PayBee vs Greater Giving (2026): Features, Pricing & the Best Fit for Your Fundraiser

When it comes time to evaluate software solutions for your events and galas, PayBee and Greater Giving will definitely keep coming up. The simple reason is both of these platforms are comprehensive in that they are both all-in-one auction and event management solutions capable of running silent and live auctions, mobile bidding, fund-a-need paddle raises, online ticketing and even event night check-ins and checkouts without long waiting lines!

But even though both platforms can handle a lot of the heavy lifting as far as core gala features, it the way their software handles things like pricing transparency, payment hardware, and the guest experience that is what really separates them. 

Here is our quick glance recommendation to help you decide which system fits your nonprofit in 2026:

• Choose PayBee if you want a modern, lightening fast mobile first experience that totally eliminates the need for rented hardware as well as a completely transparent pay-as-you-go flat pricing model (2% platform fee on electronic payments; cash/check free) and no required annual contracts that keep you tethered to one solution.
• Choose Greater Giving if you prefer a long established industry incumbent with a solid event-night history, solid customer support and available paid on-site staffing, yet your organization is comfortable with custom quote-based annual packages and hardware-based payment processing that can sometimes limit your capabilities.

Below, we break down how PayBee and Greater Giving compare across pricing models, hardware requirements, user interface and event-night execution so you can get a clearer picture of which will truly work best for your own unique nonprofit.

PayBee vs Greater Giving: Quick-Glance Comparison

We’ve created a quick overview table below to make it easier to visualize each solution and how they compare for each solution side by side. We’ve included all the major features like pricing structures, hardware and user ratings as of 2026:

Overview of the Platforms

Before we get into the details of pricing and features, we need to look at the importance of each solution’s history and core philosophy. And while each system does indeed handle gala and auction logistics adequately, they also take fundamentally different approaches to your actual event execution.

What is PayBee?

PayBee is a modern platform focusing on a mobile first strategy that streamlines event management and handles all sorts of event types like silent and live auctions, hybrid galas and super simple online donation collection. Our solution was built from the ground up as a solution specifically created for the newer nonprofit sector. This means even though we have plenty of ‘old types of features,’ we also worked hard to give the very best when it comes to a smartphone-native experience as this is where the industry is heading.

For example, PayBee allows donors to purchase tickets, browse auction catalogs, place bids and complete checkout directly from their own smartphone without any assistance needed through your team, saving countless hours of work, keeping mistakes to practically zero and giving you precise reporting on all aspects of your event without any need to download an app or relying on rented credit card terminals.

Furthermore, PayBee operates on a transparent pay-as-you-go pricing model with a flat 2% platform fee on electronic payments (and free cash/check transactions), so whether you’re running a small scale event for a local church or a massive formal gala, our platform doesn’t break the bank leaving you with more of your donations that ever. And while lighter on deep donor relationship management (CRM) features than standalone donor databases, PayBee delivers one of the most complete and user-friendly toolsets for collecting event donations and engaging both virtual and live attendees.

What is Greater Giving?

Founded in 2002 and now owned by Global Payments, Greater Giving is a long established pioneer in the nonprofit auction and event space and has been in business for over to decades. Furthermore Greater Giving has processed more than $9 billion across tens of thousands of events and school fundraisers since its founding and does have a solid reputation.

The platform is widely recognized for its deep event-night track record, strong customer support reputation and specialized auction features like item procurement tracking and physical bid sheet generation.But depending on your charity’s financial situation, a serious drawback is it’s pricing model which relies on a custom quote based annual package model and the company historically relies on dedicated, rented payment hardware (such as mobile card readers and swipe terminals) to manage on-site event payments.

However, the company does serve as a reliable, high-touch solution for organizations accustomed to traditional gala infrastructure.

Pricing & Fee Structures: Transparent Flat Rate vs. Custom Packages

Since every dollar spent on event software directly impacts your net proceeds, it’s important to clearly understand a platform solution’s total cost  including platform fees, processing and subscription commitments in order to understand which solution packs the most bang for the buck. 

