5 Graduway Alternatives Advancement Teams Love in 2026

Event planning in the education sector is no small feat. From homecoming and graduation ceremonies to parent-teacher conferences and student workshops, K-12 schools and higher education institutions juggle a dizzying array of events each year. The right event management software can be a game-changer—streamlining registrations, automating communications, and ensuring every detail runs smoothly. In this guide, we'll break down what event management software is, what features to look for, and the top solutions for 2026 that are transforming event coordination software for schools, colleges, and universities.

What Is Event Management Software?

An event management software is a digital platform designed to streamline the entire event lifecycle—from planning and promotion to registration, execution, and post-event analytics. These event planning software solutions centralize all event-related tasks, making it easier to coordinate logistics, track attendees, manage communications, and measure event success. For educational institutions, an event management tool can handle everything from classroom bookings and campus tours to large-scale conferences and alumni reunions.

Modern event management platforms often offer features such as:

• Online registration and ticketing
• Automated email reminders and updates
• Attendee check-in and badge printing
• Event website and mobile app creation
• Payment processing and fundraising tools
• Real-time analytics and reporting

By automating manual processes and centralizing information, these platforms help schools and universities save time, reduce errors, and deliver a seamless experience for staff, students, parents, and alumni.

What to Look For in Event Management Software

With so many event management tools on the market, it’s important to choose one that fits your institution’s specific needs. Here are key factors to consider:

• Ease of Use: Intuitive interface for both administrators and attendees.‍
• Customization: Ability to tailor event pages, registration forms, and communications to your school’s branding.‍
• Integration: Compatibility with your existing Student Information System (SIS), Learning Management System (LMS), or CRM.‍
• Communication Tools: Automated emails, SMS reminders, and in-app notifications.‍
• Payment Processing: Secure options for ticket sales, donations, or paid programs.‍
• Analytics & Reporting: Real-time dashboards and exportable reports for attendance, engagement, and ROI.‍
• Mobile Access: Event apps or mobile-friendly portals for on-the-go management.‍
• Support & Training: Responsive customer support and onboarding resources.

Best Event Management Software Options for K-12 & Higher Ed (2026)

Below, in no particular order, are our picks of some of the top event management software platforms making waves in the education sector this year.

1.Almabase

Almabase is an all-in-one event management platform designed specifically for educational advancement, alumni relations, and fundraising teams. It streamlines the planning and execution of complex events—whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid—while offering seamless CRM integration and a user-friendly interface.

Pros:

• Intuitive and easy-to-use for both admins and attendees, with quick event setup and branded registration pages.
• Seamless integration Raiser's Edge NXT, enabling real-time data sync and simplified gift reconciliation.
• Robust automation for event communications, reminders, and reporting, reducing manual work and errors.
• Flexible enough to handle everything from small gatherings to large, multi-day events, with strong tools for fundraising and stewardship

Cons:

• Almabase does not offer a free trial or free tier of it’s services
• No dedicated mobile app for on-the-go management

Pricing:

Almabase offers personialized custom pricing based on your needs, number of constituent records, etc. You can request a personalized demo here

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2.Blackbaud

Blackbaud is a comprehensive solution built for large nonprofits and institutions, offering robust event planning, CRM, and analytics tools. Its event management features are deeply integrated with donor data to maximize fundraising outcomes.

Pros:

• Purpose-built for fundraising, with robust tools to manage donor relationships, track gifts, and run complex campaigns.
• Customizable reporting and analytics features enable organizations to tailor fundraising strategies and monitor progress toward goals.
• Integrated event management, online registration, and ticketing designed for nonprofit needs

Cons:

• High costs for training, support, and additional modules, which can be a barrier for smaller organizations.
• Data migration can be a lengthy and cumbersome process depending on your institution

Pricing:

Custom pricing. Request a quote.

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3. Cvent

Cvent delivers enterprise-grade solutions trusted by higher education institutions managing complex, large-scale events—from campus-wide conferences to alumni reunions.

Pros:

• Supports mass updates and bulk communications.
• Deep integration with CRM and marketing tools, making it ideal for institutions with existing tech stacks.
• Advanced analytics and reporting for post-event insights.

Cons:

• The platform’s extensive options can be confusing and require significant onboarding, especially for smaller institutions.
• Some users report inflexible or slow support team responses at certain times

Pricing:

Custom pricing. Request a demo.

