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
- Every donation platform takes a cut. The question is how much of each dollar reaches the mission, and the answer ranges from zero to over 6 percent.
- Zeffy and GiveLively are genuinely free: donor tips fund the platform, and Zeffy even absorbs card processing. The trade is fewer integrations and simpler reporting.
- Givebutter is free with tips enabled (3% platform fee if tips are off, plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing), and it bundles peer-to-peer fundraising, events and a light CRM.
- Donorbox starts free at a 2.95% platform fee and scales to Pro ($150/month, 1.75% fee) for serious recurring-giving programs.
- Classy (GoFundMe Pro) and Fundraise Up are the enterprise plays: quote-based pricing for AI-optimized, high-volume fundraising.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Donorbox | Small nonprofits focused on recurring donations | Free (2.95% platform fee) | Yes |
 Givebutter | Nonprofits that want fundraising, events and CRM free | Free (donor tips) | Yes |
 Zeffy | Nonprofits that want literally zero fees | Free | Yes |
 GiveLively | Grassroots nonprofits that want free, credible tools | Free | Yes |
 Classy | Nonprofits running online fundraising at scale | See website | No |
 Fundraise Up | Maximizing conversion on existing donation traffic | See website | No |
 Qgiv | Nonprofits wanting flexible forms plus events and P2P | $0 + processing fees (Starter) | Yes |
 RallyUp | Raffles, auctions and event-based fundraising | $0 + platform fee | Yes |
 GoFundMe | Personal, community and emergency campaigns | Free (0% platform fee) | Yes |
Is your product missing or out of date?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.
An online donation platform hosts your donation pages, processes payments, issues receipts and manages recurring gifts. Nine tools below, from free nonprofit specialists to enterprise fundraising suites.
Starting priceFree (2.95% platform fee)
Free planYes
Donorbox is the workhorse of small-nonprofit fundraising. The free Standard plan gets you branded donation forms, recurring gifts, donor portal and automated receipts for a 2.95% platform fee (up to 3.95% for premium features), plus Stripe or PayPal processing. Pro at $150 a month drops the fee to 1.75-2% and adds analytics, AI tools and integrations.
The fee math decides the plan: at $20,000 a month in donations, Pro's $150 fee saves roughly $240 in platform fees. Text-to-give ($19/month) and kiosk ($50/month) are paid add-ons. For nonprofits building a monthly-donor base, Donorbox's recurring tools are the reason to choose it.
What we like- Fast to launch with embeddable forms
- Strong recurring-giving tools
- Text-to-give, kiosk and multi-currency support
Watch out for- Platform fees add up at volume (2.95-3.95% on free plan)
- Advanced features gated behind $150/month Pro
Starting priceFree (donor tips)
Free planYes
Givebutter grew fast by giving away the most complete free toolkit in the category. With donor tips on, you pay no platform fee across donation forms, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer campaigns, events and auctions. Turn tips off and the platform fee is 3%; card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 applies either way.
The all-in-one pitch is real: many small nonprofits run their entire fundraising operation on Givebutter without paying a cent in platform fees. Givebutter Plus at $29 a month adds advanced CRM and automation for growing teams. The tipping prompt can confuse some donors, but most leave it on.
What we like- Free with tips enabled: donation pages, peer-to-peer, events, auctions and light CRM
- Modern, social-friendly campaign pages
- 24/7 support
Watch out for- 3% platform fee if you disable donor tips
- Processing (2.9% + $0.30) still applies
- Plus CRM at $29/month adds cost
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Zeffy is the only platform here that is free all the way down: no platform fee, no monthly fee, and no card processing fee, because Zeffy absorbs the Stripe costs and funds itself through optional donor tips. Donation forms, event ticketing, memberships, recurring gifts and raffles are all included.
The catch is scope, not cost: it is nonprofits only, integrations are thinner than Donorbox or Classy, and reporting is simpler. For small and mid-size nonprofits where every fee dollar matters, Zeffy is the obvious first choice. Larger organizations with complex tech stacks may need more.
What we like- 100% free: no platform fee and no processing fee (Zeffy absorbs Stripe costs)
- Donation forms, events, memberships and raffles included
- Simple to use
Watch out for- Nonprofits only
- Fewer integrations than paid platforms
- Funded by tips, so the model depends on donor generosity
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
GiveLively is the grassroots favorite: free donation pages, text-to-give, peer-to-peer and campaign tools for registered US nonprofits, funded by optional donor tips. Unlike Zeffy, standard processing fees still apply, but there is no platform fee and no monthly cost.