PayBee’s Pricing: Transparent, Flat-Rate, and Pay-As-You-Go

PayBee emphasizes complete pricing transparency with no hidden surprises or mandatory long term contractual lock-ins: 

• Flat Platform Fee: PayBee charges a straight 2% platform fee on electronic payments while all cash and check payments processed through the platform are completely free!
• No Required Subscriptions: There are no mandatory annual contracts or monthly base fees required to host an event which makes it extremely affordable for even organizations just getting started.
• Optional Premium Support Plan: For organizations that are growing and need more personalized assistance, PayBee offers an optional $499 plan that covers two full yearsand  unlocks access to world class dedicated support making it a cost effective option for organizations running multiple events over a 24-month period.
• Optional On-Site Support: PayBee also offers literal hands-on, on-site event staff for an additional fee if you want extra technical help on gala night to take some of the stress of your own team.

Greater Giving’s Pricing: Quote-Based Annual Packages

Greater Giving uses a traditional software-as-a-service (SaaS) model focused on annual bundled packages rather than per-event pay-as-you-go pricing which can either be a postive or negative depending on your overall needs and financial situation:

• Quote-Only Pricing: Greater Giving does not publish its software pricing online. Nonprofits must request a custom sales quote through their site or support chat. Third party reports and user feedback indicate that annual packages can range depending on event size, feature tiers (such as adding Online Bidding or Virtual Gala capabilities) and administrative user counts so you’ll need to invest time for each event and calculate the costs vs the support.
• Annual Package Commitment: Unlike single-event software options like our, Greater Giving requires an annual package commitment up front. This can be advantageous if you host multiple large events per year, but it may represent a higher fixed overhead for single event organizations.
• Processing & Add-On Fees: Payment processing rates are not publicly disclosed on Greater Giving's website and are provided upon quote request only, so we need to rely on third-party reviews which report processing rates stand somewhere around 3.5–4%. Additionally, specialized add-ons like on-site event staffing or specific hardware rentals do cost more.

Pricing Comparison Summary

Which Pricing Model Fits Your Nonprofit?

If your organization values budget predictability, zero upfront financial risk, and clear public pricing, PayBee’s flat 2% model allows you to keep software costs directly proportional to what you raise rather than a ‘rental’ burden.

If your nonprofit prefers a bundled, multi-event annual software package and has the budget for custom quote pricing and upfront software commitments, Greater Giving’s enterprise packaging may fit your financial structure and needs, but you’ll need to speak with them directly to understand what is all involved.

Event Hardware vs. a Phone First Experience

Something even more important than pricing is how does each platform handle your operation workflow on event night, and how each of solutions either help or hinder your donor’s event experience. Think how your guests place bids, check in and pay for items and how the flow of watch feature directly affects queue lengths, volunteer stress and overall attendee satisfaction both before and after the event.

Greater Giving: Rented Payment Hardware (Auctionpay)

Greater Giving’s event payment workflow historically centers on its Auctionpay system. To take credit card payments onsite, your organization will need to rent dedicated swipe card readers that plug into laptops (via USB) or mobile tablets so your guests can check-in and pay later.

• Hardware Provisioning: Greater Giving typically rents out card readers based on your event’s expected attendance. This is typically around 1 swiper per 100 guests, but you must rent a minimum of two machines regardless. 
• Return Logistics: Because these terminals are rented, you’ll need to assign someone to physically manage the receipt, setup, breakdown and return shipping of the hardware which all must happen within four business days post-event.
• On-Site Flow: While card pre-registration during check-in ("Go Time") allows for smooth express checkout, the problem is your team needs to be at fixed checkout stations equipped with these connected readers to process physical card swipes when it’s time to pay. This can easily lead to lines and even mistakes at the end of the day.

PayBee: Phone Native Bidding & Tap-to-Pay Options

What really sets PayBee apart from most other platforms is its ability to eliminates physical card swipers and dedicated hardware setups entirely. This effectively leverages smartphones for both attendees and staff:

• Browser-Based Bidding: Guests do not need to download an app or visit a hardware station to bid or make payments at the end of your auctions. They simply open their phone browser, scan a QR code, or click a link to view auction items, place bids and track paddle raises in real time, they can even be sent an instant message when they’re outbid in order to create bidding wars. And if a guest is comfortable with downloading and using an app, Paybee provides that too but doesn’t require it giving your attendees the choice.  
• Mobile Checkout & Tap-to-Pay: Staff and volunteers can collect payments anywhere in the room and at any moment just by using using standard smartphones. PayBee also supports phone-native tap-to-pay and digital wallet options which have been increasingly on the rise and look to continue. This allows volunteers to accept payments on the move rather than locking guests into a physical checkout line and long wait times at the end of the event.
• Zero Logistics: With no rented equipment to ship, set up or return you no longer need to worry about shipping logistics or deadlines, hardware rental deposits or worse, technical troubleshooting on dedicated terminals if something goes wrong.

