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Nonprofits · head to head

Funraise vs SmartSimple Cloud

Funraise logo

Funraise

Nonprofits

Nonprofit fundraising and donor management with revenue-based free tier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartSimple Cloud logo

SmartSimple Cloud

Nonprofits

Configurable grants, research and case management platform for large funders

From
On request
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; SmartSimple Cloud almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Funraise and SmartSimple Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Funraise and SmartSimple Cloud differ
AttributeFunraiseSmartSimple Cloud
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
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 SmartSimple Cloud does not also cover.

Only in SmartSimple Cloud

  • Configurable object model
  • Workflow and approval engine
  • Peer review
  • Budget and payments
  • Grantee portal
  • Report writer
  • Research administration

What people use each for

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

Funraise

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

SmartSimple Cloud

  • A national research council running peer-reviewed funding calls with panel conflict rules and multi-year milestone paymentsnot Funraise
  • A private foundation whose grant process differs enough between programmes that packaged software would need four separate instancesnot Funraise
  • A government department that must show a full audit trail of every decision and payment against public fundsnot Funraise
  • A health charity running grants and beneficiary case management in one system with shared contact recordsnot 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

SmartSimple Cloud

  • Almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.
  • Because each deployment is bespoke, upgrades and new platform features often need configuration work before they apply to your instance, which slows the benefit of paying an annual subscription.
  • Organisations that lose their internal configurator become dependent on the vendor or a partner for even routine form changes, which turns small requests into billable work.
  • The user interface is dense and utilitarian; occasional users such as grant reviewers and applicants need instructions, which increases support load during a funding round.
  • It is priced and scoped for large funders, so a small foundation running one annual round will pay for flexibility it never uses and would be served faster by a packaged tool.

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

SmartSimple Cloud

On request
  • SmartSimple Cloud$undefined/year
    • Configurable grants, review and case management
    • Grantee and reviewer portals
    • Annual subscription plus separate implementation engagement

Which should you pick?

Choose Funraise if

  • You want to start without paying.
Funraise review

Choose SmartSimple Cloud if

  • You need configurable object model.
  • You also want workflow and approval engine.
SmartSimple Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Funraise or SmartSimple Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Funraise starts at Free and SmartSimple Cloud at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Funraise or SmartSimple Cloud?
Funraise has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Funraise and On request for SmartSimple Cloud.
Does Funraise or SmartSimple Cloud 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. SmartSimple Cloud starts at On request.
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 SmartSimple Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Funraise do that SmartSimple Cloud cannot?
SmartSimple Cloud covers Configurable object model, Workflow and approval engine, Peer review, Budget and payments.

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
SmartSimple Cloud: How long does implementation take?

Plan in months, not weeks. Complex multi-programme funders routinely run six to twelve month implementations, and that work is billed separately from the subscription.

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
SmartSimple Cloud: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by modules, user counts and configuration scope. Ask specifically what future configuration changes cost, because that is the recurring surprise.

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
SmartSimple Cloud: Can it handle multi-currency, multi-year grants?

Yes. Tranche payments conditional on milestone reports and multi-currency awards are among the reasons large international funders choose it.

SmartSimple Cloud: Do we need our own administrator?

Practically, yes. Organisations without an internal configurator end up paying the vendor for routine form and workflow changes.

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