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4. Bonterra

Bonterra’s fundraising software includes specialized solutions and features for nonprofit events, auctions, peer-to-peer fundraisers, and giving days, along with unified donor management tools. Its event management features include ticketing, sponsorship tracking, mobile bidding, and more. Ultimately, Bonterra helps organizations streamline their events with a centralized fundraising and donor management solution.

Pros:

• An intuitive interface that allows both seasoned admins and first-time users to easily set up and manage events.
• Comprehensive fundraising tools, including auction mobile bidding, donation tracking, event management, and credit card processing.
• Integrated marketing, fundraising, and donor management tools to support your events, campaigns, and initiatives year-round.

Cons:

• Bonterra’s diverse suite of event management and fundraising products may be overwhelming at first, and it might take time for your team to determine the right fit.

Pricing:

Custom pricing. Request a demo.

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5. idloom

Idloom is crafted specifically for universities and colleges, supporting diverse academic events from online examinations to graduation ceremonies.

Pros:

• Flexible event structures—supports recurring sessions, multi-day events, and hybrid formats.
• Departmental autonomy: Each department can manage its own events with custom branding and access rights.
• Integrated communication tools for reminders, surveys, and post-event certificates.

Cons:

• Some users report that the interface, while powerful, can be less intuitive for non-technical staff.
• Advanced features (like custom badges or analytics) may require additional setup or training.

Pricing:

Custom pricing. Request a demo.

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6. Eventbrite

Eventbrite is a versatile event management platform perfect for everything from concerts to community meetups. It offers intuitive tools for ticketing, promotion, and on-site check-ins, making it easy to manage both virtual and in-person events.

Pros:

• Highly accessible and easy-to-use event creation and ticketing tools for both in-person and virtual events of any size.
• Can handle donations directly through the platform, allowing organizers to create donation ticket types and collect contributions alongside ticket sales.
• Offers a 50% discount on all Pro plans for eligible nonprofits, making it a cost-effective solution for charitable organizations.

Cons:

• Limited customization options for event pages and registration flows.
• Some users report a steep learning curve for advanced features and event setup.
• Some users report occasionally slow responses from customer support as well as a lack of transaction security for attendees.

Pricing:

Pricing is 2% + $0.79 per paid ticket (Essentials) or 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket (Professional); free for free events. See pricing.

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7. Eventcube

Eventcube is a white-label event management platform for K-12 schools and higher education institutions. It helps you manage all the in-person, virtual, and hybrid events with full control. This includes your branding, ticketing, and attendee engagement.

It is designed for flexibility and accessibility. This makes Eventcube reliable for day-to-day events like open days, student conferences, parent meetings, community gathering and even virtual graduation ceremonies.

Pros:

• Fully white-labeled ticketing and registration systems so schools and institutions can showcase their activities.
• Built-in tools for hybrid & virtual events with interactive features like Q&A, polls, breakout rooms along with HD streaming real-time captioning.
• Tiered memberships and season passes are perfect for managing specific alumnis, clubs, and student groups.
• Transparent, flexible pricing with instant payouts and no hidden fees.

Cons:

• Some setup features may require la level of technical onboarding

Pricing:

Eventcube offers tiered pricing. 5% of the transaction total for the Starter package which is free. 3% of the transaction total for Pro along $99 a month. And custom Enterprise options. You can start with a demo or create a branded ticket store directly on Eventcube.

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8. Giveffect

Giveffect combines event management with nonprofit automation, allowing you to handle ticketing, email campaigns, and donor records in one platform. It’s ideal for organizations looking to unify event planning with fundraising and CRM.

Pros:

• All-in-one platform that centralizes event management, volunteer coordination, and donor tracking, reducing the need for multiple systems.
• Seamless integration of volunteer and donation data, allowing for comprehensive supporter profiles and easy access to analytics.
• Customizable event pages and donation forms that can reflect the nonprofit’s brand and include real-time fundraising progress bars

Cons:

• Higher price point, which may be prohibitive for smaller nonprofits despite the robust feature set.
• Data migration and automation can potentially be glitchy, leading to issues such as erroneous emails or incomplete data transfers during onboarding.

Pricing:

Custom pricing. Request a demo.

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9. Remo

Remo, now integrated with Events.com, delivers an immersive platform for virtual, hybrid, and in-person events, with unique emphasis on networking and engagement.

Pros:

• Fast and simple check-in via app; supports QR code scanning and mobile access.
• Customizable event spaces and real-time networking tools for interactive experiences.
• AI-powered matchmaking and analytics for attendee engagement.

