Surfboard vs Zeck

Board meeting tools can be hugely beneficial, but not all tools are created equal. Finding the one that’s right for you can not only make it easier to build a board deck, but can also make it easier to work with your board and help you unlock real value from your board members and investors.

Surfboard and Zeck each have strengths and drawbacks, which we’ve outlined below to help you decide which one is right for your team.

Key Takeaways

Surfboard vs Zeck: Main feature comparison

The main difference between Surfboard and Zeck is that Zeck is primarily designed to make board meetings more productive, while Surfboard makes it easier to work with your board both during and outside of meetings. Because of this, Surfboard offers a few more features, including tools for expanding your network, managing tasks, and conducting board assessments.

Here’s an overview of the two apps’ features, side by side.

For a more detailed comparison of Surfboard vs Zeck, keep reading.

Both apps offer dynamic tools in a collaborative workspace, but Surfboard makes it easier to work with your board outside of meetings

Both Surfboard and Zeck rethink the traditional board management model, replacing old-school board packets with interactive board websites. Essentially, they make it easier to work with your board, instead of just talking at them. But where Zeck’s app is primarily focused on improving communications around board meetings, Surfboard is designed to improve collaboration across the entire lifecycle of board management—before, during, and after meetings.

Because of this, Surfboard offers more features than Zeck, including company objective tracking, task management, questionnaires and assessments, and networking tools designed to help you connect with potential customers, donors, and investors.

Surfboard and Zeck both eliminate the need to build slide decks

Both apps make it easy to compile pre-meeting materials, automatically turning your agenda into pre-formatted slides. This means you get all the benefits of having a great-looking board deck without having to waste time actually building and formatting one. Both Surfboard and Zeck’s board decks allow you to customize your brand colors and logo, but handle the rest of the visual design for you.

Both apps offer AI-powered tools, but Surfboard AI has a bit more capability

Surfboard and Zeck both leverage AI to automate tedious tasks, including generating board updates, pulling key takeaways from data you share, and helping you optimize your content. But Surfboard AI goes a step further. As an in-app virtual assistant, you can use Surfboard AI for just about anything—finding information in your workspace, sharing bad news with your board, and even pulling action items and key takeaways from meeting minutes. Both apps keep your data secure and confidential, so you never have to worry about sensitive information getting out.

Surfboard provides more self-guided support options, while Zeck offers on-demand support by phone

Surfboard offers an in-depth help center and how-to videos where you can find answers to most of your questions without having to contact support. Zeck provides support over the phone, which is available on-demand. Both apps offer support via email and virtual chat. And both Surfboard and Zeck will build your first deck for you, so getting your workspace up and running is easy.

Both companies offer all-inclusive pricing and free trials

Both Surfboard and Zeck’s pricing is based on a flat fee, which means you don’t have to pay extra for premium features or additional seats. Both companies also offer more affordable plans for nonprofits with smaller budgets. And both companies offer free trials, so you can test them out for yourself and decide which you like better.

Surfboard or Zeck: Which should you choose?

Both Surfboard and Zeck offer useful tools for modernizing board management, but Zeck is focused primarily on board meetings, while Surfboard is designed to simplify the entire lifecycle of board management.