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
- Most charities need one system of record for donors, gifts and communication. A nonprofit CRM covers that, and a fundraising platform alone usually does not.
- Bloomerang is the one tool here where we could confirm a current list price: $125 a month, billed annually, with unlimited users included. For the other tools, check the vendor's pricing page, because many sell by quote or by record count.
- Zeffy and Givebutter are the lowest-cost route for a small charity, but they are fundraising platforms first. Their donor management is lighter than a full CRM.
- Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT and DonorPerfect suit larger or more complex operations. Little Green Light and CiviCRM suit teams that value simplicity or control over polish.
- The real cost of switching is data migration and staff time. Ask every vendor how you export your records before you sign.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Bloomerang | Donor retention for small and mid-size charities | $125 per month (billed annually), unlimited users | No |
 Neon One (Neon CRM) | Charities running memberships, events and donations together | See website | See website |
 DonorPerfect | Established charities wanting deep reporting and add-ons | See website | See website |
 Little Green Light | Small teams that want a simple donor database | See website | See website |
 Givebutter | Online fundraising and events on a tight budget | See website | Yes |
 Zeffy | Very small charities that want to avoid platform fees | See website | Yes |
 Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT | Large charities with major gifts programs | See website | No |
 CiviCRM | Tech-capable teams that want open source control | See website | Yes (software is free, hosting and support are not) |
Is your product missing or out of date?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.
The best software for managing a charity
#1Bloomerang
Best for: Donor retention for small and mid-size charities4.6/5 on
G2 (914 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit bloomerang.com
Starting price$125 per month (billed annually), unlimited users
Free planNo
Bloomerang is a good first stop for a charity that has outgrown spreadsheets and wants a proper donor database without a long implementation. The vendor lists it from $125 a month, billed annually, with unlimited users included. Flat user access matters if your volunteers and part-time staff all need to log in.
What stands out is the focus on keeping donors, not only recording gifts. The profile view puts a supporter's history and interactions in one place, and the vendor says free nightly NCOA updates keep mailing addresses accurate. That is a practical saving for any charity that sends appeals by post.
The catch is price growth. The starting figure is for the entry tier, and larger databases or extra modules cost more, so ask for a written quote based on your record count before committing. Check the contract length too.
What we like- Unlimited users on the listed price
- Built around donor retention and engagement
- Nightly address updates (NCOA) mentioned by the vendor
Watch out for- Entry price is higher than free platforms
- Costs rise as your database and feature needs grow
#2
Neon One (Neon CRM)
Best for: Charities running memberships, events and donations together
Visit neonone.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
Neon CRM is a fit when your charity does more than collect gifts. If you sell event tickets, run a membership program, track volunteers and also take donations, having these in one record per person saves a lot of cross-checking.
The strength is breadth. A single supporter profile can show what someone gave, which events they attended and whether they renew a membership. That helps a development director who wants to see the whole relationship before making an ask.
The honest downside is setup effort. Breadth means more screens and settings, and a small team with one part-time administrator may find a simpler tool easier to adopt. Plan some weeks for data import, form building and staff training.
What we like- Covers donations, memberships, events and volunteers in one system
- Suits organizations with several revenue streams
- Large nonprofit user community
Watch out for- More to configure than a basic donor database
- Pricing needs a quote or a visit to the vendor page
#3DonorPerfect
Best for: Established charities wanting deep reporting and add-ons4.4/5 on
G2 (566 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit donorperfect.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
DonorPerfect has been around for a long time, and it shows in the depth of its fundraising tools. Charities with planned giving, pledges, recurring gifts and grant tracking often end up here because the system handles unglamorous but necessary bookkeeping.
It works best for an organization with at least one dedicated fundraiser or data person. That person can use the reporting and customization to build the exact views a board or executive director asks for.
Be careful with the quote. Base subscriptions are often only part of the price once you add online giving, email or other modules, so ask for the full package cost, and confirm what support and training are included.
