Softwr

Nonprofit & Fundraising · head to head

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge vs Constant Contact

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge logo

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

Nonprofit & Fundraising

Enterprise-grade donor management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Constant Contact logo

Constant Contact

Nonprofit & Fundraising

Email marketing and event management

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Constant Contact has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation; Constant Contact core plan started at $9.99 per month and Plus plan at $45 per month, both scaling by contact list size rather than a flat rate (Internet Archive capture, 2022)
  • They diverge on capability: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management, Constant Contact covers Email marketing.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Blackbaud Raiser's Edge and Constant Contact differ
AttributeBlackbaud Raiser's EdgeConstant Contact
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb, Mobile-responsive
Founded19811995

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofit & Fundraising).

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

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

Only in Constant Contact

  • Email marketing
  • Event management
  • Contact management
  • Automation
  • Analytics
  • Zapier
  • Google Analytics
  • Facebook

Both cover

  • 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 Constant Contact
  • Major gift portfolio management for fundraisersnot Constant Contact
  • Campaign and appeal trackingnot Constant Contact
  • Prospect research and wealth screeningnot Constant Contact
  • Fundraising reporting for boards and fundersnot Constant Contact

Constant Contact

  • Business operationsnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • Productivitynot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • Automationnot 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

Constant Contact

  • Core plan started at $9.99 per month and Plus plan at $45 per month, both scaling by contact list size rather than a flat rate (Internet Archive capture, 2022)

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

Constant Contact

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic email marketing
    • Contacts up to 100
  • Plus$45/month
    • Advanced features
    • Event management
    • Automation

Which should you pick?

Choose Blackbaud Raiser's Edge if

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

Choose Constant Contact if

  • You need email marketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want event management.

Questions people ask

Is Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Constant Contact better?
Neither clearly leads. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge starts at On request and Constant Contact at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Constant Contact?
Constant Contact has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Blackbaud Raiser's Edge and Free for Constant Contact.
Does Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Constant Contact run on more platforms?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Constant Contact runs on Web, Mobile-responsive.
Can I use Constant Contact for free?
Yes. Constant Contact has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge starts at On request.
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 Constant Contact is typically brought in for.
What can Blackbaud Raiser's Edge do that Constant Contact cannot?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management, Gift tracking, Prospect research, Campaign management. Constant Contact covers Email marketing, Event management, Contact management, Automation. Both handle Salesforce, Web support.

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