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Nonprofits · head to head

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge vs Sumac

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge logo

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

Nonprofits

Enterprise-grade donor management system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sumac logo

Sumac

Nonprofits

Modular nonprofit CRM that pairs donor management with client case management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge no published pricing on website - requires custom quote based on organization size and solutions; Sumac pricing is not published at all, so a small organisation cannot compare Sumac against per contact priced competitors without committing to a sales process.
  • They diverge on capability: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management, Sumac covers Donor and gift management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Blackbaud Raiser's Edge and Sumac differ
AttributeBlackbaud Raiser's EdgeSumac
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb, Windows
Founded1981Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 Sumac

  • Donor and gift management
  • Case management module
  • Memberships and volunteers
  • Grant management
  • Role based permissions
  • Custom fields and forms

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

Sumac

  • A social service agency that must record client cases and donor gifts without buying two systemsnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • A charity that wants only donor and grant modules and refuses to pay for an events suite it will not usenot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • A Canadian organisation wanting local support hours and receipting conventionsnot Blackbaud Raiser's Edge
  • An agency replacing a legacy Access or FileMaker database with something supportednot 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

Sumac

  • Pricing is not published at all, so a small organisation cannot compare Sumac against per contact priced competitors without committing to a sales process.
  • The interface reflects the product's age, and staff arriving from consumer grade software find navigation and data entry slower than in newer CRMs.
  • Holding client case notes and donor records in one database makes permission design a compliance obligation, and a misconfigured role can expose confidential client material to fundraising staff.
  • The integration catalogue is small, so payment, email and accounting connections outside the listed few mean manual export or paid custom work.
  • Modular licensing means the price rises in visible steps as programmes expand, and organisations frequently discover the module they need most was not in the original quote.

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

Sumac

On request
  • Sumac$undefined/year
    • Quoted by module selection and organisation size
    • Case management is a separately licensed module
    • Implementation and data migration quoted separately

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 Sumac if

  • You need donor and gift management.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want case management module.
Sumac review

Questions people ask

Is Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Sumac better?
Neither clearly leads. Blackbaud Raiser's Edge starts at On request and Sumac 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 Sumac?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge starts at On request and Sumac at On request.
Does Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Sumac run on more platforms?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Sumac runs on Web, Windows.
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 Sumac is typically brought in for.
What can Blackbaud Raiser's Edge do that Sumac cannot?
Blackbaud Raiser's Edge covers Donor management, Gift tracking, Prospect research, Campaign management. Sumac covers Donor and gift management, Case management module, Memberships and volunteers, Grant management.

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
Sumac: Is Sumac the same product as Societ?

The vendor has been moving its products under the Societ brand, so you may see both names for the same platform during a sales cycle.

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
Sumac: Can it handle client case management?

Yes, that is its clearest differentiator among donor CRMs. It is a licensed module, not part of the base product.

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
Sumac: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by module and organisation size, which makes like for like comparison harder than with published per contact products.

Sumac: Does it work for US charities?

Yes, though the vendor is Canadian and its receipting and support conventions are strongest for Canadian organisations.

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