Best Church Auction Software for Faith-Based Fundraising in 2026

Church auctions are one of the most effective ways to raise money each year. They bring in huge amounts of money through congregation donations, and yet many churches still rely on older, more traditional methods of fundraising. Paper bidding sheets and cash boxes have their place, but it’s also easier to miss bids, mix things up, and make mistakes. 

Using auction software for churches has the power to turn everything around for you. It streamlines the process, makes bidding easier through mobile bids, and even ensures an automatic payment system with tax receipts for your donors. It takes so much weight off your shoulders, which allows you to focus on the actual event. 

There are great platforms out there that are built for nonprofits and faith-based organisations, like PayBee and Givebutter. In this guide, we’re going to take you through the top eight platforms as well as everything you need to look out for when choosing the right one for you. 

What Is Church Auction Software?

Church auction software comes in the form of a platform that has been designed to make the process of raising money and organising fundraisers easier than ever. These platforms can be used to host events online and in-person, and even hybrid ones where both take place at the same time. The software is there to make life easier for you and ensure events go smoothly. 

While most software is not specially made for churches or faith-based organisations, many of them have templates and features that are geared towards them. This includes things like recurring donations for congregation members who want to give tithes and easy online bidding for those who aren’t able to make it to physical church events anymore. 

Using auction software can help increase bids by 25-35% while also helping to reduce the workload for you and your volunteers. It also processes payments automatically and provides the tax receipts for you so that you don’t have to worry about making mistakes. But it also allows the whole congregation to get involved, even homebound members and those who are remote. 

Key Features Church Auction Software Should Have

The features of your chosen church auction software are what make it stand out, and there are some that you can’t run a smooth fundraiser without. These are the core features that your chosen platform should have to make things easier for you: 

• Mobile bidding that’s accessible from your phone, which means guests can bid from the pews or the comfort of their home
• Support for silent, online, and live auctions to give you more flexibility with your events and make them accessible to the whole congregation. You should also lean towards platforms with 24/7 support so you can get help during the actual event 
• Easy tracking for donated items and a cataloguing system that keeps everything together and accessible during the planning process and the event 
• There should be integrated ticketing for any fellowship banquets or dinners as well as galas to keep everything in one place and streamline it
• Secure payment processing is essential for credit cards and ACH payments. That way, donor information remains safe
• Automated tax receipts for winning bidders ensure that their charitable donations are able to be written off when they do their taxes, and it saves you having to do it manually
• Having access to the giving history for your donors is essential if you want to keep track of how your fundraisers are doing each year, and donor management makes it easy to see who is supporting your cause 
• Sponsorship package management for local businesses that have helped you is also a great way to keep track of donations so that you know who to thank and which businesses are willing to support your cause 

Outside of this, you should also consider the scalability of your chosen platform. Will they be able to grow with the needs of your congregation? Can you customise the platform so that the end-result is tailored to your needs and your church? It’s an essential aspect that people often forget about when deciding who to go with. 

Top 8 Church Auction Software Platforms in 2026

This is the fun part, and also the hardest. Choosing a platform isn’t easy, but this list will take you through what makes these top platforms the best and why they might be suited to your congregation. That way, you’ll be able to find the perfect fit. 

#1 PayBee

PayBee is an auction platform designed for nonprofits. The cheapest tier is free with optional donor tips if they want to cover the processing fees and ensure you get as much of the money as possible. It can scale with the size of your congregation as well, allowing you to choose more extensive features and plans later down the line. Some of the core features include: 

• Silent, live, and hybrid auctions 
• Mobile bidding 
• Variety of events from paddle raises to raffles 
• White-glove support 
• Automated payments and tax receipts 
• Donor management, data transfers, and real-time KPIs
• Full analytics and real-time bidding tracking

It’s ideal for running the annual church gala or banquet. Everything is done live so that you can handle your auction from the comfort of your phone, and they have a great customer support team that will be there to guide you throughout the event. You can even set up recurring donations, or tithes, to encourage donors to continue supporting you. 

