Free Donor Management Software For Any Nonprofit

When evaluating free software solutions, it’s important to remember running a software company takes capital in order to continue innovating and running its daily operations. So when a company says their solutions are free, it usually means there’s a price somewhere, or the free version is severely limited. But with many nonprofits running on very tight budgets, a limited free option may be the only way for you to manage your donors in a systematic fashion.

So in this article we’ll go over the best free software solutions for donor management and what you can expect for each one. We’ll go over their ease of use and any hidden fees tied to their pricing models. We’ll also explain why free isn’t always the best option and what to look for when contemplating a solid software solution.

What is Donor Management Software

Donor management software (DMS) is a specialized solution specifically made for nonprofits that assists your organization with keeping track of your donors, any donations they’ve made, how often they interact with your charity, and what engagements have occurred with your charity. A sophisticated solution can also have a database that allows you to see every interaction you’ve had and allows you to take notes on their preferences and concerns when it comes to your mission.

All of this information helps you to make more effective decisions when it comes to fundraising, donor interactions and planning out future budgets and other objectives of fundraising. It functions as a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system tailored specifically for nonprofits that engage with fundraising to support their mission and allows organizations to build stronger relationships with donors, automate administrative tasks, and maximize their fundraising efforts.

What Are The Most Important Tools to Look For?

1. Donor Database & Contact Management

• Stores donor contact details, donation history, and engagement preferences.

• Tracks interactions such as emails, phone calls, and event participation.

• Segments donors based on giving patterns, interests, or demographics.

2. Donation Tracking & Fundraising Analytics

• Records all donations (one-time, recurring, major gifts, etc.).

• Generates detailed financial reports for transparency and compliance.

• Provides real-time insights into donor trends and fundraising performance.

3. Communication & Engagement Tools

• Automates personalized emails, thank-you messages, and donation receipts.

• Schedules follow-ups and reminders to maintain donor relationships.

• Integrates with social media and email marketing platforms for outreach.

4. Online Giving & Payment Processing

• Accepts donations via credit cards, Stripe, PayPal, Wise, bank transfers, and mobile payments.

• Supports recurring donations and peer-to-peer fundraising.

• Ensures secure transactions with encryption and compliance protocols.

5. Event & Campaign Management

• Helps plan and track fundraising events, auctions, and charity drives.

• Provides tools for ticketing, registration, and event promotion.

• Integrates with crowdfunding platforms and virtual fundraising tools.

6. Reporting & Compliance

• Generates reports for tax purposes, grant applications, and audits.

• Tracks fundraising ROI and donor retention rates.

• Ensures compliance with data protection laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.).

Why Your Charity Needs Donor Management Software

1. Saves Time – Automates manual tasks, reducing administrative workload.

2. Improves Donor Retention – Helps build lasting relationships through targeted engagement.

3. Boosts Fundraising Success – Provides data-driven insights to optimize campaigns.

4. Enhances Transparency – Tracks donations and ensures accountability.

5. Grows Your Impact – Helps scale fundraising efforts and reach more supporters.

Would you like recommendations on the best donor management software for your charity?

What’s the Difference Between a CRM and a DMS?

Both of these solutions are geared to helping entities deal with their clients and staff. The main difference is simply a CRM caters to all types of businesses while a DMS is highly specialized for charities and foundations that deal with donors rather than customers.

What Is a CRM?

Both for-profit businesses and not-for-profit organizations typically use CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to manage their relationships and interactions with their contacts, whether they are customers, donors, volunteers, or supporters. It’s simply the way each one uses the solution for their own needs. While businesses use CRMs to track their sales and customer engagement, nonprofits use them to manage their donor relationships and any fundraising campaigns they are involved with.

What Is a DMS?

A Donor Management System (DMS) is a highly specialized type of CRM designed specifically for nonprofits and charities to track and manage donors, donations, and their fundraising campaigns. While a general CRM can be adapted for nonprofit use, a DMS like Pybee comes with built in tools and features that are tailored specifically for fundraising, donor retention, and nonprofit financial tracking.

