A treasurer at a small nonprofit sets up online giving for the first time and notices something uncomfortable: on every gift, a few cents disappear before the money reaches the bank. Over a year, those few cents can add up to the cost of a small program.
That is why fees dominate the conversation about nonprofit fundraising software. This guide explains how the main pricing models work, shows what a $100 gift keeps on each, and reviews Zeffy, a platform that charges nonprofits nothing. It is based on Zeffy's public materials, independent reviews, and fee comparisons checked on October 18, 2026, not on a hands-on trial, because Zeffy accounts are limited to registered nonprofits.
See how the donor checkout looks for your supporters
Zeffy describes its platform as free for nonprofits, with no platform fee, no processing fee, and no subscription. Open the free plan and run one small test donation before you move your campaigns. [1]
Affiliate disclosure: OfferNova may earn a commission if you sign up through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Check Zeffy's free planWhat nonprofit fundraising software should actually do
Fundraising software is a broad label. Before comparing prices, decide which jobs you need it to do, because platforms differ most in what they include for free.
- Take donations online: one-time and recurring gifts through a form on your website or a shareable link.
- Run events and campaigns: ticketing, raffles, auctions, memberships, and peer-to-peer pages where supporters raise money for you.
- Remember your donors: a built-in donor database (CRM) that records giving history and lets you thank and re-engage people.
- Connect to your other tools: accounting, email, and your website.
- Keep costs predictable: fees that do not surprise you at year end.
Many small nonprofits end up paying for three or four separate tools. An all-in-one platform is attractive for that reason, as long as its limits match your needs.
How "free" fundraising software really works
Nearly every platform makes money somewhere. Knowing where tells you who is really paying.
| Model | Who pays | Examples from the sources |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee plus card processing | The nonprofit, unless donors choose to cover fees | Donorbox Standard, listed at a 2.95% to 3.95% platform fee plus processing. [6] |
| Donor tip model | Donors, if they choose to add a tip | Zeffy. Givebutter with tips switched on. [2] [4] |
| Subscription | The nonprofit, monthly | Donorbox Pro at $150 per month, and Givebutter Plus from $29 per month. [5] [6] |
The tip model does not make the cost disappear. It moves it to the donor and makes it optional. That can be good for the nonprofit's net revenue, but it changes the donor's checkout experience, which is something to weigh carefully.
What a $100 gift keeps on each platform
Here is a simple comparison of what a nonprofit pays in fees on a $100 online card donation in the United States, based on the fee schedules reported in the sources below. Donor tips are shown separately because they do not reduce what the nonprofit receives.
Fees paid by the nonprofit on a $100 card gift
OfferNova illustration. Donorbox Standard uses a 2.95% platform fee plus 2.2% + $0.30 nonprofit card processing. Givebutter with tips off uses a 3% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 card processing. Zeffy and Givebutter with tips on show $0 to the nonprofit, and donors are offered an optional tip. [4] [6] [7]
Over a year, the gap is easier to feel. A nonprofit that raises $50,000 through 500 gifts of $100 would pay about $2,725 in fees on Donorbox Standard and about $3,100 on Givebutter with tips switched off, according to one comparison. [6] On Zeffy, and on Givebutter with tips on, the nonprofit pays $0, while donors are shown an optional tip.
Two cautions. First, fee schedules change, and sources disagree: some older pages list Donorbox's Standard fee at 1.5%, while a September 2026 check lists 2.95% to 3.95%. [6] [8] Second, a fee calculator is only part of the picture, because features and donor experience matter too.