Practical Implications for Your Event Night

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If your committee wants to eliminate shipping logistics, lower equipment setup overhead, and offer guests a seamless mobile tap-to-pay checkout on their own devices, PayBee provides a streamlined, modern operational flow. If your event team is accustomed to traditional station-based card swiping and dedicated terminal checkouts, Greater Giving’s Auctionpay model offers a familiar hardware based process that some of your older guests would be familiar with.

Our Feature by Feature Comparison

Both PayBee and Greater Giving give you all the tools you need to run successful auctions of major galas, it’s more about execution,  accessibility, and backend workflows that are the major differences, and of course price as well. 

1. Silent & Live Auctions

Both platforms handle silent and live auctions well enough, but PayBee prioritizes mobile browser speed and ease of accessibility while Greater Giving excels at physical catalog and bid-sheet preparation. Each platform solution offers you the ability to catalog items, set opening bids, define bid increments, set buy-it-now prices and manage fair market values for tax receipts at the end of the night.

• PayBee focuses on instant phone bidding so your guests can browse rich media catalogs, receive outbid alerts via SMS and place bids all from their own phone and without downloading an app.
• Greater Giving offers deep item procurement tracking tools that help your team track donor pledges, the item’s location and packaging options for successful bids. It also generates physical paper bid sheets for traditional silent auctions.

2. Mobile Bidding

Both support mobile bidding, the biggest difference here is that you will need to upgrade your package with Greater Giving to their Online Bidding module, but to be honest, we do not know the pricing on this. Some other differences that are noteworthy is that PayBee offers phone browser access without compulsory app downloads or pysical stations for payment. 

• PayBee built its mobile bidding solution directly into the core of their software. Guests simply click a link or scan a QR code to enter the auction instantly via any smartphone browser without the need for assistance, or they can choose to download our app and go from there, but the app isn’t necessary. 
• Greater Giving provides solid mobile and web based bidding through its Online Bidding module where guests can view items, set max bids and receive outbid notifications on their mobile devices so you can maximize each auction.

3. Fund-a-Need & Paddle Raises

Both platforms can handle live appeal fund-a-needs with real time total updates so donors can see your progress in real time. This is great for high energy funding at the right moments throughout your event. 

• PayBee syncs live appeal donations instantaneously to a main screen display so people can see how close you are in funding your specific goals. You can use goal meters, add donor names and progress animations to drive momentum even further and get people excited to get you over the goal line.
• Greater Giving allows auctioneers and staff to log paddle raise pledges quickly from the stage or floor while instantly updating event totals and adding donations directly to attendee guest carts for end of the night payments.

4. Registration, Ticketing & Check-In/Checkout

Paybee makes checking in and out extremely easy through their mobile tap-to-pay system so you never need to worry about long lines coming in or leaving the event while Greater Giving uses its established "Go Time" card pre-registration process that we previously went into detail on. 

• PayBee offers your guests an intuitive self check in service while also giving your team the option of staff assisted check-ins as well. At checkout, guests receive a text link to review their balance, pay via digital wallet or card right from their phone and then show a digital receipt to your staff to claim their items. Volunteers can also accept payments anywhere in the venue using phone native tap-to-pay with no additional machines necessary.
• Greater Giving features "Go Time," a streamlined process that pre-registers guest payment cards during check-in. At the end of the night, your staff can batch process card balances to speed things up and your guests can exit without waiting in line.

5. Text-to-Give & Virtual / Hybrid Events

Both systems offer their clients the ability to hold hybrid formats and text-based giving, but PayBee embeds native live streaming directly within its event view so everyone is included every step of the way.

• PayBee includes built-in video streaming and chat overlays for virtual and hybrid galas so everyone can join the fun from anywhere. This allows your remote attendees to bid and donate in real time alongside in-person guests and experience the excitement of the gala in real time.
• Greater Giving supports remote participation through its Virtual Gala tools and Text-to-Donate capability so your organizations can also collect donations and host virtual appeals alongside live events.

