--- title: "Blackbaud CRM Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Blackbaud CRM the right Nonprofit CRM solution for you? Explore 51 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/178085/Blackbaud-CRM/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" --- Blackbaud CRM 3.5 (51) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/178085/Blackbaud-CRM/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated August 3rd, 2026 # Reviews of Blackbaud CRM Ease of use 3.1 Customer Service 3.4 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews Clea H Asst. Dir. LAGFund-Raising, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I liked Blackbaud and would use it again over Salesforce because all the information was in one place.“ April 17, 2026 JN Jack N FounderNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “We had numerous request for cancellation ignored, and as of today they’re still trying to collect.“ February 5, 2025 MS Mike S Director of ITNon-Profit Organization Management, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “The ease of use and navigation, payment processor built in, the customization of donation forms, and having multiples, reporting, and the amount of plugins available.“ April 4, 2024 JN Jack N FounderNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “He was not authorized to enter into disagreement so we tried to cancel it with our attorney.“ February 5, 2025 LP Lisa P Finance DirectorNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The best part was the ability to create recurring entries. “ August 7, 2024 LP Lisa P Finance DirectorNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Not when their software is NOT the best for small organizations.“ August 7, 2024 MR Mariam R Staff Accountant Education Management, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “I like the user experience, it is easy to use and very user friendly.“ April 15, 2022 Tara M Assistant Director Higher Education, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It is sometime tough to locate datathat I need.“ August 14, 2023 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 51 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Tara M. Assistant Director Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Review Blackbaud" August 14, 2023 4.0 i find it to be a very useful tool. Pros It stores so much data about a constituent. Cons It is sometime tough to locate datathat I need. Review Source MS Mike S. Director of IT Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great CRM for non-profit" April 4, 2024 5.0 Pros The ease of use and navigation, payment processor built in, the customization of donation forms, and having multiples, reporting, and the amount of plugins available. Cons Communication with other software such as Constant Contact. Switched from [Bloomerang](https://www.capterra.com/p/131207/Bloomerang/) Lack of customization and processing options. Review Source JN Jack N. Founder Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "BlackBaud is a hard NO" February 5, 2025 1.0 Our request for a cancellation of agreement went ignored. They seem to have no compassion for a small nonprofit struggling to pay its bills. Pros Nothing at all! One of our board members entered into an agreement without board authorization. When we try to undo this agreement, they came at us with their lawyer. Cons One of our board members signed up and left our board. He was not authorized to enter into disagreement so we tried to cancel it with our attorney. We’re a small nonprofit and never use the platform. BlackBaud send us many threatening letters, and even though our attorney responded, we made a years worth of payments. We had numerous request for cancellation ignored, and as of today they’re still trying to collect. Switched from [Pledge](https://www.capterra.com/p/198235/Pledgeling/) Because Pledge is free, easy to use and totally geared towards nonprofits Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Asst. Dir. LAG Fund-Raising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Preferred Blackbaud" April 17, 2026 4.0 I liked Blackbaud and would use it again over Salesforce because all the information was in one place. Pros I thought Balckbaud was easier to use than Salesforce. I thought everything was nice in one place and easy to use. Cons I didn't like that you could not get real time information and that you could not get reporting right away, however I did like the reports. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Director of Operations Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great if you put in the work!" July 19, 2021 4.0 This has been a great tool for tracking grants for us. Before we just tracked this information in a multi-tab excel workbook. Taking advantage of this part of Blackbaud has had a huge benefit to us. All of our fundraising and grant data is in one place instead of stored in multiple locations we have a more thorough picture of our fundraising goals and performance. Pros Blackbaud CRM is has a lot of useful tools for fundraising, donor management, and grant writing. We have used this product for several years and it has been great tool for our company for the past 2. We learned after the first year if we didn't really learn the product and spend time watching the online and tutorials from the company then this product was not worth the money. The tutorials and modules are very helpful for making the most of the product. The price is worth it if you commit to learning and using tit to it's full capacity. The customer service is always great and reps are very helpful. Cons You have to put time in on the front end to learn the product or you will most not take advantage of all the software has to offer. It is not hard to use once you learn but the software is not the most intuitive so you have to learn as opposed to just jumping it in and things being easy to figure out naturally. Reason for choosing Blackbaud CRM The customer service was exceptional and that did not end once we signed on with the company. We receive excellent customer service from Blackbaud any time we reach out and that is very valuable. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Executive Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Avoid at all costs" March 1, 2023 1.0 Pros The sales team did a great presentation but after implementation support and customer service is awful. Cons Customer service and support teams are horrible, training is complex for a non-profit with volunteers and keeping data current and relevant is time-consuming and archaic. Alternatives considered [Salesforce Starter](https://www.capterra.com/p/227088/Salesforce-Starter/) Switched from [Insightly](https://www.capterra.com/p/130671/Insightly/) Help grow a non-profit and increase fundraising Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Sr. Prospect Researcher Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Robust CRM platform, but feels overcomplicated and outdated at times" March 25, 2024 3.0 Generally good, but it takes some time to get used to the platform and its quirks and inefficiencies Pros Tons of features and pretty good at being customizable, generally intuitive point-and-click Cons It is not very efficient in terms of how many clicks it takes to do certain tasks, and it could be updated to not feel like something from 1998 Review Source Raghavendra R. Software Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Broken login management and frustratingly confusing terms" February 24, 2024 1.0 Pros I'm a customer of another company called Russian School of Math (RSM). They use Blackbaud as their payment provider. It's a nightmare for me whenever I need to pay RSM Cons 1\. When I register a new class I get a new “family” id. What??? I’m not buying a new class not a family! 1. Can you fix your terminology? This is extremely confusing 2. I've to go to one website for registration (parents.russianschool.com) and another website (parent.blackbaud.com) for payment. Third one parent.smarttution.com not sure what it is 3. Even within the payment website, there are multiple school accounts? I expect one login for the company not one for each of its branch. 4. What is Blackbaud and why should I deal/learn about that when I’m doing business with RSM? Can you hide your implementation details from users 5. Blackbaud's password policy is too strong Review Source Kari B. Mobilization and Logistics Manager Religious Institutions Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Just doesn't do enough" August 27, 2019 3.0 Overall it was good when we were smaller, but not ideal for a growing company. Pros I liked that this software was able to house all our donor information. Its fairly easy to run reports and the chat help feature was really good. Cons You can't tag or mark donations with more than two qualifications. Its also frustrating that you couldn't edit PDFs once they were downloaded because of Canadian guidelines even though I was based out of the US. Review Source SS Steve S. Executive Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Dysfunctional company" May 29, 2019 1.0 Awful. Pros When the eTapestry product was first purchased it seemed overly complex, but it did function properly. Queries were not intuitive, but we learned. Our database size was approximately 11,000 records. Cons Two things: As Blackbaud made "enhancements" to the product, they did not provide ways to migrate from the old format to the new. In our case they said that we needed to individually edit our, now, 12,000 records. This was not an option and we decided to leave. Leading to the second problem. I sent Blackbaud notice that I was leaving. The notice was completely ignored and I was send a "discounted" contract. A Blackbaud representative asked me to call at a certain time, which I did. There was no answer and I left voice mail. I sent another notice that I was leaving. I was sent another discounted contract. I have now been sent bills for the original contract, AND for accrued time, in spite of the fact that Blackbaud has acknowledged receiving the \[second\] notice that I was leaving. Review Source MS Mohammed S. Executive Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "RaiserEdge was the top CRM" December 18, 2018 5.0 We did all our daily data entry and reports Pros RaiserEdge was our main CRM before we switched to Salesforce, RaiseEdge really built something that enabled nonprofits to have everything covered. Cons RaisersEdge stopped keeping up with times, they did not invest on the online platform and the bridge and net community were a disaster. I loved RaisersEdge but they simple stopped investing our their technology and they become a very closed software. Review Source JP Jonathan P. Development Officer Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Very helpful software for Higher Education" January 19, 2019 4.0 Blackbaud has helped us tremendously in our fundraising. We continue to be pleased with it and aren't going anywhere else anytime soon. Pros It's tailored to my needs as a higher education professional. It's a software designed specifically for nonprofits, and helps not only with CRM, but with how to conduct all fundraising operations. Cons Sometimes the export features are not the most useful, however, we are able to find workaround solutions. Review Source KK Kourtney K. Fundraising Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Blackbaud Review" September 30, 2019 5.0 Overall I would definitely recommend Blackbaud, but I