Zeffy review: what it includes
Zeffy was founded in 2017 in Quebec and describes itself as a fundraising platform and donor CRM with no cost to nonprofits. It says more than 100,000 nonprofits use it and that they have raised over $2 billion, which are the company's own figures. [2] [1]
| Area | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Donations | One-time and recurring donation forms. [2] |
| Events | Ticketing with e-tickets and door check-in. [2] |
| Raffles and auctions | Raffles and lotteries, plus online and silent auctions. [2] |
| Memberships and store | Tiered memberships and an online store. [2] |
| Peer-to-peer | Supporter pages that roll up to your organization. [2] |
| In person | Tap to Pay on a phone. [2] |
| Donor CRM | Giving history, tags, custom fields, segments, duplicate detection and merge, consent records, and email campaigns. [2] |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Zapier, viaSocket, WordPress, and a public API launched in September 2026. [2] |
Card payments run through Stripe, and funds reach the nonprofit's bank account within a few business days, according to an independent review. [2] Every transaction flows into the donor CRM automatically, so a person who buys a gala ticket and later gives at year end shows up as one record rather than two exports. [1]
Who can open an account
Zeffy is for registered nonprofits. You need an EIN or local equivalent and a bank account in the organization's name. It is not limited to 501(c)(3) charities, but individuals, informal groups, and businesses cannot open an account. Support currently covers six countries, including the US, Canada, and the UK. [2]
The tip model: what your donors see
Zeffy's revenue comes from an optional tip shown at checkout. The donor can raise it, lower it, or set it to zero, and the nonprofit receives the full original donation either way. Zeffy reports that about two in three donors leave a tip, which is a company figure and not an independent measurement. [2]
This is the part that deserves a real conversation with your board. An independent review points out that the wording and suggested amounts of the tip prompt cannot be fully customized, so you cannot tone it down if it clashes with your donor experience. It also notes that the model depends on enough donors continuing to tip, and that you have no way to influence that rate. [2]
Practical steps before you commit:
- Make a test donation and look at the checkout from the donor's side.
- Decide how you will explain it. A short note on your giving page can tell donors that the tip is optional and that the nonprofit keeps the whole gift.
- Think about your biggest donors. A tip prompt in front of a large gift may feel different than one on a $25 gift.
Givebutter also uses a tip model, but it lets organizations turn tips off in exchange for a 3% platform fee, which gives you a choice that Zeffy does not appear to offer. [4] [7]
Limits worth knowing
- No live-auction gala tools. The independent review lists no auctioneer-led live bidding, no paddle raise, and no live streaming for a hybrid room. [2]
- No text fundraising or volunteer management. Teams that fundraise by text or coordinate volunteers need a second tool. [2]
- No wealth screening. Major-gift programs built on donor research will want a different CRM. [2]
- Hard caps. Auctions are capped at 50 items per form, and bulk email is throttled to 5,000 recipients a day, or 30,000 with your own sending domain. [2]
- Registered nonprofits only. Individuals and informal groups are not eligible. [2]
Check whether Zeffy fits your nonprofit
If you are registered with an EIN and need donations, events, and a donor CRM in one place, the free plan is a low-risk way to test it.
Affiliate disclosure: This link is affiliated; OfferNova may receive a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
See Zeffy's free planZeffy vs Givebutter vs Donorbox vs Classy
| Platform | How it charges, per the sources | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Zeffy | $0 to the nonprofit. Funded by optional donor tips. [2] | Tip prompt cannot be fully customized. Registered nonprofits only. [2] |
| Givebutter | 0% platform fee with tips on, 3% with tips off, plus card processing when tips are off. Plus plan from $29 per month. [4] [5] | Fees appear if you disable tips. Advanced CRM needs the paid plan. [5] |
| Donorbox | Standard is free to start with a 2.95% to 3.95% platform fee. Pro is $150 per month at 1.75% to 2%. [6] | A platform fee applies even on the free plan. Zapier and API access can cost extra. [5] [9] |
| Classy | Described as aimed at larger nonprofits with platform fees of 5% or more. [2] | Likely more than a small volunteer-run group needs. |
Some of the comparison pages in this space are published by fundraising companies or by sites with affiliate relationships, so numbers may lean toward whoever pays for the page. That is why we show the same figures from several sources and link them all.
A fair way to choose is to run the same test donation and the same event setup in two platforms, and then compare the donor checkout, the receipt, and how the data lands in your records.
What reviewers say about Zeffy
The independent review reports a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 2,595 G2 reviews as of September 2026. [2] Zeffy's own blog cites 4.8 out of 5 from 479 reviews on another platform. [3] Both are high, but both come from sources with a stake in the product, since one review site earns affiliate commissions and the other figure is on the vendor's blog.
The independent review's verdict is that Zeffy suits small and mid-sized nonprofits, especially volunteer-run ones that need several formats without separate subscriptions, and that it is a poor fit for live-auction galas, SMS fundraising, or major-gift programs. [2]
Who should choose Zeffy, and who should look elsewhere
| Your organization | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| PTA, church, animal rescue, sports club, food bank | Strong | Volunteer-run groups that need donations, events, raffles, and a simple CRM without a bill. |
| Group running several formats at once | Strong | One tool for tickets, raffle, auction, and shop. |
| Gala with live auctioneer and paddle raise | Weak | Live bidding tools are not listed. |
| Text-to-give or SMS campaigns | Weak | Not included. |
| Major-gifts program with wealth screening | Weak | No wealth screening, and the tip prompt sits in front of large donors. |
| Individual or informal fundraiser | Not eligible | Registered nonprofits only. |
If your staff or volunteers also log hours, the free tier of a time tracker can help. See our guide to Jibble pricing for what a free plan includes.
