We use cookies to improve your experience on our platform. By clicking “Accept all cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies required for basic website functionality.
Cookies used to deliver content most relevant to you and your needs.
Cookies used to deliver content most relevant to you and your needs.
Cookies that help understand the performance of the website, how users interact with it and to identify bugs.
How is Zeffy free?
How is Zeffy free?
Zeffy relies entirely on optional contributions from donors. At the payment confirmation step - we ask donors to leave an optional contribution to Zeffy.
Now more than ever, charities need affordable, innovative nonprofit software to help organize and streamline their efforts and make more impact. From donor management to team collaboration, technology enables growth, and free fundraising software makes it affordable.
In this blog, we’ll cover the best free software for nonprofit organizations to help save time and money, including the following categories:
Best fundraising platform that offers donor management and CRM for small and medium-sized nonprofits looking to manage and build relationships with the right supporter at the right time.
Send and track customized emails to specific segments in a donor database
None
100% free - No hidden costs
Donorbox
Best CRM and donor management software for recurring donations.
Custom donation forms
Limited access to advanced features like Zapier integrations and priority support for managing a donor database.
$139+/month, plus a 1.5% platform fee, up to 2.2% + 0.30¢ in processing fees, and additional per-user fees.
Free AI nonprofit software
AI software
Best for
Standout feature
Free plan limitations
Pricing (for advanced plans)
Einstein (Salesforce)
Best AI software for donor insights
Predictive and generative marketing AI for data backed insights
Only a free trial is available, with access to specific tools like grant and program management.
$0.50/month - $500/month
Otter AI
Best AI software for note-taking
Write follow-up emails and notes
Free plan only allows for one user and restricts admin access, support, and security tools.
$8.33+ per user/month
Runway
Best AI software for image editing and generation
Turn images into videos
The free plan only allows for a few editors and includes no AI training.
$12-$76 per user per month
Free website builder nonprofit software
Website builder software
Best for
Standout feature
Free plan limitations
Pricing (for advanced plans)
Wix
Best website builder software for building an e-commerce site
Create an event site
Wix only offers a free trial, not a free plan.
$17/month - $159/month.
Weebly
Best website builder software for creating an SEO-friendly website
Create an online gallery
The free plan restricts features, customer support, storage capacity access, and ad-free usage
$10+ /month
Webflow
Best website builder software for creating advanced websites
Animation builder
The free plan allows for minimal content editors and offers fewer collaboration tools for teams, as well as less support and traffic bandwidth.
Best management and event registration pages for nonprofits in need of an all-in-one, free event management solution
Tap to Pay app for in-person sales on the day of the event
None
100% free - no hidden costs
Eventbrite
Best event management and registration software for event pages
Event app for organizers
None
A service fee of 3.7% + $1.79 per sold ticket and a payment processing fee equal to 2.9% + $29/month platform fee
Free task and project management software
Task and project management software
Best for
Standout feature
Free plan limitations
Pricing (for advanced plans)
Trello
Best task and project management tool for automating workflows
Collaborative to-do lists
The free plan restricts admin tools as well as access to security features, a larger volume of checklists, and storage.
$5+ /per user/per month
Monday
Best task and project management tool for managing grant applications
Post-event feedback forms
The free plan limits the amount of automation, permissions, integrations, and support.
$9+/seat/month + 70% discount on each additional seat
Asana
Best task and project management platform for collaboration
Task management
Free plans offer limited security, automation, advanced workflows, reporting, and more.
$10.99+ per user / per month + 50% discount
Free file-sharing nonprofit software
File-Sharing software
Best for
Standout feature
Free plan limitations
Pricing (for advanced plans)
Dropbox
Best file-sharing software for storing and protecting files
Request esignatures
The free plan offers limited storage (2 GB)
$16.58+ / month
Free communication nonprofit software
Communication software
Best for
Standout feature
Free plan limitations
Pricing (for advanced plans)
Slack
Best communication software for instant messaging
File sharing
Free plan limits the number of workflows and integrations.
$4.38+ /mo/per user + 85% discount
Workplace by Facebook
Best communication software for creating a knowledge library
Newsfeed
Workplace by Facebook only offers a 30-day free trial
$4+ per person/month
Loom
Best communication software for screen recording
Create branded videos
The free plan allows up to 25 videos, up to 5 mins/video.
$12.50+ user/month
Zoom
Best communication software for video conferencing
Appointment scheduler
Free plan limits meeting time up to 40 min/meeting and the number of attendees (100)
$13.32+/month/user + 50% discount
Discord
Best communication software for private channels
Topic-based channels
Less access to advanced tools
N/A
Free automation nonprofit software
Automation software
Best for
Standout feature
Free plan limitations
Pricing (for advanced plans)
Zapier
Best automation software for workflows
Streamline CRM data and nonprofit customers
Up to 100 tasks
$ 19.99+ /month + 15% discount
Make
Best automation software for real-time data
Seamless onboarding
The free plan offers less storage and less access to premium apps
$9+ /month
10 free essential nonprofit software solutions
If you’re looking at the charts above and thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of nonprofit software options!” You are right. While the abundance of support for nonprofit organizations is something to celebrate, we also get that it may be overwhelming to choose. Below are some tools we love for nonprofits looking to build their nonprofit tech stack for the essential elements of online fundraising.