#2 Auctria

Auctria is a fantastic platform for those who need something that’s comfortable for their budget. It does have a free tier as well as annual prices, and even the paid tiers are very reasonable. It has some of the strongest item management of all the platforms we’ve seen, and some of the other leading features include: 

• Hybrid events as well as live and silent auctions 
• Real-time tracking for donors and bidding 
• Seamless ticketing system 
• Automated payment processing 
• Customisable sponsorship packages 
• Mobile bidding 
• Reports and analytics to keep you updated 
• Your own event website 

It offers truly comprehensive event management, and it is ideal for churches that are limited in terms of what they can spend but still want to host a fantastic annual fundraiser. It’s a good call for dinners as well as raffle events and auctions. The free tier also comes with no performance fees and no limits on the number of auctions you can hold. 

#3 GalaBid

Galabid is one of those platforms that’s been designed with small congregations in mind. The simple setup makes it accessible to everyone, even those who aren’t tech-savvy, and it is packed with features to help your church fundraiser succeed. Some of the most popular of their core features include:

• Mobile bidding 
• Hybrid events as well as live, silent, and online auctions 
• Variety of events such as raffles and paddle raises
• Event ticketing 
• Personal shopper experience 
• Real-time updates and SMS notifications 
• Automatic payment processing and tax receipts 
• Event ticketing and check-in 

It’s a free platform with paid options, which makes it a great choice for churches that don’t have a big budget or are new to fundraising. It is also very simple to set up, allowing you to get on with the event faster. Overall, it’s one of those platforms that make it easier to take the first step into something new, and it’s a good stepping stone for newbies. 

#4 Handbid

Handbid is considered to be a premium platform for online auctions, and it is best suited to very large church fundraisers that are already quite well established. The price for events is only available on request, but it does have some great features that you would be able to take advantage of when using their services: 

• Access to live, online, and silent auctions as well as hybrid events
• Real-time bidding and reporting for easy KPIs
• Mobile bidding 
• Peer-to-peer fundraising 
• Full white-label branding 
• Automated payment processing and tax receipts 
• Invite-only events to keep them gated 
• Concierge onboarding for personal assistance 

Gamification features can be a game changer for your fundraiser, and having a premium mobile bidding experience ensures that things remain streamlined during packed events. It also puts your donors first to ensure their experience is as smooth as possible, which encourages them to keep coming back to your events. 

#5 RallyUp

RallyUp is one of the most versatile auction platforms out there, and it is perfect for churches that are looking to secure ongoing support from their fundraisers. That’s because they do everything from raffles and auctions to donation drives and tithes, leaving you with plenty of options for how to raise money. Some of their other key features include: 

• Strong integrations including CRM 
• Livestreaming 
• Text-to-give options 
• Complete custom branding 
• Wide range of fundraising options 
• Free donation pages 
• Good customer support 

Their free tier also has optional donor tipping, which means your congregation can choose to cover processing fees and ensure that as much of the money raised as possible is kept. They also have a fantastic tithing system that has a strong focus on recurring donations to help encourage people to continue supporting your church after the event. 

#6 CharityAuctionsToday

CharityAuctionsToday is ideal for small church fundraisers as it’s an affordable and easy-to-use option. It has also been designed with your volunteer administrators in mind, which is why the tech is simpler to use without the hassle and stress. In addition to offering free and paid tiers, you will also find some of the core features fairly helpful: 

• Live, silent, and online auction options as well as hybrid events 
• Mobile bidding (web browser only)
• Instant checkout and automated tax receipts 
• Reporting tools and easy exports 
• Option for raffles to switch events up 
• Ticket and table sales 

Support is always free, and they have a great track record for helping small nonprofits run fundraisers. The free tier makes everything more accessible, and the paid versions give you access to more in-depth tools that would be suited to large congregations and events. It’s something that you can work towards with your church. 

#7 32auctions

32auctions is one of the best tools for those small church bazaars and events. It’s incredibly simple to use, and its focus on silent auctions means it’s perfectly suited to in-person events. There is an option for online events as well for those who want it, which makes it that much more versatile. Some of its other core features include: 

• Text and email notifications (a brand new feature as of July, 2026)
• Advanced insights 
• Donor management (basic and premium)
• Online payments and donation collections 
• Email support 
• Unlimited bidders 
• Up to four images per item listing 
• Maximum of 1000 items 

It’s a very low-cost tool that has free and paid tiers. But even the paid tiers are exceptionally affordable while also providing you with all the support you need to host a silent auction for your church. They even have packages that are designed to be suited to online or offline events to help ensure that you aren’t spending money in the wrong place. 

