How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Small nonprofits should start free: Givebutter ($0), Donorbox ($0 Standard) or RallyUp ($0) all cover real fundraising at no subscription.
- Nonprofits wanting donor CRM plus fundraising unified should look at Bloomerang (CRM from $125/month).
- Event-heavy nonprofits running galas and auctions should compare RallyUp against Qgiv (now Bloomerang Fundraising).
- Merch-based fundraising has one answer: Bonfire ($0 to launch, no inventory).
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 GoFundMe Pro | Large nonprofits running national or multi-channel campaigns | From $299/month (per GetApp); transaction fees ~2.4-2.5% + $0.30 | No (no free trial) |
 Givebutter | Small to mid-size nonprofits wanting a full suite free | $0 (free with optional donor tips); Plus from $29/month | Yes (free tier) |
 Donorbox | Nonprofits wanting powerful donation forms without a big subscription | $0/month (Standard, 2.95% platform fee); Pro $150/month (1.75% fee) | Yes (Standard at $0 with platform fee) |
 Bloomerang | Nonprofits wanting donor management and fundraising unified | CRM from $125/month billed annually; Giving Platform from $242/month | No free tier or trial |
 RallyUp | Event-heavy nonprofits running auctions, raffles and peer-to-peer | $0 (Free plan, 0% platform fee with optional donor tips); Flex 0-6.9% per activity | Yes (Free plan) |
 Bonfire | Nonprofits and causes fundraising through merch sales | $0 to launch; 8% processing fee (3.5% for verified nonprofits); keep 100% of merch profits | Yes (free to launch campaigns) |
 CauseVox | Nonprofits centered on peer-to-peer and crowdfunding campaigns | Free plan at $0; Pro $600/month billed annually | Yes (Free plan); Pro has 14-day free trial |
 Qgiv | Nonprofits running galas and hybrid events | See website (Bloomerang lists Fundraising from $40/month billed annually) | No (demo-based) |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best fundraising software
Think like a donor for a minute. You click donate, and the page asks you to cover a "tip" for the platform. Some donors shrug; some close the tab. That tip screen, multiplied across thousands of gifts, is the real cost of "free" fundraising software. Every platform here makes money somehow: subscriptions, platform fees, donor tips, or transaction cuts. These eight cover the real options, with the fee math that decides which free is actually free.
Starting priceFrom $299/month (per GetApp); transaction fees ~2.4-2.5% + $0.30
Free planNo (no free trial)
GoFundMe Pro (the former Classy) is the enterprise end of online fundraising: peer-to-peer campaigns, events and international giving on one platform, backed by GoFundMe's donor discovery network. For a large nonprofit running national campaigns, the reach and the proven peer-to-peer engine justify the price.
The cost and access reflect the market. Expect a sales process, annual contracts and guided implementation, with pricing largely gated behind demos. Transaction fees add to the subscription. This is not a tool for a $50,000-a-year nonprofit; it is for organizations where fundraising is a department.
What we like- Enterprise-grade peer-to-peer and event fundraising
- GoFundMe brand reach and donor network
- Strong international and multi-currency support
Watch out for- High entry price built for large nonprofits
- Pricing is largely sales-gated
Starting price$0 (free with optional donor tips); Plus from $29/month
Free planYes (free tier)
Givebutter is the modern free-to-start pick: campaigns, auctions, events and peer-to-peer fundraising at zero subscription, funded by optional donor tips at checkout. The campaign pages look current, setup is self-serve and fast, and there are no contracts on the free tier.
The tip screen is the trade. Some donors happily add it; others find it off-putting, and you cannot fully control that reaction. Advanced CRM features trail Bloomerang. But for a small nonprofit that needs to fundraise this month with no budget, Givebutter is the most complete free platform here.
What we like- Genuinely free core with donor-tip model
- Modern campaign pages and widgets
- Auctions, events and peer-to-peer included
Watch out for- Tip prompts can annoy some donors
- Advanced CRM features trail Bloomerang
#3
Donorbox
Best for: Nonprofits wanting powerful donation forms without a big subscription
Visit donorbox.org
Starting price$0/month (Standard, 2.95% platform fee); Pro $150/month (1.75% fee)
Free planYes (Standard at $0 with platform fee)
Donorbox does one thing extremely well: donation forms that convert. Embeddable, fast, with strong recurring-giving management, it fits nonprofits whose website already brings the traffic and just needs the gift to land. The Pro tier at $150 a month cuts the platform fee nearly in half.
