choose Polymer Search if your nonprofit:
- Manages data primarily in spreadsheets or Google Sheets
- Has no technical staff but needs visual reporting
- Has an immediate deadline for a shareable dashboard
- Has a $10-$50/month budget with no room for negotiation
- Works only with single-source, non-sensitive data
It is also worth noting that these tools are not mutually exclusive. A nonprofit could use Polymer Search for quick, non-technical reporting by program staff, while a data-literate administrator uses Fabi.ai for the deeper analysis that informs strategic decisions. If budget allows both, they complement rather than compete with each other. For organizations that need to choose one, the decision tree above will guide you to the right starting point. You can also explore our comparison of Supaboard.ai vs Metabase for other data analysis options, or read about Pane vs Rows for AI-native spreadsheet tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for nonprofits: Fabi.ai or Polymer Search?
It depends on your team's technical capacity. Fabi.ai is better for nonprofits with a data-savvy staff member who can leverage SQL or Python for complex, multi-source analysis. Polymer Search is better for small nonprofits with no technical expertise that need instant dashboards from spreadsheets within minutes of setup.
Does Fabi.ai offer a nonprofit discount?
Yes. Fabi.ai explicitly states that 501(c) organizations and educational institutions can contact [email protected] to discuss discount eligibility. The exact discount rate is not published publicly and requires direct negotiation with their team.
Does Polymer Search offer a nonprofit discount?
No documented nonprofit discount program exists for Polymer Search as of early 2026. However, their Basic plan starts at $10/month (or less with annual billing), which provides an accessible entry point for budget-constrained nonprofits without needing a special discount.
Can Fabi.ai connect to Salesforce and HubSpot?
Yes. Fabi.ai has live, active connectors for both Salesforce and HubSpot. Polymer Search lists both platforms as 'coming soon' and they are not yet available as of early 2026.
How much does Fabi.ai cost for a small nonprofit team?
Fabi.ai's Team plan starts at $50/seat/month with a minimum of 4 seats ($200/month minimum before any discount). The Builder plan is $39/seat/month for individuals. Nonprofits can contact Fabi.ai for 501(c) discount pricing, and a free Starter plan with 25 AI requests/month is available for evaluation.
Is Polymer Search secure enough for sensitive nonprofit data?
Polymer Search uses standard encryption and cloud security practices but does not publicly advertise SOC 2 Type 2 compliance or HIPAA certification. For nonprofits handling sensitive beneficiary data, Fabi.ai's SOC 2 Type 2 certification provides stronger assurance. Polymer is acceptable for nonprofits working with non-sensitive, aggregated data.
Can I automate reports with Fabi.ai?
Yes. Fabi.ai's Smartbooks and workflow feature allow you to schedule analyses to run automatically and deliver results to Slack, email, or Google Sheets. This is ideal for recurring weekly or monthly reports delivered to leadership or board members without manual intervention.
Which tool is better for grant reporting?
Fabi.ai is better for complex grant reporting that requires combining program outcome data with financial data from multiple sources. Polymer Search works well for simpler grant reports where all data is already in a spreadsheet or Google Sheets format.
How long does it take to get started with each tool?
Polymer Search is the fastest: upload a CSV and have a working dashboard in under two minutes. Fabi.ai requires connecting data sources and learning the Analyst Agent, typically 1-3 hours for initial setup and several weeks to reach full productivity. Both offer free trials for evaluation.
Can I use both tools together?
Yes. Polymer Search and Fabi.ai are not mutually exclusive. A nonprofit could use Polymer Search for quick visual reporting by program staff, while a data-literate administrator uses Fabi.ai for deeper analysis. They complement different use cases and team skill levels within the same organization.
Getting Started with Your Choice
Getting Started with Fabi.ai
- 1Sign up for the free Starter plan to explore the interface without commitment
- 2Connect your most used data source (Google Sheets or Airtable for the simplest start)
- 3Ask the Analyst Agent one or two questions about your data to see its capabilities
- 4Contact [email protected] to apply for the 501(c) nonprofit discount before upgrading
- 5Build your first Smartbook for a recurring report and set up automated delivery
Getting Started with Polymer Search
- 1Sign up for the free trial, no credit card required to start
- 2Upload a program outcomes or donor tracking spreadsheet as your first dataset
- 3Explore the auto-generated dashboard and customize the charts and filters
- 4Apply your organization's brand colors and share the link with a colleague or funder
- 5If satisfied, subscribe to the Basic ($10/month) or Starter plan for live connector access
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No-code dashboards vs conversational data analysis
Still Not Sure Which Tool Fits Your Nonprofit?
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