6. Peer-to-Peer & Donation Pages

Both options can provide peer-to-peer (P2P) campaigns for your organization although realistically, PayBee’s campaign builders feature a more streamlined, modern layout than its competitor.

• PayBee provides your supporters with their own intuitive peer-to-peer fundraising pages that they can customize and share on their own social media accounts with progress bars that  automatically sync to your overall event goals so their friends can see how well the event is going in real time.
• Greater Giving offers P2P functionality through its "Join Me" framework which allows your supporters to create individual or team fundraising pages tied to an overarching campaign.

7. CRM, Reporting & Integrations

Neither platform is meant to be a full-featured donor CRM so they both lack some of the advanced tools you may need. To make up for this, both allow you to seamlessly integrate your own CRM of choice into their platform for synced structured data exchange with your donor management system of choice.

• PayBee gives you the ability to focuse on clear event financial reporting, item settlement ledgers, and transaction summaries bu giving your team export tools and integrations to sync your donor and sales data into an external CRM from your Paybee user dashboard.
• Greater Giving offers deep event reporting built on over two decades of refinement. The problem is you can’t seamlessly synch your data with popular CRMs (such as Raiser's Edge or Salesforce) as the company relies primarily on file import/export tools rather than automated live continuous sync like other platforms.

Ease of Use & Modern UX

Today’s sonors want simplicity, they want to be able to give without any friction and they want absolute transparency on where their money is going. On the flip side, organizations need an easy interface that is intuitive and doesn’t require classes to learn the system, and can easily create events and collect donations. This is where UX comes in and the way a platform is set up.

PayBee: Mobile First and Intuitive Design

The entire idea behind the development of Paybee’s platform was to use the most cutting edge mobile native framework that when used correctly dramatically minimizes friction for both guests and staff. This is why we created the platform to run smoothly either using our native app, or simply using a mobile web browser giving your supporters total control. From either they can intuitively open auction pages, place bids in seconds and pay using standard mobile wallets all from their own phones.

On the backend, your administrative dashboard prioritizes quick event creation, simple catalog uploading and intuitive item management so your team can get what needs to be done no matter what their technical capabilities are, and no matter where they’re located in the world. Just the time savings from using our platform are more than enough to justify its low cost. 

Greater Giving: Established Workflows with a Steeper Learning Curve

Greater Giving’s platform offers a deeply functional toolset built over two decades of event management, and while that stability shows they are a solid long term company, it also creates a bit of a problem as their platform has been ‘updated’ over the years in ways that the old and new technologies don’t always play nice. It also leads to the administrative back-end and donor facing event pages feeling dated compared to modern web standards.

Another problem with adhocking over the years is it has lead to a much steeper learning curve for staff and volunteers. In all honestly, their website builder is still a bit clunky, as referenced by by reviews on Capterra have noted, as well as rigid page formatting options and complicated administrative navigation when trying to configure custom event pages.

Balanced against these usability critiques, reviewers do emphasize that Greater Giving’s interface remains highly reliable during live event execution once the administrative setup is complete which is important to note.

This is a quick view table highlighting a few usability points: 

If your team prioritizes an intuitive and modern interface that volunteers and guests can navigate with zero training, PayBee offers a clean, mobile-first design. If your team is already accustomed to Greater Giving’s traditional workflow and values structural depth over modern visual aesthetics, Greater Giving provides a familiar administrative structure.

Support & Event-Night Experience

When it comes to an important gala event that can easily fund most of your year, having reliable software support isn’t something nice to have, it is an important necessity. This includes everything from live troubleshooting, staff training or on site execution on the day of the event. The last thing you need is technical difficulty right when biders are in a bidding war and dollars are rolling in!

Greater Giving: A Industry Benchmark for Hands-On Event Support

Greater Giving serves as an industry benchmark for hands-on support in the nonprofit world and has garnered a ~4.7 out of 5 support sub-score on platforms like G2 and Capterra. Reviewers frequently highlight its responsive customer service team during their initial setup. Afterwards their station based "Go Time" check-in and checkout system does seem to allow seasoned volunteers to pick up their card-swiping workflows quickly enough.