Cons:

• Unconventional interface: The unique, interactive design can be confusing for users accustomed to traditional event tools.
• Customization learning curve: Customizing event spaces and features requires time to learn.

Pricing:

Starts at $299 per month. See pricing.

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10. Qgiv by Bloomerang

Qgiv supports nonprofits with customizable tools for event registration, peer-to-peer fundraising, and mobile giving. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to plan and promote fundraising events of all sizes.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface designed specifically for nonprofit fundraising, making it easy to set up donation forms and manage events.
• Supports a variety of fundraising activities, including peer-to-peer campaigns, auctions, and ticketed events.
• Real-time analytics and reporting tools to monitor campaign performance and donor engagement.

Cons:

• Qgiv may feel limited for seasoned professionals who want to organize donor and transaction data in many different ways simultaneously.
• Advanced features, such as text-to-give and auction management, may require additional fees or higher-tier plans.

Pricing:

Plans start at $0/month with no contracts, plus a 3.95% + $0.30 per transaction fee. Learn more.

Conclusion

Choosing the right event management software can transform how your institution plans, promotes, and executes events—whether you’re managing a single school assembly or a multi-day university conference. The platforms highlighted above offer a range of solutions tailored for K-12 and higher education, each with unique strengths and a few caveats to consider. Take advantage of free demos, explore user reviews, and assess your specific needs to find the event management tool that will best support your school’s goals in 2026 and beyond.

Looking for more inspiration? Explore event ideas that raise money and connect with alumni or see how advanced event management can drive registrations and engagement for your institution.

With 88% of US institutions using some type of CRM solution, two choices in particular, Raiser’s Edge NXT (also referred to as RE NXT) and Salesforce, have emerged as the time-tested options for institutions and nonprofits not looking to build a custom CRM system from scratch.

In this blog, we’ll compare RE NXT vs. Salesforce and dissect where they each excel, where they fall behind, and which option you should consider.

Raiser’s Edge NXT overview

With Blackbaud having over 30 years of experience in the field, they have developed an understanding of what goes into making a CRM focused on engaging alumni and raising funds. In 2015, Blackbaud introduced Raiser’s Edge NXT, a modernized, cloud-based version of Raiser’s Edge (also called Raiser’s Edge 7). Built specifically for donor management and fundraising, it has thrived as one of the most popular CRM choices for advancement teams and nonprofits over the years.

Blackbaud maintains both versions at the moment but currently focuses on updating RE NXT to replace the legacy Raiser’s Edge CRM eventually.

💡Advancement teams often extend the power of Raiser’s Edge NXT with Almabase, enabling powerful alumni engagement, streamlined events, and the best two-way sync with RE NXT in the industry — eliminating manual pulls or connectors.

Salesforce overview

Salesforce itself probably needs no introduction. Being a big player in the global CRM market, it is no surprise that they eventually moved into advancement needs as well. Their Education Cloud and Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP), in particular, are what advancement teams look to as the other major offering to consider beyond Raiser’s Edge NXT.

Depending on your needs, Salesforce may provide you with simple donor management software or an all-around student and alumni management ecosystem.

Raiser’s Edge NXT vs Salesforce: Feature comparison

Now that you have a general refresher on these two CRM choices, let’s break down the key differences between them.

What makes Raiser’s Edge NXT a good choice?

RE NXT is undeniably a strong choice for institutions and nonprofits whose main goal is to manage constituents and raise funds without having to think about too many integrations. Blackbaud’s long-term experience in their specific niche means that teams can have incredibly deep processes and granular data for advancement needs.

On the other hand, Blackbaud’s more focused approach does mean that for-profits and teams looking for deep integrations with a wide variety of multi-industry tools may find Raiser’s Edge lacking in certain areas.

💡See how Almabase’s Raiser’s Edge NXT integration helped The Master’s Seminary automate its process and get 37% of its database updated in 45 days.
→ Learn more

What makes Salesforce a good choice?

Salesforce’s strengths lie in its ecosystem and the extensive customization it offers. If you have the time and resources to allocate to setting everything up properly and training staff, Salesforce can fulfill your advancement needs and your institution’s other needs, such as admissions, recruitment, student success, etc., pretty well.

On the flipside, Salesforce requires a lot of investment to bring out its true potential as integrations add up, and more people need to be assigned for maintenance.

