PayBee vs Zeffy (2026): When 'Free' Is Enough, and When Your Gala Needs More
Here’s a stat that caught our eye: according to the industry-respected 2026 M+R Benchmarks, online revenue for the average nonprofit rose 15% last year.
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With online revenue rising, organizations have good reason to consider which platform should handle their donations, ticket sales, and auction bids.
In a hurry? Here’s our TLDR verdict:
PayBee vs Zeffy really comes down to what kind of event you’re running.
Zeffy fits everyday fundraising and simple timed auctions, and it costs nonprofits nothing to use.
PayBee is a choice for nonprofits hosting full galas, live or hybrid auctions, and events where there is a lot happening in one evening.
In this guide, we will look at donor tips, features for raising money, tools for auctions, support options and how easy each platform is to use - so you can find out which one fits your budget and the events you plan.
Quick-Glance Comparison Table
What Is PayBee?
PayBee was built to give nonprofits one system for online donations, ticket sales, live and silent auctions, and the records connected to each event.
Its main features include:
- Donation pages and ticket sales
- Live auctions led by an auctioneer
- Timed silent auctions with online bidding
- In-person, virtual, and hybrid events
It’s a strong fit for nonprofits running galas, auctions, or ticketed events with several fundraising activities happening at once. More than 5,000 nonprofits have used it, and it’s hosted over 20,000 virtual galas.
Across the platform, it has supported 2 million donors and more than $800 million in donations. PayBee’s customer case study on Narika shows what that looks like at the event level.
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Narika used PayBee for a hybrid gala where donations, ticketing, auctions, and games all contributed to the total. With 401 supporters taking part, the nonprofit raised $222,261.
What Is Zeffy?
If cost is what's holding you back from picking a platform, Zeffy deserves a look. Eligible nonprofits pay no platform or payment-processing fees.
Here's what you get with a Zeffy account:
- Donation forms and recurring giving
- Event ticketing and guest registration
- Timed silent auctions
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Memberships and raffles
- An online store
- Donor records and email tools
- Automated donation receipts
Zeffy says more than 100,000 nonprofits use the platform, and among the tools those organizations get is a built-in CRM. It keeps each donor's donations, ticket purchases, and email activity in one place.
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That mix suits nonprofits running everyday campaigns, ticketed events, or timed silent auctions on a tight software budget.
But you need to be aware of a couple of caveats:
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- The checkout prompt. Nonprofits can’t remove Zeffy’s contribution request from their payment forms, although donors can decline it.
- No auctioneer-led bidding. Zeffy handles timed silent auctions, but bids called in the room have to be recorded elsewhere.
The Pricing Question: How “Free” Works
Zeffy’s Model
That first caveat explains how Zeffy can charge nonprofits no platform or payment-processing fees.
Instead, donors see an optional contribution prompt at checkout, which Zeffy says around two in three leave in place.
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Although, and it’s important you keep this in mind before you decide, some reviewers report that the extra line can be confusing.
One Capterra reviewer said a $12.95 Zeffy contribution appeared on top of their $100 donation:
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PayBee’s Model
PayBee goes the other direction and bills the nonprofit directly.
PayBee pricing is at 2% on electronic transactions, plus card processing of 2.7% plus $0.30 or ACH processing of 1.3%, with setup fees charged separately.
A silent-auction setup runs $199, and a fundraising-event setup runs $399.
Premium costs $599 for two years of unlimited events, with pre-event training, event-day support, and guest and table management included.
Donors can offer to cover PayBee’s processing charge, and - in our experience - around 90% do, which takes some sting out of the rate card.
Which One Costs More?
Zeffy wins on direct fees, there’s no real contest there.
A Zeffy contribution funds Zeffy, while PayBee’s donor-paid fee option covers the nonprofit’s processing charge. For a donation page or simple ticketed event, that gap gives Zeffy the price advantage.
