Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Funraise vs Instrumentl

Funraise logo

Funraise

Nonprofits

Nonprofit fundraising and donor management with revenue-based free tier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Instrumentl logo

Instrumentl

Nonprofits

Grant prospecting and pipeline tracking for nonprofits, priced per organisation with published tiers

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Funraise has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Funraise premium plans require custom pricing with sales contact; Instrumentl the funder database is built largely from IRS 990 filings, which are filed months to years after the grants they describe, so matches reflect what a funder did rather than what it is doing now.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Funraise and Instrumentl actually diverge.

Attributes where Funraise and Instrumentl differ
AttributeFunraiseInstrumentl
Starting priceFree$299/month
Pricing modelfreemiumPer organisation per month by seat band
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Funraise

Nothing recorded that Instrumentl does not also cover.

Only in Instrumentl

  • Funder matching
  • 990-derived funder profiles
  • Pipeline and deadlines
  • AI application drafting
  • Post-award budget tracking
  • Team collaboration

What people use each for

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

Funraise

  • Managing recurring donor relationships and pledge trackingnot Instrumentl
  • Conducting peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns for eventsnot Instrumentl
  • Processing multiple payment types including stock donationsnot Instrumentl
  • Screening donors for wealth and giving capacitynot Instrumentl
  • Automating email workflows based on donor behaviornot Instrumentl

Instrumentl

  • A development director building a grant pipeline for the coming year without hiring a prospect researchernot Funraise
  • A grants consultant running searches and deadline calendars for several nonprofit clients from one loginnot Funraise
  • A nonprofit that keeps missing report deadlines and needs award requirements on the same calendar as applicationsnot Funraise
  • Justifying a grants budget to a board with a documented pipeline and expected value rather than a list of hopesnot Funraise

Where each one falls short

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

Funraise

  • Premium plans require custom pricing with sales contact
  • Processing fees of 5% platform fee plus 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction on Free plan
  • Processing fees 0-3% platform fee plus 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction on Premium plans

Instrumentl

  • The funder database is built largely from IRS 990 filings, which are filed months to years after the grants they describe, so matches reflect what a funder did rather than what it is doing now.
  • Coverage is strongly US-focused and weakest on federal and state government funding, so organisations whose income is mostly government contracts pay database prices for data they mostly cannot use.
  • Seat bands are hard limits, and a team of six on the five-seat Pre-Award tier must move to the 999 dollar tier, doubling cost for one extra person.
  • The annual discount requires paying twelve months up front, which is a real cash flow problem for the small nonprofits the entry tier targets.
  • AI drafting produces serviceable first drafts but funders increasingly screen for generic applications, so the time saved on writing tends to be spent on rewriting.

Pricing, plan by plan

Funraise

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Donation forms and pages
    • Recurring donations
    • Events and tickets
  • Premium$null/mo
    • Custom pricing
    • Onboarding and dedicated success manager
    • Peer-to-peer fundraising

Instrumentl

$299/month
  • Discover$299/month
    • Up to 3 users
    • Funder matching and search
    • Funder profiles from 990 data
  • Pre-Award$499/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • Everything in Discover
    • AI-assisted application drafting
  • Full Lifecycle$999/month
    • Up to 15 users
    • Everything in Pre-Award
    • Post-award budget and spend tracking
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Multi-department administration
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Funraise if

  • You want to start without paying.
Funraise review

Choose Instrumentl if

  • You need funder matching.
  • You also want 990-derived funder profiles.
Instrumentl review

Questions people ask

Is Funraise or Instrumentl better?
Neither clearly leads. Funraise starts at Free and Instrumentl at $299/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Funraise or Instrumentl?
Funraise has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Funraise and $299/month for Instrumentl.
Does Funraise or Instrumentl run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Funraise for free?
Yes. Funraise has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Instrumentl starts at $299/month.
What is Funraise best used for?
Funraise is most often used for managing recurring donor relationships and pledge tracking, conducting peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns for events, processing multiple payment types including stock donations, screening donors for wealth and giving capacity. Of those, managing recurring donor relationships and pledge tracking and conducting peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns for events are not what Instrumentl is typically brought in for.
What can Funraise do that Instrumentl cannot?
Instrumentl covers Funder matching, 990-derived funder profiles, Pipeline and deadlines, AI application drafting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Funraise: How much does Funraise cost?

Funraise offers a free plan for organizations raising under $1 million annually. Premium plans require custom pricing and contacting their sales team for a personalized quote based on organization needs.

Source
Instrumentl: Does Instrumentl publish pricing?

Yes, which is rare in this sector. Discover is 299 USD a month annually, Pre-Award 499 and Full Lifecycle 999, with monthly billing about 16 percent higher.

Funraise: What are Funraise's payment processing fees?

Free plan has approximately 2.5% total average costs with 5% platform fee. Premium plans have approximately 0.8% total average costs with 0-3% platform fee. Both include 2.9% plus $0.60 per card transaction. Approximately 90% of donors cover fees, reducing net costs.

Source
Instrumentl: Is there a free trial?

Yes, a time-limited trial is offered, and it is worth using to test coverage of your specific cause area before committing.

Funraise: Are there setup fees for Funraise?

Funraise has no setup fees. Pricing is transparent and usage-based for premium plans, with volume pricing available for high-volume fundraisers.

Source
Instrumentl: Does it cover government grants?

Some federal opportunities are included, but the database is strongest on private and community foundation funding. Grants.gov remains the primary source for federal.

Instrumentl: Is there a nonprofit discount?

No. Every customer is a nonprofit, so the published price is the price.

Share

Related pages

More on Funraise

More on Instrumentl

Keep looking

Other head to heads