Givelify Fees Explained: 2.9% Per Donation vs Zeffy's 0%

Plus Givelify only handles donations. Zeffy includes ticketing, auctions, CRM, and email in one free platform.

Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits

Zeffy VS Givelify

Zeffy VS Givelify: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Pricing

Completely free. Always. But how? →

2.9%.

card fees per gift

Processing fees

$0 in credit card and transaction fees. Zeffy covers these. How? →

2.9% + $0.30.

per transaction (Visa, Mastercard, Discover); 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction (American Express)

Platform fees

Zeffy never takes a cut. Unlike platforms that skim 3–5%, you keep 100% of every donation.

$0.

No platform fees.

Monthly fees

0/month.

No subscriptions, no paywalls. Every org, big or small, gets full access for free.

$0.

No monthly fees.

Other fees

We've never charged a single cent to nonprofits and we never will.

$0.

No setup fees, no contracts, no ACH payment option available, all bank charges included in transaction fee.

Pricing transparency

10/10.

No platform fees, no credit card fees, no hidden fees, no fees period!

7/10.

Clear pricing page with fees listed upfront, but relies on support docs for complete fee details

Value for money

5/5.

450+ reviews on Capterra. All-in-one fundraising, zero fees, unbeatable value.

4.8/5.

Features

5/5.

No training needed. Built for busy nonprofit teams, not tech pros. Launch a campaign in under 30 minutes.

4.8/5.

Mobile-first donation app with limited tools - no events, memberships, or full fundraising suite

Donations

Donations without the cut. Custom forms, tax receipts, donor tracking — all fee-free.

Donation forms with mobile app for in-person giving - requires paid plan for custom branding and advanced features

Ticketing

Sell tickets, check in guests, track sales — and keep 100%. No fees. No fine print.

No event ticketing tools - designed for donations only, not event management or ticket sales

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Teams or individuals launch fundraising pages in minutes. Track progress, keep 100%. No fees.

No peer-to-peer fundraising - supporters cannot create personal campaigns or fundraising pages

Auctions

Run auctions without giving up a percentage. List items, track bids, collect payments — all fee-free.

No auction features - Givelify is a mobile-first donation app, not an event or auction platform

Raffles

Host online raffles and 50/50s. Track sales, set ticket limits, stay compliant — all without paying a cent.

No raffle or contest features - requires separate platform for drawings and prize management

Online Store

Skip the tool sprawl. Sell merch and manage your store in one place — no fees, no add-ons.

No online store or product sales - built for donations, not selling merchandise or event items

Memberships

Automate memberships with no per-member fees. Dues go straight to your org — perfect for clubs, alumni, and supporters.

Recurring giving only - no membership management, member portals, or tiered membership programs

Donor management/CRM

Ditch the expensive CRM. Track donations, send thank-yous, and build donor loyalty — all fee-free.

Basic donor data with giving history and contact info - limited segmentation and reporting tools

Emails & Newsletter

Manage contacts and send newsletters from the same place you fundraise. Unlimited sends, no fees.

Automated receipts and basic thank-you messages - no campaign builder or donor newsletters

Payment Processing

Accept donations, ticket sales, and payments — all 100% fee-free. No cuts, no hidden fees, ever.

First-party processing through Givelify with ACH and credit card options

Payment Methods

All-in-one fundraising: donations, events, memberships, email, and donor CRM — 100% free.

Credit cards and digital wallets available through the mobile app; no ACH/bank transfer support and no native card-reader Tap-to-Pay app.

Credit Card Payments

Accept all major credit cards with zero processing fees. Zeffy covers the cost — you keep 100% of every donation.

All major credit and debit cards accepted through mobile app and online giving platform.

Apple Pay & Google Pay

One-tap donations and tickets with Apple Pay & Google Pay. No fees, just smooth mobile checkouts.

Apple Pay and Google Pay supported through mobile app checkout for quick digital wallet donations.

ACH / Bank Transfers

Accept bank transfers with zero fees. Full donation amounts go straight to your mission.

No ACH bank transfers - card payments only, limiting options for large donors who prefer bank transfers.

Tap to Pay App

Anyone on your team can take payments from their phone. No card reader, no fees, no friction.

Mobile app enables in-person giving through QR codes and text-to-give - no card reader hardware needed.

Support

5/5.

Real humans, real fast. Free email and phone support — no bots, no paywalls, no runaround.

4.9/5.

Support built for churches primarily - limited expertise for secular nonprofits. Email and chat only, no phone support.

Help Center

Searchable help docs, video tutorials, and step-by-step guides — all free, all the time.

Yes - Complete help center with step-by-step guides, video tutorials, and nonprofit-specific resources

Email Support

Email us anytime. Most questions answered within hours — not days.