For organizations seeking total peace of mind and a bit of hand holding, Greater Giving offers a long-standing core service of paid, on-site event assistance where experienced representatives manage check-in, run checkout logistics and assist volunteers with their Auctionpay hardware all though the event.

PayBee: Accessible Live Help and High-Touch Support Options

PayBee offers an equally accessible approach to live help and high-touch support while also maintaining a highly rated reputation with a 4.7/5 on Capterra. We do offer standard offerings like live online and phone support to guide you and your team through platform configuration, item uploading and bidding management, while also offering dedicated assistance if it’s needed for a premium, $499 for two full years. We can also cover on site event support to manage technology for large or complex galas, although there are additional fees for a physical presence.

But something to remember, due to Paybee’s mobile first strategy when it comes to its technology, its phone native tap-to-pay capability requires virtually zero terminal training for volunteers and the backend is as intuitive to use as possible making most support unnecessary. 

Comparing Event-Night Execution

How a platform handles live troubleshooting, staff training, and on-site execution absolutely matters, and depending on your own expertise in running events will most likely dictate which platform covers what you need best. If you want a long-established support infrastructure with deep experience managing traditional on-site hardware stations, Greater Giving’s support model is among the best in the industry. If you want responsive, high-touch support coupled with a modern mobile workflow that reduces the need for heavy on-site hardware troubleshooting, PayBee delivers an agile and accessible alternative.

Best For / Use Cases: Which Platform Fits Your Organization?

Choosing between PayBee and Greater Giving depends on your nonprofit's specific technical preferences, internal staff bandwidth, budget structure and your own unique event night logistics.

Choose PayBee if:

• You Want Public, Transparent Pricing: You prefer flat, published rates (a 2% platform fee on electronic payments, with cash/check transactions free) over quote only custom packages and annual contract commitments.
• You Want a Hardware-Free Event Night: You want to eliminate rented payment terminals, return shipping deadlines and cable setup in favor of phone browser bidding and mobile tap-to-pay checkout for your attendees.
• You Value a Modern Mobile UI: You want an intuitive interface where guests can bid and donate from any smartphone browser without forcing app downloads or pushing them to go to a terminal.
• You Host Single or Seasonal Galas: You want full access to auction and fundraising software without incurring mandatory annual base subscriptions or fixed contract lock-ins that you pay for regardless if you use the system or not.

Choose Greater Giving if:

• You Prefer a Traditional Package Model: You manage a multi-event annual calendar and prefer bundled annual software quotes over pay-as-you-go pricing.
• You Value a Decades-Long Track Record: You want an industry incumbent with a long history of processing billions in donations across thousands of events.
• You Rely on Physical Bid Sheets & Paper Procurement: Your event workflow relies heavily on traditional paper bid sheets, physical item packaging and desktop based catalog creation.
• You Need In-Person On-Site Staffing: You prefer having external technical representatives physically present at your gala to handle hardware swipers, check-in desks and volunteer operations.

Where Greater Giving Genuinely Wins

Since we are obviously a bit bias when it comes to how we feel about our software solutions, we do want to be as transparent as possible and knowledge a few places we feel greater Giving genuinely outdoes itself and makes for a solid platform for some nonprofits over our own so you can make a truly informed decision on which company to choose. 

• Longevity & Track Record: The company has been operating since 2002 compared to Paybee’s 2016 start up, so their longevity definitely outweighs our own here. They’re also owned by payment parent Global Payments which together have served over 10,000 nonprofits and schools while processing more than $9 billion across tens of thousands of events. That deep history and a long established brand that still has a solid reputation offers peace of mind boards that have a super low risk tolerance.
• Standout Customer Support Reputation: Support is consistently Greater Giving's top-rated feature in user reviews  and organizations that need high touch phone support and extensive onboarding guidance consistently praise their service team which is an important attribute.
• Turnkey On-Site Staffing: For organizations that hold massive complex galas with hundreds of guests, Greater Giving offers paid on-site staffing to be physically present for a price. This add on does free up your volunteers and staff and if you have the budget can be a great way to have them handle check-in, equipment setup and checkout.
• Proven "Go Time" Fast Checkout: Pre-registering guest payment cards during check-in gives you the opportunity to batch process balances at the end of the night so you can get your guests out as smoothly as possible.
• Item Procurement Tooling: For organizations managing hundreds of physical silent auction items, Greater Giving’s backend procurement, donor solicitation tracking and physical item labeling features are still solid and can save you valuable time.

