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Nonprofit organizations often struggle with managing relationships and communications effectively, a problem that can cause some major setbacks — like losing donors.
In this blog, we’ll cover the best free CRMs (or customer relationship management tools) for nonprofits so your organization can find the right tool for managing donor relationships.
Plus, what platforms are really free for nonprofits: though some platforms claim to be completely free, they charge lots of hidden fees or have limited free plans.
Free nonprofit CRM software comparison at a glance
What makes the best nonprofit CRM?
The best nonprofit CRMs offer a few key essential features:
- Price: Lots of nonprofit software platforms claim to be free, but don't offer transparent pricing, often charging organizations processing or platform fees. The best CRMs for nonprofits don’t charge anything (like Zeffy).
- Individual emailing and mass emailing: Donor retention plans and stewardship rely on consistent and meaningful donor communications. Choose a platform that offers the ability to send personal emails and mass emails like newsletters.
- Contact transaction history: Access all donor activity, including donations, purchases, and tax receipts.
- Filtering options: Create and use custom filters to search for specific segments of donors.
- Create and assign tags: Label donors based on campaign, giving history, etc.
- Contact importing and exporting: Some platforms charge extra for importing or exporting data. Choose a platform that allows you to manage this for free, on your own.
- Integrate with other tools: Sync your CRM with your favorite payment processor, accounting app, fundraising platform, or other existing apps via Zapier
- Attendee lists: Access attendees and donor lists for specific campaigns or events.
- Recurring donation management: Monitor regular donors and check to see which recurring donors have lapsed.
- Send custom links to donors: Send prefilled forms by email to simplify donations and transactions.
Zeffy: Best 100% free CRM for small and mid-sized nonprofits
When it comes to an all-in-one fundraising and free donor management platform, Zeffy is the clear winner. Unlike other competitors, Zeffy offers nonprofits a one-stop shop for fundraising, managing donors, running events, and so much more. Trusted by hundreds of nonprofits in North America, Zeffy helps organizations make more impact, for less.
Is it really free?
Zeffy is the only zero-fee fundraising and donor management platform for nonprofits. While every other platform takes a portion of donations in fees, Zeffy gives 100% of all donations directly to nonprofits. Donors can be reassured that the entirety of their gift is going straight to the cause.
While every other platform takes fees away from your mission, Zeffy delivers 100% of it to your nonprofit. With Zeffy, they give $100, you get $100. With every other platform, they give $100, you get $97 or less.
Key features:
- Import and export data
- Filter and export donor lists
- Add notes
- Use segments
- Access receipts for all campaigns
- Record and track offline donations
- Send and track support emails
- Send pre-filled forms
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Customizable
- 100% free
- Offers a full suite of other fundraising tools
Cons:
- Only available for registered nonprofits in the US and Canada
Best for: All types of nonprofits looking for a 100% free CRM software without compromising on features.
Zeffy’s testimonial:
“Because we are such a small nonprofit organization, when our last donor management system eliminated free accounts, we couldn't afford to continue with them. Zeffy's model is specifically for nonprofits, and they don't take a cent from any funds passing through their system. Instead, they ask each individual donor for a small donation.”
— Susan W.
Givebutter: Best CRM for donor communications
With an intuitive interface and robust features, Givebutter streamlines donor management, event organization, and campaign tracking. Its social integration tools enhance community involvement, making it a dynamic solution for nonprofits aiming to maximize their impact.
Is it really free?
Givebutter charges a payment processor of 2.9% + $0.30 for all payment methods (reduced to 1.9% for ACH), which can be covered by donors.
Pros:
- Contact profiles
- Unlimited contacts
- Easy contact management
- Data hygiene tools
- Custom filters and fields
- Automatic activity tracking
- Access to automated marketing and engagement
Cons:
- Fees
- Relies on optional tips from donors
Best for: Nonprofits looking to communicate with donors via text, email, or even letters.
Testimonial:
“Givebutter was an easy choice when we were looking to switch donor management platforms. It is intuitive and pretty easy to learn. I appreciate that the platform allows for donation campaigns, events, sending our donor base communications and tracking donations.”
— Sara B.
Funraise: Best CRM for automation
From donor relationship management to campaign optimization, Funraise simplifies complex tasks. The platform's analytics and reporting tools provide valuable insights, enabling nonprofits to make data-driven decisions and cultivate lasting supporter relationships.
Is it really free?