Key Differences Between a CRM and a DMS

Feature	CRM (Customer Relationship Management)	DMS (Donor Management System)
Primary Use	Managing business customers and sales	Managing nonprofit donors and fundraising
Contact Tracking	Leads, customers, sales opportunities	Donors, volunteers, grant funders
Financial Transactions	Sales pipeline, invoices, contracts	Donations, grants, recurring giving
Marketing & Engagement	Sales emails, customer support	Fundraising emails, donor appreciation
Event Management	Trade shows, business meetings	Charity events, peer-to-peer fundraising
Reporting & Analytics	Sales metrics, customer retention	Donation history, donor trends, gift tracking
Compliance Needs	Data privacy, financial records	IRS compliance, donation receipts, donor tax reports

---

Which One Should Your Charity Use?

• If your charity primarily focuses on fundraising and donor relationships, then a specialized DMS is the best choice because it includes specific features like donation tracking, automated receipts, and campaign management specifically coded for the nonprofit sector.

• If your organization manages a wide range of contacts (e.g., volunteers, donors, corporate sponsors and partners), a CRM with nonprofit customizations may work better.

Some software solutions, like Paybee and others blend both CRM and DMS features in their solutions.

What Can Donation Management Software do for Your Charity?

If you invest in a solid software solution like Paybee, there are a ton of ways this type of software can increase donations and improve overall donor communication. Here are a few of the most important bells and whistles of a great solution:

1. Streamlines Donation Processing

• Accepts various payment methods including mobile payments (credit cards, Stripe, PayPal, Wise, bank transfers, cryptocurrencies).

• Fully Automates recurring donations thus freeing up staff and resources.

• Reduces manual errors and administrative workload.

2. Enhances Donor Relationship Management

• Stores all of your donor information including contact details, donation history, and engagement levels in one easily accessible user dashboard.

• Tracks donor interactions such as email and contact form encounters allowing you to personalize your communication to strengthen more personal relationships.

• Automates thank-you emails and donation receipts which improves donor retention.

3. Improves Fundraising Efficiency

• Provides real time reporting and analytics to track your fundraising performance so it can be improved over time.

• Helps identify trends in donor behavior so you can target your campaigns more effectively.

• Supports peer-to-peer fundraising and crowdfunding initiatives when needed.

4. Ensures Compliance and Transparency

• Generates accurate financial reports for tax filings and audits.

• Ensures compliance with data protection laws (such as GDPR or CCPA).

• Provides secure payment processing to protect donor information.

5. Increases Donor Engagement and Retention

• Automates donor follow ups and allows for personalized communications.

• Sends updates on how donations are being used boosting donor trust and transparency.

• Integrates with email marketing and social media channels for enhanced outreach and communication.

6. Integrates with Other Tools

• Syncs with accounting software like QuickBooks and other accounting software.

• Works with other CRM tools, event management platforms, and various marketing software.

• Connects with website donation forms and mobile giving apps seamlessly.

Why Your Charity Should Use It

Using donation management software greatly cuts down on administrative tasks and even helps curb human error while reducing the amount of staff needed to effectively run your chairty which allows your nonprofit to focus on its impact rather than administration. It also offers secure, efficient, and salable donation handling and donor communication applications to assist you in building stronger and more engaging long term donor relationships while increasing your overall fundraising success.

While you own specific charity may not need each and every solution we described above at this time, it is important to note what you plans are for the future of your organization. If you believe you’ll be successful and steady grow over time, it may be wise to choose a solution that has the tools you’ll need as changing platforms do to growth restraints can end up being extremely disruptive and expensive.

