TapVoter vs ElectionRunner
Election Runner is free for up to 20 voters, then charges $19 per election up to 100 voters and $36 up to 300. Above 300 voters they do not publish a price. TapVoter is free for up to 10,000 voters per election, with unlimited elections.
Every Election Runner figure on this page is taken from their own site and was last checked on 24 July 2026. Sources are linked at the foot of the page. Where Election Runner does not publish something, we say so rather than estimate.
No Per-Election Fee
Election Runner bills each election you launch above 20 voters. TapVoter charges nothing, for any number of elections up to 10,000 voters each.
30 Languages
TapVoter ballots run in 30 languages, including right-to-left scripts. Election Runner does not publish a language count.
Anonymous Ballots
TapVoter has an anonymous ballot mode and a public transparency log listing every ballot by receipt code. Election Runner's public documentation does not address ballot secrecy.
Is Election Runner anonymous?
Election Runner's public feature documentation does not address ballot secrecy. As of 24 July 2026, their features page describes unique Voter IDs and Voter Keys, 256-bit SSL encryption, and single-vote enforcement, but makes no statement about whether a completed ballot can be linked back to the voter who cast it. If ballot secrecy matters for your election, ask them directly before you buy — do not assume it either way from their marketing.
TapVoter states its position plainly: elections can be run in anonymous ballot mode, where the ballot record carries no voter identifier — no key, name, email or IP. Every election also produces a public transparency log listing each ballot by receipt code, so a voter can confirm their own ballot was recorded without the log naming anyone. Both are on the free tier. And to hold ourselves to the same standard we apply above: TapVoter's voter exports deliberately omit voting times, so the ballot log cannot be joined against them — though an administrator can still see roughly when each person voted. Other voters and the public cannot. Full detail on how ballot secrecy works.
“We were using Election Runner but found the process cumbersome, especially bulk imports. We prefer TapVoter by leaps and bounds. TapVoter supported our 4,000+ member election with remarkable responsiveness. When I flagged issues with the bulk import process, they overhauled the CSV system based on my feedback. The support feels less like a ticket queue and more like a collaboration.”
Published Pricing, Per Election
Election Runner's own published rates, checked 24 July 2026
| Voters in the election | TapVoter Free, up to 10,000 voters | Election Runner Per election launched |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20 | $0 | $0 |
| Up to 100 | $0 | $19 |
| Up to 300 | $0 | $36 |
| Above 300 | $0 | Not published |
Election Runner publishes prices up to 300 voters only. For larger elections their pricing page directs you to a cost calculator rather than a published rate, so we do not quote a figure here — ask them for a quote and compare it against $0.
Election Runner also offers unpublished subscription pricing for K-12 and higher education, available on request. Prices checked 24 July 2026.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | TapVoter Free Forever | Election Runner From $19 per election |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier | Free for up to 10,000 voters, unlimited elections | Free for up to 20 voters |
| Published price — 100 voters | $0 | $19 per election |
| Published price — 300 voters | $0 | $36 per election |
| Published price — above 300 voters | $0, up to 10,000 voters | Not statedNo price published at this size |
| Billing model | No charge for elections | Pay per election launch, no contracts |
| Credit card required | Never required | Required to launch above 20 voters |
| Voting Methods | ||
| Ranked choice (IRV) | Included free | Not statedNot named in their public documentation |
| STAR voting | Included free | Not statedNot named in their public documentation |
| Approval voting | Included free | Not statedNot named in their public documentation |
| Multi-winner | Included free | Not statedNot named in their public documentation |
| Write-in candidates | Pro perk (Direct, Approval, Multi-Winner) | Not statedNot named in their public documentation |
| Ballot Secrecy & Auditability | ||
| Anonymous / secret ballot | Optional anonymous ballot mode | Not statedBallot secrecy is not addressed on their public site |
| Public transparency log | Public log of every ballot by receipt code | Not statedNot described publicly |
| Duplicate vote prevention | One vote per voter key | States a single vote per person |
| Security & Access | ||
| Unique voter credentials | 9-character voter keys | Unique Voter ID and Voter Key |
| Encryption in transit | HTTPS/TLS | States 256-bit SSL encryption |
| Published accessibility conformance | Not statedResponsive design; no published conformance statement | States Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 AA compliance |
| Platform & Reach | ||
| Native mobile apps | Web app (installable PWA), no native apps | iOS and Android apps |
| Languages | 30 languages, including RTL | Not statedNo language count published |
| Bulk voter import | CSV import | Spreadsheet / CSV import |
| Custom branding | Colours, logo, and interface labels | Logo and colour personalisation |
| Results & charts | Real-time results with charts | Automatic tabulation with charts |
| Support | ||
| Support channel | Free email support | States an 8-minute average response in business hours |
| Education pricing | Free for everyone, schools included | Not statedK-12 / Higher Ed subscription pricing on request |
Why Pay More for the Same Features?
