12 Best Online Fundraising Platforms for Nonprofits: 2026 Comparison Guide

The best platform for your nonprofit is going to depend on the type of event you want to run, the budget you have available to you, and whether you are planning on running auctions and galas or sticking purely with online giving. The most important part of the decision-making process is ensuring that you choose a platform that’s right for you. 

For example, nonprofits that want to focus on crowdfunding might look to RallyUp or Zeffy, and those who want more focus on their donor management and CRM would be more interested in Donorbox and Bloomerang. Then you have platforms like PayBee, which act as an all-in-one option that covers a wider range of event types and features. 

No matter what your nonprofit needs, we know there’s a platform that can help you. That’s why we have put together a list of the best fundraising platforms for nonprofits in 2026, giving you a comparison guide that ensures an honest and transparent look at what’s on offer. 

Quick Picks box 

• Best overall: Givebutter 
• Best for auctions/galas: PayBee
• Best for peer-to-peer: Fundraise Up
• Best for crowdfunding: GoFundMe Pro
• Best low-fee: Donorbox
• Best free option: Zeffy

What Is a Fundraising Platform for Nonprofits? 

Online fundraising platforms are digital spaces where charitable organisations and nonprofits can create events, track donation patterns, and reach out to their supporters with updates and new events. It’s one of the best ways for nonprofits to get involved with online giving, especially since it helps them reach much larger audiences than they would through manual methods. 

Some platforms are completely free for organisations to use, which means they have access to basic tools for event creation and donor management, and others charge varying fees that allow organisations to use more complex features. They make the whole process much easier, right down to advertising events and spreading the word about the cause you’re advocating for. 

It’s incredibly convenient for donors, which is why it has become so popular. Being able to streamline the giving process means that patrons can make donations in their own time without the hassle of bank transfers and forms. This is particularly good for organisations that rely on gifts and recurring giving because it ensures a quick and easy process. 

A seamless user experience is more likely to bring in more donations, which is why online giving is such a good option for nonprofits that are considering something new. It gives you a whole new set of tools to make your campaigns stand out and show the world why your mission is so important. All you need to do is find the right fundraising platform for the job. 

How to Choose a Fundraising Platform 

There are so many different platforms out there, which doesn’t make the process any easier for you. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re surrounded by excellent choices, but there are ways to narrow down the list of platforms that will be more suited to your organisation. Here are some of the key criteria you should be looking for when choosing a fundraising platform. 

• Pricing and fees: What kind of pricing model do you want from a fundraising platform? Are you in search of something free or low-cost, or do you need a high-end service with access to highly technical features? You will also want to take any platform fees into consideration, as well as the third-party payment processing fees that come with online donations. Check for hidden fees as well; reputable platforms don’t have them. 
• Supported events: The events you are hoping to run will have a huge impact on which platform you choose. If you want to run auctions and galas, you need to ensure they are supported. Those who are looking to host raffles need something with ticketing support, and if you want crowdfunding, then you need good peer-to-peer features. Check the events your chosen platform supports and whether or not they fit in with your fundraising plans. The same goes with additional features like recurring giving; if gifts and regular donations are essential for your nonprofit, you need the tools to make use of them. 
• Payment processing speed: Most of the time, you can expect your donations to be processed and in your nonprofit’s bank account within 72 hours of withdrawal. It shouldn’t take longer than that, and this tends to be the standard period for most trustworthy platforms. Anything longer than 72 hours should be down to an unexpected issue instead of the norm. 
• The donor experience: Your guests should have access to features that make their lives easier. This means giving them mobile checkout, mobile bidding, and seamless payments. You can also include things like the option for them to cover fees if they want to, which would mean your nonprofit gets to keep more of the money donated. Donors who have a good experience are more likely to come back and become recurring givers. 
• Reporting and integrations: Having analytics and reporting means that you can keep track of what’s working for your nonprofit and what needs to change. CRM and donor management ensure that you can see who your big donors are, their average spending, and the last time they made a donation. It shows you who feels engaged with your cause and who is slipping away, which is an important part of your outreach. Similarly, integrations are there to make your life easier because you can connect to things like Salesforce or Mailchimp for a much smoother planning process. 
• Tax receipts: When donors take part in events, like auctions, that are tax-deductible, it is important for you to ensure they get a receipt afterwards that they can file with their taxes. Any nonprofit that is 501(c)(3) registered is able to administer these receipts, and without them, you will find that many donors are more hesitant to take part in auctions. 
• Support and onboarding: The platform that you choose should be welcoming and supportive, which means an easy onboarding process so that you can learn the ropes without too much stress and hassle, alongside a strong customer support system. You should be able to call any time you need help, and there should also be event-night support available to ensure that technical issues or general concerns are resolved quickly and with minimal stress. 

