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Head-to-head · Scholarship Management Software

Blackbaud Award Management vs Scholarship Commons

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Blackbaud Award Management #3 in Scholarship Management Software 9.2/10 Pricing on request ✓ 2 of 6 features Visit Blackbaud
Scholarship Commons #8 in Scholarship Management Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Commons

Blackbaud Award Management leads on 0 checks, Scholarship Commons on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBlackbaud Award Management · 9.2/10
  • Free planonly Scholarship Commons
  • Most featuresScholarship Commons · 5 of 6

Blackbaud Award Management scores higher on our rubric for scholarship management software: 9.2 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #8.

Blackbaud Award Management is the better fit for mature institutions managing complex awards. Scholarship Commons is the better fit for budget-conscious scholarship programs.

  • Blackbaud Award Management fits best

    Mature institutions managing complex awards

  • Scholarship Commons fits best

    Budget-conscious scholarship programs

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Blackbaud Award Management 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Scholarship Commons 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.7
Ranking #3 in Scholarship Management Software #8 in Scholarship Management Software
Best for Mature institutions managing complex awards Budget-conscious scholarship programs
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price Pricing on request Free plan
Free plan Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Community, Docs Email, Docs
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Blackbaud Award Management 2/6 · Scholarship Commons 5/6
Applicant portal ✓ ✓
Reviewer scoring Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Form builder Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Award administration Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Grant workflows Not checked yet Not checked yet
Workflow automation ✓ ✓
Our review
Pros
  • Weighted rubrics support configurable reviewer scoring.
  • Applicant matching and recommendations help connect students with awards.
  • Disbursements, fund tracking, and donor reporting support award administration.
  • Free membership covers core publishing, application, and evaluation workflows
  • Supports blind evaluation, evaluator assignment, and eligibility checks
  • Manages documents, recommendations, recipient announcements, and payment information
Cons
  • Pricing requires a direct sales conversation.
  • The product is offered as a web platform.
  • Its supported program scope centers on scholarships.
  • Operating-agency membership requires contacting Scholarship Commons
  • Web-based delivery may not suit teams needing other platform options
  • Focused scholarship workflows may not fit extensive cross-system operations
Our verdict

Blackbaud Award Management is web-based software for colleges and universities administering scholarship and award programs. It covers the applicant journey from finding opportunities and submitting applications to tracking references and…

Read the review →

Scholarship Commons is a web-based scholarship management platform from MintSage Inc. It brings scholarship administrators, students, recommenders, and evaluators into one workflow, covering program publishing, applications, evaluations,…

Read the review →
  1. Blackbaud Award ManagementScholarship Management Software 9.2Pricing on request
  2. Scholarship CommonsScholarship Management Software 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Blackbaud Award Management — where it wins

    • Weighted rubrics support configurable reviewer scoring.
    • Applicant matching and recommendations help connect students with awards.
    • Disbursements, fund tracking, and donor reporting support award administration.

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires a direct sales conversation.
    • The product is offered as a web platform.
    • Its supported program scope centers on scholarships.

  • Scholarship Commons — where it wins

    • Free membership covers core publishing, application, and evaluation workflows
    • Supports blind evaluation, evaluator assignment, and eligibility checks
    • Manages documents, recommendations, recipient announcements, and payment information

    Where it doesn't

    • Operating-agency membership requires contacting Scholarship Commons
    • Web-based delivery may not suit teams needing other platform options
    • Focused scholarship workflows may not fit extensive cross-system operations
  • Blackbaud Award Management9.2/10 · Pricing on request

    A mature web platform for complex scholarship awards, reviews, disbursements, and reporting.

    Visit BlackbaudFull verdict →
  • Scholarship Commons8.7/10 · Free plan

    A focused, budget-conscious platform for managing scholarship programs online.

    Visit CommonsFull verdict →

More comparisons

All scholarship management software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update