Giving days might be transformational fundraising moments — however provided that you’re not blindsided by charges after the very fact. Between platform charges, fee processing charges, month-to-month subscriptions, and add-ons, the “true price” of a giving day platform isn’t what the headline price suggests.
This put up breaks down 5 giving day platforms by how clear — and the way reasonably priced — their precise pricing is. We’ll transcend the marketed price to point out you what nonprofits truly pay per greenback raised. Should you’re nonetheless evaluating whether or not a giving day is the precise transfer in your group, try our information to operating a profitable giving day
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The 5 Most Clear Giving Day Platforms, Ranked
1. Mightycause
How Does Mightycause’s Pricing Examine for Giving Days?
Month-to-month price: $0
Platform charge: Capped at 1.99% + $0.49 per transaction (all-in)
Processing charge: Included within the all-in price above
Donor-covers-fees possibility: Sure — donors are requested to cowl an non-compulsory 7.9% + $0.30 at checkout
Mightycause leads on pricing transparency — and it’s not shut. There’s no month-to-month subscription, no per-seat cost, and no paywalled options. Per Mightycause’s official charge documentation, the platform charge is capped at 1.99% + $0.49 per transaction, which already consists of fee processing. You’ll by no means pay greater than that.
The donor-covers-fees possibility is a real differentiator. When enabled, donors are requested to cowl an non-compulsory charge at checkout — overlaying all platform and processing prices. If a donor opts in, the nonprofit receives 100% of the donation. Mightycause’s pricing assure additionally credit again any mixture charges above 1.99% + $0.49 per transaction earlier than disbursement, so that you’re protected even when donors don’t cowl
For giving days particularly, Mightycause presents totally branded occasion microsites, real-time leaderboards, peer-to-peer fundraising, devoted challenge administration help, and nonprofit coaching webinars — all included within the platform’s $0/month mannequin. Study extra about how Mightycause powers giving day occasions.
The underside line: What you see is what you pay. The charge cap is revealed, the assure is in writing, and the donor-covers-fees mannequin means most organizations maintain the total worth of each present.
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2. Zeffy
What Is Zeffy’s Pricing for Giving Days?
Month-to-month price: $0
Platform charge: 0%
Processing charge: Lined by Zeffy
Donor-covers-fees mannequin: Optionally available tip to Zeffy at checkout (see Zeffy’s charge mannequin defined)
Zeffy is a official zero-fee platform for nonprofits. It costs no platform charges and covers all fee processing prices. The way in which Zeffy sustains its mannequin is by presenting donors with an non-compulsory tip at checkout — donors can contribute to Zeffy’s operations, however it’s not required, and 100% of the donation nonetheless reaches your nonprofit regardless.
That mannequin works properly for basic fundraising. The caveat for giving days is that Zeffy isn’t purpose-built for large-scale, community-wide giving occasions the way in which Mightycause is. It lacks devoted giving day infrastructure like branded occasion microsites, real-time leaderboards throughout taking part nonprofits, giving day-specific challenge administration help, and matching present prize administration. It’s a robust match for smaller or mid-sized nonprofits that need $0 in charges on commonplace campaigns — much less so for neighborhood foundations or universities operating a coordinated giving day with dozens of taking part organizations.
The underside line: Genuinely free, and clear about the way it stays that means. Finest for basic fundraising; restricted giving day infrastructure.
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3. Donorbox
What Is Donorbox’s Pricing for Giving Days?
Month-to-month price: $0 (Normal) / $150/month (Professional) / Contact for Premium (Donorbox pricing)
Platform charge: 2.95%–3.95% (Normal) / 1.75%–2% (Professional) / 1.6%–2% (Premium)
Processing charge (Stripe nonprofit price): 2.2% + $0.30 — charged individually from platform charge
Mixed efficient price (Normal + Stripe): ~5.15%+ per transaction
Donor-covers-fees possibility: Sure
Right here’s the place issues get difficult. Donorbox’s Normal plan advertises a “free” entry level — however the platform charge and the fee processing charge are charged individually. On the Normal plan utilizing Stripe’s nonprofit price (2.2% + $0.30), you’re a mixed 5.15%+ per transaction earlier than any donor charge protection kicks in.
The donor-covers-fees checkbox is obtainable, and Donorbox notes that the majority donors decide in — which helps shut the hole. However the charge construction is extra advanced than a single all-in price, and that complexity makes apples-to-apples comparisons more durable. In style add-ons like Textual content-to-Give ($19–$50/month) and Stay Kiosk ($80/month for the primary system) may also elevate the efficient month-to-month price significantly, even on the “free” Normal plan.
The underside line: The marketed price is barely half the story. Stack the platform charge and processing charge collectively earlier than evaluating to different platforms.
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4. Funraise
What Is Funraise’s Pricing for Giving Days?
Month-to-month price: $0 (Necessities) / Beginning at $99/month (Premium plans, billed yearly) (Funraise pricing)
Platform charge: 5% (Necessities) / 0%–5% relying on Premium plan
Processing charge: 2.9% + $0.60 per card transaction (by way of Stripe/Funraise Funds)
Mixed efficient price (Necessities): ~7.9% + $0.60 earlier than donor charge protection
Common efficient price with donor protection: ~2.5% (Necessities) / ~0.8% (Premium plans)
Donor-covers-fees possibility: Sure (~90% of donors decide in, per Funraise’s pricing web page)
Funraise is a succesful, well-designed platform with stable occasion instruments, peer-to-peer fundraising, and a clear donor CRM. On paper, the $0 Necessities plan appears aggressive. In follow, the 5% platform charge plus 2.9% + $0.60 processing charge means the gross charge burden earlier than donor protection is shut to eight% per transaction — one of many larger charges on this checklist.