Do the fee math. Standard's 2.95 percent on every gift adds up fast; Pro pays for itself once monthly volume crosses a few thousand dollars. Advanced peer-to-peer needs higher tiers. Setup is embedding a form, with Stripe, PayPal, Salesforce and Mailchimp integrations. For form-first fundraising, this is the specialist pick.
What we like- Fast embeddable donation forms
- Recurring donation management is strong
- Affordable Pro tier cuts fees
Watch out for- Platform fees apply on every gift on Standard
- Advanced peer-to-peer needs higher tiers
#4
Bloomerang
Best for: Nonprofits wanting donor management and fundraising unified
Visit bloomerang.com
Starting priceCRM from $125/month billed annually; Giving Platform from $242/month
Free planNo free tier or trial
Bloomerang's pitch is CRM-first fundraising: donor records, engagement scoring and retention analytics unified with the giving platform, so appeals go to the right donors at the right time. Support is well regarded, which matters for small nonprofit teams.
The commitment is total. Annual-only billing, no self-serve trial, and costs stack across the CRM, Giving and Fundraising modules. Setup is guided onboarding. For a nonprofit ready to run donor development as a discipline, the unified suite pays off. For a team that just needs a donate button, it is too much.
What we like- Donor CRM plus fundraising in one integrated suite
- Strong donor retention analytics
- Well-regarded support
Watch out for- Annual-only billing with no trial
- Costs stack across CRM, Giving and Fundraising modules
#5
RallyUp
Best for: Event-heavy nonprofits running auctions, raffles and peer-to-peer
Visit rallyup.com
Starting price$0 (Free plan, 0% platform fee with optional donor tips); Flex 0-6.9% per activity
Free planYes (Free plan)
RallyUp is the event fundraiser's platform: auctions, raffles, peer-to-peer and ticketing on one page, free to start with no subscription and no contracts. The free done-for-you campaign setup is genuinely unusual: their team helps build your campaign.
Read the Flex pricing. Turning tips off means activity fees up to 6.9 percent on raffles and sweepstakes, so the "free" depends on donor tips flowing. There is no membership management. For a nonprofit whose calendar revolves around events, RallyUp's all-in-one event page is the most complete free start.
What we like- Free plan covers raffles, auctions, peer-to-peer and ticketing
- No subscriptions or contracts
- Free done-for-you campaign setup
Watch out for- Flex fees reach 6.9% on raffles and sweepstakes
- No membership management features
#6
Bonfire
Best for: Nonprofits and causes fundraising through merch sales
Visit bonfire.com
Starting price$0 to launch; 8% processing fee (3.5% for verified nonprofits); keep 100% of merch profits
Free planYes (free to launch campaigns)
Bonfire is true zero-risk merch fundraising: upload a design, they print and ship on demand, you keep 100 percent of the merchandise profit above the base cost. No inventory, no upfront cost, no boxes in the office. Direct payouts to verified 501(c)(3) nonprofits are supported.
Scope is the limit. This is merch only, not a donation platform, and the design tools are basic. The 8 percent fee (3.5 percent for verified nonprofits) applies to donations and tips. For a cause with an audience that wears its support literally, Bonfire turns followers into fundraisers with no budget.
What we like- Zero upfront cost for merch fundraising
- Print-on-demand with no inventory
- Direct payout to 501(c)(3) nonprofits supported
Watch out for- Only useful for merchandise-based fundraising
- Design tools are basic
#7
CauseVox
Best for: Nonprofits centered on peer-to-peer and crowdfunding campaigns
Visit causevox.com
Starting priceFree plan at $0; Pro $600/month billed annually
Free planYes (Free plan); Pro has 14-day free trial
CauseVox builds polished peer-to-peer and crowdfunding campaign sites with team fundraising pages, plus a built-in donor CRM on every plan. The free tier charges no platform fee, which makes it a real option for small campaigns.
The 2026 pricing overhaul changed the picture: Pro now starts at $600 a month billed annually, a big jump from older plans that old guides still quote. Verify current pricing on their page, not a 2024 blog post. For a nonprofit whose fundraising is peer-to-peer campaigns, the platform is strong; just price the current tiers.