But, when an auctioneer starts calling bids, PayBee starts earning its fee.
Every winning bid stays with the right guest through checkout, while Premium Events gives your team a named contact to call if your volunteers hit a snag.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Both platforms handle the basics well, but a gala asks far more of software than a simple online campaign does. What matters is whether bids, pledges, payments, and guest records stay connected when several fundraising activities run at once.
Donations, Ticketing, and Receipts
PayBee and Zeffy both handle donation forms, ACH payments, and event ticketing. Zeffy automates IRS- and CRA-compliant receipts, while PayBee keeps receipts and reporting attached to each donation or event record.
Either platform can send that paperwork for a 501(c)(3), though your organization still supplies the tax details. And - from there - you decide what portion of a ticket payment counts as deductible.
Silent Auctions and Mobile Bidding
If you're considering Zeffy for auctions, timed silent bidding is where it fits best, with mobile bidding that covers automatic bidding, outbid notices, and anti-sniping.
PayBee's silent auction software offers that same mobile bidding and those same bidder alerts, while connecting the auction to the guest records and checkout used across the rest of the event.
Live Auctions and Fund-a-Need
That connection is what shows up most clearly once a live auction starts. PayBee supports auctioneer-led bidding and fund-a-need gifts within its event system, while Zeffy can collect live-sale payments but limits its auction tool to timed bidding.
Check-In, Checkout, Text-to-Give, and Tap to Pay
As of September 2026, Zeffy's mobile app handles guest check-in and Tap to Pay for cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, which covers the door and the payment.
However, PayBee keeps check-in connected to the rest of the night.
Seating, bids, and purchases all tie back to the same guest record, with mobile checkout carrying that record through payment. PayBee can also send auction messages and checkout links by text from the platform.
Virtual and Hybrid Galas With Livestreaming
Zeffy can handle tickets, payments, and timed bidding for supporters joining remotely. PayBee takes that further, connecting livestreaming and hybrid bidding to the same live event records and checkout, so remote and in-room activity stay tied to one system.
P2P, Memberships, Merchandise, CRM, and Email
Away from gala night, Zeffy's free account includes P2P fundraising, memberships, an online store, CRM, and email.
PayBee also covers P2P, membership management, and merchandise, and those supporter records feed into its ticketing, auction, and event tools.
Gala and Live-Auction Depth
A full gala needs software that follows each guest from the moment they walk in to the moment they settle their balance. And PayBee and Zeffy split that job differently once live bidding enters the picture.
PayBee and Live Auctions
PayBee's live auction software assigns each guest a bid paddle number pulled from your guest list, and winning bids drop into a virtual shopping cart tied to that person.
Guests can pay themselves from their phone, or a volunteer can check them out on the spot through the PayBee mobile app.
The same records PayBee builds during bidding stay active afterward, since its system follows up automatically on any pledge still outstanding once the event ends. Premium Events builds on that with a few extras for bigger nights:
- Pre-event training for your team
- A named event-day contact your volunteers can reach if something doesn't add up
- Guest and table management for the crowd in the room
PayBee also supports livestreaming and hybrid bidding for virtual or hybrid galas, on top of all that.
Zeffy and Live Auctions
Zeffy for galas is perfectly at home with ticketing, app check-in, and timed online bidding, and it'll take payment for in-person live-sale purchases too.
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What it won't do is bring an auctioneer's live calls into that system, since its auction tool was built for timed bidding, not that.
Where the Two Diverge
The good news is a simple ticketed event or timed online auction doesn't need any of that auctioneer-led workflow.
Once an auctioneer is running the show at a gala, though, PayBee's paddle-to-cart tracking is what Zeffy's timed-auction tool simply doesn't do.
Ease of Use and Support
Once you've seen how each platform handles a busy gala, the next question is how quickly your team can learn it and what help they'll get when they need it.