Email support available but response times can be slow during peak giving seasons

Phone Support

Need to talk? Call us. Real support from real people who understand nonprofits.

No phone support or scheduled calls available - email and chat support only

Onboarding

Get set up in under 30 minutes. No training required — but we're here if you need us.

Self-service onboarding only — no dedicated onboarding or scheduled setup calls

Community

Join thousands of nonprofits sharing tips, templates, and best practices.

No community forum or user groups available

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Calculate savings

How is Zeffy free?

Why Zeffy over Givelify?

Keep more of every donation without switching platforms

💰

Keep more of every donation without switching platforms

Givelify takes 2.9% per donation and only handles giving. Zeffy is 100% free and includes ticketing, auctions, CRM, and email in one place.

🧰

You need more than a donation app

Givelify handles mobile giving well, but you'll need other tools for events, memberships, and email campaigns. Zeffy gives you everything in one place.

🏦

Your donors deserve more payment options

Givelify only accepts card payments. Zeffy supports ACH bank transfers too, so major donors can give without paying high credit card fees on large gifts.

⚡

Get started in minutes, not months

Givelify requires paid plans for custom branding and advanced features. Zeffy gives you full control from day one, with no upgrades or paywalls to unlock what you need.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Givelify

How much does Zeffy cost compared to Givelify?

Zeffy is 100% free with no platform or processing fees. Givelify charges 2.9% plus $0.30 per donation. On $10,000 in donations, you'd keep everything with Zeffy but lose $320 to fees with Givelify.

Can I accept ACH bank transfers with Zeffy?

Yes. Zeffy supports ACH bank transfers so major donors can give directly from their bank accounts without credit card fees. Givelify only accepts card payments, which means higher costs for large gifts.

Does Zeffy include event ticketing and email tools?

Yes. Zeffy includes event ticketing, auctions, memberships, CRM, and email campaigns in one platform. Givelify only handles donations, so you'll need separate tools for events and donor communication.

How quickly can I start accepting donations with Zeffy?

You can launch your first donation form in minutes. Zeffy requires no setup fees, contracts, or waiting periods. Create your account, customize your form, and start accepting donations right away.

Does Zeffy serve all types of nonprofits?

Yes. Zeffy serves all types of nonprofits, from animal rescues to youth programs. Givelify was built primarily for churches, so their support and features reflect that focus.

How does Givelify make money if there's no monthly fee?

Givelify generates revenue through transaction fees of 2.9% + $0.30 on every donation. Zeffy covers all transaction costs through optional donor tips, so nonprofits keep 100% of what they raise.

Does Zeffy take a percentage of donations?

No. Zeffy never takes a percentage from donations. The platform is funded by optional tips donors can add at checkout, and nonprofits always receive the full donation amount.

How much would I save switching from Givelify to Zeffy?

A nonprofit raising $10,000 monthly would save about $3,480 annually by switching to Zeffy. Givelify's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction adds up quickly, while Zeffy charges zero fees.

Can I use Zeffy if my nonprofit isn't a church?

Yes. Zeffy serves all registered nonprofits including youth sports leagues, food banks, PTAs, and community organizations. Givelify was designed primarily for churches, so its features and support reflect that focus.

What's the catch with Zeffy being free?

There's no catch. Zeffy is funded by optional tips donors can choose to add when giving. Tips are never required, and nonprofits always keep 100% of donations with no platform, transaction, or credit card fees.

Still undecided?

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100,000+ nonprofits trust Zeffy — and keep their fees at $0.

For 7+ years, Zeffy has supported nonprofits with free, user-friendly fundraising tools.

As a startup nonprofit with only two members, and no funding (yet) we’d need something with low (or no) fees. Zeffy was a dream come true.

Masey, Loose Ends.

Read the full story

“We were incurring a ton of fees for our past fundraising platform and Zeffy has helped us receive so much more of our donations.”

Zeffy has been invaluable in helping me track our donors, sales, events, and revenue in one spot. The coolest thing about Zeffy is it really is free!

Everything about Zeffy suits us starting with (of course, NO fees) but also the ease of use and customer experience as well as their client support!!

Zeffy is very easy to use and ensures that every dollar quickly gets into our account.. A huge help to our work!

Zeffy is very simple, allows for a lot of customization and seamlessly integrates into our website. The fact that all of this is free is still wild to me.

We couldn't believe there was a free payment platform for our Girl Scout group. Zeffy took ZERO fees from us, which is huge when you run on very small amounts of money.

We were ready to sell tickets in less than 30 minutes. The reporting capabilities were better than some other paid-for sites.

Since using Zeffy, our conversion rate of donations has skyrocketed. It's an easy platform to use. Plus customer support has always been responsive and helpful!