Raiser’s Edge NXT vs Salesforce: Final Thoughts

The two choices essentially boil down to whether you are looking for a CRM specialized for advancement and fundraising or an all-in-one CRM that you can spend some time with to build your preferred CRM environment.

While both options offer great CRM functionality, Raiser’s Edge NXT, in our opinion, slightly edges it out as the go-to for teams focused solely on fundraising, constituent management, and engagement. When paired with a platform like Almabase, institutions unlock a new level of functionality for all their engagement, fundraising, and event management needs.

Regardless of which choice seems better for you at this point, it will require a huge chunk of your time and effort to migrate to any CRM, as well as investment and training to find all the integrations you need and get your staff up to speed with the respective environments.

Alumni are among your institution's most valuable assets. They provide mentorship, career opportunities, financial support, and serve as natural, authentic brand ambassadors for your school. This, of course, depends on the extent to which they feel connected to their alma mater once they’ve graduated. But nurturing relationships is a complex undertaking, and especially so at scale. Keeping alumni engaged across multiple touchpoints like events, communications, giving, and career networking remains a persistent (as well as rewarding) challenge for advancement teams. The right alumni management software solves this by bringing engagement activity, fundraising, and community into a single system.

Choosing the right alumni management system cuts through the fragmentation that typically forces teams to stitch together multiple disconnected tools, and makes it easier to track which initiatives drive outcomes.

With so many options available, this blog compares the ten best platforms that could help you get there, based on your specific requirements.

The Best Alumni Management Software in 2026: At a Glance

1. Almabase

Almabase brings alumni engagement and fundraising into the same workflow, connecting the activities between constituents and institutions. The platform builds interactions such as alumni events, email campaigns, or giving days into a shared engagement history rather than treating them as standalone features, giving your team a complete picture of constituents’ journeys.

Almabase’s engagement tools connect with your CRM seamlessly. Its TrueSync integration with Raiser’s Edge NXT supports two-way, real-time data sync, so information can move between Almabase and RE NXT without the recurring exports, imports, and manual updates that can come with managing separate systems.

The platform also brings alumni-facing programs such as directories, mentorship, job boards, events, and email campaigns into the same environment. This means fewer disconnected tools and less work trying to piece together engagement data afterward for institutions running several of these programs at the same time.

That makes it relevant for teams of all sizes running all types of events: reunions, regional events, giving days, donor events, and ongoing alumni communications.

All of these features make Almabase particularly suited to advancement teams that want engagement activity and fundraising data to work together. It's also a natural fit for institutions already working in Raiser’s Edge NXT and looking to connect their alumni-facing activities more closely to their advancement database.

Pros

• Connects alumni engagement and fundraising workflows: Events, communications, giving, and other engagement activity can live in the same platform, with constituent activity feeding into a shared engagement history.
• Strong event management for complex alumni programs: Almabase can handle everything from simple RSVPs to multi-day events with sub-events, different ticket types, payments, guest tracking, check-in, waitlists, and fundraising options. That makes it particularly useful for teams managing complicated Homecoming, reunion, and alumni event calendars.
• No-code website and page building: Teams can create and manage branded pages without relying on a developer, using templates, widgets, forms, images, video, and access controls. Pages can also be used for specific programs or initiatives, rather than limiting the platform to a single alumni directory or event portal.
• Two-way RE NXT integration: TrueSync keeps data moving between Almabase and Raiser’s Edge NXT in real time, reducing the need for manual exports, imports, and reconciliation.
• Built for complex alumni programs: Alongside core engagement and fundraising tools, Almabase supports directories, mentorship, job boards, email campaigns, and other programs institutions may run throughout the year. 

Cons

• Is not a CRM: Almabase works well as a layer on top of CRMs, but does not come with one by itself.
• No dedicated major-gift prospecting or wealth-screening functionality: While Almabase can use engagement and constituent data to help identify potential prospects, teams looking for dedicated major-gift prospect research and wealth-screening tools may need a separate solution for this function.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on institution size, requirements and alumni count.

2. EverTrue

EverTrue is a fundraising intelligence and donor engagement platform built to help advancement teams find better prospects, understand their constituents, and give fundraisers more context for their outreach. EverTrue sits alongside your CRM and enriches constituent records with engagement, career, social, and wealth information.

EverTrue brings a lot of external intelligence into constituent records. TrueView profiles can combine your existing CRM data with career changes, social media activity, donor interests, wealth indicators, and other signals, giving fundraisers a more current picture of the people they're trying to engage. The platform also supports prospect discovery, segmentation, mapping, and alerts to help teams identify people who may be worth a closer look.

