BoardEffect vs Synapse
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BoardEffect
This app provides a secure, paperless boardroom experience for volunteer leaders. Access meeting packets, annotate documents offline, and view contact information. It syncs with a web-based portal for comprehensive board management.
- Paperless boardroom
- Download meeting packets
- Offline annotation
- Contact directory
- Resource library access (iPad)
- Board handbook management
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The Leading Board Portal for Volunteer Leadership Worldwide. Make your boardroom truly paperless. BoardEffect’s iOS App connects to your BoardEffect board portal. The App allows your board members to: - Download meeting packets - Fully annotate meeting materials including “sticky notes,” drawing, highlighting, underlining, and strike-through - Read and annotate meeting packets both online and offline - Print or email their meeting packets from the App (optional) - View the full contact directory including members’ head shots, biographies, and contact details - View files from your BoardEffect portal’s Resource Library (iPad only) - Download and annotate your Board Handbook, including bylaws, policies, and other documents The BoardEffect iOS App is free and works in conjunction with your secure BoardEffect web-based portal. For more information about BoardEffect, contact us at (866) 672-2666.
Synapse
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Synapse-AAN Member Communities is the official, free mobile communication platform for AAN Members. Synapse communities offer opportunities to engage with other AAN members in your areas of interest. Access your communities, start or reply to a discussion, and receive notifications when new conversations in your communities begin.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: BoardEffect at every 2 months against Synapse's every 7 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BoardEffect ships an update every 2 months, Synapse every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BoardEffect | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (48 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 48 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 276 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Diligent Corporation | American Academy of Neurology |
In-app purchases
BoardEffect
No in-app purchases
Synapse
No in-app purchases
