Donor Management Software: 9 Best Options for Small Nonprofits in 2025

Donor management software helps small nonprofits stay on top of their goals, keep donor relationships, connect with new donor prospects, and retain loyal ones.

In this blog, we'll help you choose the right donor management software by comparing cost, pros, cons, and features of the 9 best solutions for small nonprofits.

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What is donor management software?

Donor management software helps keep track of who donors are, how much money they've given, and what they're interested in. The donor database software also helps with communication by sending emails or newsletters for donor retention. It can even help organize events and monitor how well they're doing. 

Essentially, the donor software ensures that everything runs smoothly across donor engagement efforts. It saves time and helps organizations make better decisions with all donor interactions.

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Why does free donor management matter for small nonprofits?

Unfortunately, many donor management platforms charge hefty fees, whether they are for monthly subscriptions, transaction fees, or even additional costs for adding more users or growing your donor base. For small nonprofits — where every dollar counts — these costs can add up quickly.

Free donor management software can help small nonprofits focus on what matters most: making an impact. 

Zeffy offers 100% free donor management tools, meaning there are no hidden fees, no extra costs as your donor base grows, and no limits on how many users or contacts you can have. 

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Top 9 donor management software for small nonprofits

• 1. Zeffy - Best free donor management software for small nonprofits

• 2. Kindful - Best donor management tool for integrated donor and event management

• 3. Bloomerang - Best donor management system for donor retention

• 4. Givebutter - Best donor relationships platform for user-friendly and customizable CRM

• 5. Classy - Best donor management tool for diverse integrations

• 6. Donorperfect - Best donor database for customization and reporting

• 7. Givesmart - Best donor management tool for donor and auction management

• 8. Funraise - Best nonprofits donor management software for automation features

• 9. Donorbox - Best donor management for basic donor management features

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What small nonprofits should look for in donor management software

Effective donor management is crucial for small nonprofits, especially those with limited resources. You need a simple, organized system that allows you to manage donor relationships, track contributions, and build strong connections—without getting overwhelmed by complex features or costly platforms. 

Here are key features small nonprofits should look for in donor management software:

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Core Donor Management and Communication Features

• Donor profiles and history: Track key details like contact info, past donations, and engagement history. This helps personalize communications and ensures you understand each donor’s journey with your organization.
  

• Donation tracking (recurring + one-time): Whether a donor gives once or commits to monthly support, tracking donations is critical. It helps you understand revenue trends and plan for the future.
  

• Tags, filters, and segmentation (basic CRM functionality): Segment donors by attributes like donation size, frequency, or interests. This allows you to send tailored communications and increase engagement without a huge manual effort.
  

• Automated, tax-compliant donation receipts: Automatically send receipts that comply with tax regulations—no need for manual processing, and donors appreciate the professionalism.
  

• Email outreach / basic donor communication: Stay connected with your supporters through simple email communication—thank you notes, event invites, updates, etc.
  

• Notes on donor interactions (for stewardship): Keep track of personal notes on donor interactions, ensuring a more personal, thoughtful approach to future communications and stewardship.
  
  

Built-in Fundraising Tools

• Donation forms and landing pages: Create custom donation forms and landing pages that are simple to set up, mobile-friendly, and fully integrated with your donor database.
  

• Peer-to-peer fundraising: Empower your supporters to fundraise on your behalf, helping you reach new donors and increase engagement without added administrative work.
  

• Event registration and ticketing: Simplify event planning with easy-to-use event registration and ticketing options. Save time and avoid the need for external event software.
  

• Fundraising activities: Incorporate fundraising auctions, raffles, or product sales directly into your platform—no need for a third-party service.
  

• Tap-to-pay (POS) / mobile giving: Offer easy, instant giving through mobile devices with tap-to-pay or mobile giving options—especially important for in-person or virtual events.
  
  

Customer Support, Documentation, and Training

• Customer support: Ensure the platform has accessible, responsive support via chat, email, or phone to help resolve any issues quickly.
  

• Documentation: A good knowledge base or FAQ section will guide you through setup, troubleshooting, and optimization, so you don’t waste time searching for answers.
  

• Training: Access to training resources, webinars, or tutorials will help you make the most out of your donor management software and ensure your team is up to speed.
  
  

Best donor management software for small nonprofits at a glance

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1. Zeffy - Best free donor management software for all nonprofits

Zeffy, trusted by 10,000+ nonprofits throughout North America and rated 4.8/5 stars on Capterra, is the only free, all-in-one donor management software and fundraising solution for nonprofits. Zeffy doesn't charge subscription or processing fees, unlike other donor management software platforms. This means 100% of your donations go towards your mission — and not a cent less. 

