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Nonprofits · head to head

Bloomerang vs Tendenci

Bloomerang logo

Bloomerang

Nonprofits

Donor relationship management for nonprofits

From
$40/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tendenci logo

Tendenci

Nonprofits

Open-source association management system for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tendenci has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bloomerang pricing is based on the number of constituent records tracked, so the bill grows with the database rather than with usage; Tendenci self-hosting is a real operational commitment, and organisations without technical capacity should not treat the free licence as a free system
  • They diverge on capability: Bloomerang covers Donor database management, Tendenci covers Open-source licence.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bloomerang and Tendenci actually diverge.

Attributes where Bloomerang and Tendenci differ
AttributeBloomerangTendenci
Starting price$40/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, with paid hosting available
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud
Founded2012Unknown

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 Bloomerang

  • Donor database management
  • Donation tracking
  • Relationship tracking
  • Task management
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Mailchimp
  • Google Drive

Only in Tendenci

  • Open-source licence
  • Membership management
  • Events and registration
  • Donations
  • Content-managed website
  • Email

What people use each for

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

Bloomerang

  • Nonprofit fundraising managementnot Tendenci
  • Donor database and engagementnot Tendenci
  • Volunteer coordinationnot Tendenci

Tendenci

  • Nonprofits whose boards require member and donor data to stay under their own controlnot Bloomerang
  • Organisations with data residency obligations a hosted platform cannot satisfynot Bloomerang
  • Groups with technical capacity wanting to avoid per-member subscription costs at scalenot Bloomerang
  • Associations needing to customise workflows beyond what a proprietary platform allowsnot Bloomerang

Where each one falls short

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

Bloomerang

  • Pricing is based on the number of constituent records tracked, so the bill grows with the database rather than with usage
  • The all in one Giving Platform starts at $242 a month billed annually
  • The products are sold separately, with Fundraising from $40 a month, CRM from $125 and Volunteer from $119, so a full stack means stacking subscriptions
  • Every published price is a starting figure billed annually, with exact cost requiring a sales conversation

Tendenci

  • Self-hosting is a real operational commitment, and organisations without technical capacity should not treat the free licence as a free system
  • The community is small compared with mainstream open-source projects, so answers are harder to find and contributors are few
  • The interface is dated against the commercial association platforms and this is the most common user complaint
  • Fewer integrations than commercial competitors, and building them is a development task rather than a configuration one
  • Feature depth in events and continuing education is behind the specialist commercial systems

Pricing, plan by plan

Bloomerang

$40/month
  • Fundraising$40/month
    • Donor tracking and management
  • CRM$125/month
    • Customer relationship management
  • Volunteer$119/month
    • Volunteer management and scheduling
  • Bundled Giving Platform$242/month
    • All three products combined

Tendenci

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full source code
    • No per-member licence
    • Community support
  • Managed hosting$undefined/month
    • Hosted and maintained
    • Updates applied
    • Support included

Which should you pick?

Choose Bloomerang if

  • You need donor database management.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want donation tracking.
Bloomerang review

Choose Tendenci if

  • You need open-source licence.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud.
  • You also want membership management.
Tendenci review

Questions people ask

Is Bloomerang or Tendenci better?
Neither clearly leads. Bloomerang starts at $40/month and Tendenci at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bloomerang or Tendenci?
Tendenci has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $40/month for Bloomerang and Free for Tendenci.
Does Bloomerang or Tendenci run on more platforms?
Bloomerang runs on Web, IOS, Android. Tendenci runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud.
Can I use Tendenci for free?
Yes. Tendenci has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bloomerang starts at $40/month.
What is Bloomerang best used for?
Bloomerang is most often used for nonprofit fundraising management, donor database and engagement, volunteer coordination. Of those, nonprofit fundraising management and donor database and engagement are not what Tendenci is typically brought in for.
What can Bloomerang do that Tendenci cannot?
Bloomerang covers Donor database management, Donation tracking, Relationship tracking, Task management. Tendenci covers Open-source licence, Membership management, Events and registration, Donations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bloomerang: What does Bloomerang's individual pricing cost?

Bloomerang's individual products cost $40/month for Fundraising, $125/month for CRM, and $119/month for Volunteer management.

Source
Tendenci: Is Tendenci really free?

The software is, under an open-source licence with no per-member fee. Running it is not: hosting, updates, backups and security are the organisation responsibility unless managed hosting is purchased.

Bloomerang: How much does Bloomerang's bundled platform cost?

Bloomerang's Bundled Giving Platform costs $242 per month, which is less than the individual products' combined cost of $284 per month.

Source
Tendenci: Who should choose it?

Organisations with a genuine requirement to control their own data, and the technical capacity to act on it. Choosing it purely to avoid subscription cost usually ends badly.

Bloomerang: Are there unlimited users included in Bloomerang pricing?

Yes, all Bloomerang paid plans include unlimited users, allowing your entire team to access the platform.

Source
Tendenci: Can I move my data out?

Yes, entirely. That is the point. Data lives in a PostgreSQL database you control, and there is no vendor holding it.

Bloomerang: What payment methods does Bloomerang accept?

Bloomerang accepts credit and debit cards, ACH, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and Tap to Pay for subscriptions.

Source
Tendenci: How does it compare to Wild Apricot?

Wild Apricot is easier, better supported and better looking. Tendenci is the answer when data ownership is a requirement rather than a preference.

Tendenci: Is it actively maintained?

It is developed openly on GitHub with a small team and community. Check recent commit activity before committing, as with any small open-source project.

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