It might be that the fundraising platform you were initially looking at wasn’t quite as good a fit as you thought. That’s why this is such a vital part of the process, and you need to take your time when choosing your platform. Go through everything, test them out with demos and free trials, and talk to them about what they have to offer. The right ones will always go above and beyond. 

The Best Fundraising Platforms for Nonprofits in 2026 

The table below gives you the basic details for each of the top fundraising platforms, including how their pricing works, whether they offer free options, and what they are best for. We hope that this will make things clearer for you while you’re narrowing the platforms down, and it should give your research a better starting point. 

As of October 2026, all of the information in this table is correct. Prices and fees do change, and we will ensure this article is updated to reflect that when this happens.  

Now that you have the basics, we want to give you a little more information on each of the platforms we have chosen to showcase. They are all industry leaders and some of the best out there for various forms of fundraising, so here is a closer look at what makes them great: 

1. PayBee: As an all-in-one platform, PayBee offers events, auctions, and galas to nonprofits that want to host engaging and memorable events. You also have the choice of in-person, virtual, or hybrid events for greater reach and accessibility. There is also the option to use a range of features that include things like mobile bidding and text-to-give
2. GoFundMe Pro (Classy): The leaders in enterprise online giving, GoFundMe Pro took over Classy and reworked their peer-to-peer fundraising and direct donation options to create a platform that is more focused on recurring giving and gifts. However, it has recently expanded to auctions and events and is in the process of refining them
3. Givebutter: This platform is very popular with small nonprofits because they offer free and paid plans that cater to everyone. Even the free plans come with important tools like integrations, donor management and CRM, fundraising pages, and donation forms. The paid plans have a bit more bulk to them, but the free plan is still incredibly good
4. Bloomerang: If your nonprofit has a lot of focus on CRM, this might be one of the better options for you. It offers brilliant fundraising suites, donor management, reporting and analytics, and marketing options. More than that, it offers auction capabilities, event management, apps for donors and nonprofits, and text fundraising
5. Neon One: There is a lot of focus on CRM, recurring giving, direct donations, and donor management with this platform, and that’s because they are passionate about keeping your supporters engaged. They also offer grant management tools, marketing, and even stewardship journeys so that you can ensure your organisation is properly managed
6. Blackbaud: Fundraising suites and donor management are at the core of what this platform offers, and they have extensive tools and features to help keep you in the loop with donor and prospect data intelligence. They also offer grant and scholarship management, the latter of which makes them a popular choice for colleges and universities that want to help struggling students
7. RallyUp: Crowdfunding is a big part of what they do, but so are big ticketing events such as raffles and sweepstakes. They do offer live auctions, but it’s not considered one of their core features, and they definitely have a stronger focus on the raffles, peer-to-peer fundraising, a-thons, and livestreaming. They’re great for events that need a lot of hype
8. Fundraise Up: This platform is known for improving donor conversion rates, which means it can help turn supporters into donors by guiding you through the process and showing you what you need to change. They specialise in crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising, which is a great way to raise money because it has one of the highest donor conversion rates 
9. GoFundMe: There isn’t a platform that is more well-known than GoFundMe, and it is perfect for individual crowdfunding pages or small nonprofits that need a boost. There are no fees outside of the payment processing charges, and since it is so popular, you have a wider reach automatically. It’s secure, reliable, and makes the advertising side of things lighter
10. DonorBox: With a big focus on crowdfunding, donation pages, and peer-to-peer fundraising, this platform is perfect for nonprofits that want to focus more on direct donations. They also offer features such as reporting and analytics, integrations, crypto and stock donations, and event ticketing. It makes them a fairly well-rounded option
11. Zeffy: It’s the only platform that is truly free to use, and they have everything from raffles and ticketing to auctions to help your nonprofit get started. There are donation forms, donor management and CRM, memberships, and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns. All fees are covered through optional donor tips, which is what makes it free for you
12. OneCause: There are several different plans you can choose from, each of which covers a different form of fundraising. There is online fundraising with text-to-give, auctions and events, and peer-to-peer fundraising for a more direct option. They have a lot on offer, and each plan is tailored to suit the type of event your organisation needs. 

