How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT tops fundraising rankings for large nonprofits with complex operations, while Givebutter and Zeffy lead for small organizations that need free or low-cost starts.
- Bloomerang is built around donor retention, with engagement scoring and retention dashboards, starting with CRM from $125 per month billed annually.
- Zeffy is genuinely free, funded by optional donor tips, with automatic tax receipts and no platform fee.
- Processing fees matter as much as subscriptions: Donorbox charges 2.95 percent on its free tier, Givebutter charges 3 percent plus card fees with tips off, and card processing adds about 2.2 to 2.9 percent plus 30 cents.
Quick comparison
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The best nonprofit software
#1Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT
Best for: Large nonprofits, complex operations3.9/5 on
G2 (644 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit blackbaud.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT tops a 2026 fundraising software ranking with a 9.3 score, offering full constituent management for large nonprofits with complex fundraising operations. Donor intelligence, workflows, analytics and opportunity records with five prospect stages support major gift programs and multi-channel campaigns at scale.
Pricing is custom quote and not published, premium AI features need a higher package such as Complete, and implementation effort is significant. For a large nonprofit whose fundraising complexity demands an enterprise CRM, Raiser's Edge NXT is the category standard.
What we like- Top-ranked fundraising software in a 2026 comparison with a 9.3 score
- Full constituent management
- Donor intelligence, workflows and analytics
- Opportunity records with five prospect stages
Watch out for- Custom quote pricing, not published
- Premium AI features need a higher package such as Complete
- Implementation effort for large organizations
#2Givebutter
Best for: Modern campaigns and events4.7/5 on
G2 (2,256 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit givebutter.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Givebutter is the modern campaign pick, with a free core platform scoring 9.2 in a 2026 fundraising ranking, covering giving, events, CRM, email and optional advanced automation. The pricing model is donor-friendly: 0 percent platform fee with tips on, and Plus from $29 per month for advanced features.
With tips off, fees run 3 percent plus 2.9 percent plus 30 cents in card fees, and QuickBooks Online sync sits on Plus. For a fundraising-first organization that wants modern campaigns and events on a free platform, Givebutter is the best starting point.
What we like- Free core platform with a 9.2 score in a 2026 ranking
- 0 percent platform fee with tips on
- Free built-in CRM
- Campaigns, events, email and optional advanced automation
- Plus from $29 per month
Watch out for- 3 percent plus 2.9 percent plus 30 cents card fees with tips off
- QuickBooks Online only on Plus
- Advanced automation costs extra
#3Zeffy
Best for: Zero fees, period4.9/5 on
G2 (3,373 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit zeffy.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Zeffy is the zero-fee pick, genuinely free with no platform fee, funded by optional donor tips, and scoring 9.0 in a 2026 fundraising ranking. Automatic tax receipts and simple setup make it the easiest free fundraising tool for small nonprofits that cannot justify a subscription.
Advanced CRM features are thinner than Bloomerang's or Blackbaud's, failed payment retries run 4 to 5 times about 4 days apart before a plan cancels, and the partner ecosystem is smaller. For a nonprofit that wants zero fees, period, Zeffy is the clearest choice.
What we like- Genuinely free with no platform fee
- Funded by optional donor tips
- Automatic tax receipts
- 9.0 score in a 2026 ranking
- Simple setup
Watch out for- Fewer advanced CRM features than Bloomerang or Blackbaud
- Retries run 4 to 5 times about 4 days apart, then the plan cancels if all fail
- Smaller partner ecosystem
#4Donorbox
Best for: Great donation forms fast4.6/5 on
G2 (1,515 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit donorbox.org
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Donorbox is the donation form pick, with the cleanest forms in the category that embed easily on any website, friction-free recurring giving setup, and a donor portal for updates. Integrations cover Salesforce, Blackbaud, HubSpot, Bloomerang and Little Green Light, and it scores 9.0 in a 2026 fundraising ranking.
