Fundraising software helps nonprofits streamline donation management for their campaigns.
Finding the right fundraising software can be tricky. There are often many options, so it can be tough to find an ideal product for your business. Nonprofit users are not alien to this problem. So how do you find the best options to consider? In this article, we showcase top-rated fundraising software trusted by real users in nonprofit firms.
What features do fundraising tools offer?
The core features of fundraising tools are:
Contribution tracking: View and track the donor contribution history.
Donor management: Track and maintain donor relationships throughout their association with your organization.
Payment processing: Process and record payments, and reconcile transactions.
All the products listed in this report include the core features mentioned above.
Besides these core features, collaboration tools also tend to offer certain common features, which include:
Alumni management
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Campaign management
Dashboard
Event management
Membership management
Pledge management
Recurring giving
What we cover for each product
For each product, we cover the following:
1. How have users rated the featured products on different aspects?
We analyzed 167 reviews across all products to uncover how users perceive these products on parameters such as ease of use, customer support, value for money, and functionality.
2. What do users say about the products?
We’ve included some review excerpts from the trailing year from the reviewers of each of our featured products.
3. How are the products priced?
Pricing models are generally one of the following: flat rate, usage based, per user, or per feature. Also, most of the time, the payment frequency is either one time, per year, or per month.
4. Are the products a good fit for your organization?
Some tools are specifically built for enterprises, while others work perfectly for small or midsize companies. Knowing the typical user base of these five products is another differentiating factor to help decide the right fit for your organization. Additionally, reviewers come from various industries. If a large share of reviewers are from one industry, then it is likely that the product is niche and may not work as well for other industries. On the other hand, if reviewers are spread out across industries, then it is likely that the product is a good fit for users of all industries.
5 top-rated nonprofit fundraising software (listed alphabetically)
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Pricing
Commonly used by
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Examples of the most positive excerpts from reviews about Donorbox:
"For the user, the product is very easy to use, and it was up and running quite quickly. We began to receive donations quickly. Excellent!. Creating Embed Code for us was extremely helpful. It was pretty well designed for ease of setting up."
"I discovered Donorbox when looking for a lowcost online solution for a nonprofit I founded feeding the hungry. It was amazing how much the software completely fit our needs. To earn a living, I develop websites and have recommended and implemented Donorbox in several nonprofits who are incredibly pleased. They like the ability to choose campaigns at will and the intuitive setup and use."
"I LOVE that Donorbox was so easy to set up. And their customer service was so quick to respond, answering the questions I had. Basically, I am a for profit, but I use Donorbox for general support of my media production content. Patreon supporters wanted a backup, and Donorbox offers that, and also offers the ability to get onetime payments for supporters."
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Pricing
Commonly used by
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Examples of the most positive excerpts from reviews about Eleo:
"This product is exceptional for any size nonprofit. The donor management features are fantastic. These features help to increase donor retention and repeat contributions tremendously. The product support team is wonderful and made the transition to Eleo smooth."
"There are so many great features that have made our work more efficient! From creating year end donation letters to importing monthly gifts and tracking grants, Eleo has provided our organization with the tools that we were lacking. We found the program to be very intuitive, and the support team is very accessible and eager to answer questions or provide training for your staff."
"Customer service is great migration from other systems is easier than expected and price is great. I would recommend this software to any nonprofit."
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Pricing
Commonly used by
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Examples of the most positive excerpts from reviews about Fundraise Up:
"I love the artificial intelligence and automation features. I also really like the UX for the admin and donors. It's highly customizable, sleek and can match any branding. I've had GREAT customer service from [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] and appreciate that he takes my feedback into consideration as they continue to develop the platform."
"Very easy to use, easy to install and friendly to manage. It's the most effective online donation platform that we ever used! And also they have the best customer service!!"
"There are so many things we love about Fundraise Up, it will be hard to list them all here. I love the customizable URLs, the ease of use, the datadriven suggested donation amounts, and the ability to customize. Setup was *extremely* easy and it's simple to duplicate campaigns. The help desk is always quick to respond and really helpful."
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Pricing
Commonly used by
Device compatibility
Examples of the most positive excerpts from reviews about Qgiv:
"The most impressive part of Qgiv is their customer service and training. They are responsive, knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to help. They truly want to help nonprofits succeed in their fundraising efforts. They are willing to go the extra mile to be sure that nonprofits are getting the most from their Qgiv services while keeping pricing accessible for all sizes of nonprofits."
"I use QGiv primarily for event management, namely event registration. I like how customizable registration is. I like that I can embed my event info on a website. I also REALLY like my customer support experience. The contacts are helpful but not intrusive or condescending."
"We had a wonderful experience with Qgiv. Their customer service was so helpful and were there to answer any questions. They were knowledgeable of the product. The software was so user friendly and fit our needs perfectly."
Trial/Free Version
- Free Trial
- Free Version
Pricing
Commonly used by
Device compatibility
Screenshots
Examples of the most positive excerpts from reviews about Silent Auction Pro:
"We are all volunteers and so do not have a lot of time to dedicate to learning new things. This software was intuitive, easy to set up, and very helpful. Customer service was always just a phone call away. errors were quickly fixed. I never felt rushed to get off the phone."
"We are going to start using our SAPro software in our other school fundraisers, not just our auction. It is a great way to organize and keep all of our sponsor and donor information organized. I can also not speak highly enough of the customer support! They are quick to answer calls and get you answers to your questions."
"The software allowed us to do pretty much accomplish all of our goals for our auction. It streamlined both the bidding and the redemption portions of the auction which are the most time consuming. It went without a hitch at the event and we were beyond pleased with how it went and the amazing results!"
How to choose the right nonprofit fundraising software for your business
Investing in a new tool can be a challenge if you don't know what to look for. This article has highlighted key details about each fundraising product; you may also want to consider these key factors before locking down a solution.
Common questions to ask software vendors before purchase
Does the tool offer training modules and courses for new users?
An ideal tool should offer resources such as training videos and guides for new users. A knowledge base and an FAQ section are some other resources helpful for new users. Before investing, check if your selected tool provides these features.
Is there a way to measure the ROI on the tool?
Assess the reporting feature of your shortlisted tools, and select one that lets you pull up reports on historical performance so you can check whether the tool is actually scaling your business and generating revenue or not.
What kind of security does the tool offer against data leaks and cyberattacks?
Check if the tool has safety measures such as two-factor authentication and standard encryption to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access and cyberattacks.
What types of integrations are available with third-party tools? Does integration support come at an extra cost?
An ideal solution should seamlessly integrate with your existing tech stack. Also, before investing, check if the software supports third-party integration or you’ll have to pay extra to get the feature.
How did we choose these products? We didn’t—you did.
To find your ideal software match, you need information you can trust—so you can save time, stay on budget, and focus more energy on growing your business. It’s why we vet and verify all our user reviews and recommend only the tools endorsed by people like you.
In other words, our product recommendations are never bought or sold, or based on the opinion of a single individual—they’re chosen by your peers, reflecting the views and experiences of our independent base of software reviewers.
Choosing fundraising software isn't easy, but with the right approach, you can identify the solution best suited for your needs. The fundraising tools featured in this article are the most recommended based on verified user reviews. However, if they don't meet your requirements, you can check out our fundraising software directory to find a product better suited for you.