Top 11 donor management software  solutions that are Free or Have Free Trials

Here are 11 donor management systems (DMS) and nonprofit CRM solutions that are free or offer a free version, each with a brief overview, key features, pricing details, and ideal use cases:

PayBee

Solution Overview:
Yes, we believe we are simply the best donor management system available today. PayBee is an all in one fundraising platform designed to streamline the donation processes for nonprofits like automated thank you emails and donor data while also offering tools for managing various fundraising activities including both in-person and hybrid events and online campaigns.

Donation Management Features:

• Multiple donation modes (online, offline, mobile) and payment gateways

• Automated donor receipts and reporting

• Volunteer management

• Inbuilt ticketing system

Pricing:
PayBee charges a 2% fee on electronic transactions with no hidden fees or contracts. There is a $399 package for live online events, providing unlimited events for two years with the same 2% transaction fee. There is also a free demo here that provides free donor management features and tools plus a silent auction option to improve your fundraising success.

Ideal For:
Nonprofits of all sizes seeking a comprehensive solution for both online and in-person fundraising events.

---

Zeffy

Solution Overview:
Zeffy is a 100% free donor management software tailored for nonprofits. It provides tools to gather donor information, manage databases, and engage supporters effectively. The company raises capital by asking your supporters to support their platform when they make a donation to your cause. So while the solution is actually free to use, be aware that they also market and ask for donations for their own software product while engaging with your supporters.

Donation Management Features:

• Centralized donor database

• Automated receipts and thank-you emails

• Donation tracking and reporting

• Event management integration

Pricing:
Completely free with no hidden costs although they do ask your supporters to cover the costs of their donation. Zeffy does not charge any fees on transactions or platform usage and you get to keep all of your donations.

Ideal For:
Small to medium-sized nonprofits seeking a cost effective donor management solution while not minding their supporters will be marketed to by the company.

---

Givebutter

Solution Overview:
Givebutter is a modern fundraising platform that combines donor management with fundraising tools similar to Paybee and others while focusing on enhancing donor communications and engagement.

Donation Management Features:

• Donor database with detailed profiles

• Communication tools for personalized outreach

• Real-time analytics and reporting

• Integration with various fundraising campaigns

Pricing:
Free to use but when a donation is made there is a standard payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Donors have the option to cover these fees during the donation process but are not required to.

Ideal For:
Nonprofits looking for a user friendly platform that integrates donor management with versatile fundraising tools.

---

Donorbox

Solution Overview:
Donorbox is a donation management plugin that can be easily embedded into websites, offering recurring donations and donor management features.

Donation Management Features:

• Customizable donation forms

• Recurring donation options

• Donor management dashboard

• Goal tracking and analytics

Pricing:
No setup or monthly fees for the limited free version of their software. A 2.9% platform fee applies to donations along with standard payment processing fees which can add up fast depending on the size of your organization. They have a monthly price of $139 if you choose to be able to connect their platform to other apps and tools like Zapier and others.

Ideal For:
Nonprofits seeking a straightforward solution to manage online donations and recurring contributions without the need for robust fundraising options and app or software integration.

---

Bloomerang

Solution Overview:
Bloomerang offers donor management software designed to help nonprofits increase donor retention and enhance engagement through a user friendly interface.

Donation Management Features:

• Donor database with engagement tracking

• Email marketing tools

• Reporting and analytics

• Integration with various fundraising platforms

Pricing:
Pricing options are available for different needs which can be great for charities looking for a small suite of specific tools, but can also become quite expensive for those looking for an all in one platform to handle all of their needs. Furthermore their processing fees for donations are typically 3.2% plus $0.30 per transaction, a bit steep if you have a lot of donors. We also find the pricing structure complex, and although it may seem cheaper, for a decent suite of tools, all together the cost can quickly skyrocket. Also, payments are charged for the year, so you will need significant up front funds to cover the expenses.

Ideal For:
Small to medium sized nonprofits aiming to improve donor retention and engagement strategies with the use of a few select tools and solutions.

