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CiviCRM

CiviCRM is a free, open-source (AGPLv3) constituent relationship management system purpose-built for nonprofits, NGOs, advocacy groups, and civic organizations. Started in 2004 and released in 2005, it provides donor, membership, event, and email-campaign management and integrates tightly with WordPress, Drupal, Backdrop, and Joomla, deployable on your own infrastructure with no licensing fees.

4/5open-source-crmFree (open-source, self-hosted; no licensing fees)

Our verdict

Last verified Jun 15, 2026

The leading purpose-built open-source nonprofit CRM, giving full data ownership, no licensing fees, and strong donor/membership/event/advocacy coverage with deep CMS integration. Held to a solid-but-not-top score by its dated interface, performance on very large datasets, and the technical resources required to run it.

Rating
4/5
Editorial score
Users
0
Verified users
Starting at
Free (open-source, self-hosted; no licensing fees)
open-source (AGPLv3); costs are hosting and optional paid support/partners
Category
open-source-crm
Market segment

Key Features

Donation tracking with automated tax receipts (CiviContribute)
Membership management with automated renewals
Event registration, ticketing, and RSVPs
Email marketing, newsletters, and SMS (CiviMail)
Case management and activity tracking
Deep CMS integration (WordPress, Drupal, Backdrop, Joomla)
Payment gateway integrations (PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net)
Unlimited users, no per-seat licensing

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Free and open-source with full data ownership (self-hosted)
  • Purpose-built nonprofit workflows (donations, memberships, events)
  • Deep WordPress/Drupal/Joomla integration
  • No per-user licensing; active nonprofit community

Cons

  • Requires technical resources to install and maintain
  • Interface feels dated versus modern SaaS CRMs
  • Can be slow with very large datasets

Detailed Information

No information available for Inventory Tracking Methods.

Best For

Nonprofits wanting full data ownership via self-hostingOrganizations already on WordPress, Drupal, or JoomlaMembership and advocacy groups needing no per-user fees

Not ideal for

Teams without technical resources to install and maintain itOrganizations wanting a polished, modern UI out of the box

Integrations

WordPress
Drupal
Joomla
Stripe
PayPal
Authorize.net
Mailchimp

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Navigation

0 verified users

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Additional Information

Category
open-source-crm
Price Range
Free (self-hosted); hosting + optional partner/support costs only
Pricing Model
open-source (AGPLv3); costs are hosting and optional paid support/partners

Company

Founded
2004
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, USA