Blackbaud's Quote-Based Pricing vs. Zeffy's $0 Fees: The Full Breakdown

Compare quote-based enterprise pricing and IT setup requirements against zero fees and a 30-minute launch.

Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ not-for-profits

Zeffy VS Blackbaud

Zeffy VS Blackbaud: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Pricing

Completely free. Always. But how? →

Custom.

Quote-based enterprise pricing. Core products are custom subscriptions with no public price; Blackbaud Merchant Services adds transaction fees that vary by volume.

Processing fees

$0 in credit card and transaction fees. Zeffy covers these. How? →

Varies.

Blackbaud Merchant Services transaction rates depend on your processing volume and are provided by quote. There is no public rate card, so you need to contact their sales team for pricing.

Platform fees

Zeffy never takes a cut. Unlike platforms that skim 3–5%, you keep 100% of every donation.

Custom.

Core products (e.g. Raiser's Edge NXT) are custom subscriptions priced by quote. No public platform fee is published.

Monthly fees

0/month.

No subscriptions, no paywalls. Every org, big or small, gets full access for free.

Varies.

Blackbaud Merchant Services has no separate monthly fee, but core products are paid subscriptions billed by quote.

Other fees

We've never charged a single cent to not-for-profits and we never will.

Not published.

$0 setup. Blackbaud publishes no fee schedule, and Blackbaud Merchant Services rates, including any chargeback fee, are set per contract and are not disclosed publicly.

Value for money

5/5.

Value for money rated 5.0/5 on Capterra from 461 reviews, with an overall 4.8/5 from 494. All-in-one fundraising, zero fees.

Source: Zeffy Value for Money on Capterra (461 reviews) →

No profile.

Features

4.8/5.

Rated 4.8/5 for ease of use on Capterra from 494 reviews. No training needed, built for busy not-for-profit teams rather than tech pros.

Source: Zeffy Ease of Use on Capterra (494 reviews) →

No profile.

Enterprise platform built for large not-for-profits - requires technical setup, training, and separate products for full functionality Blackbaud has no Capterra listing, so no comparable rating exists.

Donations

Donations without the cut. Custom forms, tax receipts, donor tracking — all fee-free.

Donation forms with customisation options and recurring giving - requires paid plan and often needs IT support to set up

Ticketing

Sell tickets, check in guests, track sales — and keep 100%. No fees. No fine print.

Event management with ticketing and registration through Blackbaud Altru - sold separately from fundraising tools

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Teams or individuals launch fundraising pages in minutes. Track progress, keep 100%. No fees.

Peer-to-peer campaigns available - requires higher-tier plan and technical setup for most organisations

Auctions

Run auctions without giving up a percentage. List items, track bids, collect payments — all fee-free.

Silent and live auction tools through Blackbaud Altru - requires enterprise-level subscription and implementation

Online Store

Skip the tool sprawl. Sell merch and manage your store in one place — no fees, no add-ons.

No online store functionality - not designed for selling merchandise or products

Memberships

Automate memberships with no per-member fees. Dues go straight to your org — perfect for clubs, alumni, and supporters.

Member management through Altru with portal access, renewals, and benefits tracking - enterprise product only

Donor management/CRM

Ditch the expensive CRM. Track donations, send thank-yous, and build donor loyalty — all fee-free.

Enterprise donor database with wealth screening, engagement scoring, and gift tracking across multiple products

Emails & Newsletter

Manage contacts and send newsletters from the same place you fundraise. Unlimited sends, no fees.

Email campaigns through Luminate Online with templates and segmentation - sold as separate add-on product

Payment Processing

Accept donations, ticket sales, and payments — all 100% fee-free. No cuts, no hidden fees, ever.

First-party payment processing through Blackbaud Merchant Services - must use their processor

Payment Methods

All-in-one fundraising: donations, events, memberships, email, and donor CRM — 100% free.

Blackbaud supports credit card processing and digital wallets via its payments suite; direct debit and in-person payments are available but typically require extra fees, hardware, and separate setup.

Credit Card Payments

Accept all major credit cards with zero processing fees. Zeffy covers the cost — you keep 100% of every donation.

All major credit and debit cards through Blackbaud Merchant Services — requires using their first-party payment processor.

Apple Pay & Google Pay

One-tap donations and tickets with Apple Pay & Google Pay. No fees, just smooth mobile checkouts.

Digital wallets supported through Blackbaud checkout, though typically limited to organisations using their full payment suite.

Tap to Pay App

Anyone on your team can take payments from their phone. No card reader, no fees, no friction.

MobilePay Terminal runs on iPhone, iPad or Android with a BBPOS reader, up to six of them free, at 2.5% + $0.30 per transaction.

Support

4.9/5.

Customer service rated 4.9/5 on Capterra from 461 reviews. Free email and phone support plus a full help centre, no bots and no paywalls.

Source: Zeffy Customer Service on Capterra (461 reviews) →

No profile.

Enterprise-level support is tied to paid contracts. Smaller not-for-profits get basic email help with slower response times and limited phone access unless on an enterprise plan. Blackbaud has no Capterra listing, so no comparable rating exists.

Help Centre

Searchable help docs, video tutorials, and step-by-step guides — all free, all the time.

Comprehensive help centre with step-by-step guides built for not-for-profit teams.

Email Support

Email us anytime. Most questions answered within hours — not days.

Email support with response times varying by plan tier; priority responses are given to higher-paying enterprise clients.

Phone Support

Need to talk? Call us. Real support from real people who understand not-for-profits.