It's a good fit when you already have a CRM you want to keep and need additional intelligence to help fundraisers identify prospects, prioritize portfolios, plan visits, and personalize outreach. However, it's less suited to institutions looking for a single platform to run their broader alumni engagement program.

Pros

• Strong prospect and donor intelligence: EverTrue enriches constituent records with career, social, wealth, engagement, and interest data, giving fundraisers more context than they may have in their CRM alone.
• Useful for frontline fundraising: Prospect discovery, segmentation, mapping, alerts, and mobile access can help gift officers find prospects, plan visits, and prioritize outreach more efficiently.
• Works alongside your existing CRM: EverTrue integrates with systems including Raiser’s Edge NXT, Salesforce, and several other advancement databases, so institutions don't have to replace their CRM to add its intelligence capabilities.

Cons

• Not a full alumni engagement platform: EverTrue isn't designed to replace the broader set of tools an institution may need for alumni communities, event management, mentorship, or other alumni-facing programs.
• Integration and data matching still need attention: Although EverTrue integrates with major advancement CRMs, some users report issues with constituent matching and integrations with tools such as Eventbrite. Teams should test how reliably their existing data and third-party systems sync before committing.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on the EverTrue products and capabilities an institution selects. Estimates place the starting quote at about $5000 a year.

3. 360Alumni

360Alumni brings together an alumni directory, networking, events, fundraising, mentoring, job boards, and email marketing in a single branded environment. Its focus is less on advancement operations and more on giving alumni a place to find each other, build connections, and participate in their alumni community.

360Alumni stands out as being a more alumni-facing platform. It puts its interactive alumni directory and map at the center and makes it easy for users to search for other alumni by a range of metrics: location, profession, interests, and other criteria.

360Alumni is well suited for schools where an alumni directory, career networking, mentoring, and geographically based connections are all important parts of the engagement strategy. 

Pros

• Alumni-first experience: The interactive directory, alumni map, networking, groups, job board, and mentoring tools give alumni multiple reasons to use the platform beyond receiving institutional communications.
• A broad set of alumni engagement tools: Events, fundraising campaigns, memberships, email marketing, networking, and career-related features are available within the same platform.
• Useful for smaller teams: Having community, event, fundraising, and communication capabilities in one system can reduce the number of separate tools a smaller alumni or advancement team needs to manage.
• Blackbaud and Salesforce integrations: Institutions already using these systems can connect 360Alumni to their existing technology stack rather than starting with a completely separate database.

Cons

• Transaction fees can add up: 360Alumni charges a 3% credit-card processing fee plus a service charge based on the plan for transactions processed through the platform, including event tickets, donations, and membership payments. For institutions with significant transaction volume, these costs could add up.
• Alumni adoption still takes work: Even with a user-friendly platform, getting alumni to regularly return and participate remains an engagement challenge. Creating activity and buy-in can take significant time and effort, particularly for smaller schools.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on record count, with an initial setup cost and annual subscription. 360Alumni also charges a 3% credit-card processing fee plus a plan-dependent service charge on event ticket sales, donations, and membership payments.

4. Graduway (Gravyty)

Graduway is built around the idea of an alumni community as an active digital space, giving alumni a place to connect with each other as well as stay connected to their institution.

What sets Gravyty apart is alumni-to-alumni engagement. Alumni can connect with peers, participate in mentoring programs, join communities, and build professional relationships through the platform.

Graduway is particularly suited to institutions where community building, networking, and mentoring are central to the alumni engagement strategy. It's especially relevant for institutions with geographically dispersed alumni or large professional networks, where mentoring, career connections, affinity groups, and peer networking offer a major push to stay engaged throughout the year.

Pros

• Strong community and networking focus: Graduway gives alumni multiple ways to connect with one another through networking, mentoring, communities, and other peer-to-peer activities.
• Highly branded alumni experience: Institutions can customize the platform's appearance and content to create a community that feels closely tied to their institutional brand.
• Broad engagement toolkit: Alongside its community features, Graduway supports directories, events, fundraising, mentoring, and other alumni programs within the same platform.

Cons

• Community engagement requires ongoing effort: A platform centered on alumni-to-alumni interaction works best when institutions have the content, programs, and staff capacity to keep the community active.
• Some users report limitations reporting: While Graduway offers analytics and reporting capabilities, but users have cited limitations in these areas. If you have specific reporting requirements you may want to evaluate these capabilities more closely before committing.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on the institution's requirements and alumni community size. 