The free tier carries a 2.95 percent platform fee, Pro runs $150 per month with 1.75 percent, and donor management depth is shallower than dedicated CRMs, so organizations with complex segmentation will outgrow it. For a nonprofit that needs great donation forms fast, Donorbox is the best front door.
What we like- Cleanest donation forms in the category
- Free tier with recurring giving
- Donor portal for updates
- Salesforce, Blackbaud, HubSpot, Bloomerang and Little Green Light integrations
- 9.0 score in a 2026 ranking
Watch out for- Free tier carries a 2.95 percent platform fee
- Pro at $150 per month with 1.75 percent
- Donor management depth is shallower than dedicated CRMs
Starting price$125 per month
Free planNo
Bloomerang is built to fight the statistic that most first-time donors never give again, with engagement scoring that flags at-risk donors, retention dashboards that show the board where leaks are, and automated communications that keep thank-yous and follow-ups from slipping. The whole product orients around relationships rather than transactions, earning 4.6 out of 5 on G2 from 914 reviews.
CRM starts from $125 per month billed annually, Fundraising from $40 per month, and the Giving Platform bundle with Prospect AI runs $242 per month, while one October 2026 check found wealth screening not listed in any plan. There is no free tier. For a mid-size nonprofit whose growth depends on keeping donors, Bloomerang's retention lens is the reason to buy.
What we like- Retention-focused dashboards and engagement scoring
- 4.6 out of 5 on G2 from 914 reviews
- Automated communications and journeys
- CRM from $125 per month and Fundraising from $40 per month billed annually
Watch out for- No free tier
- Giving Platform bundle with Prospect AI runs $242 per month
- Wealth screening is not listed in any plan in one October 2026 check
- Can outgrow very small budgets
#6DonorPerfect
Best for: Complex multi-channel fundraising4.4/5 on
G2 (566 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit donorperfect.com
Starting price$99 per month
Free planNo
DonorPerfect suits established mid-size nonprofits that prefer a mature, no-surprises platform, with deep features built over more than two decades: strong pledge management, granular standard reports on campaign performance, donor segmentation and recurring gift status, plus cultivation plans with up to 60 custom moves. The card updater at $0.99 per update helps recurring revenue, and pricing starts from $99 per month.
The interface still looks like 2015 in one review, navigation frustrates staff used to modern software, Moves Management sits only on Plus and Pro, and the public AI roadmap has been quiet relative to competitors. For reliable, feature-complete fundraising with strong support, DonorPerfect is a steady pick.
What we like- Mature platform built over two decades
- Strong pledge management and granular reports
- Cultivation plans with up to 60 custom moves
- Card updater at $0.99 per update
- From $99 per month
Watch out for- Interface still looks like 2015 in one review
- Navigation frustrates staff used to modern software
- Moves Management only on Plus and Pro
- AI roadmap has been quiet
Starting price$99 per month
Free planNo
Neon CRM, also listed as Neon One, suits growing nonprofits that need a scalable multi-program CRM, unifying donor and event records with donor management, fundraising, communications and workflows in one system. Starting pricing is listed at $99 per month in donor engagement guides, making it comparable to DonorPerfect for mid-size organizations.
Pricing is not publicly available in some guides, there is no free tier, and event features are CRM-native rather than specialist-grade like GiveSmart's auction tools. For a growing nonprofit that wants one CRM across programs, Neon CRM is a strong scalable choice.
What we like- Unified donor and event records
- Donor management, fundraising, communications and workflows in one CRM
- $99 per month starting price in donor engagement guides
- Scalable for growing nonprofits
Watch out for- Pricing not publicly available in some guides
- No free tier
- Event features are CRM-native rather than specialist-grade
Starting price$45 per month
Free planNo
Little Green Light is the small nonprofit pick for organizations moving off spreadsheets, offering donor tracking and events at $45 per month up to 2,500 records, with native form mapping into the CRM. For a small team that needs real donor records without enterprise complexity or price, it is the most approachable CRM here.