A donor-management study of 379 nonprofits found that over 90% rated ease of use and technical support as important or very important when choosing a system:
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On Zeffy’s side, the learning starts before your event. Your team has several ways to try the platform and find help:
- A free account to try out
- A weekly live demo with a support-team member and Q&A
- A recording if the live demo doesn't fit your schedule
- An onboarding guide and searchable Help Center
Zeffy reviews on G2 and Capterra also point to how simple the platform is to pick up:
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PayBee aims for that same ease, but through direct help at three moments instead: onboarding, volunteer training, and the event itself:
- A representative reaches out to arrange onboarding
- Volunteers get trained through a live video call before the event
- Premium Events gives your team a named representative to text or call once the event starts
Capterra reviews give it high praise, rating PayBee's customer service at 4.9 out of 5:
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For a team running a live event with several volunteers on the floor, that kind of direct, event-day contact is worth weighing against Zeffy's help center and live demo.
Related read:
Would Handbid’s concierge support suit the way your team runs a gala? Our PayBee vs Handbid guide compares what your volunteers can expect once the doors open.
Best Fit and Use Cases
We’ve covered pricing, features, and support, so what's left is matching all of that to your own event and team.
What kind of fundraiser do you run most often, and who's there running it?
For many nonprofits, that team includes volunteers. Independent Sector found that 75% rely on volunteers for at least part of their operations, and 23% depend on them entirely.
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Choose Zeffy If ...
Zeffy makes the stronger fit when:
- A small volunteer team needs fundraisers it can manage without assigning several people to work at once
- You're a budget-focused nonprofit relying mostly on everyday online donations
- Your events are ticketed community fundraisers without a live program to coordinate
- Your auction opens online and closes on a timer
That might be a school running a week-long online auction, or a neighborhood group signing people up for a charity run. Supporters take part on their own schedule, so volunteers aren't stuck recording anything as it happens.
But - as we’ll see - when those same volunteers need to coordinate a live auction or gala, PayBee pulls ahead.
Choose PayBee If ...
- A full gala combines an auctioneer-led sale with sponsor tables and other ways to give
- Volunteers need to manage walk-ins, guest replacements, bids, and payments as the night unfolds
- Tickets sold through different channels need to feed into one guest list
- A hybrid event brings remote supporters into the live program alongside guests in the room
Real world PayBee example:
Dry Bones Denver used PayBee to manage that mix at its Cirque du Vive gala:
The organization raised $45,513 from 154 supporters, with remote bidders joining the auction and self-checkout keeping guests from queuing once the program wrapped.
Where Zeffy Is the Better Choice
PayBee earns its keep at a hybrid gala, but most nonprofits aren't running one every week.
If your fundraising leans on everyday online giving or smaller community events, Zeffy's free account is probably the better fit.
The Full Account Stays Free
Zeffy doesn't bump you onto a paid plan as your fundraising or donor list grows, and there's no subscription fee, setup charge, paid add-on, or per-contact CRM fee waiting to kick in.
That leaves a small team room to try a membership drive, an online store, or a new campaign without worrying about a new bill showing up.
If Zeffy's checkout prompt and gala limits don't bother you, a $0 model is hard to beat.
Real World Example
Waggytail Rescue is a good example of where Zeffy fits: a volunteer-run nonprofit with no office and no paid staff.
The rescue runs donations, deposits, medical campaigns, raffles, merchandise, tickets, donor communications, and receipts entirely through Zeffy.
Zeffy says Waggytail raised $66,102 and saved $3,305 in fees:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zeffy Really Free?
Yes. Zeffy fees are $0 for nonprofits, so the organization keeps the full donation instead of losing part of it to platform or payment-processing charges.
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Rather than billing the nonprofit, Zeffy shows donors a suggested contribution to Zeffy during checkout. That amount appears automatically, but donors can choose “Other” and enter $0 before they pay.
What’s the Catch With Zeffy?