5. HiveBrite

HiveBrite is a community platform designed for organizations that want more control over how their online communities look, work, and evolve. For higher education, it can bring alumni networking, groups, events, mentoring, career opportunities, and other engagement programs into a branded community environment.

HiveBrite offers a good level of customization: institutions can shape member journeys, create different community spaces and permissions, customize the platform's design, and tailor experiences for different audiences.

The platform also supports events, groups, discussions, mentoring, career networking, and other community activities. Its multilingual capabilities and support for international communities make it relevant for institutions managing alumni networks across multiple countries and regions.

HiveBrite is particularly suited to larger institutions that want to build a highly tailored alumni community and have the resources to support implementation and ongoing administration.

Pros

• Highly customizable community experience: Institutions can tailor branding, member journeys, permissions, content, and community structures rather than being limited to a standard alumni portal setup.
• Broad community and engagement capabilities: Groups, discussions, events, mentoring, career networking, and other community features can be brought together in one platform.
• Built for global communities: Multilingual capabilities and support for international deployments make HiveBrite relevant for institutions managing alumni communities across regions.

Cons

• More implementation and configuration work: The flexibility that makes HiveBrite attractive also means there is more to configure, manage, and learn than with a simpler out-of-the-box alumni platform.
• Can require more technical resources: Institutions making extensive use of custom workflows, permissions, integrations, or design options may need dedicated staff or implementation support to manage the platform effectively.
• Fundraising isn't its core strength: HiveBrite supports fundraising and donations, but institutions looking for deeper advancement-specific fundraising, donor management, or major-gift capabilities may need additional tools.

Pricing: HiveBrite offers tiered and custom pricing starting at $895/month depending on the size and requirements of the community. 

6. PeopleGrove

PeopleGrove is an alumni engagement platform built around helping institutions create stronger connections between students and alumni. 

PeopleGrove particularly excels at structured program management. Teams can set up mentoring programs, match participants based on skills, interests, and goals, establish milestones, and track participation and outcomes. Rather than simply giving alumni a directory and letting them find one another, the platform gives institutions tools to actively shape how those connections happen.

The platform also enriches profiles with professional information from LinkedIn, helping you maintain more current information about where alumni work and what they do without relying entirely on manual profile updates. This information is useful when building targeted programs or helping users find relevant connections.

Pros

• Structured program management: Matching, milestones, workflows, and outcome tracking give teams more control over formal programs than a basic alumni directory or networking platform.
• Professional profile data: LinkedIn enrichment can help institutions maintain more useful and current information about alumni careers without relying entirely on manual updates.
• Useful matching capabilities: Teams can connect participants based on factors such as skills, interests, goals, and other criteria relevant to a particular program.
• Program-level reporting: Teams can track participation and outcomes to understand how their initiatives are performing.

Cons

• Not a full advancement platform: Institutions looking for robust fundraising, event management, or broader alumni engagement functionality will likely need additional platforms alongside PeopleGrove.
• Requires active program management: Teams still need to recruit participants, establish program goals, manage matching, and keep participants engaged throughout the initiative.
• Can have a steep learning curve: Some users report that getting the most out of the platform takes time and training, particularly around building more sophisticated programs and workflows.

Pricing: Custom pricing offered based on the institution's requirements.

7. Encoura Encompass (formerly Anthology Encompass / iModules)

Encoura Encompass is a constituent engagement platform for higher education that brings website management, email marketing, event management, online giving, membership, and other alumni-facing functions into one system. 

One of Encompass's biggest strengths is its breadth of constituent-facing functionality. Instead of using separate systems for an alumni website, communications, events, giving, and membership management, institutions can manage these activities through one connected platform. This breadth is particularly useful for institutions already working within the Anthology ecosystem.

For institutions evaluating it, the recent ownership transition is an important part of the conversation: Encoura acquired the service in 2026, so teams should evaluate the current product roadmap, support model, and integration plans alongside the platform's existing functionality.

Pros

• Broad constituent engagement toolkit: Website management, email marketing, events, giving, membership, and other engagement functions are available within the same platform.
• Single ecosystem: Institutions already using related Anthology/Encoura products can benefit from keeping constituent engagement capabilities within the same broader technology environment.