There is no free tier beyond a trial, staff must resubmit unpaid installments after card updates, and ACH and PayPal plans cannot be updated, so donors must start a new gift. For a small nonprofit taking its first step beyond spreadsheets, Little Green Light is the best value CRM.
What we like- $45 per month up to 2,500 records
- Native form mapping into the CRM
- Good for small nonprofits moving off spreadsheets
- Simple donor tracking and events
Watch out for- No free tier, only a free trial
- Staff must resubmit unpaid installments after card updates
- ACH and PayPal plans cannot be updated, so donors must start a new gift
How we chose
We ranked nonprofit software by organization size first, since a large nonprofit and a small one need different tools, then by fundraising strength, retention features, fee transparency and published pricing. Blackbaud leads large organizations with a 9.3 ranking score, Givebutter leads modern campaigns with a 9.2 score and free core, Zeffy leads zero-fee fundraising, and Bloomerang leads retention with a 4.6 out of 5 G2 rating.
We also weighed total cost honestly: subscriptions range from free to custom enterprise quotes, while processing fees add 2.2 to 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per card transaction, plus platform fees from 0 to 2.95 percent depending on tool and tier. Confirm processing fees in writing, since published pricing pages often omit them. No tool here was used hands-on for a live fundraising campaign for this guide.
What to check before you commit
Start with your fundraising model, not the feature list. If most giving is online and straightforward, Donorbox or Givebutter covers it. If retention is the problem, Bloomerang's dashboards matter most. If you run complex multi-channel campaigns, DonorPerfect or Blackbaud fits better. If budget is zero, Zeffy is the answer.
Then test the workflows your team actually needs: donation forms, recurring gift updates, failed payment handling, tax receipts and reporting. Data quality and follow-up matter more than feature counts, and a demo using your own donor segments reveals fit faster than any ranking. Finally, confirm the total cost including processing fees, contact limits, implementation and subscription terms before signing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best nonprofit software overall?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT tops fundraising rankings for large nonprofits with complex operations. Givebutter is the best modern free platform for campaigns and events, Zeffy is the best zero-fee option, and Bloomerang is the best retention-focused CRM.
Is there free nonprofit software?
Yes. Zeffy is genuinely free with no platform fee, funded by optional donor tips. Givebutter offers a free core platform with 0 percent platform fee when tips are on, and Donorbox offers a free tier with a 2.95 percent platform fee.
How much does nonprofit software cost?
Subscriptions range from free for Zeffy and Givebutter core to $29 per month for Givebutter Plus, $40 per month for Bloomerang Fundraising, $45 per month for Little Green Light, $99 per month for DonorPerfect and Neon CRM, $125 per month for Bloomerang CRM, and $150 per month for Donorbox Pro, with Blackbaud custom quoted. Add card processing near 2.2 to 2.9 percent plus 30 cents.
What is the difference between a donation form tool and a nonprofit CRM?
A donation form tool like Donorbox collects gifts quickly with clean forms, while a nonprofit CRM like Bloomerang, DonorPerfect or Blackbaud manages donor relationships, segmentation, retention, reporting and multi-channel campaigns. Many organizations use both: a form tool for the front door and a CRM for the back office.
Does nonprofit software handle recurring donations?
Yes, with differences in failed payment handling. Bloomerang retries every other day for 7 days with staff alerts, Zeffy retries 4 to 5 times about 4 days apart, Givebutter sends expiring-card emails, and Little Green Light requires staff to resubmit unpaid installments after card updates. Check the retry rules before choosing.
Can small nonprofits afford nonprofit software?
Yes. Zeffy is free, Givebutter core is free, Donorbox starts free, and Little Green Light costs $45 per month up to 2,500 records. Start free or low-cost, and upgrade only when donor volume or complexity demands a full CRM.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Bloomerang
Neon CRM
Little Green Light