How LegacyLink compares.
Most established alumni platforms (Almabase, Graduway/Gravyty, Hivebrite, AlumNet) were built for North American universities with seven-figure development budgets. We built LegacyLink for South African schools — WhatsApp-first, POPIA-native, and self-funding from day one.
Comparison based on publicly listed pricing, vendor websites and analyst notes (Capterra, G2, vendor case studies) as of 2026. Competitor pricing varies by institution size.
| Capability | LegacyLink | Almabase | Graduway / Gravyty | Hivebrite | Email + spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to school (year 1) | R0 — success-fee model | USD 8k–25k/yr | USD 12k–40k/yr | USD 6k–20k/yr | R0 (staff time only) |
| Setup fee | R0 (was R15k, now waived) | USD 3k–10k | USD 5k–15k | USD 2k–8k | — |
| Revenue share to school | 30/40/50% (earned) | ||||
| Affordable on-ramp for new leavers | R45/mo Starter, years 1–3 (90 days free) | ||||
| Guaranteed minimum income | R25 / verified alumnus / year | ||||
| Bursary pool auto-funded | 10% of every Rand, ring-fenced | ||||
| WhatsApp magic-link sign-in | |||||
| 60-second onboarding wizard | |||||
| Gamified profile completeness | |||||
| WhatsApp-first engagement | |||||
| Built-in mentorship matching | |||||
| Events + RSVP + ticketing | |||||
| Jobs & internships board | |||||
| Corporate sponsor marketplace | |||||
| Recruitment-fee revenue share | |||||
| POPIA-native (SA-hosted option) | |||||
| Multi-tenant white-label per school | |||||
| Mobile-first design (low data) | |||||
| Dedicated Alumni Success Manager | |||||
| Pilot before commitment | 3-month, no cost | — | |||
| Pricing transparency (public) | — | ||||
| Time to first event | < 30 days | 60–90 days | 90–120 days | 60–90 days | Days, but no scale |
Why a built-for-SA platform wins
94% of SA internet users are on WhatsApp daily. Email-first platforms average 15–20% open rates; our WhatsApp journeys average 62%+ response.
Schools remain the data controller. SA hosting, 72-hour breach SLA, and a built-in DPA — not a US-style Privacy Shield retrofit.
Almabase, Graduway and Hivebrite are line-items on the school budget. LegacyLink is a line-item on the income statement.
See it for yourself.
Try the live sandbox seeded with a real South African school, or skip the demo and start a 3-month trial.