CiviCRM
CiviCRM: A flexible donor system with broad fundraising tools and open-source deployment options. Ranked #1 of 33 in Donor Management Software by our editors (9.3/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source nonprofits needing broad flexibility.
At a glance
- Editor score9.3 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOpen-source nonprofits needing broad flexibility
- Free planYes
- Paid from$15/mo
- Recurring donationsYes
- Founded2005 · California, United States
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Core software is free and open source
- Supports recurring gifts, receipts, segmentation and reporting
- Works with major CMS, payment, accounting and automation tools
Where it doesn't
- Hosted plans cap contacts and email volumes
- Self-hosting requires an organization-managed deployment
- The breadth of features may require more configuration
Our verdict on CiviCRM
CiviCRM is a web-based, open-source constituent relationship management system for nonprofit and civic-sector organizations. It brings contact records, contributions, fundraising campaigns, memberships, events, email communications and reporting into one system. Organizations can use it as a standalone application or install it with Drupal, WordPress, Backdrop or Joomla. Its feature set suits nonprofits that need donor management alongside online forms, recurring donations, automated receipts, peer-to-peer fundraising and campaign-linked activities.
The pricing structure supports both control and convenience. CiviCRM core is free and open source, while the hosted CiviCRM Spark service starts with Spark Starter at $15 per month, billed monthly. That plan includes unlimited users, up to 5,000 contacts, most CiviCRM components and CiviMail. Spark Essentials costs $30 per month and adds Mosaico HTML emails and up to 10,000 emails. Spark Pro costs $50 per month and adds additional extensions, up to 10,000 contacts, up to 50,000 emails and a custom domain. The hosted limits make plan selection important for organizations with larger databases or higher email volumes.
CiviCRM stands out for breadth and ecosystem fit. Donor groups, smart groups and tags support segmentation, while contribution, donor and recurring-gift reports support analysis. Custom forms and fields extend the constituent record, and the API supports extensions and external programs. Integrations include Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp, Mailjet, Mautic, Twilio, Zapier, QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify and Moodle. Nonprofits should choose CiviCRM when open-source flexibility, broad fundraising coverage and deployment choice matter. Organizations wanting a narrowly focused donor tool or a hosted service without contact and email thresholds may prefer an alternative.
Your product? Our editors can test CiviCRM in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
CiviCRM pricing
All 3 CiviCRM plans and prices →
CiviCRM fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $15/mo |
| Campaign management | Yes |
| Online donation forms | Yes |
| Recurring donations | Yes |
| Automated receipts | Yes |
| Donor segmentation | Yes |
| Reporting level | Advanced |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | GDPR |
| Support | Email, Community, Live chat, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 8 integrations: Drupal, WordPress, Backdrop, Joomla, PayPal, Stripe … See all → |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | civicrm.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
CiviCRM integrations
CiviCRM lists 8 integrations on its own site.
- Drupal
- WordPress
- Backdrop
- Joomla
- PayPal
- Stripe
- iATS Payments
- TSYS
See all CiviCRM integrations →
Alternatives to CiviCRM
- Salesforce Nonprofit CloudA broad nonprofit CRM for organizations that need extensible donor and program management.9.2
- Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXTA mature fundraising CRM for large nonprofits with complex relationship-based programs.9.1
- Blackbaud eTapestryA mature donor system with strong fundraising basics and sales-led pricing.8.9
See all CiviCRM alternatives →
CiviCRM vs the competition
- CiviCRM vs Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
- CiviCRM vs Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT
- CiviCRM vs Blackbaud eTapestry
- CiviCRM vs GiveSmart
- CiviCRM vs Bloomerang
- CiviCRM vs CharityEngine
Compare CiviCRM with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
CiviCRM is ranked in 3 of our directories.
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used CiviCRM for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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