If you are deciding between Blackbaud and CharityEngine, you're likely seeking a powerful fundraising solution with data at the core of your nonprofit's operations. While both platforms offer a range of fundraising tools and database access, there are important distinctions to consider.
Blackbaud provides various connected tools tailored to nonprofits of all sizes, allowing you to choose the solution that fits your current needs. However, each tool functions separately leading to data silos. As your organization grows, you will need to migrate to more advanced solutions like Raiser’s Edge, especially if you’ve outgrown entry-level options like eTapestry.
On the other hand, CharityEngine delivers a fully unified platform with all tools built in. As your needs evolve, you can activate additional features without switching systems.
Blackbaud Pros
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Brand Recognition and Industry Tenure: Blackbaud is the largest and longest-standing nonprofit CRM, with more than 40 years serving the nonprofit sector.
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Large Customer Base: With millions of users in more than 100 countries, it's likely that someone at any nonprofit has experience with Blackbaud. This has led to many online user groups sharing tips and information.
- Risk-Averse Choice: As the largest and oldest nonprofit CRM, many organizations see Blackbaud as a safe option, especially when investing significant funds in an enterprise-level fundraising solution.
Blackbaud Cons
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Siloed Tools: Blackbaud tools operate independently, leading to siloed data. For example, if you want CRM and marketing tools, using Raiser’s Edge for fundraising means adding a separate product like Luminate for marketing, with manual data exports between them.
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History of Data Breaches: In February 2020, a data breach exposed millions of records from organizations using Blackbaud's software, raising concerns about Blackbaud’s ability to ensure data security.
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Poor Customer Support: Despite its long-standing presence in the industry, many customers experience challenges with support, leading to long wait times and delayed responses.
Feature Highlights
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| Best For | Sophisticated fundraisers who want a comprehensive fundraising platform to help them scale. | Nonprofits who want to be a part of a larger CRM user community. |
| Pricing | $$ to $$$$ | $$$ to $$$$ |
| Differentiators | A complete fundraising platform that puts all your data in one place. | The largest and longest-standing nonprofit and fundraising CRM. |
| CRM & Donor Management | ||
| Membership Management | Yes | Yes |
| Major Gift Management | Yes | Yes |
| Donor Pipelines | Yes | No |
| Sustainer Management | Yes | Yes |
| SustainerIQ - Subscription Billing Technology | Yes | No |
| Fundraising | ||
| Custom Donation Forms | Yes | Yes |
| Payment Processing | Yes | Yes |
| Multichannel Marketing | ||
| Advanced Email Automation | Yes | Separate Product (Blackbaud Luminate Online) |
| Text-to-Give | Yes | Yes |
| Direct Mail | Yes | Yes |
| Multichannel Attribution Tracking (including DRTV) | Yes | Yes |
| CMS | Yes | Yes |
| Events & Volunteers | ||
| Event Management | Yes | Yes |
| Volunteer Management | Yes | Separate Product (Volunteer Network Fundraising) |
| Auctions | Yes | Third-party integration with AuctionMaestro Pro |
| Peer-to-Peer | Yes | Separate Product (JustGiving) |
| Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Out-of-the-Box Reports | Yes (90+) | Yes |
| Custom Dashboards | Yes | Yes |
| Query Builder | Yes | Yes |
| Other | ||
| Multi-Organization & Chapter Management | Yes | Yes |
| Case Management | Yes | Yes |
| Shopping Cart | Yes | Yes |
| Grant Management | Yes | Separate Product (Blackbaud Grantmaking) |
| Advocacy | Yes | Separate Product (Luminate Advocacy) |
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| Customers Say* | ||
| Pros | “The ability to generate custom reports and create custom dashboards allows us to easily compile relevant data and reports to share with our staff in a way that is easy for them to access and understand. Overall, CharityEngine makes it easy to streamline our work and lightens the workload of both our frequent and in-frequent CharityEngine users.” | "Great dashboard interface for gift officers once a dashboard is set up. Easy to add in reports or simple charts to measure performance or show recent actions completed.” |
| Cons | “As expected with a product as robust as CharityEngine, training new employees on the software can take some time. That said, their Client Services team is always available to help out when needed.” | “Working with Blackbaud is a very unpleasant experience. Trying to get answers to anything is impossible." |
*Customer quotes from G2
Making the Right Choice
Choosing between CharityEngine and Blackbaud depends on your nonprofit’s unique needs. Blackbaud’s established reputation and extensive user base provide a sense of security, but its siloed tools and customer support issues can be drawbacks. In contrast, CharityEngine offers a fully integrated platform that grows with your organization, enabling seamless data management and flexibility.
To find the fundraising solution that best supports your mission, consider your goals, budget, and whether you prefer a unified system or a larger user community. By evaluating these factors carefully, you can make an informed choice that enhances your nonprofit’s impact.