Cons

• Recent ownership transition introduces a due-diligence step: Encompass moved from Anthology to Encoura in February 2026 as part of the acquisition of Anthology's Lifecycle Engagement business. Those considering a new implementation should ask about the current product roadmap, support structure, integrations, and long-term investment in Encompass before signing a new contract.
• Pricing can be significant: Capterra currently lists a starting price of $7,500 per user per year, although institutions should confirm current pricing and what is included directly with the vendor.
• Learning curve: There might be a bit of a learning curve adopting the platform, as reported by users.

Pricing: Estimate currently place pricing starting at $7,500 per year, but the platform does not publicly disclose its prices.

8. ToucanTech

ToucanTech is an alumni and community platform that brings together an alumni database, website and portal, email marketing, events, fundraising, memberships, and career networking. Built specifically for schools and educational institutions, it aims to give teams a broad set of alumni engagement tools without requiring extensive technical configuration.

ToucanTech champions ease of use as one of its core principles. Users frequently highlight its intuitive interface and customer support. The platform also keeps common alumni activities connected. Event registrations, donations, communications, memberships, and constituent information can be managed within the same system, giving teams one place to work from rather than stitching together several point solutions.

It's a useful option for teams replacing a legacy alumni system, building a program with a relatively small staff, or looking to consolidate several alumni-facing tools into one platform. 

Pros

• Easy to use: ToucanTech's strength lies in an intuitive interface, which can reduce the learning curve for teams managing the platform day to day.
• Broad set of alumni tools: The platform combines a database, website, email, events, fundraising, memberships, directories, and career networking in one system.
• Connected constituent activity: Events, donations, communications, and other interactions can be managed against constituent records within the same platform, reducing the need to reconcile information across multiple systems.

Cons

• Less suited to highly complex technical environments: Institutions with extensive custom integration requirements or sophisticated advancement technology stacks may find the platform less compatible with their technical requirements.
• Implementation still requires data migration: Even with a relatively straightforward platform, moving constituent records, historical information, events, and other data from an existing system can take planning and staff time.
• May not cover specialized advancement needs: ToucanTech covers core fundraising and engagement workflows, but institutions looking for deeper major-gift prospecting, wealth screening, or other specialized advancement capabilities may need to layer on additional tools.

Pricing: ToucanTech's core plan has a flat rate of $8,000 per year.

9. WildApricot

WildApricot is a membership management platform used by associations, nonprofits, and community organizations. 

The platform sets itself apart with its straightforward pricing and setup. Unlike many enterprise alumni platforms that require a sales conversation before you can estimate costs, WildApricot publishes its plans based on the number of contacts you manage. It also offers a 60-day free trial, making it easier for smaller organizations to test the platform before committing.

The platform is also designed to be managed without extensive technical expertise. Teams can build a member-facing website, maintain a directory, create events, collect payments, and send communications from the same system. 

WildApricot is a good fit for small alumni associations and organizations with simpler membership and event needs, such as maintaining a member directory, managing memberships, organizing events, sending communications, and collecting payments. 

It may become less suitable as an institution's needs expand into larger and more specialized alumni engagement or advancement workflows.

Pros

• Simple to implement and manage: The platform is designed for organizations without dedicated technical teams, so staff can manage websites, members, events, and communications without extensive configuration.
• Strong value for smaller organizations: Users frequently highlight its ease of use and value for money.
• Good coverage of basic needs: Member management, directories, websites, events, email, and payments are handled in one system, which can eliminate the need for several basic point solutions.

Cons

• Limited alumni-specific functionality: WildApricot is a general membership platform rather than a system designed specifically for higher education. It doesn't offer the depth of alumni-focused capabilities found in the other platforms on this list, particularly around mentorship, career networking, or sophisticated advancement workflows.
• Can become expensive as your database grows: Pricing is tied to the number of contacts, so organizations with large alumni populations may find the economics less attractive as their network expands.
• Basic fundraising capabilities: WildApricot supports payments and donations, but institutions looking for sophisticated donor segmentation, stewardship, major-gift management, or deeper fundraising analytics will likely need another system.

Pricing: Plans are based on contact volume, starting at $63/month for 100 contacts and increasing with database size. WildApricot also offers a 60-day free trial. 

10. GiveCampus

GiveCampus is built around fundraising, alumni engagement, events, volunteer management, and frontline fundraising. As an engagement layer that sits on top of your CRM, it brings together constituent, gift, event, volunteer, and frontline fundraising data.