As you can see, each platform has its own strengths. Schools and universities might benefit from platforms like Blackbaud, but they could also use Zeffy’s help for a low-cost alternative. Larger organisations are likely to be drawn to GoFundMe Pro or OneCause, and smaller ones will probably feel more comfortable with Givebutter. 

Why PayBee Stands Out 

Then you have PayBee. We’re proud of what we do, and while we know we aren’t going to be suited to every organisation, we have worked hard to make sure that we can cater to most of them. But what makes PayBee stand out from the crowd? We would love to take you through more about our platform and how it works. 

PayBee offers some of the best there is for events with live or hybrid galas, silent and live auctions, and even options for paddle bidding and sheets for those who want to participate physically in these auction types. Even the free tier offers ticketing services and unlimited auctions, which means you can make the most of your event calendar for the year. 

The auctions and galas are where PayBee’s talents lie, especially as we have made them the foundation of our platform, but it’s not the only event service that’s on offer. In addition to having live, virtual, and hybrid events, PayBee offer the following:

• Raffles and games
• Paddle raise events for fund-a-need
• Peer-to-peer fundraising 
• Recurring giving 
• A-thon events 
• Tournaments 

It’s a great selection to choose from, which is part of what makes it such a solid all-in-one platform. The best part is that the starting tier is completely free, and platform fees can be covered through optional donor tips if you choose to use the feature. Even the paid tier is priced at $599 for two years, making it one of the most affordable premium plans. 

Since we’re all about looking to the future, we have also implemented essential features like mobile bidding, text-to-give, tap-to-pay, and mobile checkout so that your supporters are able to make single or recurring donations effortlessly. The payment processing system we use is also secure while ensuring your nonprofit gets the money it raised quickly. 

Perhaps most importantly, we don’t let you forget about the follow-up. We have a selection of great follow-up features you can use to contact your donors with updates about your cause and the good their money has done, which can also work as an incentive to promote recurring giving. We also have automated tax receipts, which are essential when you’re running auctions.

But we don’t want you to take our word for it. We have some great case studies to show how effective working with PayBee can be, not just because of our simple onboarding and low fees, but because we have a team that cares about charitable organisations. Our customer service is widely praised as some of the best, especially our event-night support. 

Why not get in touch and book a free demo with us? You can sign up for an account for free, and the demo will allow you to access and play with the tools and features we offer. You can design your own gala or silent auction and see how it would play out with our livestreaming and watch party software. We’d love to hear from you and help you through the process. 

PayBee for Your Type of Nonprofit 

We heard you, and we know that you want to see what PayBee can do for your type of nonprofit. It doesn’t help you if you see the number of events and fundraisers we offer without knowing how they could work with your organisation. Below, you will find a quick look at which events each core type of nonprofit can benefit from when using PayBee. 