No per-election fee
Election Runner bills each election you launch above 20 voters — $19 up to 100 voters, $36 up to 300, and a quoted figure above that. If you vote more than once a year, that recurs. TapVoter does not charge for elections at all.
30 languages, including RTL
TapVoter ballots run in 30 languages with full right-to-left support, so a single election can serve a multilingual membership. Election Runner does not publish a language count.
Predictable for small budgets
Small nonprofits, schools, and community groups often cannot commit to a per-vote cost they have to re-approve each time. TapVoter is free up to 10,000 voters, so the budget line does not change with how often you vote.
Unlimited Elections
Run as many elections as you need without worrying about costs. Test elections, practice runs, and multiple votes throughout the year - all completely free with TapVoter.
Perfect For These Organizations
Schools & Universities
Student government, class elections, and academic awards without budget concerns.
A 300-voter election: $36 with Election Runner, $0 here
Nonprofits & Charities
Board elections and member votes without taking funds from your mission.
Keep 100% of donations for your cause
Community Organizations
HOAs, clubs, and local groups can vote professionally without membership fee increases.
No need to raise dues for voting costs
What it actually costs
Worked only from Election Runner's published rates. We have left out elections above 300 voters, because they publish no price at that size.
Club or chapter, 100 members:
• One annual election: $19 with Election Runner vs $0 with TapVoter
• Quarterly votes, four a year: $76 with Election Runner vs $0 with TapVoter
Association or student body, 300 members:
• One annual election: $36 with Election Runner vs $0 with TapVoter
• Quarterly votes, four a year: $144 with Election Runner vs $0 with TapVoter
Above 300 members:
Election Runner does not publish a rate at this size, so we cannot show you a comparison — and we are not going to invent one. Ask them for a quote. TapVoter stays at $0 up to 10,000 voters.
Plus: polls, quizzes, and surveys included
Election Runner's public site markets elections only. TapVoter also includes free quick polls, auto-scored quizzes, and multi-question surveys with branching logic, in the same platform. One Pro subscription ($4.99/mo or $49/yr) unlocks advanced features across all four products.
Stop Overpaying for Elections
Get all the professional features you need without the enterprise price tag. Join thousands of smart organizations saving money with TapVoter.
No credit card • No trial period • Just free forever
Learn more about TapVoter
Election Runner: common questions
Is Election Runner free?
Partly. Election Runner is free for elections with up to 20 voters, and no credit card is required at that size. Above 20 voters it charges per election launched: $19 up to 100 voters and $36 up to 300. TapVoter is free for up to 10,000 voters per election, with no limit on how many elections you run.
How much does Election Runner cost?
Election Runner publishes three rates: $0 for up to 20 voters, $19 for up to 100, and $36 for up to 300, charged per election you launch rather than as a subscription. Above 300 voters they publish no price and direct you to a cost calculator instead. They also offer unpublished subscription pricing for K-12 and higher education on request.
Is Election Runner anonymous?
Election Runner’s public feature documentation does not address ballot secrecy. As of 24 July 2026 their features page describes unique Voter IDs and Voter Keys, 256-bit SSL encryption and single-vote enforcement, but makes no statement about whether a cast ballot can be linked back to the voter. If anonymity matters to your election, ask them directly. TapVoter offers an explicit anonymous ballot mode plus a public transparency log listing every ballot by receipt code, both on the free tier. To be equally plain about our own limits: voter exports omit voting times so the two files cannot be joined, but an administrator can still see roughly when each person voted in the admin interface.
Does Election Runner support ranked choice voting?
Election Runner does not name any voting method on its public features page, including ranked choice. TapVoter includes five methods free: Single Choice, Ranked Choice (instant runoff), STAR, Approval and Multi-Winner.
What is the best free alternative to Election Runner?
TapVoter runs elections free for up to 10,000 voters with five voting methods, 30 languages, anonymous ballots and a public audit log, with no per-election fee and no card required. Election Runner has strengths TapVoter does not match: it publishes Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility conformance, offers native iOS and Android apps, and advertises an eight-minute average support response in business hours.
Sources and last check
Election Runner's pricing and features on this page were read directly from their own website on 24 July 2026. Where Election Runner does not publish something, this page says so rather than estimating. Prices change — check the source before making a purchasing decision.
- Above 300 voters, Election Runner does not publish a price. Their pricing page directs you to a cost calculator.
- A credit card is only required when launching an election above 20 voters.
- K-12 and Higher Education subscription pricing is available on request and is not published.
TapVoter is not affiliated with or endorsed by Election Runner. Product names are the trademarks of their respective owners.