Support is the trade: email and help center rather than live chat. For small US nonprofits that need credible, working donation tools without a budget line, GiveLively has a decade of trust behind it. International organizations need to look elsewhere.
What we like- Free platform funded by optional donor tips
- Donation pages, text-to-give and peer-to-peer included
- Strong reputation among grassroots nonprofits
Watch out for- US 501(c)(3) organizations only
- Standard Stripe/PayPal processing fees apply
- Support is email-based and limited
#5
Classy
Best for: Nonprofits running online fundraising at scale
Visit classy.org
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Classy, now GoFundMe Pro, is the enterprise fundraising platform: branded donation experiences, sophisticated peer-to-peer, event fundraising and the scale to handle viral campaigns. Pricing is quote-based, reportedly starting around $6,000 a year, with processing fees on top.
It is built for nonprofits with dedicated fundraising staff and serious online revenue. The campaign design flexibility and supporter-engagement tools are a level above the free platforms. Small nonprofits should start free and graduate here when online fundraising becomes a major revenue line.
What we like- Enterprise-grade campaign pages, peer-to-peer and events
- Now backed by GoFundMe
- Strong for high-volume, branded fundraising programs
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing (around $6,000/year reported)
- No free tier
- Implementation effort for advanced campaigns
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Fundraise Up does one thing obsessively: convert more of your website visitors into donors, and more one-time donors into recurring ones. AI-driven ask amounts, smart upsells, recurring nudges and a frictionless checkout are engineered around conversion rate, with analytics to prove the lift.
Pricing is custom and enterprise-oriented, which makes sense: the product pays for itself on traffic volume, not on hope. Organizations with significant web traffic and an existing donor funnel see the clearest ROI. Small nonprofits without traffic should build the audience first on a free platform.
What we like- AI-optimized checkout designed to lift conversion and recurring upgrades
- Smart upsells and donor-adaptive asks
- Strong analytics
Watch out for- Custom enterprise pricing
- No free tier
- Optimization features need meaningful traffic to pay off
#7
Qgiv
Best for: Nonprofits wanting flexible forms plus events and P2P
Visit qgiv.com
Starting price$0 + processing fees (Starter)
Free planYes
Qgiv covers the full fundraising event lifecycle: donation forms, event registration, auctions, peer-to-peer and text fundraising. The Starter plan is free plus processing fees, making it easy to test; paid tiers add the event and P2P depth.
Its acquisition by Bloomerang ties it to a serious donor CRM, which strengthens the long-term story for nonprofits that will eventually need real donor management. For organizations whose fundraising centers on events and peer campaigns rather than simple donate buttons, Qgiv deserves a look.
What we like- Free Starter plan with basic forms
- Strong event, auction and peer-to-peer tools on paid tiers
- Now part of the Bloomerang ecosystem
Watch out for- Meaningful features require paid plans
- Pricing beyond Starter is quote-influenced
- Reporting depth trails enterprise tools
Starting price$0 + platform fee
Free planYes
RallyUp is the event-fundraising specialist: online raffles, silent and live auctions, sweepstakes, crowdfunding and event pages, all designed to make fundraising events engaging. It is free to start with platform fees on transactions, so a gala committee can launch without budget approval.
The focus is the strength and the limit: for event-driven fundraising it beats generalists, but year-round recurring donor programs fit better on Donorbox or Givebutter. Many nonprofits use RallyUp alongside a primary donation platform, one for events and one for everything else.
What we like- Purpose-built for raffles, auctions, sweepstakes and event fundraising
- Free to start with platform fees on transactions
- Engaging donor experience
Watch out for- Narrower than all-in-one platforms
- Platform fees apply per transaction
- Less suited to year-round recurring programs
Starting priceFree (0% platform fee)
Free planYes
GoFundMe is where the world goes to raise money for people: medical bills, emergencies, community projects, memorials. Organizers pay no platform fee (processing fees apply), setup takes minutes, and the built-in audience brings donors you did not recruit.
It is not nonprofit fundraising software: registered nonprofits get proper tools, tax receipts and donor management from the platforms above (or GoFundMe Pro, i.e. Classy). But for personal causes and community campaigns, nothing is simpler or more trusted. Know which job you are hiring for.
