Nonprofits are no stranger to massive data sets. Whether it’s information on donors, donations, or fundraising campaigns, there’s a lot to keep track of, and it’s often more than a couple of spreadsheets can handle.
That’s why many nonprofits turn to donor management platforms to help. Tools like DonorPerfect and Raiser’s Edge help manage data, take donations, and track fundraising campaigns from a single screen.
But which is best? Today, we put these two titans of donor management head to head to see which is better. Here’s how DonorPerfect vs Raiser’s Edge plays out.
DonorPerfect
DonorPerfect is a complete donor management tool aimed at helping nonprofits manage their data, run campaigns, and increase donations. One of the biggest draws of the platform is its cost. The software starts at $99, making it affordable for many cash-strapped nonprofits.
It’s also intuitive to use and even has a mobile app that lets you manage all of your data from your phone — which is helpful if you’re fundraising in the field. If you can’t master it straight away, there’s an impressive customer service offering as well as regular webinars to help you get the most from the tool.
However, there are some issues with DonorPerfect, writes Cassandra Steele, a digital direct response manager at Arthritis Society. Not every feature is available at the $99 pricing tier. Phone and email-based customer support is a premium feature, for instance, so nonprofits with smaller budgets might not get the most out of the program.
Raiser’s Edge
Raiser’s Edge is a comprehensive donor management solution built by one of the leading nonprofit developers, Blackbaud. It’s a robust tool that allows nonprofits to achieve virtually any goal, whether that’s tracking significant donor data or running integrated campaigns. There’s really no need to use another tool.
The platform can also help your team save time through reporting dashboards, integrations with third-party applications, and automated processes.
However, all that functionality comes at a cost that may prove prohibitive to some nonprofits. Additionally, it can be difficult for inexperienced users to get up and running with the platform quickly, writes Adam Weinger, president at Double the Donation. It’s not that the software provides a particularly poor user experience, he explains. “Rather, it’s because Raiser’s Edge is such a comprehensive and highly customizable platform.”
DonorPerfect vs Raiser’s Edge: Which is best?
All but the largest nonprofits will be able to achieve their goals using DonorPerfect. Not only is the tool easier to use, but it’s also significantly cheaper than Raiser’s Edge.
That said, a large nonprofit with complex data sets and extremely specific requirements may find Raiser’s Edge the better choice.
A cost-effective alternative to DonorPerfect and Raiser’s Edge
DonorPerfect and Raiser’s Edge aren’t the only options when it comes to donation management platforms. There are several other more cost-effective alternatives, like Jotform.
With Jotform, you don’t need to pay expensive fees for software filled with features you don’t use. You can use donation forms to collect money directly from your donors and have all of their information automatically stored in a Jotform Table. Both come ready to use without hours of training and include nonprofit sheet templates that make getting started even easier.
Try Jotform today and get a 50 percent discount for your nonprofit.
Images by: Larm Rmah, Brooke Cagle
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