---

Little Green Light

Solution Overview:
Little Green Light is a flexible donor management system that assists nonprofits in managing donations, donor relationships, and related tasks. While seemingly a great solution for certain donor management processes, their platform does lack fundraising capabilities like event management and auction type events. Their solution is geared more towards strictly donor management and data pertaining to donors.

Donation Management Features:

• Comprehensive donor database

• Gift entry and acknowledgment

• Event management

• Reporting and analytics

Pricing:
This company does offer a free 30 day plan for any sign-ups with their paid plans starting at $45/month (2500 supporters) based on the number of constituent records with a 10% discount if paid yearly. We do find their pricing model to be clear with no additional hidden fees, although there is the customary processing fee which the company does not charge above what they pay each processor. Starting at 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction paid to the payment processor (no fee to LGL).

Ideal For:
Nonprofits seeking a robust donor management system with flexible features and scalable pricing.

---

CiviCRM

Solution Overview:
CiviCRM is a self hosted, open-source CRM specifically designed for nonprofits and offers a suite of tools to manage contacts, contributions, events, and communications. The software needs to be downloaded and placed on your own server, yet it is completely free to use. Like Little Green Light, the solution is primarily focused on nonprofit CRM and lacks additional fundraising tools like auctions and live event management.

Donation Management Features:

• Contact and donation management

• Event registration and management

• Membership management

• Email marketing integration

Pricing:
Completely free to download and use. Organizations may incur costs for their own hosting or hosting on one of their recommended providers along with optional professional support for set up and maintenance.

Ideal For:
Tech-savvy nonprofits looking for a customizable and open-source solution to manage various organizational activities using CRM software.

---

Bitrix24

Solution Overview:
Bitrix24 is a comprehensive business management suite that includes CRM, project management, and communication tools, suitable for nonprofits requiring a multifaceted platform.

Bitrix24 is a business management platform that provides tools for CRM (Customer Relationship Management), project management, team collaboration, communication, and automation. It is designed to help businesses, nonprofits, and organizations manage their workflows more efficiently. While not technically created specifically for nonprofit organizations, the tools can be easily used for any type of charity.

Donation Management Features:

• Tracks leads, donors, and customer interactions

• Collaborate on projects with team members

• Centralized company feed for announcements

Pricing:

Their free plan has basic collaboration tools, limited CRM functionalities, task and project management, and communication features. In order to gain access to more sophisticated tools you’ll need to pay up to $399 per month (billed annually) depending on your needs. There are monthly billing options that cost more than the annual fee.

Ideal For:

Charities that don’t need fundraising tools and only need a CRM.

---

Wild Apricot

Solution Overview:
Wild Apricot is a cloud membership management software that also offers donor management features that make it suitable for organizations with a focus on memberships and donations only. The software does not have any type of event fundraising options like hybrid events or auctions to help your charity grow. They do offer a way to add a store to your website if your organization sells physical products as well as their own website builder.

Donation Management Features:

• Online donation forms

• Donor database management

• Automated receipts and acknowledgments

• Event management and registration

Pricing:
We feel for a charity or foundation their pricing is quite steep. On the monthly option prices start at $60 per month for only 100 people and has a scale system per number of people. There is a free trial although we aren’t sure what tools are available during the time period. They also charge additional fees for online donation processing dependent on which payment gateway is used. Why we think this is a solid company, there are better deals for the same services.

Ideal For:
Small nonprofits or associations that manage both memberships and donations and are not in need of fundraising capabilities like auction events.

---

Neon CRM

Solution Overview:
Neon CRM is more of a CRM and fundraising database with email and payment processing options built in. They offer in depth tracking and donor management tools but lack any sort of fundraising tools like auctions and hybrid events to increase giving. So while the company does have a solid platform, if you plan to grow using events it may be best to go with a more inclusive solution.