Fundraise has a limited free plan and does not publicly list any of its paid plan prices. However, there is a 0% platform fee, and processing fees of up to 2.9% + $0.30.
Pros:
- Automated tasks for team management or other stakeholders
- Automated emails
- Donor portal app
- Texting tools
Cons:
- Limited free plan
Best for: Nonprofits looking to automate workflows and tasks.
Testimonial:
“Funraise allows us to track donations better and analyze donor data while finding ways to improve fundraising mechanisms and techniques. To a great extent, implementing these has allowed us to increase our organization's performance and effectiveness.”
– Carmel D.
DonorDock: Best CRM for task management
DonorDock is a purpose-built CRM software designed to amplify donor relationship management. With a focus on simplicity, this platform helps customers organize, understand, and engage with their supporters effectively. DonorDock's user-friendly interface and customizable features make it an ideal choice for a nonprofit CRM software.
Is it really free?
DonorDock offers a limited free plan. Access to other features costs $99 - $299/month (but you can save 20% by subscribing to an annual plan). Additionally, donors are asked to cover 5% + $0.30 of their transaction.
Pros:
- Task management
- Custom reminders
- Activity tracking
- Integrations
- Tags
- Security
Cons:
- Limited free plan
Best for: Nonprofits looking for automatic reminders and task management tools.
Testimonial:
“Managing donors is our primary utilization of the software, and it does that very well. It allows us to easily communicate with donors from sending receipts to emailing and notifying them about campaigns. It also allows us to easily tag and track our donors so we can target communication when appropriate.”
— Isaac C.
Giving Fuel: Best CRM for basic donor management features
GivingFuel serves as a simple CRM platform. Its user-friendly design facilitates seamless donor interactions, while the platform's features cover everything from donation tracking to campaign analytics. GivingFuel empowers nonprofits to effortlessly manage their fundraising initiatives and build lasting connections with supporters.
Is it really free?
GivingFuel offers a limited free plan and charges $59-$349 /month for access to premium features, as well as up to 4.99% + $0.25 in processing fees.
Pros:
- Data exporting
- Integrations
- Create tasks
- Activity tracking
- Custom profiles
Cons:
- Limited free plan
- Only offers basic functionality
- Fees for additional features and support
Best for: Nonprofits that need a simple, easy-to-use CRM with basic features for managing donors.
Testimonial:
“It is really easy to take donations, register for events, & manage recurring donors. Our donors can easily access their giving and update their information.”
— Cassie F.
RallyUp: Best CRM for flexible payment methods
With diverse campaign options and customization tools, the RallyUp platform offers nonprofits the ability to tailor their fundraising strategies to any of their needs. Real-time analytics and integrated social sharing make it a go-to platform for organizations looking to create engaging and successful fundraising campaigns.
Is it really free?
Funraise is free with donor tipping — without, nonprofits must pay a 7.5% per-transaction platform fee.
Nonprofits also must pay for premium features such as "Donation Pages" or "Donor Profiles" — paid plans start at $99/month.
Pros:
- Detailed profiles
- Activity tracking
- Custom donor communications
- Security
- Integrations
- Flexible payment methods
Cons:
- Limited free plan
- Only basic CRM functions
Best for: Nonprofits that want to give their donors multiple ways to give.
Testimonial:
“Using RallyUp these past couple of years to facilitate our fundraising events has been an absolute breeze! With all of the current amazing features and all of the new features that keep evolving- It was almost as if this software was made and tailored specifically to what we needed!”
—Stephanie B.
Best Free nonprofit CRM software: FAQs
Does your nonprofit really need a CRM?
Understanding whether your nonprofit needs a CRM system boils down to your organization's goals and scale. If you're handling a substantial amount of donor information, managing relationships, and tracking interactions, a CRM can be a game-changer.
How much does a nonprofit CRM usually cost?
The cost of a nonprofit CRM can vary widely based on factors like features, scalability, and user capacity. Some platforms offer free versions with basic functionalities, while more robust systems with advanced features may come with a monthly or annual subscription fee.
Manage your donors for free — with Zeffy
Choosing the right nonprofit CRM for your organization is essential to make the most impact as possible. From sending custom communications to automating tasks and creating detailed contact profiles, the right platform can help you build connections that last.
With Zeffy, nonprofits can take advantage of all of the best CRM tools available in the industry — without paying a cent. With easy filtering and segmenting, data import and export, plus a whole suite of other fundraising tools available right on the platform, Zeffy helps nonprofits do more for less.