Designed for any nonprofit looking to better their donor relationships — especially small and medium-sized nonprofits looking for a budget-friendly solution — Zeffy's free CRM is simple to use and incredibly effective. With prompt and helpful customer support and dozens of tools for and amplifying your fundraising efforts,  Zeffy's 100% free platform can help you do more good for less.

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Pros:

• 100% free

• Integrate with other funding and event tools

• Manage donors 

• Custom data reports

• Import and export transactions and contacts

• Segment and filter your contacts

• Access and re-send receipts

• Record and track offline donations

• Send emails to your supporters via integrated email marketing

• Create custom email lists to segment donors

• Send pre-filled forms

• Automate reminder emails
• Track fundraising progress

• Easy to use

• Access a free support team

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Cons:

• Only available for registered nonprofits in the US and Canada 

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Best for:

Anyone looking for a free all-in-one nonprofits donor management software.

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Zeffy pricing:

Zeffy is the only zero-fee fundraising platform for nonprofits. With Zeffy, your donors give $100, you get $100. With every other platform, they give $100, you get $97 or less.

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Here's how it works:

When someone donates to your fundraising forms, they have the option (but are never obliged) to add a contribution to Zeffy. Only some give every time, and that's okay. Enough donors leave a contribution to cover overhead costs AND the fees of the thousands of nonprofits that fundraise on Zeffy. 

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Zeffy's testimonial:

“Our tiny non profit needs to be able to use every dollar that is donated, and Zeffy is the ONLY one who lets us do that. Not only do they give us the full donation, their tools and webinars have made it very simple to add links and integrate it with our Social Media pages, our Website, and I need to repeat they are so easy to use. I have made a online raffel with huge sucess, I have added a store to our web page, and I cant wait to host an event, and I am not a techy person at all. I can't sing their praises enough!!” —Kristie H.

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2. Kindful - Best donor management platform for integrated donor and event management

Kindful is a donor management software that makes it easy to manage comprehensive donor information, organize fundraising campaigns, and manage events all in one place. It's user-friendly and allows nonprofits to customize the platform to fit an organization's needs. Some users say the reports are tricky to figure out, but overall, it's excellent for nonprofits looking for a tool that does it all.

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Pros:

• User-friendly interface for tracking donations

• Integrated approach to amplify fundraising

• Integration with Bloomerang to manage relationships

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Cons:

• Learning curve

• It doesn't offer as many CRM features compared to competitors

• Price

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Best for:

Nonprofits seeking an integrated solution combining donor management with fundraising and event management.

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Pricing:

Starting at $99/month, 1% platform fee, and processing fees up to 2.2% + $0.30

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3. Bloomerang - Best donor management platform for large nonprofits focused on donor retention

Bloomerang is a popular go-to donor management software for nonprofits that want to track supporter relationships and donor interactions. It's designed to help nonprofits create better relationships with supporters through targeted communications and comprehensive donor data. 

It's easy to use and provides comprehensive reports to help organizations understand their donors better. Just remember that the price might be a bit high for smaller nonprofits. But if you're all about building strong relationships with your donors and have the budget, Bloomerang could be the perfect fit.

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Pros:

• Robust reporting features

• Interactive dashboard

• Constituent timelines

• Donor engagement meter

• Wealth screening

• Segmentation

• Donor communications

• Volunteer management

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Cons:

• Price 

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Best for:

Large nonprofits need a donor CRM that helps boost donor retention.

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Pricing:

$79–$1299+ /month, 1% platform fee, and processing fees up to 2.2% + $0.30

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4. Givebutter - Best donor management platform for user-friendly and customizable CRM

Givebutter is a well-known one-stop shop for donor management software and fundraising. One of the biggest pros of Givebutter is its ease of use and setup, especially for those who love sharing their causes on social media. 

While it might not have all the fancy features of more significant tools, it's perfect for smaller nonprofits that want something simple and modern for their donor management processes. The intuitive donation management software offers event registration, online giving tools, automated reports, and more.

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Pros:

• Group donors based on custom filters, tags, and segments

• Detailed contact profiles

• Custom notes

• Data hygiene tools

• Reporting

• Receipts and refund tools

• Tools for fundraising events

• Email tools for fundraising and marketing efforts

• Accessible on mobile devices

• Automated workflows

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Cons:

• Fees

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Best for:

Small nonprofits looking for a user-friendly and highly customizable nonprofit CRM.