Funraise factors to its donor charge protection price (~90%) because the offset, and it’s a good level: if nearly all of your donors decide in, your common efficient price drops to roughly 2.5% on the free plan and 0.8% on Premium. That stated, the 5% platform charge is an actual publicity on any transaction the place donors don’t cowl — and on a high-volume giving day, that provides up. Notably, peer-to-peer fundraising is locked behind the paid Premium tier, which is a significant limitation for giving day-style occasions.
The underside line: Robust platform with revealed charge documentation. The Necessities charge price is larger than opponents — mannequin the total per-transaction price earlier than committing to this plan for a giving day.
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5. OneCause
What Is OneCause’s Pricing for Giving Days?
Month-to-month price: Not revealed for many plans (requires demo) (OneCause plans overview)
Pay-As-You-Go possibility: 5% charge on funds raised, beginning at $200 (capped — quantity disclosed upon request)
Annual subscription: Begins at $2,995/12 months (Skilled Public sale and Occasion package deal)
Processing charge: Not publicly disclosed
Donor-covers-fees possibility: Sure (“Cowl Prices” characteristic)
OneCause is a well-regarded platform with deep occasion fundraising options — auctions, dwell occasions, peer-to-peer, and Text2Give. However from a pricing transparency standpoint, it’s the least open on this checklist. Per OneCause’s plans web page, solely the Pay-As-You-Go possibility and the $2,995/12 months Skilled package deal are publicly disclosed. Subscription pricing for higher-tier plans requires a gross sales dialog, and fee processing charges aren’t listed publicly.
The Pay-As-You-Go plan is essentially the most accessible possibility: a 5% charge on funds raised, with a cap that OneCause will share upon request. For organizations that elevate $50,000 or extra yearly, OneCause recommends transferring to a flat annual subscription — however the price of most subscription tiers isn’t on the pricing web page.
OneCause is a robust selection for big occasions and multi-affiliate organizations with established gross sales relationships. But when pricing transparency is a precedence going right into a giving day, anticipate to spend time in gross sales conversations earlier than you understand what you’ll truly pay
The underside line: Highly effective platform, opaque pricing. Finest for established organizations snug with a sales-led shopping for course of.
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How Do These Giving Day Platforms Examine at a Look?
| Platform | Month-to-month Value | Platform Charge | Processing Charge | Clear Pricing? |
| Mightycause | $0 | Capped at 1.99% + $0.49 (all-in) | Included | Sure |
| Zeffy | $0 | 0% | Lined by Zeffy | Sure |
| Donorbox | $0–$150/month | 1.6%–3.95% | 2.2% + $0.30 (separate) | Partial |
| Funraise | $0–$99+/month | 0%–5% | 2.9% + $0.60 (separate) | Partial |
| OneCause | Not revealed | 5% (Pay-As-You-Go) | Not revealed | No |
Pricing displays publicly accessible info as of April 2026. At all times confirm present charges on every platform’s official pricing web page earlier than making a buying determination.
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Why Does Clear Pricing Matter for Giving Days?
Giving days are high-stakes, high-volume fundraising occasions. A shock charge construction on the finish of the day doesn’t simply harm your backside line — it erodes belief with taking part nonprofits and your donors. Selecting a platform that publishes its full pricing upfront helps you to plan precisely, set lifelike objectives, and talk truthfully with members.
Mightycause was constructed with that transparency in thoughts. Its pricing assure, all-in price cap, and donor-covers-fees mannequin are designed so nonprofits know precisely what they’ll maintain earlier than the primary donation is processed. For a deeper have a look at tips on how to construction and promote a giving day, discover Mightycause’s nonprofit fundraising sources.
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Able to see how Mightycause can energy your subsequent giving day? Request a free demo and discuss with a fundraising specialist in the present day.
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Steadily Requested Questions
What’s the distinction between a platform charge and a fee processing charge?
A platform charge is what the fundraising software program costs to be used of its instruments and infrastructure. A fee processing charge is what the underlying fee processor (like Stripe or PayPal) costs to maneuver cash. Some platforms — like Mightycause — bundle each right into a single all-in price capped at 1.99% + $0.49 per transaction. Others, like Donorbox and Funraise, cost them individually, which might make the true price considerably larger than the marketed platform charge alone.
How does the donor-covers-fees mannequin truly work?
When a nonprofit permits this selection, donors see a checkbox or immediate at checkout providing so as to add a small quantity to their donation to cowl processing prices. If the donor opts in, the nonprofit receives 100% of their meant present. Mightycause’s pricing assure goes a step additional: it credit again any mixture charges above 1.99% + $0.49 per transaction earlier than disbursement, so the nonprofit is protected even when some donors don’t cowl. See Mightycause’s charge documentation for full phrases.
Is a $0/month platform at all times one of the best deal for a giving day?
Not essentially. A $0 month-to-month charge is a superb start line, however the actual query is what you’re paying per transaction. A platform with no month-to-month charge however a 5% platform charge plus a 2.9% + $0.60 processing charge is significantly dearer than one with a capped all-in price of 1.99% + $0.49. For a giving day that raises $100,000, that distinction could possibly be $3,000–$7,000 in charges. At all times mannequin the total per-transaction price earlier than selecting a platform for a high-volume occasion. Study extra about planning your giving day with Mightycause.