Zeffy
Trusted by 10,000+ nonprofits throughout North America, Zeffy is the best free fundraising software for nonprofits. With all the tools necessary for creating the most impact possible — from donor management to custom donation pages — Zeffy is a true free all-in-one platform.
Zeffy's simple, powerful, and completely free solutions helps changemakers everywhere make more impact for less. Designed for any nonprofit looking to improve donor relationships, Zeffy is simple to use and incredibly effective, especially for small and medium-sized nonprofits on a budget.
Zeffy is a 100% free fundraising software. There are no platform or transaction fees. Nonprofits never have to pay extra for access to premium features.
While every other platform takes fees away from your mission, Zeffy delivers 100% of it to your nonprofit.
Google Suite offers collaborative nonprofit software tools for document editing, making it easy for nonprofit teams to work together on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in real-time. The set of tools keeps all team members on the same page (sometimes literally!) and organizes all work in one cloud-based space that travels with them from their personal phones and computers to workplace devices.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Upload documents into one place
Collaborate on the same document (Google Docs and Google Sheets)
Google Suite’s free plan limits the storage, support, number of meeting participants, and security measures. Google workspace is also separate from Google Analytics and Google Console which create channels for targeted marketing. To upgrade, plans start at a low cost of $6 per user/month.
Canva
Canva offers graphic design-specific nonprofit software tools that enable nonprofits to create visually engaging materials for social media, presentations, and marketing campaigns without the need for a skilled graphic designer. Canva for nonprofits has over 250,000 free templates, from websites to presentations and swag like t-shirts and stickers.
The best part is that Canva is also collaborative, so you can easily review designs across teams and share a login for various needs. All designs are accessible online from any device you log into so repurposing what you love and what feels true to your brand is simpler than ever.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Build websites
Build proposals
Create graphics for social media posts
Create brochures and pamphlets
Create infographics
Get magic suggestions for design and content ideas
Establish a brand kit for consistency
Free plan limitations:
Free plan subscribers don’t have access to as many advanced features like background remover, brand kits, and social media scheduling. To upgrade from the free fundraising software, paid plans start at $15/month/per user. However, eligible organizations with nonprofit status also have access to a Canva discount.
Jotform
JotForm, with its intuitive interface, simplifies the process of creating and managing online forms for various purposes, including event registrations, surveys, and donation collection.
Specific nonprofit forms and templates are available to help your team get what the information you need without the time it takes to customize a form or donation page. Everything is customizable, yet templates are simple enough to plug and play.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Create an online donation form
Create event registration forms
Create and send fundraiser invitations
Themed online fundraising pages
Donor management
Manage volunteers through automated volunteer registrations and signup sheets
Visualize data to present to board members
Convert data into a PDF to support annual reports
Free plan includes:
Jotform’s fee plan restricts the number of forms users can create and the number of form views per month a form can receive. It also restricts the number of fields and users. Plans start at $34/month, but verified nonprofits can apply for a 50% discount on any paid plan.
Mailchimp
MailChimp is a widely used email marketing platform that offers intuitive tools for nonprofits to design and send professional emails, manage subscriber lists, and track campaign performance. The tool also integrates into many popular website builders, which may make it easier to track information and deliver a strong donor experience.
Ability to stay in constant contact with supporters
Donor management solution
Streamline omnichannel marketing
Use subject line helper
Free plan limitations:
Mailchimp’s free plan restricts the number of emails that can be sent, the number of email receivers, as well as access to support, templates, and more advanced tools. Paid pricing starts at $13+/month; however, Mailchimp also offers a 15% discount to nonprofits.
Buffer
Buffer simplifies social media scheduling and management, allowing nonprofits to plan and schedule posts across different platforms to maintain a consistent online presence. With smaller teams or lean resources, nonprofits can make the most of their time with a consistent online presence to engage donors effectively.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Plan and publish content for all social channels
Repurpose content
Schedule content
Create a content calendar
Ability to stay in constant contact with supporters
Analyze content performance
Free plan limitations:
Buffer’s free service includes essential planning and publishing tools, including up to 10 scheduled posts and fewer engagement and insights tools.
Plans start at $5 / month for one channel, include access to more advanced features like analytic reports, engagement tools, and custom permissions. The platform also offers a 50% discount on paid plans for eligible registered nonprofits.