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Pricing:

0% platform fee plus up to 2.9% + $0.30 in processing fees

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5. Classy - Best donor management platform for diverse integrations 

Classy is a popular fundraising tool and donor management software among nonprofits of all sizes. The platform is not only a powerful donor management software solution, but it also helps nonprofits run exciting campaigns and events effortlessly. 

Plus, it looks sleek and works well with other tools you might use. Remember that it might be a bit pricier, so it's often best for larger nonprofits that want to organize more significant events and campaigns.

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Pros:

• Integrations and open API

• Recurring donation management

• Secure

• Built-in campaign and event management

• Robust reporting tools and analytics

• Marketing automation

• Filtering, segments, and giving histories

• Peer-to-peer fundraising tools

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Cons:

• Price

• Learning curve

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Best for:

Large nonprofits looking for an all-in-one solution that offers diverse integrations. 

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Pricing:

Custom quote required

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6. Donorperfect - Best donor management platform for customization and advanced reporting capabilities

DonorPerfect is an incredibly customizable donor management software. Nonprofits can make it work exactly how they want it to. Because of this, the platform is excellent for nonprofits with specific needs. 

But it might take a bit of time to get used to. If you're all about having a tool that fits your unique requirements and gives you detailed reports, DonorPerfect could be your perfect match.

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Pros:

• Advanced batch entry

• Open API

• Automatic data refresh

• Integrated payment processing

• Integrated marketing and engagement tools

• Event and fundraising features

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Cons:

• Price

• Learning curve

• Interface 

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Best for:

Nonprofits seeking a customizable solution with advanced reporting capabilities.

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Pricing:

Custom quote required, starting at $99/month

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7. Givesmart - Best donor management platform for donor and auction management

Givesmart is an excellent donor management software for multitasking. That platform can help nonprofits with online fundraising efforts, managing donors, running events, and even auctions! It's super easy to use, but it might cost a bit more, especially for smaller nonprofits. 

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Pros:

• Reporting and analytics

• Custom fields and tags

• Easy activity tracking

• Integration with event and fundraising tools

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Cons:

• Price 

• Learning curve

• Limited customization

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Best for:

Small nonprofits seeking an all-in-one solution for all your data, communications, and auction management.

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Pricing:

Custom quote required

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8. Funraise - Best donor management platform for automation features

Funraise's donor management software makes fundraising fun and easy with intuitive software tools. It's not just about managing donors; it helps you raise money online and plan events with style. 

It's simple to use, with great features that help you set up custom fundraising campaigns. While it may be more expensive for more prominent nonprofits, it's perfect for those who want a modern tool that's easy to navigate and helps automate tasks.

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Pros:

• Donor portal app

• Custom segmentation

• Household management

• Activity tracking

• Detailed donor profiles

• Easy data migration

• Integrates with salesforce

• Automated tasks and supporter communications

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Cons:

• Price

• Limited free plan

• Poor mobile optimization

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Best for:

Nonprofits seeking a modern, user-friendly donor engagement platform with robust automation features.

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Pricing:

Custom quote required

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9. Donorbox - Best donor management platform for basic donor management features 

Donorbox is an easy-to-use donor management software for nonprofits, especially organizations that rely on online donations. It's simple, affordable, and perfect for smaller nonprofit organizations. 

While it might have some of the fancy features of more significant tools, it's excellent for managing donors and collecting donations online. If you're a small nonprofit looking for a straightforward and budget-friendly option, Donorbox could be just what you need.

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Pros:

• Custom donor communication tracking

• Custom alerts and notifications

• Donation receipts

• Recurring donation management

• Access to other fundraising and event features

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Cons:

• Price

• Limited free plan

• Additional fees per member

• Costly add-ons like a data migration fee

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Best for:

Smaller nonprofits need a donor relationships platform with basic features. 

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Pricing:

$0–$139+/month, 1.75% platform fee,  up to 2.2% + $0.49 in processing fees

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The best donor management software for small nonprofits

Small nonprofits wear a lot of hats—with limited staff, tight budgets, and big goals. Managing donors shouldn’t add to the overwhelm. That’s why Zeffy was built specifically for organizations like yours.

With zero platform fees, an intuitive donor CRM, and built-in fundraising tools, Zeffy takes the complexity out of donor management. It’s simple to use, easy to integrate with your existing tools, and supported by a team that understands the unique challenges small nonprofits face.

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Donor management software FAQ

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