Software · head to head
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge vs Cause IQ
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
Software
Enterprise-grade donor management system
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation; Cause IQ pricing is not published
- They diverge on capability: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Gift tracking, Cause IQ covers Event management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Blackbaud Raiser's Edge and Cause IQ actually diverge.
| Attribute | Blackbaud Raiser's Edge | Cause IQ |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile | Web |
| Founded | 1981 | 2013 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), 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 Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
- Gift tracking
- Prospect research
- Campaign management
- Advanced reporting
- QuickBooks
- Desktop support
- Mobile support
Only in Cause IQ
- Event management
- Online giving
- Volunteer tracking
- Google Analytics
- Mobile-responsive support
Both cover
- Donor management
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Salesforce
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
- Donor management and gift processing for nonprofitsnot Cause IQ
- Major gift portfolio management for fundraisersnot Cause IQ
- Campaign and appeal trackingnot Cause IQ
- Prospect research and wealth screeningnot Cause IQ
- Fundraising reporting for boards and fundersnot Cause IQ
Cause IQ
- Prospect research across nonprofit organisationsnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
- Benchmarking a nonprofit client against peersnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
- Building target lists for firms serving the sectornot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
- Enriching existing records with nonprofit financial datanot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Cause IQ
- Pricing is not published
- Sold to firms selling into the nonprofit sector rather than to nonprofits running their own operations
Pricing, plan by plan
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
On request- Standard$200/month
- Donor database
- Gift tracking
- Reports
- Premium$500/month
- Advanced analytics
- Prospect research
- Custom reporting
Cause IQ
On request- Standard$95/month
- Donor management
- Event management
- Advanced$200/month
- Prospect research
- Fundraising reports
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Blackbaud Raiser's Edge if
- You need gift tracking.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want prospect research.
Questions people ask
- Is Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Cause IQ better?
- Neither clearly leads. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge starts at On request and Cause IQ at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Cause IQ?
- Blackbaud Raiser's Edge starts at On request and Cause IQ at On request.
- Does Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Cause IQ run on more platforms?
- Blackbaud Raiser's Edge runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Cause IQ runs on Web.
- What is Blackbaud Raiser's Edge best used for?
- Blackbaud Raiser's Edge is most often used for donor management and gift processing for nonprofits, major gift portfolio management for fundraisers, campaign and appeal tracking, prospect research and wealth screening. Of those, donor management and gift processing for nonprofits and major gift portfolio management for fundraisers are not what Cause IQ is typically brought in for.
- What can Blackbaud Raiser's Edge do that Cause IQ cannot?
- Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Gift tracking, Prospect research, Campaign management, Advanced reporting. Cause IQ covers Event management, Online giving, Volunteer tracking, Google Analytics. Both handle Donor management, Stripe, PayPal, Salesforce.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Cause IQ: Does Cause IQ offer a free plan?
Yes. Cause IQ offers a free plan with basic nonprofit searches using 8 filters and limited profile access. Core and Pro plans are paid subscriptions.
SourceCause IQ: What is included in Cause IQ's pricing?
Core Plan costs $349/month (or $199/month for 501(c)(3) nonprofits) with access to 400+ filters. Pro Plan costs $5,988/year with three user licenses and unlimited exports. Annual discounts available.
SourceCause IQ: Does Cause IQ integrate with Salesforce?
Yes. Cause IQ provides direct Salesforce integration to create, update, and enrich Leads, Contacts, and Accounts with nonprofit data. Bulk operations and field mapping are supported.
SourceCause IQ: Does Cause IQ have an API?
Yes. Cause IQ provides a REST API that returns JSON responses. The API allows programmatic searches for nonprofits, EIN lookups, and access to over 400 organization fields.
SourceCause IQ: How much nonprofit data does Cause IQ contain?
Cause IQ aggregates data from over a dozen sources covering 1.73 million organizations, 9.86 million people (board members and key personnel), and 52,143 vendor profiles.
Source