What we like- Strong peer-to-peer and crowdfunding pages
- Built-in donor CRM on all plans
- No platform fee on free tier
Watch out for- Paid tiers are expensive for small nonprofits
- Pricing changed significantly in 2026
#8
Qgiv
Best for: Nonprofits running galas and hybrid events
Visit qgiv.com
Starting priceSee website (Bloomerang lists Fundraising from $40/month billed annually)
Free planNo (demo-based)
Qgiv, now Bloomerang Fundraising, is built for the gala: auctions, text-to-donate, event kiosks and mobile bidding, with support reachable by phone, chat and email during the event itself. The Bloomerang CRM integration ties event revenue to donor records.
Confirm what you are buying. The standalone Qgiv brand is being folded into Bloomerang, so clarify whether the contract is Qgiv standalone or the Bloomerang bundle. Transaction fees stack on top of the subscription. For event-driven fundraising with real support on event night, this is the specialist.
What we like- Strong event tools: auctions, text-to-donate, kiosks
- Responsive support across phone, chat and email
- Deep Bloomerang CRM integration
Watch out for- Standalone Qgiv branding is being folded into Bloomerang
- Transaction fees add up on top of subscription
The real cost of "free"
Add up a year of $100,000 in online gifts. Givebutter free with donor tips: $0 in subscriptions if tips cover costs, but some donors bounce at the tip screen. Donorbox Standard: $2,950 in platform fees. RallyUp free with tips: $0, same tip-screen caveat. Bonfire: irrelevant unless it is merch. CauseVox free: $0 platform fee. A $29/month Givebutter Plus or $150/month Donorbox Pro looks expensive until you compare it to percentage fees at volume. The cheapest platform is the one whose fee model matches how your donors give, not the one with $0 on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest fundraising platform?
Givebutter, RallyUp, Donorbox Standard and CauseVox all start at $0. The cheapest in practice depends on fees: a $0 platform taking 2.95 percent of $100,000 costs $2,950, while a $150/month platform taking 1.75 percent costs $1,800 plus $2,100 in fees. Do the annual math with your volume.
Should nonprofits use donor tips to cover fees?
It works until it does not. Tips keep the platform free and many donors add them gladly. But tip screens add friction, some donors find them presumptuous, and you cannot control the opt-out rate. Test it with your audience; if conversion drops, a low subscription with no tips often nets more.
What is peer-to-peer fundraising?
Supporters create their own fundraising pages under your campaign and ask their networks to donate: runs, challenges, birthdays. GoFundMe Pro, Givebutter, RallyUp and CauseVox all support it. It works because people give to people they know, not to organizations. It needs a motivated base; it is not free money.
Do I need a CRM or just donation forms?
Forms collect money; a CRM grows donors. If your fundraising is one annual campaign, forms (Donorbox) are enough. If you cultivate donors year-round with appeals, events and major gifts, a CRM (Bloomerang) pays for itself in retention. Most nonprofits outgrow forms-only within two to three years.
Can small nonprofits use enterprise fundraising software?
Technically yes, practically no. GoFundMe Pro's $299/month entry and sales-gated pricing assume a development team and campaign volume. A small nonprofit gets more from Givebutter or Donorbox free tiers than from an enterprise platform it cannot staff. Buy for the team you have.
How we chose
We started with the categories buyers search: fundraising software, best fundraising software, and best nonprofit fundraising software. For each candidate we checked the vendor's own pricing pages, cross-checked capabilities and costs against public reviews on G2 and Capterra and practitioner discussion on Reddit, and compared fee structures, event tools and CRM depth. Where a price could not be verified on the vendor's page we wrote "See website" rather than guessing. One note: Fundly shut down in December 2025, so it is not on this list; we included RallyUp instead. The shortlist mixes free platforms with enterprise suites, because a volunteer-run nonprofit and a national charity are not buying the same thing.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://pro.gofundme.com/pricing/
- https://www.givebutter.com/pricing/
- https://donorbox.org/pricing/
- https://www.bloomerang.com/pricing/
- https://rallyup.com/pricing/
- https://www.bonfire.com/pricing/
- https://www.causevox.com/pricing/
- https://www.qgiv.com/pricing/
- https://www.g2.com/categories/fundraising
- https://www.capterra.com/fundraising-software/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.