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Software · head to head

Ahrefs vs Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

Ahrefs logo

Ahrefs

Software

Everything you need to rank higher & get more traffic

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge logo

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

Software

Enterprise-grade donor management system

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ahrefs the entry Lite plan is $129 a month and caps projects at 5 and tracked keywords at 750; Blackbaud Raiser's Edge pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation
  • They diverge on capability: Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ahrefs and Blackbaud Raiser's Edge actually diverge.

Attributes where Ahrefs and Blackbaud Raiser's Edge differ
AttributeAhrefsBlackbaud Raiser's Edge
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, Mobile
Founded20101981

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Ahrefs

  • Site Explorer
  • Keywords Explorer
  • Site Audit
  • Rank Tracker
  • Content Explorer
  • Competitive analysis
  • Backlink checker
  • Keyword research

Only in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

  • Donor management
  • Gift tracking
  • Prospect research
  • Campaign management
  • Advanced reporting
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Ahrefs

  • SEO researchnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • Competitor analysisnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • Content planningnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • Backlink analysisnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • Rank trackingnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

  • Donor management and gift processing for nonprofitsnot Ahrefs
  • Major gift portfolio management for fundraisersnot Ahrefs
  • Campaign and appeal trackingnot Ahrefs
  • Prospect research and wealth screeningnot Ahrefs
  • Fundraising reporting for boards and fundersnot Ahrefs

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Ahrefs

  • The entry Lite plan is $129 a month and caps projects at 5 and tracked keywords at 750
  • Crawl credits are metered by tier, from 100,000 on Lite to 1,500,000 on Advanced
  • Enterprise at $1,499 a month requires an annual commitment
  • Brand Radar AI, custom prompts and Content Kit are separate add-ons starting at $199, $50 and $99 a month
  • The $29 Starter plan covers search and competitive research basics rather than the full toolset

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

  • Pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation
  • Aimed at mid-sized and large nonprofits with dedicated development teams rather than small charities

Pricing, plan by plan

Ahrefs

$29/month
  • Starter$29/month
    • Core keyword research
    • Backlink analysis
    • Competitor research
  • Lite$129/month
  • Standard$249/month
  • Advanced$449/month

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

On request
  • Standard$200/month
    • Donor database
    • Gift tracking
    • Reports
  • Premium$500/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Prospect research
    • Custom reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Ahrefs if

  • You need site explorer.
  • You also want keywords explorer.

Choose Blackbaud Raiser's Edge if

  • You need donor management.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want gift tracking.

Questions people ask

Is Ahrefs or Blackbaud Raiser's Edge better?
Neither clearly leads. Ahrefs starts at $29/month and Blackbaud Raiser's Edge at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ahrefs or Blackbaud Raiser's Edge?
Ahrefs starts at $29/month and Blackbaud Raiser's Edge at On request.
Does Ahrefs or Blackbaud Raiser's Edge run on more platforms?
Ahrefs runs on Web. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
What is Ahrefs best used for?
Ahrefs is most often used for seo research, competitor analysis, content planning, backlink analysis. Of those, seo research and competitor analysis are not what Blackbaud Raiser's Edge is typically brought in for.
What can Ahrefs do that Blackbaud Raiser's Edge cannot?
Ahrefs covers Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, Site Audit, Rank Tracker. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management, Gift tracking, Prospect research, Campaign management. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ahrefs: What are Ahrefs' main features?

Ahrefs' three main features are Site Explorer (for organic performance), Keywords Explorer (for keyword research), and Content Explorer (for content discovery). The platform includes backlink analysis, competitor research, technical SEO audits, rank tracking, and content workflows.

Source
Ahrefs: What is the size of Ahrefs' backlink database?

Ahrefs maintains a database of 28 trillion internal backlinks and 35 trillion external backlinks that are updated frequently, providing the depth and freshness of link data that differentiates it from competitors.

Source
Ahrefs: What is Ahrefs' pricing?

Ahrefs pricing starts at $29/month for Starter plan, $129/month for Lite, $249/month for Standard, $449/month for Advanced, and $1,499/month for Enterprise, with annual discounts available.

Source

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