The main trade-off appears when your donor reaches checkout. Zeffy adds a suggested contribution to the platform, which donors must lower or set to $0 if they do not want to pay it.
Then there’s the gala question. Timed auctions are covered, but an auctioneer or paddle raise falls outside what Zeffy’s auction tool was built to do.
Does Zeffy Support Live Auctions and Galas?
Zeffy can handle a gala whose silent auction runs on guests’ phones and closes on a timer, and its app can check people in at the door.
Once an auctioneer starts calling bids or a host opens a paddle raise, though, your team must record those results elsewhere before taking payment through Zeffy.
PayBee, by contrast, keeps each live result tied to the guest all the way into checkout.
PayBee Costs 2% - Why Pick It Over Free Zeffy?
During a gala, PayBee records winning bids and paddle-raise gifts alongside each guest’s other purchases. That saves your team from matching auction results with payments after the event ends.
Because PayBee charges the nonprofit directly, its checkout does not ask donors to support the platform. Donors may cover the processing fee, while livestreaming and event-night support come with separately priced event plans.
What's the Best Zeffy Alternative for Auctions/Galas?
For a full gala, PayBee deserves your first look, with OneCause and Handbid covering similar ground right behind it.
Among the other Zeffy competitors, GalaBid and RallyUp round out that same shortlist for an auction-led night.
Plenty of nonprofits don't run a gala at all, though, and spend most of the year on donations and online campaigns instead. Givebutter, Donorbox, or Give Lively fit that pattern better, so the real test is simple: whichever fundraiser eats up more of your team's time is the one that should decide your platform.
Related read: If OneCause has made your shortlist, our PayBee vs OneCause guide compares its larger-event tools with PayBee’s pay-as-you-go model.
Will Zeffy's Donor Tip Confuse My Donors?
Yes, it can, and the earlier $12.95 example we showed you isn't a one-off.
In our research, we found several other reviewers describing hitting that same moment at checkout, wondering what the extra line was for.
Here are just two of them:
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Zeffy still works well for the nonprofit's bottom line even when a donor hits that moment of confusion.
Donors can choose “Other” and enter $0, but a short, plain note on your donation page explaining what the contribution is could head off confusion before it starts.
Which Platform Fits Your Fundraising?
We’ve shown you a lot of Pros and Cons for both platforms in this guide - but what is the bottom line?
Well, if keeping every dollar matters and most of your fundraising stays online, Zeffy gives you plenty without ever sending your nonprofit a bill.
However, once a gala brings an auctioneer, remote guests, and a full checkout line into the same night, PayBee is what keeps all those moving parts together. Each winning bid and pledge stays tied to the right guest through checkout.
Are you still weighing up PayBee vs. Zeffy?
Book a PayBee demo with us today and see how your next gala could run from the first bid to the final payment.
Sources:
1 - https://mrbenchmarks.com/fundraising
2 - https://w.paybee.io/customer-success-stories/narika
3 - https://www.zeffy.com/home/about-us
4 - https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122193047528531211&set=a.122114569238531211
6 - https://www.capterra.com/p/220131/Zeffy/#Capterra___6364925
7 https://www.zeffy.com/home/auction?Auction
8 - https://word.nten.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-DMS-Study.pdf
9 https://www.g2.com/products/zeffy/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons&u#reviews
10 - https://www.capterra.com/p/197678/PayBee/reviews/
11 - https://healthysector.org/workforce/
12 - https://www.zeffy.com/case-studies/waggy-tail-rescue
13 - https://support.zeffy.com/zeffy-really-is-free-no-fees-no-catch-4zjir
14 - https://www.capterra.com/p/220131/Zeffy/#Capterra___6200960
15 - https://www.g2.com/products/zeffy/reviews/zeffy-review-13187525
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Jason DoneganJason is a seasoned technical writer and analyst. He loves all things niche websites, SEO, and digital marketing. In his free time, he is learning something new about this industry or sifting through domains for his next project.