would love to see them allow for more customization. Pros Blackbaud was fairly intuitive. It helped to keep our data up to date and organized. The support team was great and always making updates. Cons I wish it were easier to edit and customize the software to meet our needs as an organization. There have been a few things we would like to track, but do not make sense in Blackbaud. Review Source MW Michelle W. DATA MANAGEMENT Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "360 View of Constituent (Donor) Data" November 30, 2018 5.0 MY OVERALL EXPERIENCE WITH BLACKBAUD CRM HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AWESOME. WHAT AN AMAZING PIECE OF SOFTWARE! Pros I LOVE THE CAPABILTY TO MANAGE DONORS FROM BEGINNING TO END. FROM PROSPECTING TO STEWARDING. REVENUE IS EASILY ENTERED, STORED AND REPORTED ON. ABILITY TO MANAGE ALL FUNDRAISING AND EVENTS ALONG WITH VOLUNTEER MODULE. SECURITY ROLES TO MANAGE WHO SEES WHAT. Cons I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS THUS FAR ABOUT THIS SOFTWARE. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Vice President Board Of Directors Computer Hardware Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Very clunky and expensive compared to other alternatives out there" September 6, 2019 3.0 They certainly have all the fanfare, but I would consider using a more local, less expensive alternative. Pros It's fairly comprehensive and allows me to manage my donor base effectively. It has everything I could ask for in a non-profit management platform. Cons It's expensive for the value it delivers. The software is getting more and more complex to use. But the user interface is difficult to navigate at times. Review Source MR Mariam R. Staff Accountant Education Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "BlackBaud" April 15, 2022 4.0 Pros I like the user experience, it is easy to use and very user friendly. Customer support is also very quick and helpful! Cons I think it could be less expensive but overall great quality! Review Source JD Julie D. Controller Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Blackbaud CRM" October 3, 2018 5.0 Pros I mostly used this software for reports and it was very easy to get the information that I was looking for. Cons I don't really have any dislikes with this software. Review Source LP Lisa P. Finance Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SAVE YOUR MONEY!" August 7, 2024 1.0 During the initial presentation, they bragged about how useful they are for small non-profits. LIES! In the three years of use, I became farther and farther behind. Our contract started in May but we didn't even start using it until October. So much training was needed, and I'm relatively smart when it comes to software, but I needed unbelievable amounts of training. This might be a good software for large organizations with a department of accounting folks, but small organizations need to run a different direction. Look at Araize, they have a fantastic product! Pros The best part was the ability to create recurring entries. That is, until it was taken away with the switch to web only use. With over 200 recurring entries every month, it's a drain on my time and energy. Cons Customer support is the WORST. They must hire random people off the street. In three years, I think I talked to one person who knew anything about accounting. And don't get me started on pricing - a 25% increase after the initial contract, which was supposed to convert to an annual fee, but they are claiming it's a 3-year. Nobody in my organization signed a three year contract. Not when their software is NOT the best for small organizations. Review Source JV Jacqueline V. Business Manager Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "If you don't have it and are considering this product keep on looking!" July 27, 2023 2.0 It is so frustrating. Customer service is an absolute joke Pros It is online and you can attach backup. I like that you can upload a budget. Cons The customer support is pitiful and there is no one to holistically assist when you have a problem. Don't buy the line you can call one company for all your needs because it works like 20 companies all pointing their finger at each other and it is impossible to resolve problems. I am highly disatisfied. Reason for choosing Blackbaud CRM Sales pitches that promised excellent customer service and increased efficiency - don't believe the lie! Review Source CORINNE A. Development Manager Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Blackbaud is the gold standard" November 5, 2019 5.0 Overall, Blackbaud CRM is the gold standard for non profit fundraising software. It is expensive, but if your organization is large enough to afford it AND if you take the time and resources to train your employees to get the most out of it, you will gain tremendous insight into your donors and constituents. Pros We used this software at a previous organization that I worked at. Blackbaud has an incredible amount of reporting functionality. You can manipulate data any way you can imagine. Now that I have worked with other donor databases, I've come to appreciate in an even deeper way how much functionality Blackbaud's programs have. Cons It takes a fair amount of experience and training to get the most out of the software, just because it can do SO much! It is fairly user friendly for the basics, but when you are doing advanced query building and importing large amounts of data, you are going to need some technical assistance. But, they are pretty good about providing it. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Business Systems Administrator Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Very Robust CRM" March 14, 2019 4.0 One thing that stood out is that the UI is near intuitive, nice to look at and the data is well supported by a dedicated team at Blackbaud. I was able to pull reports on data quickly and easily for other users. Training is pretty seamless as far as getting users acclimated into the system. Though we didn't like the out-of-the-box functionalities, we understood that we wanted some customization, which was a bit pricey for our company. Once when we did get the essential functionalities edited, we were quite happy with the results. Customer support is great at quickly responding in helping us with issues. Pros Easy flow in adding donors, easy flow in taking donations, pretty UI, intuitive use and workflow. Reporting functions are easy to edit and create. Cons Licensing and customization can be pricey. If you have your own developer to improve functionality, you may not get access to test environments or else you're paying for their developer for customizations. Review Source AG Adrienne G. Manager, Programs & Operations Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful tool for the Right Organization!" December 3, 2019 4.0 Blackbaud CRM has given us a baseline for what to look for in a software. It has a lot of features and functionality that can be adapted for an organization. Pros Blackbaud CRM is a robust system. Constituent profiles allow for you to collect a wealth of information about your constituents and use it to analyze, communicate, and solicit donations or sell your products. You can not only collect biographical information, you can also upload media, create action tracks (work flows), record giving history, etc. You can also add custom attributes for anything that is not out of the box. There is a lot of support available for blackbaud products and a knowledgeable support team dedicated to answering questions and troubleshooting. Cons Software is a little clunky at times, you have to use it as it was intended or create workarounds to make things work. Software is pricey for a non-profit. Learning curve can be high for new users. When it comes to Membership, which is a big part of our business, the functionality is basic. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Development Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great way to raise funds!" December 18, 2018 4.0 We are tracking our constituents and raising money by building relationships. We could not do that without this system. Pros This software is designed for nonprofits and the the features are incredibly helpful in maintaining and recording information about our constituents. Cons Some of Blackbaud's systems look dated and you have to upgrade (more $) for a 2018 look. However, the functionality is efficient and effective. The cost is also a bit high as compared to other cloud-based CRMs. Review Source CD Chelsea D. Database Manager Museums and Institutions Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Blackbaud is great for non-profits! " December 27, 2018 5.0 Blackbaud has allowed our team to increase relationship with our patrons through the careful documentation of every interaction and helpful information regarding the constituent- including sales orders, event registrations, donations, prospect management, memberships, contact information, household/organization relationships, marketing communications, etc. We also utilize the training and support available through Blackbaud to ensure we are using their tools to their full potential. Pros I love that Blackbaud has many different software options. The non-profit I work for used Blackbaud's Raisers Edge software for many years and switched to Altru in 2012 as our CRM needs had increased/developed as our organization grew. I also am appreciative of the time and attention that Blackbaud employees provide when support or training is needed. Cons Blackbaud's client base is largely owned by non-profit organizations. Non-profits aren't typically the kind that can spend thousands of dollars on software every month. However, Blackbaud's products are very costly. I would say they are worth the money, if it's affordable. But I do question their motives when it comes to cost, as they seem very high for who the products are for. Review Source CM Christopher M. Development Coordinator Religious Institutions Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Lackluster Customer Service, Limited Flexibility, and Expensive" April 2, 2019 3.0 To start, Blackbaud has terrible customer service. My organization has been with Blackbaud over two decades and when interacting with our Blackbaud financial representative I was not informed of this information. Blackbaud would require my organization lock into 3-year contracts at a time. Furthermore, my organization paid extra for this product called "Address Finder NXT" which is suppose to update the donor list for deceased donors. However, when performing my own experiment this product was not accurate. My organization did not renew a contract so Blackbuad auto-renewed my organization for another 3 years without our permission. As the new development coordinator I ended our 23-year relationship with Blackbaud for a more affordable customer-friendly Donor software company. For small non-profits I would not recommend Blackbaud. I would never recommend Blackbaud CRM to any organization. Pros The software is extremely detailed and if the user is trained it takes much less manual implementation than other less expensive competitors. This software is offered on the desktop as well as a cloud-based version. There are many additional products offered with the CRM to offer a whole encompassing experience with little manual effort. Cons Complex and not user friendly, difficult to teach new users, and for small non-profits too many options. 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