LinkedIn for nonprofits
LinkedIn for nonprofits provides specialized tools and resources to help nonprofits leverage the professional networking platform for fundraising, creative ways to retain volunteers, and awareness-building. The nonprofit software helps you make connections with future employees, volunteers, donors, and potential corporate sponsors.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Hire and find employees
Promote events and event management within the platform
Support membership management with another online community
Fundraise
Market your nonprofit
Find volunteers
Identify corporate partners
Find board members
Free plan limitations:
LinkedIn for nonprofits is free, but organizations must pay for premium plans, which start at $59.99/month for businesses, to access better features.
Trello
Trello is one of the best project software solutions that helps nonprofits organize tasks, collaborate on projects, and keep everyone on the team informed about ongoing initiatives. Trello can boost communication and align both in-house and contract employees to feel good about projects and tasks.
It may be an excellent tool for specialized campaigns like for year-end giving, or annual event management, or an extensive collaboration with other nonprofits that requires many people to be on the same page.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Automate tasks and workflows
Get organized on fundraising initiatives, tasks, etc
Create collaborative to-do lists
Support membership management
Assign tasks
Donor management on specific campaigns
Free plan limitations:
Trello’s free plan restricts admin tools, access to security features, a larger volume of checklists, and storage. Paid plans start at $5/per user/per month.
Dropbox
Dropbox is one of the best cloud-based software solutions used for file-sharing and storage solutions that allows nonprofits to collaborate on a document simultaneously, share files securely, and access essential resources from anywhere. The organization and data management can support a clean process for transferring necessary documentation and campaign graphics, as well as any materials you want to quickly share with peer to peer fundraising participants and advocates.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Store and protect files
Collaborate with team members
Request e-signatures
Cloud storage
Free plan limitations:
Dropbox’s free plan offers limited storage (2 GB). Paid plans, which start at $16.58 / month, offer more storage and access to advanced features like PDF editing, unlimited signature requests, and file tracking. Discounts on Dropbox team account subscriptions are available for nonprofits.
Slack
Slack is a messaging and collaboration platform that facilitates real-time communication among team members, making it easy for nonprofits to stay connected and share updates. Slack also allows you to communicate with freelancers, other nonprofits, board members, and community members in a safe and secure environment.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Instant message or send audio and video clip
Access an organized space for file sharing
Connect across departments, offices, and time zones
Build workflows
Free plan limitations:
Slack’s free plan limits the number of workflows organizations can create and how many integrations they can use. Paid plans, which start at $4.38 /mo/per user, offer access to more security and collaboration tools. Nonprofits that want to take advantage of paid plans can get an 85% discount.
Zoom
Zoom is a video conferencing tool nonprofits can use for virtual meetings, webinars, and training sessions, fostering effective communication and collaboration. Zoom’s ability to record meetings to refer back to later is also an excellent benefit for flexibility in meeting attendance and note-taking.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Host a virtual meeting
Create a coworking space
Utilize an appointment scheduler
Record meetings
Secure video conferencing
Host a webinar or learning opportunity
Virtual fundraising event management
Free plan limitations:
Zoom’s free plan restricts the time a meeting can last (up to 40 min/meeting), and the number of attendees (100).
Paid plans, however, which start at $13.32/month/user, give organizations access to up to 30 hours per meeting, more storage, and more advanced features like AI tools and translated captions. However, eligible nonprofits can get a 50% discount.
Zapier
Zapier is an automation tool that allows nonprofits to connect different apps and automate workflows, reducing manual tasks and improving overall efficiency. Zapier connects to many of the free tools we mention here, creating more functionality from the user interfaces you enjoy the most.
How can you use the free nonprofit software?
Build processes faster with consistent donor information
Build relationships with streamlined CRM data
Organize fundraising data
Sync donor records from donation pages
Create and manage donor data flow
Establish donor journeys
Donor management
Automated reports and data backed insights
Free plan limitations:
Zapier’s free plan is basic, allowing for a no-code editor and up to 100 tasks. Paid plans, which start at $19.99/month, allow access to more tasks, filters, custom logic, and more.
For interested organizations, Zapier also offers a discount of 15% on a single plan for your organization.
Choosing your fundraising software tools
Remember that while reviewing information and suggestions about the best nonprofit software is a great start, the decision is unique to your nonprofit. It’s important to know your main goals and tie software to those objectives. For example, maybe you want to focus on donor engagement and grabbing detailed reports to build donor relationships. Or, you may be looking for productivity software that guides the easiest way to establish advertising campaigns to speak to all your contacts.
The best fundraising tools will be the ones that feel easy to adapt, use often, and access the reporting dashboards you need to continue your evolution.
Check out any discount opportunities or see what helps nonprofits introduce savvy tools with minimal effort and free or affordable paid plans.
8 Best Event Registration Software for Nonprofits (free and paid)
Find the best event management software for creating event pages, selling tickets, checking in attendees and raising more money. Explore our 8 best options.
.png)
%201.avif)