Schools & K-12

PayBee makes a great fundraising platform for schools because it has a strong focus on a-thons, which are events where a student or parent takes on a challenge and raises money when they hit a goal (fun runs, read-a-thons, dance-a-thons, for example). They also offer online auctions, spirit wear and merchandise stores, and classroom breakout rooms. Plus, raffles can really rally parents and teachers together, which is why it’s good PTA fundraising software. 

Higher Education

Alumni fundraising software isn’t always easy to come by, but we have brilliant galas and live or hybrid auctions that will bring alumni together to raise money for their school. While we aren’t advertised as a giving day platform, our 24-hour challenges make for fantastic giving day campaigns that bring more support to your college or university. 

Faith-Based

Online giving for churches usually comes through recurring donations, or tithing giving, and this is part of what makes PayBee a good church fundraising platform. We offer text-to-give during services and capital campaigns that come with pledge tracking so that your congregation feels encouraged to give more and improve their church through their generosity. 

Healthcare & Foundations

We know how important hospital foundations are, which is why we have galas and benefit events that will help connect you with donors who care about your cause and want to make an active difference. It’s part of what makes us a good healthcare gala platform. Using sponsorships and paddle-raise tools to improve engagement, you can make the most of our hospital foundation fundraising software and raise the money you need.

Human & Social Services

You need a peer-to-peer fundraising platform to have the most success with human and social services events, and we are able to offer just that. We have donation drives, crowdfunding, and donation pages to get the community involved. You can also try our benefit events and tailor them so that they are actively funding frontline community programmes you’re passionate about, thanks to our nonprofit donation drive software and recurring giving.

Arts & Culture

One of the best ways to raise money for the arts and culture is through silent or live auctions and benefit galas. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase what your organisation has to offer with galleries and demonstrations, which means you will have an easier time converting your patrons into regular donors and supporters. We’re quite proud to advertise ourselves as an auction platform for museums and arts nonprofits, as these things need to be preserved. 

Environment & Conservation

Ensuring the protection of the environment and continued conservation is essential, which is why we proudly offer online fundraising for environmental nonprofits. We want to help you unite people and have them rally around causes worth protecting, which is why we recommend galas, peer-to-peer fundraising, and online donation campaigns to spread the word and your reach.

All Other Nonprofits

At PayBee, we support every type of nonprofit, not just the ones listed above. Our campaigns are flexible and customisable, which means they can be designed to suit the needs of your organisation, and there are no rigid structures that you’ll be forced to follow. Everything from the events and auctions to online giving is completely flexible and on your terms. 

If you have any questions about the way we work or you want to know more about the events that we offer, we’d be happy for you to give the team a call or email. Getting in touch with us is easy, and it means we can gain a better understanding of what your organisation needs. 

Fundraising Platform Pricing & Fees Compared 

PayBee uses a two-part cost model for its pricing, which can feel confusing to those who are new to fundraising platforms. Almost every platform featured in this guide uses the same pricing method, so we’ll break it down using the table below and each of the platforms we have looked at in this guide. Hopefully, it makes things clearer for you. 

While the fees vary, almost every platform offers donor-covered fees. This is where your donors have the option to cover the platform fees and third-party payment processing fees when they complete their payment. Since at least half of donors tend to choose this option, it means the nonprofit in question gets to keep as much of the money raised as possible. 

This is why platforms like PayBee note that there is a ~1% effective fee when donor tipping is used. It’s because the amount taken is so small that it essentially equals 1% of the money raised going towards fees. Of course, this is only the case if the vast majority of your donors choose to cover the fees. Outside of that, it will at least reduce the costs on your end. 

Matching a Platform to Your Nonprofit 

If you’re still not entirely sure which platform is going to suit your nonprofit, this quick matching list might make things easier. Here are the best platforms for each of the following needs: 

• Events and galas: PayBee
• Pure online giving: GoFundMe Pro (Classy)
• Crowdfunding: RallyUp 
• Peer-to-peer fundraising: Fundraise Up
• Small/volunteer organisations: Givebutter
• Large organisations: Blackbaud
• Donor retention and tracking: Bloomerang
• Free tools: Zeffy 
• Gifts and recurring donations: OneCause 

It’s as simple as that. You can use this as your starting point and then head to the platforms that sound as though they will best suit your needs. From there, you can look at the tools and features they offer, test out any demos on offer, and then either stick with them or try out another one if the first one didn’t have the right feel. It takes time, but it’s worth it to find the right match. 

