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Nonprofits · head to head

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge vs OpenGrants

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge logo

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

Nonprofits

Enterprise-grade donor management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenGrants logo

OpenGrants

Nonprofits

Low-cost grant search across federal, state and private funders, with a paid consultant marketplace alongside

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenGrants has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge no published pricing on website - requires custom quote based on organization size and solutions; OpenGrants coverage of private foundations is thinner and less curated than Candid or Instrumentl, so a prospect list built solely from OpenGrants will miss foundations that never post public opportunity notices.
  • They diverge on capability: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management, OpenGrants covers Grant search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Blackbaud Raiser's Edge and OpenGrants differ
AttributeBlackbaud Raiser's EdgeOpenGrants
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb
Founded1981Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofits).

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
  • Salesforce

Only in OpenGrants

  • Grant search
  • Saved searches and alerts
  • Funder profiles
  • Opportunity tracking
  • Consultant marketplace
  • Free tier

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

OpenGrants

  • A small nonprofit with no research budget that needs to know whether relevant grants exist before hiring anyonenot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • A startup hunting SBIR, state innovation and economic development funding across multiple agenciesnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • A freelance grant writer covering several clients who cannot pass on a several-hundred-dollar monthly database costnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • An organisation wanting to hire a grant writer for one application without running a procurementnot 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

  • No published pricing on website - requires custom quote based on organization size and solutions
  • Pricing varies significantly by product and organizational complexity

OpenGrants

  • Coverage of private foundations is thinner and less curated than Candid or Instrumentl, so a prospect list built solely from OpenGrants will miss foundations that never post public opportunity notices.
  • The index leans on public opportunity feeds, which means it is strongest on government funding and weakest on the relationship-driven private philanthropy that most nonprofits actually rely on.
  • Matching is keyword driven rather than fit-scored, so users receive alerts for opportunities they are ineligible for and must qualify each one by hand.
  • The consultant marketplace is a directory with variable quality rather than a vetted panel, so buyers carry the risk of choosing a weak grant writer themselves.
  • It is a US-focused index, offering little to organisations seeking UK, EU or Canadian funding.

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

OpenGrants

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core grant search
    • Limited results and saved searches
    • No card required
  • Subscription$9/month
    • Full search access
    • Saved searches and alerts
    • Funder profiles

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.
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge review

Choose OpenGrants if

  • You need grant search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want saved searches and alerts.
OpenGrants review

Questions people ask

Is Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or OpenGrants better?
Neither clearly leads. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge starts at On request and OpenGrants 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 OpenGrants?
OpenGrants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Blackbaud Raiser's Edge and Free for OpenGrants.
Does Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or OpenGrants run on more platforms?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. OpenGrants runs on Web.
Can I use OpenGrants for free?
Yes. OpenGrants 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 OpenGrants is typically brought in for.
What can Blackbaud Raiser's Edge do that OpenGrants cannot?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management, Gift tracking, Prospect research, Campaign management. OpenGrants covers Grant search, Saved searches and alerts, Funder profiles, Opportunity tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge: How much does Raiser's Edge NXT cost?

Blackbaud does not publish pricing for Raiser's Edge NXT or other products on their website. Pricing is customized based on your organization's size, goals, and the solutions you need. You must submit a form to request a personalized quote.

Source
OpenGrants: How much does it cost?

$9 a month or $99 a year after a seven day trial, with a free tier of core search retained.

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge: How is Blackbaud pricing calculated?

Blackbaud pricing is based on several factors including organization size, number of users, selected solutions or modules, and the level of support and services desired. Pricing is designed to scale with organizational needs.

Source
OpenGrants: Why is it so much cheaper than Candid?

Because it indexes public and semi-public opportunity feeds with automation rather than employing researchers to code foundation records from tax filings. You trade depth of private foundation intelligence for price.

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge: Does Blackbaud charge hidden fees?

No, Blackbaud pricing is structured to be transparent with no hidden fees. Their representative walks through all costs during consultation before you move forward.

Source
OpenGrants: Does it cover private foundations?

Partially. It is strongest on federal and state programmes. For systematic private foundation research, Candid remains the reference source.

OpenGrants: Is the consultant marketplace vetted?

It is a directory, not a vetted panel. Check references and past awards yourself.

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