What we like- 0% platform fee for organizers
- Massive built-in donor audience
- Simplest setup in the category
Watch out for- Built for personal campaigns, not nonprofits (nonprofits use GoFundMe Pro/Classy)
- Limited donor management and branding
How we chose
We priced this category the way a treasurer would: total cost per donated dollar, not feature lists. Every fee above comes from the vendor's pricing page or from 2026 comparisons that verified those pages. We separated platform fees from processing fees everywhere, because vendors advertise the former and donors pay the sum. We covered the three economic models (percentage fees, tip-funded free, enterprise subscription) and both audiences (nonprofits and personal fundraisers), weighting recurring-giving tools and receipt automation heavily since those drive real revenue.
Three different fees stack on every donation, and vendors quote them separately. The platform fee goes to the software (Donorbox 2.95%, Givebutter 3% with tips off, Zeffy 0%). The processing fee goes to Stripe or PayPal (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction). Tips are optional donor add-ons that fund "free" platforms.
Do the math per $100 donation. On Donorbox Standard: $2.95 platform + ~$3.20 processing = $6.15, so $93.85 reaches the mission. On Zeffy: $0, the full $100 arrives (minus nothing). On Givebutter with tips on: $0 platform + $3.20 processing = $96.80. At $10,000 a month in donations, the gap between Donorbox Standard and Zeffy is $615 a month, real money for a small nonprofit. Model your volume before choosing.
Recurring donors are the real product
One-time gifts pay the bills; monthly donors build the organization. A donor giving $25 a month is worth $300 a year and retains far better than one-time givers. The platforms differ sharply here: Donorbox and Givebutter have the strongest recurring tooling (donor portals, upgrade nudges, failed-payment recovery), while free platforms cover the basics.
Whatever platform you choose, turn on recurring asks everywhere: pre-select monthly on forms, add recurring upsells on confirmation pages, and run a failed-payment recovery flow. Industry data consistently shows recurring donors give more over their lifetime and cost less to retain. The platform fee debate matters less than whether your forms are built to convert one-time donors into monthly ones.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free online donation platform?
Zeffy is the only truly zero-fee option (no platform or processing fees for nonprofits). GiveLively is free for US nonprofits with standard processing fees. Givebutter is free with donor tips enabled. For personal campaigns, GoFundMe charges no platform fee.
Donorbox versus Givebutter: which is better?
Donorbox ($150/month Pro, 1.75% fee) is better for nonprofits building serious recurring-giving programs with advanced analytics. Givebutter (free with tips) is better for small nonprofits that want an all-in-one toolkit: donations, events, peer-to-peer and light CRM at no platform cost. Many start on Givebutter and move to Donorbox Pro as volume grows.
How much do donation platforms take from each donation?
Typically 3-6% total: a platform fee (0-3.95%) plus card processing (~2.9% + $0.30). On a $100 gift, expect $94-100 to reach the nonprofit depending on the platform. Zeffy takes $0; Donorbox Standard takes about $6.15 per $100.
What is the best donation platform for small nonprofits?
Zeffy or GiveLively if you want zero platform fees; Givebutter if you want the most features free; Donorbox if recurring giving is the priority. All four launch in days without a budget line. Avoid enterprise platforms until online revenue justifies the cost.
Can individuals use these platforms for personal fundraisers?
GoFundMe is built for personal campaigns with no platform fee. Donorbox, Givebutter and Zeffy serve registered nonprofits. RallyUp works for community event fundraising. Match the platform to the fundraiser type: personal causes belong on GoFundMe.
Do donation platforms handle tax receipts?
Yes, the nonprofit platforms do: Donorbox, Givebutter, Zeffy, GiveLively, Classy and Qgiv all issue automated donation receipts, with US, Canadian and UK compliance on the major ones. GoFundMe personal donations are generally not tax-deductible. Verify receipt compliance for your jurisdiction before year-end giving season.
Sources we checked (6)
- https://nonprofitpoint.com/best-crm-for-nonprofits/
- https://www.galabid.com/nonprofit-ticketing/best-donation-software-for-nonprofits-in-2026
- https://www.galaxydigital.com/blog/best-donor-management-software-options-for-nonprofits
- https://github.com/ishandutta2007/awesome-fundraising/blob/HEAD/README.md
- https://donatr.ee/blog/best-donation-platforms-for-nonprofits/
- https://www.dojiggy.com/blog/best-donation-apps/
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.