Donation Management Features:

• Donor and donation tracking

• Online donation forms and payment processing

• Email marketing and communication tools

• Event registration and management

Pricing:
Neon CRM offers a 30 day free trial and their paid plans start at $99/month with limited tools at your disposal but you’re able to add as many supporters as you want. The price goes up as you add more tools or ‘addons’. One note about a hidden fee we saw, They have a Services section and we found their first service, ‘Data & Implementation’ is actually required! That basically means there is a $349 set up fee, although they do NOT make this obvious.

Ideal For: Smaller charities looking for basic CRM and member management tools with different tied pricing options.

---

Aplos

Solution Overview:
Aplos provides cloud-based software tailored for nonprofits and churches that offers excellent accounting software options, donor management, and fundraising tools in one platform. If you’re looking for simple donor registration and true fund accounting capabilities, they may be a great option. Sadly they don’t offer additional solutions like in-person, hybrid and auction event capabilities on their platform, but what they do offer is solid and reasonably priced.

Donation Management Features:

• Donor database and contribution tracking

• Online donation forms and event registration

• Strong accounting capabilities including fund accounting

• Communication tools for donor engagement

Pricing:
Aplos offers a 15-day free trial with any paid subscription. Plans start out at $79.00 a month at the lowest tier. We feel this is a solid choice for small charities looking to use an online platform to run their organizations, the only minus is they don’t offer any solutions for fundraising events.

Ideal For:
Small to medium-sized nonprofits and churches seeking an integrated solution for accounting and donor management.

Hidden Costs and Limitations of Free Software

If you read through each of our picks you’ll notice many of the so-called ‘free’ software listed often come with some sort of catch. Either they will have a limited amount of tools in their free account, or they severely limit the amount you can use. Some even have hidden charges that aren’t always noticeable unless you really look. And even if it is a great deal while you’re starting out, as you grow you may find they are more expensive than many other tools.

The fact is all of these companies are for profit and need revenue in order to continue their operations. That means someone somewhere is paying to use the platform or they couldn’t exist. This is why we feel it is best to go with a platform that charges a reasonable monthly fee and give their free demo a try. Most companies like Paybee that are serious about their work will always offer a free account for a limited time so you can test out their platform and be sure they are user friendly and offer the tools you truly need. So take advantage of this and really give their software a test run to see how it performs!

Comparison Table: Free vs. Paid Donor Management Software Pros and Cons

Feature	Free Donor Management Software	Paid Donor Management Software
Cost	Free or freemium (may have transaction fees, feature limits)	Monthly or annual subscription, often tiered pricing
Donor Database & Contact Management	Basic donor tracking with limited storage and segmentation	Advanced tracking, unlimited storage, in-depth segmentation
Donation Tracking & Analytics	Basic reporting, fewer customization options	Comprehensive analytics, predictive insights, and detailed trend reports
Communication & Engagement Tools	Limited automation (e.g., basic thank-you emails)	Advanced automation (e.g., personalized drip campaigns, SMS, AI-driven engagement)
Online Giving & Payment Processing	May charge transaction fees or request optional donations	Lower transaction fees, customizable donation pages, more payment options
Event & Campaign Management	Basic event tracking and ticketing	Robust event management, virtual fundraising tools, and integrations
Integrations	Limited CRM, accounting, and marketing software integrations	Seamless integration with QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Salesforce, etc.
Compliance & Security	Basic compliance with GDPR/CCPA, may lack advanced security features	Full compliance with tax laws, donor privacy regulations, and security certifications
Customization	Limited branding and personalization	Fully customizable donor portals, branded donation pages, and workflows
Scalability	Best for small to medium-sized nonprofits	Scales with large organizations, high-volume donations, and complex campaigns
Support & Training	Community support, FAQs, and knowledge base	Dedicated customer support, live chat, training, and onboarding services
Long-Term Viability	May have hidden costs (e.g., upgrade fees, limited features)	Sustainable investment with predictable costs and full functionality

How to Choose the Right Donor Management Software for Your Nonprofit

Selecting the right donor management software that is both cost efficient as well as being effective can be a little challenging. There are so many tools available that it can easily get overwhelming. But with a little work you’ll be able to narrow your choices down and make an informed decision using our guide and checklist at the end of this section. So let’s get started!

