Blackbaud Alternative: Why Nonprofits Are Looking for Options
Blackbaud dominates nonprofit software, but at what cost? A look at alternatives.
Blackbaud Alternative: Why Nonprofits Are Looking for Options
Blackbaud is the 800-pound gorilla of nonprofit software. They own Raiser's Edge, Financial Edge, Blackbaud CRM, and dozens of other products serving nonprofits, schools, and foundations.
They also have a near-monopoly—and the pricing and service quality that comes with it.
If you're a nonprofit considering Blackbaud or looking to switch away, here's what you need to know.
The Blackbaud Landscape
Blackbaud's product suite includes:
| Product | Purpose | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Raiser's Edge NXT | Donor management/CRM | $4,000-$50,000+/year |
| Financial Edge NXT | Fund accounting | $5,000-$30,000+/year |
| Blackbaud CRM | Enterprise CRM | $50,000-$200,000+/year |
| Luminate Online | Digital fundraising | $3,000-$20,000+/year |
| Altru | Arts/cultural orgs | $3,000-$15,000+/year |
These aren't just software costs. Add implementation ($10,000-$100,000+), training, and ongoing support fees.
For a mid-sized nonprofit, a full Blackbaud stack can easily cost $100,000+ in year one.
Why Nonprofits Stay with Blackbaud
Despite complaints, organizations stay because:
Market Dominance
Blackbaud has been around since 1981. They've acquired most competitors. For many nonprofits, Blackbaud feels like the only "serious" option.
Data Lock-in
Years of donor history, financial records, and institutional knowledge live in Blackbaud systems. Migration feels risky and expensive.
Board Expectations
Board members often know Blackbaud from other organizations. "Why aren't we using Raiser's Edge?" is a common question.
Integration Ecosystem
Blackbaud products integrate with each other (sometimes). Switching one product means potentially switching everything.
Why Nonprofits Leave Blackbaud
The exodus is real. Common reasons:
Cost
Blackbaud's pricing has increased dramatically, especially after their private equity acquisition. Annual increases of 5-15% are common. For budget-constrained nonprofits, this becomes unsustainable.
Complexity
Enterprise software designed for the largest nonprofits doesn't fit smaller organizations. Features go unused while staff struggles with overcomplicated interfaces.
Support Quality
Support response times have lengthened. Getting help often requires expensive professional services engagements. The "partner" relationship feels increasingly transactional.
Innovation Stagnation
Many Blackbaud products haven't meaningfully evolved in years. The NXT migrations have been rocky. Modern UX expectations aren't being met.
Security Concerns
The 2020 Blackbaud data breach affected thousands of organizations. The handling of the breach and subsequent litigation raised serious questions about data stewardship.
What to Look for in an Alternative
If you're evaluating Blackbaud alternatives, prioritize:
True Fund Accounting
Many alternatives are for-profit accounting tools awkwardly adapted for nonprofits. Look for native fund accounting—restricted funds, grants, FASB compliance built in from the start.
Integrated CRM
Donor data and financial data should live together. Separate systems mean duplicate entry, sync issues, and incomplete pictures of donor relationships.
Modern Architecture
Cloud-native, mobile-friendly, fast. If the software feels like it was built in 2005, it probably was.
Transparent Pricing
No "contact sales for pricing." No surprise fees. Know what you're paying before you commit.
Data Portability
Your data is yours. Export should be easy and complete. Don't trade one lock-in for another.
Realistic Implementation
Six-month implementations are a red flag. Modern software should be usable in days or weeks, not months.
The Alternatives Landscape
For Small Nonprofits (Under $2M budget)
QuickBooks + Bloomerang: Common pairing. QuickBooks handles accounting (poorly for fund accounting), Bloomerang handles donors. Affordable but disconnected.
Aplos: Purpose-built for small nonprofits. Better fund accounting than QuickBooks. Limited CRM capabilities.
Alignmint: All-in-one accounting and CRM. True fund accounting, integrated donor management, modern interface. Full disclosure: this is our product.
For Mid-Sized Nonprofits ($2M-$20M budget)
Sage Intacct: Strong accounting, weak CRM. Expensive but capable. Often paired with Salesforce.
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud: Powerful CRM, no accounting. Requires significant customization and Salesforce expertise.
Alignmint: Designed for this segment—organizations too big for QuickBooks, too small for enterprise Blackbaud.
For Large Nonprofits ($20M+ budget)
Workday: Enterprise ERP. Massive implementation, massive cost, massive capability.
Microsoft Dynamics + Fundraising: Enterprise option with nonprofit accelerators. Complex but powerful.
Staying with Blackbaud: At this scale, switching costs are enormous. Negotiating better terms may be more practical than switching.
The Alignmint Approach
We built Alignmint specifically as a Blackbaud alternative for the underserved middle market. Here's our philosophy:
All-in-One
Accounting and CRM in one system. No integration headaches, no duplicate data, no finger-pointing between vendors.
True Fund Accounting
Not a workaround. Native support for restricted funds, grants, designated giving, and FASB-compliant reporting.
Modern Experience
Built in 2024, not 2004. Fast, intuitive, mobile-ready. Your staff shouldn't need a week of training to use basic features.
Fair Pricing
Transparent pricing that doesn't require a sales call. No implementation fees that exceed the software cost. No annual increases that outpace inflation.
Easy Migration
We help you move from Blackbaud (or anywhere else). Your donor history, financial records, and institutional knowledge come with you.
Read more about our approach:
Making the Switch
If you're considering leaving Blackbaud:
1. Audit Your Current Usage
What Blackbaud features do you actually use? Many organizations pay for enterprise features they never touch.
2. Document Your Requirements
What must the new system do? What would be nice? What can you live without?
3. Plan Data Migration
What data needs to move? Donor history, financial records, documents? Get clarity on what's exportable.
4. Consider Timing
Fiscal year-end is a natural transition point. Don't switch mid-audit or during your biggest fundraising campaign.
5. Get Staff Buy-in
The people using the software daily need to be part of the decision. Their input on pain points and requirements is invaluable.
The Bottom Line
Blackbaud isn't going anywhere. For some organizations, it remains the right choice. But it's no longer the only choice.
The nonprofit software market is evolving. Modern alternatives exist that offer better experiences at lower costs. If Blackbaud isn't serving your organization well, you have options.
Alignmint is one of those options. We'd love to show you what modern nonprofit software looks like.
Nonprofits exist to serve missions, not to serve software vendors. If your tools are holding you back, it's time to explore alternatives.