#8 Givebutter

Givebutter offers one of the best first steps for church organisations who are new to the concept of digital fundraising and events. It makes everything simple and accessible while also ensuring you have access to plenty of tools to make your fundraiser better. Some of the best features included with Givebutter are: 

• Donor management and CRM
• Automatic payment processing and tax receipts 
• Integrations and mobile app 
• Mobile bidding 
• Custom reports and data visualisations 
• Automated workflows 
• Access to events and auctions 

It has a free tier that allows for optional donor tips to cover the additional fees, and the paid tiers are there to help scale with your congregation as your events grow in size and you become more confident. That’s part of what makes their pricing plan so good, you can scale it to be exactly what your church needs, and the cost adjusts with it. 

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How to Choose Church Auction Software

If you’re feeling a little stuck on which platform to choose and the software that’s going to work best for you, there is a trick to it. Every congregation has different requirements, and that means you need to take this into account before you commit to your church auction software. To make life easier, we have a few things you should take into consideration: 

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• The size of your congregation plays a big role in the kind of software you’ll need. Larger events need more donor management features and KPIs to help you keep track of everything, and smaller events might not need much past the basics 
• You should consider how comfortable your congregation is with tech. Are they able to use the mobile bidding apps with ease, and can they be taught how to do it? If not, a hybrid event would be better so that you can cater to all levels of tech experience 
• What kind of format do you want for your auction? If you’re looking to host a gala or a dinner for a silent auction, you might not need as many features or support as a hybrid event or an online-only church auction 
• The fee structure for your software is also important. Is there an annual rate for the platform fee or do they take a percentage of the proceeds? Do you cover transaction fees or is there an option for your donors to cover them instead? Make sure you determine what’s going to work best for you before you choose a platform
• Take a look at all of the integrated giving tools provided by each platform. This allows members of your congregation to donate even when there are no auction items available or if they don’t see anything they like. It’s a great way for them to support their church 
• Do you keep your donor list? Some platforms will charge you to move your data over to a new one, so it’s important to ensure that you retain donor data ownership even when you decide you want to swap platforms 

Running a Successful Church Auction: A Step-by-Step Guide

Okay, outside of choosing a platform, how are you supposed to make sure that your church auction is a success? We get this question a lot, and we have a quick and easy step-by-step guide that works for any faith-based event. 

#1. 8 Weeks Before the Event 

Eight weeks before the event, you will need to form your auction committee and determine who your volunteers will be for the event. Once this is done, you can then choose the software you’ll be using for your church item, and you can start soliciting for item donations. Solicitation is a great opportunity to put your committee to work and broaden your search for donors. 

#2. 4 Weeks Before the Event 

Four weeks before the event, you should have all of your items ready to go. This is when you build your online item catalogue and get ready to open pre-event bidding. Opening the bidding before the event starts is a good way to build and maintain momentum and keep the excitement going so that the winners can be announced at the end of the event. 

#3. 2 Weeks Before the Event 

Two weeks before the event, you should start going hard on the promotion side of things. Send out bulletins and emails, and make sure you utilise social media to spread your reach to a wider audience. You might even find new congregation members through your social media campaign or those who want to help and donate to your church. 

#4. The Night of the Event 

Event night: Run live auction finale, process payments via platform

On the night of the event, all you have to worry about is making sure it’s a good one. If it’s an in-person event, there is a lot more to think about, but online events only really require you to run a live auction finale. You can do this via the software that you use, and you can also go live on social media if your congregation is comfortable enough with that level of tech. 

After the finale, there is nothing left except for the payment processing. This can be done via the platform that you chose, which automates everything and makes it so much easier for you and your donors. 

#5 After the Event 

Once the event is over, you need to send thank-you letters to all of your donors. It’s important to remind those who have donated items to your event how grateful you are and to show them the difference it has made to your cause and congregation. You can also send automated messages to congregation members thanking them for bidding and attending. 

Outside of that, you simply need to ensure that automated tax receipts have been sent out to everyone who won an item at the church auction. After that, it’s a case of updating donor records and ensuring everything is in order, ready for next time. 

Unique Considerations for Faith-Based Fundraising Auctions

The important thing to remember when running a faith-based fundraiser is that you need to frame your cause properly. It’s not about donating money to the church or to people; it’s more about centring it around honouring God with the resources that you have so that you can help those who need it most. It’s less transactional because it’s focused on kindness and grace. 