What we like- Long track record in fundraising software
- Wide range of add-on modules
- Flexible reporting for development staff
Watch out for- Add-ons can push the total cost up
- Interface can feel dated to new users
#4Little Green Light
Best for: Small teams that want a simple donor database4.4/5 on
G2 (63 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit littlegreenlight.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
Little Green Light is the plain, practical option. It is aimed at small charities that mainly need to record gifts, send acknowledgments, segment lists and report to a board, without a heavy platform around those tasks.
The appeal is simplicity. A new treasurer or volunteer can usually get oriented quickly, and you are not paying for features you will never switch on.
Its limits show up as you grow. If you want built-in event ticketing, advanced marketing automation or complex membership rules, you will probably connect other tools or move to a larger system later. Check the current pricing tiers on the vendor's site, since they depend on the size of your database.
What we like- Straightforward, focused on donor records and gift tracking
- Easy for a small team to learn
- Low overhead
Watch out for- Fewer built-in event and marketing tools
- Less suited to large or complex programs
#5Givebutter
Best for: Online fundraising and events on a tight budget4.7/5 on
G2 (2,256 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit givebutter.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Givebutter suits a charity whose fundraising mostly happens online: donation pages, campaigns, peer-to-peer drives, ticketed events and auctions. A small team can launch a campaign in an afternoon, which is the main reason it appears on so many nonprofit shortlists.
The platform includes contact records, so you are not left with nothing for donor tracking. For many small charities that is enough for the first year or two.
Where it falls short is depth. If your fundraising involves major gift pipelines, detailed pledge schedules or extensive reporting, a dedicated CRM will serve you better. Also read how the tip model works, since the donor can adjust or remove the tip and your net revenue depends on those choices.
What we like- Free to start with a contributor-tip model
- Donation pages, peer-to-peer and event tools in one place
- Quick to launch a campaign
Watch out for- Donor management is lighter than a full CRM
- Processing fees still apply
#6Zeffy
Best for: Very small charities that want to avoid platform fees4.9/5 on
G2 (3,373 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit zeffy.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Zeffy is built for the charity with a tiny budget, often run by volunteers. It offers donation forms, event ticketing, membership sales and similar fundraising tools without a subscription charge, relying on donors choosing to add an optional contribution at checkout.
For a parent association, a small community group or a young charity, that cost structure removes a major barrier. You can run a gala or a membership drive without asking the board to approve software spend first.
The tradeoff is that Zeffy is mainly a collection tool. Its donor management does not match a purpose-built CRM, and your income from the optional contribution is not guaranteed. Review how it behaves on your own forms before relying on it for budget planning.
What we like- Free for nonprofits, funded by optional donor contributions
- Covers donation forms, ticketing and memberships
- Low barrier for volunteer-run groups
Watch out for- Not a full donor CRM
- Revenue depends on donors accepting the optional contribution
#7Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT
Best for: Large charities with major gifts programs3.9/5 on
G2 (644 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit blackbaud.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Raiser's Edge NXT is the heavyweight in this list. Hospitals, universities, large foundations and national charities often use it because major gift officers, event teams and finance staff can work from the same data.
If you have a portfolio of donors with long relationships, wealth screening, and gift officers who need a structured pipeline, this level of depth is useful. Blackbaud also sells related products for payments, grants and finance, which suits organizations that want one vendor.
For a small charity it is usually too much. Pricing is by quote, and projects commonly involve consultants and a longer rollout. Expect more procurement, more training and a longer contract conversation than with the lighter tools above.
What we like- Deep fundraising and prospect management
- Large ecosystem of partners and consultants
- Established vendor with broad nonprofit focus
Watch out for- Quote-based and generally priced for larger budgets
- Implementation takes planning and often outside help
#8
CiviCRM
Best for: Tech-capable teams that want open source control
Visit civicrm.org
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes (software is free, hosting and support are not)
CiviCRM is different from everything else here because it is open source. You do not pay a license fee for the software, and you control your data and how the system is configured. Charities with an in-house developer or a trusted consultant often value that independence.