Phone support available for enterprise customers; basic plans are limited to email and chat during business hours.

Onboarding

Get set up in under 30 minutes. No training required — but we're here if you need us.

Dedicated onboarding available for enterprise customers (paid contract required); smaller organisations rely on self-service setup.

Community

Join thousands of not-for-profits sharing tips, templates, and best practices.

Blackbaud Community forum and user groups available online.

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Calculate savings

How is Zeffy free?

Why Zeffy over Blackbaud?

You don't need enterprise software to run a small not-for-profit

💸

Built for enterprise budgets, not grassroots teams

Blackbaud charges processing fees on every donation and requires enterprise contracts for full support — Zeffy is 100% free with help included for everyone.

🔧

You shouldn't need IT support to launch a campaign

Blackbaud's tools are sold separately and built for large organisations with technical staff — Zeffy gives you donations, ticketing, CRM, and email in one simple platform.

🚀

Get started in minutes, not months

Blackbaud requires implementation timelines and technical onboarding — Zeffy works right away, with free support from not-for-profit fundraising experts who speak your language.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Blackbaud

How much does Zeffy cost compared to Blackbaud?

Zeffy is 100% free with no platform fees, monthly charges, or processing fees. Blackbaud uses quote-based enterprise pricing, and its Blackbaud Merchant Services adds transaction fees that vary by volume, so you need to contact their sales team for a quote. With Zeffy, on $10,000 raised you keep everything.

Can I use Zeffy without a technical team or IT support?

Zeffy works right out of the box with no implementation required. Create donation forms, sell tickets, and send emails in minutes without technical knowledge. Blackbaud requires setup timelines, IT staff, and often paid consultants to get started.

Does Zeffy work for small not-for-profits or just large organisations?

Zeffy was built specifically for small not-for-profits and grassroots teams. You get all the tools you need in one platform with free support from fundraising experts. Blackbaud was designed for hospitals and universities with enterprise budgets and dedicated staff.

Can I accept all payment types without extra fees or hardware costs?

Zeffy accepts credit cards, direct debit, Apple Pay, and Google Pay at zero cost to your organisation. Blackbaud requires their merchant services, which add transaction fees that vary by volume (contact sales for a quote), plus hardware purchases for in-person payments.

Is Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT worth it for small not-for-profits?

For most small not-for-profits, Raiser's Edge NXT is overkill. It is a custom enterprise subscription priced by quote, requires technical setup, and often needs paid consultants. Zeffy gives you donations, CRM, ticketing, and email in one platform with zero fees and no learning curve.

How long does it take to switch from Blackbaud to Zeffy?

You can set up Zeffy and start accepting donations in under 30 minutes. There's no implementation timeline, no IT staff required, and free support from fundraising experts if you need help migrating.

Does Zeffy have a CRM like Blackbaud?

Yes. Zeffy includes built-in donor management with giving history, contact tracking, and automated tax receipts. Unlike Blackbaud, you don't pay extra for CRM features or need separate products to get full functionality.

What are Blackbaud's additional costs beyond processing fees?

Blackbaud's core products are quote-based subscriptions, and Blackbaud Merchant Services adds transaction fees that are set per contract and are not published. Costs like training and consultant support can add up, and pricing isn't published publicly.

Is Zeffy really free or is there a catch?

Zeffy is funded by optional donor tips, never required. Your not-for-profit keeps 100% of every donation with zero platform, processing, or credit card fees. Over 100,000 not-for-profits have raised $2B+ this way.

How much does Zeffy cost compared to Blackbaud?

Can I use Zeffy without a technical team or IT support?

Does Zeffy work for small not-for-profits or just large organisations?

Can I accept all payment types without extra fees or hardware costs?

Is Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT worth it for small not-for-profits?

How long does it take to switch from Blackbaud to Zeffy?

You can set up Zeffy and start accepting donations in under 30 minutes. There's no implementation timeline, no IT staff required, and free support from fundraising experts if you need help migrating.

Does Zeffy have a CRM like Blackbaud?

What are Blackbaud's additional costs beyond processing fees?

Is Zeffy really free or is there a catch?

Still undecided?

Keep comparing, and see why not-for-profits choose Zeffy

Galabid

Funraisin

Donorbox

100,000+ nonprofits trust Zeffy — and keep their fees at $0.

For 7+ years, Zeffy has supported nonprofits with free, user-friendly fundraising tools.

As a startup nonprofit with only two members, and no funding (yet) we’d need something with low (or no) fees. Zeffy was a dream come true.

Masey, Loose Ends.

Read the full story

“We were incurring a ton of fees for our past fundraising platform and Zeffy has helped us receive so much more of our donations.”

Zeffy has been invaluable in helping me track our donors, sales, events, and revenue in one spot. The coolest thing about Zeffy is it really is free!

Everything about Zeffy suits us starting with (of course, NO fees) but also the ease of use and customer experience as well as their client support!!

Zeffy is very easy to use and ensures that every dollar quickly gets into our account.. A huge help to our work!

Zeffy is very simple, allows for a lot of customization and seamlessly integrates into our website. The fact that all of this is free is still wild to me.

We couldn't believe there was a free payment platform for our Girl Scout group. Zeffy took ZERO fees from us, which is huge when you run on very small amounts of money.

We were ready to sell tickets in less than 30 minutes. The reporting capabilities were better than some other paid-for sites.

Since using Zeffy, our conversion rate of donations has skyrocketed. It's an easy platform to use. Plus customer support has always been responsive and helpful!