A six-week plan to set up before Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday falls on December 1 this year, which is the Tuesday after US Thanksgiving. If you want new software in place for year-end giving, there is still time, but not much. Here is a realistic plan.
- Week 1. Confirm eligibility (EIN, bank account in the organization's name). Choose two platforms to test.
- Week 2. Build a simple donation form and make a test gift. Check the receipt and the donor checkout.
- Week 3. Import or enter your existing donors. Tag first-time donors, recurring donors, and lapsed donors from last year.
- Week 4. Set up a recurring giving option and a short thank-you message.
- Week 5. Draft your year-end appeal and send a small test to your own team.
- Week 6. Launch. Watch the first gifts arrive and fix any friction fast.
Do not move everything at once. Keep your old tool running until the new one has handled real gifts without problems.
Final verdict
If your nonprofit is small or mid-sized, registered, and mostly needs donations, events, and a simple donor database, Zeffy removes the biggest obstacle: cost. The price of that is a donor-facing tip prompt you cannot fully control and a set of features that stops short of live galas, text giving, and major-gift tools.
Run a test donation, think honestly about how your donors will react to the tip prompt, and compare it with one other platform before you commit. If it passes that test, it is worth using.
Ready to try it before year-end?
Open the free plan, make a test gift, and see the donor checkout for yourself.
Affiliate disclosure: OfferNova may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. OfferNova is not affiliated with Zeffy beyond this referral link.
Start with ZeffyFrequently asked questions
What is nonprofit fundraising software?
It is software that helps nonprofits collect donations online, run events and campaigns, and keep records of donors. Many platforms also include a donor database and email tools. [2]
Is Zeffy really free for nonprofits?
Zeffy says it charges nonprofits no platform fee, no processing fee, and no subscription, and is funded by optional donor tips. An independent review reports the same, and adds that the nonprofit receives the full original donation. [1] [2]
How does Zeffy make money?
Through an optional tip that donors can add at checkout. The donor can change the amount or set it to zero. [2]
Who can use Zeffy?
Registered nonprofits with an EIN or local equivalent and a bank account in the organization's name. Individuals, informal groups, and businesses cannot open an account. [2]
What if a donor does not leave a tip?
The nonprofit still receives the full donation. Zeffy bears the card processing cost. [2]
How does Zeffy compare with Givebutter and Donorbox?
Zeffy and Givebutter (with tips on) cost the nonprofit $0 and rely on donor tips. Donorbox charges a platform fee even on its free plan. Givebutter lets you turn tips off for a 3% platform fee. [4] [6] [7]
Does Zeffy have a donor CRM?
Yes. It records giving history, tags, custom fields, segments, and consent, and supports email campaigns. It does not include wealth screening. [2]
Review accuracy note: Product details in this guide were checked against Zeffy's public materials, independent reviews, and fee comparison sites on October 18, 2026. Fees, features, and eligibility can change, and sources disagree on some figures. This guide is based on research rather than a hands-on trial and does not guarantee savings or results. It is not legal or tax advice.
References
- Zeffy: Pricing and fees — company description of its free plan and tip model.
- Dupple: Zeffy review — independent assessment of features, limits, eligibility, and tip model. Dupple earns affiliate commissions.
- Zeffy blog: Free fundraising platforms compared — vendor content with a self-reported rating.
- Nonprofit Point: Best donation platforms for nonprofits — fee comparison including Givebutter tips model.
- Better World: Recurring giving fee comparison — plan prices and add-on costs.
- AI Tools Bakery: Donorbox alternatives — fee math on a $100 gift and a $50,000 year.
- Donation Fee Calculator — fee examples for tip and fee platforms.
- AI Tools Bakery: Donorbox review — Donorbox tiers verified September 2026.
- KindRise: Fundraising platforms with no fees — notes on processing and tip prompts.
- FTC: Endorsement Guides—What People Are Asking — affiliate disclosure guidance.