The Future of Nonprofit Fundraising Platforms

What does the future hold for nonprofit fundraising platforms? Well, as online giving becomes increasingly popular, we can expect to see improved digitisation and a wider range of features that are accessible online instead of solely existing in manual forms. The silent auction is a perfect example of that because it’s easier and more accessible to place secret bids online. 

In 2026, we’re seeing a lot more mobile giving, which is a testament to the fact that digital fundraising is on the rise. There is also more AI-powered fundraising, but the future of this aspect is uncertain given the consistent controversy around its use in daily life. What is certain is that this increased demand for online fundraising platforms will continue to grow. 

Similarly, peer-to-peer fundraising and embedded donation options are becoming more popular, which makes sense because they are some of the most accessible and engaging forms of fundraising. Both are predominantly online, and the wider audience and freedom to spread the word of your nonprofit around the world means you’re only ever going to find more supporters. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the Best Fundraising Platform for Nonprofits?

PayBee is the best all-in-one fundraising platform for nonprofits. It has a free tier with low platform fees, access to everything from auctions to ticketing, and a fantastic customer support team that is ready to help during and outside of events. Outside of that, RallyUp and Donorbox are brilliant choices for nonprofits. 

What's the Cheapest / Lowest-fee Fundraising Platform?

Givebutter and Zeffy are completely free, which makes them very accessible to nonprofits that don’t have much of a budget to work with. PayBee offers a free tier with platform fees, although there is the option to have donors cover them if they choose to. GoFundMe also has low fees and is the most ideal platform for personal crowdfunding campaigns. 

Is There a Free Fundraising Platform for Nonprofits?

Yes, Zeffy is considered to be the only true free fundraising platform for nonprofits because it has no fees. Every fee is covered by optional donor tips, which means nonprofits never have to pay to use their services. Givebutter also has this option, as do PayBee, but they also offer paid tiers and have platform fees that nonprofits need to pay if the donors don’t cover them. 

What Fees Do Fundraising Platforms Charge?

Fundraising platforms will normally charge for platform fees, paid tiers, subscriptions, and third-party payment processing fees. Platform fees are usually between 2% and 6%, while paid tiers and subscriptions can vary from anywhere between $25 and more than $2,000. It all depends on the platform you choose and what they have on offer. 

What's the Best Platform for a Charity Auction or Gala?

PayBee is the best platform for a charity auction or gala because it has been specifically designed as an all-in-one space for fundraising events. It has live, virtual, and hybrid auction options, ticketing for dinners and galas, and some of the best event-night customer support out there. It’s a surefire way to ensure a smooth evening raising money. 

Do Donors Cover Processing Fees?

Yes, donors often have the option to cover processing fees if the platform they are using allows it. Most fundraising platforms will have a checkbox that donors can tick if they want to cover any platform or processing fees associated with their donation. While this means they pay a little more, it also ensures the charity they are supporting gets all of the donated money. 

Discover Your Next Fundraising Platform Today

The fundraising platform you choose is going to depend on the events you want to host and the budget that your nonprofit has. If you want to put more focus on CRM, you should choose Donorbox or Bloomerang. Those who want to put their energy into crowdfunding and enterprise online giving should take a closer look at GoFundMe and GoFundMe Pro (Classy). 

If you’re looking for auctions, galas, and events, PayBee is there to lead the way as an all-in-one fundraising platform. We might not be the best choice for every nonprofit, but we would love the chance to show you what we can do and how we could benefit you. Try PayBee today by booking a free demo to see what auctions and events with us are like.