What $10,000 raised actually nets
| Platform | Platform fee | Payout guaranteed? | Net on $10k* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zeffy | $0 (donor tips) | Yes, 100% | ~$10,000 |
| Givebutter (tips on) | $0 or 3% | Yes when tips on | ~$10,000 |
| Give Lively | $0 | No backstop | ~$9,700-9,780 |
| Donorbox | 2.95%+ (Standard) | No backstop | ~$9,480-9,500 |
| GiveWP | 2% free tier (Stripe) | Plugin, not processor | ~$9,500 |
*Illustrative, using each platform's verified fee figures and standard card processing; actual net varies with your donor and payment mix.
Zeffy - genuinely zero, with a guarantee
Zeffy charges no platform fee and covers processing itself, stating that "100% of all payments go directly to your nonprofit." Its only revenue is an optional tip donors can add at checkout, and crucially your payout is not contingent on it - you receive 100% even if a donor declines. The trade-offs: the model depends on donor tipping it can't control, you get no choice of payment processor, and eligibility is limited to registered US, Canada, and UK charities. The cleanest zero-cost option for most small nonprofits.
Givebutter - a clean 0%-or-3% choice
With the donor-tip prompt on, Givebutter is $0 platform and $0 processing to the nonprofit (it absorbs the gap). Turn tips off and it charges a flat 3% platform fee plus processing. That transparent binary - opt in or out - is unusually honest. Core fundraising is free; a $29-$129/mo Plus tier adds automations, advanced email and texting, and QuickBooks integration. It pairs Zeffy-like economics with a stronger built-in CRM and events toolkit.
Donorbox - predictable percentage, no tip dependency
Donorbox charges an always-on platform fee: 2.95% on standard donation forms (3.95% on events and memberships) on the free Standard plan, dropping to 1.75%-2% on the $150/mo Pro plan. A "cover the fee" donor checkbox exists but there is no guarantee - if a donor skips it, your payout shrinks. The upside is predictability: you can budget the exact percentage, and at volume Pro's lower rate can beat the effective cost of "free" platforms. Best for growing or larger nonprofits.
Give Lively - free platform, transparent processor pass-through
Give Lively's platform layer is genuinely, unconditionally free (funded by its founders' philanthropy). But unlike Zeffy and tips-on Givebutter, it does not guarantee 100% pass-through: the real processor fee (2.2%-3.5% on cards) comes out of each gift unless the donor checks "cover the fee." Membership requires 501(c)(3) vetting. A strong choice for values-aligned charities comfortable with a transparent processor cut.
GiveWP - for nonprofits already on WordPress
GiveWP is a self-hosted WordPress plugin, not a hosted platform. Its free version adds a 2% platform fee to one-time Stripe donations (PayPal on the free tier has no GiveWP fee), and any paid license (from $199/yr) removes the 2% entirely. Processing is set by your own connected gateway, so you can shop for a nonprofit-discounted rate. Best only if you already run WordPress and want to own your donor data.
How to choose
- You want every dollar guaranteed to reach you: Zeffy, or Givebutter with tips on.
- You want predictable, budgetable fees at scale: Donorbox, moving to Pro as volume grows.
- You value a fully free platform and accept the processor cut: Give Lively.
- You already run WordPress and want to own the data: GiveWP.
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