This is particularly useful for advancement teams that want events and alumni engagement to feed directly into fundraising workflows. GiveCampus also supports email and text outreach, volunteer management, and fundraising campaigns within the same ecosystem.

It's a strong fit for institutions running a lot of giving campaigns, reunions, alumni events, volunteer programs, and donor outreach from the same advancement operation.

It's less of a traditional alumni-community platform built primarily around directories, mentoring, or social networking.

Pros

• Strong connection between engagement and fundraising: Events, giving, volunteer activity, outreach, and frontline fundraising can all sit within the same ecosystem.
• CRM connectivity: GiveCampus supports direct integrations, APIs, and data imports, including Raiser’s Edge NXT, helping teams move event and fundraising data back into their system of record.
• Strong event-to-giving connection: Teams can build giving directly into event registration and attendee experiences instead of treating fundraising and events as completely separate workflows.

Cons

• More advancement-focused than community-focused: Institutions primarily looking for an alumni directory, mentoring network, or always-on alumni community may find that GiveCampus isn't centered on these use cases.
• CRM setup still matters: GiveCampus can reduce manual data work, but getting the most out of the platform still depends on how an institution structures its CRM, integrations, and data flows.

Pricing: Custom pricing offered based on the institution and products selected. 

Picking the Right Alumni Management Software for Your Institution

There’s no single alumni management platform that will be the right fit for every institution. Think on the question of what you need the platform to do, and you’ll be able to approach the decision with much clarity.

If fundraising and advancement are at the center of your alumni strategy, look for a platform that can connect engagement activity with your CRM and give your advancement team useful donor context. Almabase and GiveCampus are worth a closer look here, while EverTrue makes more sense for teams that need deeper prospect and donor intelligence.

If your priority is building an active alumni community, Graduway and HiveBrite take a more community-first approach, with tools for networking, groups, mentoring, and member interaction.

For institutions where alumni-to-student connections, mentoring, and career engagement are a major part of the strategy, PeopleGrove is built around those programs rather than treating them as an add-on. And if you're looking for something simpler to get up and running, ToucanTech offers a broader set of alumni tools, but with less emphasis on extensive customization.

Before you start booking demos, definitely get clear on what your institution actually needs from an alumni management platform and what you can realistically expect from your budget, team, and existing tech stack. That’s exactly what we cover in our Alumni Management Software Buying Guide. It walks through the key features to evaluate, questions to ask vendors, implementation considerations, and how to compare platforms against your institution’s specific needs.

If you’re unsure what to prioritize, flipping through the guide before comparing vendors might help!

Wrapping up

Choosing alumni management software is a big decision, especially when your team will be relying on it for everything from everyday alumni communications to major events and fundraising campaigns. Take the time to see how each platform handles your actual workflows, what implementation involves, and how well it works with the systems you already use.

Almabase is worth exploring if bringing alumni engagement and fundraising closer together is a priority. It brings events, communications, giving, and alumni data into one platform, with CRM integrations to reduce manual work for your team. 🤗

You can read more about what makes Almabase a good alumni management software and how it supports different alumni programs.

Ultimately, the goal is to find the platform your team can comfortably use, your alumni will want to engage with, and your institution can continue to rely on as its programs grow.

Request a demo today to see how Almabase can help your institution nurture deeper relationships with your alumni. 💜

FAQs About Alumni Management Software

1. Is alumni management software necessary for institutions?

An institution can get by with spreadsheets and basic CRM functions, but a dedicated alumni management software makes a huge difference when you need to map engagement, personalize communications, giving, and complex events. So while not always necessary, it becomes almost essential as an institution scales its alumni management efforts.

2. What is the best alumni management software?

There’s no single best option for every institution. The right platform depends on your goals, existing technology, budget, and whether you need deeper capabilities or customizations. Ultimately it’s about finding the right fit for your requirements.

3. Is alumni management software expensive?

Pricing varies widely depending on the platform, number of alumni, and features you need. Some platforms offer tiered pricing, while others use custom pricing based on the institution’s requirements.

4. Is free alumni management software worth it?

Free tools can work for institutions with smaller alumni programs or straightforward needs, but they often come with limits on features, users, data, or customization. If your programs are growing, paid software may offer more room to scale.

5. What is the difference between an alumni platform and alumni management software?

You might find the terms being used interchangeably, but an alumni platform usually focuses on the alumni-facing experience, while alumni management software could also include the operational side, including data management, events, communications, and fundraising.