This is the kind of fundraiser that doesn’t focus on how much money you’re looking to raise; it’s more about the stories connected to it and why your congregation should help. It’s a chance for you to reach out to their inner good Samaritan and remind them that in times of need, we help each other and the church that they are part of. 

You can get the whole congregation involved using donation drives for items that can be auctioned at the fundraiser, and it’s a great way to get people to volunteer to help. You’re going to need bidding coordinators to help you with the process, and members of the congregation are often more than willing to help out. It’s also a great time to brainstorm fundraising ideas together.

But the best part is that you really can include every member. An online or hybrid auction allows those who are homebound or can only attend remotely to take part and support their community. It makes your church more inclusive and reminds those members who aren’t physically there that they are still important and you haven’t forgotten them. 

What About Tithes? 

Tithes are different from fundraising, and they are also known as recurring donations. If your church is looking to accept tithes, you need to ensure that the platform you choose makes the process easy for your congregation. There are different forms of tithing, and the right one depends on how consistent they are and the control your team needs. These forms include:

• Standalone tithes that allow for recurring donations alongside events and fundraisers all on the same platform
• Tithes that are connected to church operations, which means you can see donations that are tied to records, attendance, and internal workflows 
• Fully mobile tithes that are purely done through mobile donations with no options for tithes to be given outside of that 

As long as recurring donations are an option with your chosen platform, your church can benefit from tithes. Just make sure that you keep an eye on any transaction and processing fees so that you don’t lose too much of your donation. You can even run year-round tithing campaigns to make sure that congregation members are aware of the option. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the Best Free Church Auction Software?

Givebutter, GalaBid, and BetterWorld all offer free church auction software, and they generate revenue through optional donor tips or small transaction fees. This means no upfront costs, which makes it perfect for smaller congregations. PayBee offers nonprofit pricing that scales with the size of your event alongside a free, donor-funded option.

How Does Church Auction Software Work?

Church auction software works by allowing you to create your own online catalogue for your items, complete with photos and starting bids. Your guests can then bid on the items using their smartphones, which can be done live at the event or remotely. After the bidding has closed, the platform you choose then processes payments and sends tax receipts to the winning donors.

Can Church Auction Software Handle Live and Silent Auctions?

Yes, most church auction software can handle live (auctioneer-led bidding in real time) and silent auctions (bidding over a set period of time). Platforms such as PayBee, Handbid, and OneCause are able to run both formats simultaneously to make your event more approachable and accessible, especially for remote congregation members. 

How Much Does Church Auction Software Cost?

There are free forms of church auction software, such as GalaBid and BetterWorld, and those that charge anywhere from $500 or more per year for access to platforms packed with added features. Most platforms also charge payment processing fees that average between 2% and 3%, but there are also those that allow the donors to cover these fees via additional tips. 

Do I Need Technical Expertise to Run Church Auction Software?

No, you don’t need technical expertise to run or use church auction software. Modern platforms have been designed for those with minimal tech experience to use with ease, and most of them offer mobile-friendly bidding and drag-and-drop setup to make it even smoother. If you get stuck, you’ll also find plenty of guidance from customer support to help you through your event. 

Can Remote Congregation Members Participate in a Church Auction?

Yes, your remote congregation members can still participate in a church auction. If you host an online or hybrid auction, you can give them the opportunity to browse items, place bids, and make payments from the comfort of their home. Most of the time, it’s done through a simple mobile bidding app. It’s a great way to expand your donor reach. 

How Long Does it Take to Set Up Church Auction Software?

You’ll be able to get most platforms up and running in 1-3 hours, but it’s still important to plan everything at least 4-6 weeks before your event. This gives you time to get the catalogue set up, train volunteers, allow time for item solicitation, and ensure there is proper promotional outreach to get your congregation involved. 

Bring Your Church Auction to Life Today

When you use church auction software, it completely transforms the way your annual fundraisers work. Everything is smoother, the whole process is streamlined, and you don’t have to stress over missing payments or mixed-up items. Efficiency is the key to success, and that’s why software makes a huge difference. 

It has the power to make your fundraisers into events that produce high revenue while also continuing to honour the values that your congregation holds. We know that’s an important balance to have, which is why PayBee works hard to support faith-based fundraising in a respectful manner. 

Why not get in touch and see how we can help? You can start for free and still have access to all of our most important tools. We’re here to help and support you and your congregation.