The first thing to do is to asses your nonprofit’s immediate and future needs. Note the size of your nonprofit including staff, volunteers and supporters. Many platforms charge per individual so the number of people that will be using the software can greatly effect the cost.

Next think about your fundraising goals. Are you focused on recurring donations, major gifts, or peer-to-peer fundraising? Do you need a software solution that provides additional fundraising tools like silent auctions or hybrid events in order to grow? Not all donor software include these extras and they may not be worth the additional cost if you’ll never use them.

The next thing to think about is what inefficiencies exist in your current donor management process? Are donors engaged, confused, still donating or attending your events and fundraisers? What do you think is holding your organization back from generating more funds for your cause?

Armed with all of this information you can start thinking about the key tools and features a solution needs to have to run your organization and donor management effectively. Here are the most common features necessary to keep donors and your staff happy!

• Donor Database & Contact Management – Track donor history and interactions.

• Donation Processing & Recurring Giving – Accept and manage one-time and recurring donations.

• Email & Communication Tools – Automate thank-you messages and fundraising campaigns.

• Event & Campaign Management – Plan, promote, and manage fundraising events.

• Reporting & Analytics – Generate reports for donor trends and fundraising effectiveness.

• Integrations – Connect with CRM, accounting software, email marketing platforms.

• Security & Compliance – Ensure donor data protection and legal compliance.

This is not an exhaustive list, so if your specific charity needs additional functionalities, feel free to add them to your checklist.

The next step is to decide on the cost versus the value you’re getting for your investment. That means making a budget and seeing how well you can fit that budget while getting the best option for your charity’s specific needs. Also be aware of any hidden charges or fees like we wrote about above. If you ever have doubts, simply ask them to answer straight. This is also when you sign up for a demo or two to compare the available options and their ease of use. Will you need to train your people on how to use the platform? Is it intuitive?

Once you have begun narrowing this all down, now it’s time to think about the company’s support and training options. What support does the company provide? Is there 24 hour chat service, telephone, email or simply a few questions and answers on some random page somewhere on their website? What actually happens if you run into a problem and need immediate assistance? And is there a charge for ‘VIP support’? Are there training resources, webinars, or onboarding assistance if you have a problem? Is there an active user community for troubleshooting and best practices built up around the software?

All of this extra effort can really help you in choosing the absolute best option for your charity or foundation and actually save you a lot of time and money in the end. Most solutions are subscriptions that charge monthly, so be sure that what your paying for is actually helping your charity grow and actually worth your investment and time.

Checklist: Choosing Donor Management Software

✔️ Clearly define your nonprofit’s size, fundraising goals, and donor management needs.
✔️ Identify must-have features such as donor tracking, automated communication, and reporting.
✔️ Determine if the software integrates with your existing tools (CRM, email, accounting).
✔️ Assess the software’s scalability to grow with your nonprofit.
✔️ Compare pricing structures, including hidden costs and transaction fees.
✔️ Check for security measures and legal compliance for donor data protection.
✔️ Test the software through free trials or demos before making a decision.
✔️ Ensure reliable customer support and training resources are available.

Wrapping Up

Choosing the right donor management software doesn’t need to be overwhelming, even for a non-techie type visionary. By carefully evaluating your organization's size, goals, required integrations, and scalability needs, you can be sure that your chosen solution aligns perfectly with your mission and long term mission. After all, these tools are meant to empower you, not bog you down in an expensive technical nightmare.

Whether you opt for a free or paid platform, the key is to select software that enhances donor relationships, simplifies data management, and provides actionable insights on how to make your entire donor cultivation process easier. Use our provided checklist to make an informed decision, and remember that the right tools empower your nonprofit to focus on what truly matters, making a lasting impact.