It handles contacts, contributions, events, memberships and mailings, and it integrates with several website systems. That can be handy if your charity already runs its site on one of them.
The catch is that free software is not free to run. You need hosting, setup, upgrades and someone who can troubleshoot. For a team without technical support, a paid SaaS product will usually cost less in real terms once you count time.
What we like- Open source with no license fee
- Flexible data model you can adapt
- Works with common website platforms such as WordPress and Drupal
Watch out for- Needs technical help or a hosting partner
- User experience takes more effort to learn
How we chose
We built this list from public information, not hands-on testing. We looked at vendor websites and pricing pages, product documentation, feature lists, integrations, and public reviews on sites such as G2, Capterra and Reddit. We also considered company-size fit, so the list includes tools for tiny volunteer-run groups and tools for large national charities.
We only show a price when we could confirm it from the vendor. Where pricing is quote-based, depends on record count, or we could not verify it, the table says "See website". Prices and plans change often, so check the vendor's page and get a written quote before you decide.
How to pick the right charity software for your size
Start with the work you actually do
Write down the five tasks that eat the most staff time. For many charities these are recording gifts, sending receipts, running events, managing members and reporting to a board or funder. Match those tasks against the tools above before you look at price.
A charity that mainly sells event tickets has different needs from one that cultivates major donors. Zeffy or Givebutter may be enough for the first. The second will likely need a CRM such as Bloomerang, DonorPerfect or Raiser's Edge NXT.
Count the full cost
Subscription price is only one line. Add payment processing fees, onboarding or data migration charges, training, add-on modules and any minimum contract length. Free tools that rely on donor tips can reduce your costs, but they make revenue depend on donor choices.
Ask whether pricing is per user or flat. Flat or unlimited-user pricing, like Bloomerang's listed plan, is easier to plan around if volunteers need access.
Check data export and migration
Before you sign, ask how to export your donors, gifts, notes and attachments in a standard format such as CSV. A tool that makes it hard to leave will cost you later. Also ask what the vendor does to help you import your existing spreadsheet or old database.
Plan for security and compliance
Donor data is sensitive. Ask about user permissions, audit trails, backups and how card payments are handled. If you operate in several states or countries, confirm that receipting meets the rules that apply to you, and ask your accountant what records they need.
Run a short trial with real data
Import a small sample of real records and run the three tasks you do most. Let the person who will use the tool daily make the first judgment. A tool that looks good in a demo can frustrate a part-time administrator within a week.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best software for managing a charity?
There is no single winner. Bloomerang and Neon One fit many small and mid-size charities, Zeffy and Givebutter suit tight budgets, and Raiser's Edge NXT suits large programs. Choose by the work you do, your staff capacity and the full cost.
Is there free software for managing a charity?
Yes. Zeffy and Givebutter are free to start and rely on optional donor contributions, and CiviCRM has no license fee. Free still has costs, such as payment processing, hosting or limits on donor management, so read the terms.
Do I need a CRM or just a fundraising platform?
A fundraising platform collects money. A CRM records the relationship over time, including gifts, notes, communications and follow-ups. If you have more than a few hundred donors or want to improve repeat giving, a CRM becomes worth it.
How long does it take to set up charity software?
A simple tool can be running in days if your data is clean. Larger systems such as Raiser's Edge NXT or a customized CiviCRM can take weeks or months. Cleaning your spreadsheet before import saves time with every option.
How much should a small charity budget for software?
It varies widely. Free options cost nothing up front, while Bloomerang lists a starting price of $125 per month billed annually. Ask each vendor for a full quote that includes onboarding, add-ons and processing fees.
Sources we checked (1)
- https://bloomerang.com/crm
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.