Switching from Greater Giving to PayBee

If your nonprofit currently uses Greater Giving and is considering a move to PayBee, transitioning between the two is easier than you think. And we can help handle many of the details ourselves to make the transition as easy and painless as possible. And since PayBee requires no annual contracts and zero hardware rentals, making the switch eliminates contract lock in and shipping logistics.

1. Timing Your Transition

The best time to switch is immediately following an event cycle or prior to your annual package renewal with Greater Giving. Since PayBee does not require an annual subscription (offering a flat 2% pay-as-you-go model or an optional $499 two-year premium plan), you can set up your account without paying for overlapping annual contracts. Start by trying our free demo here to see exactly all we can offer your organization. 

2. Migrating Your Data

Exporting your data out of Greater Giving and into PayBee takes just a few steps:

• Guest & Donor Lists: Export your historical guest, bidder and supporter contact details from Greater Giving as a CSV file and import them directly into PayBee so you can secure your entire database in no time. 
• Auction Catalogs & Item Templates: Export past auction item descriptions, starting bids, fair market values and donor procurement details so you can quickly populate your new event catalog using our system in minutes.

3. Eliminating Hardware Logistics

One of the most noticeable differences when moving to PayBee is the immediate removal of hardware setup:

• No Equipment to Return: You no longer need to worry about receiving, setting up, repackaging and returning rented card swipe terminals or mobile readers within strict four-day post-event windows, all of this just goes away.
• Instant Staff & Volunteer Onboarding: On event night, your team and volunteers simply log in using their own smartphones or tablets to handle registration, tap-to-pay mobile checkout and live appeal tracking without any other apps or hardware required.

4. Communication & Guest Onboarding

Educating your guests about the new mobile-first experience is simple:

• Pre-Event Communication: Send attendees a pre-event email featuring your custom PayBee event link or QR code so they can immediately preview your auction items and save their payment details ahead of time.
• Event-Night Execution: Display QR codes on tables and screens so guests can scan, bid and pay directly from their own smartphone browsers without needing to download an app or wait in long checkout lines or seek assistance.

By moving from a quote-based annual contract to PayBee’s transparent, pay-as-you-go model, your organization can immediately lower its administrative overhead while streamlining event night operations making life easier (and cheaper) for you, your staff and all your supporters. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does Greater Giving cost?

Greater Giving doesn’t publish their pricing and you’ll need to get a quote from them. Additionally they cahrge someone in the neighborhood of 3.5–4% for processing payments on top of their quote, so keep that in mind as well. 

Does Greater Giving require hardware or card readers?

Yes, Greater Giving’s event payment workflow (Auctionpay) relies on rented credit card readers connected to laptops or tablets that must be physically shipped to you and shipped back.

Is PayBee or Greater Giving cheaper?

PayBee is generally more cost effective for single event small-to-midsize, or growth-focused nonprofits because it charges a flat 2% fee on electronic payments without mandatory annual subscriptions. 

What is the best alternative to Greater Giving?

While we feel Paybee is the stand out alternative for nonprofits seeking a modern, phone-first, transparently priced gala platform with zero rented hardware logistics there are other options like OneCause, Handbid and Givebutter you can take a look at. 

Conclusion & Next Steps

Both PayBee and Greater Giving are proven solutions capable of managing complex live auctions, silent bidding, fund-a-need paddle raises and gala registrations no matter their size. The main differences stem from transparent pricing, your evening’s logistics and user experience. 

• Choose Greater Giving if your organization values a long established industry track record, relies on traditional card swiping stations, needs hands on on-site staffing and is comfortable with custom, quote based annual package pricing then Greater Giving will work for you.
• Choose PayBee if you want to eliminate rented equipment entirely, streamline event night with mobile tap-to-pay and browser bidding and lock in transparent flat pricing (2% platform fee on electronic payments with zero mandatory annual subscriptions) then Paybee definitely wins out.

Ready to modernize your next gala or silent auction? Book a PayBee demo today to see how our mobile first software environment easily creates a hardware free event solution that can elevate your guest experience and secure your organization with the funding it needs to thrive as easily as using your phone.