Nonprofits raised $592.5 billion in 2024, with total giving rising year over year. Online fundraising — encompassing auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns, events, days of giving, and more — fuels purpose-driven organizations in every corner of the U.S. To power their missions, nonprofit organizations rely on fundraising platforms to connect with donors and drive giving.
What Is a Fundraising Platform?
A fundraising platform is an online set of tools, such as GiveSmart, that enables donors to securely give to nonprofits, individuals, and other organizations as they raise money to support their constituents and mission.
Fundraising platforms offer a range of features, including online giving and payments, silent auctions, ticketing, peer-to-peer fundraising, crowdfunding, raffles, and text-to-donate options. Some all-in-one fundraising platforms offer all of these features, as well as donor management tools and integrations.
Choosing the right fundraising platform can have a big impact on your revenue goals. Consider the following when choosing your fundraising platform:
- The feature set allows you to run your current fundraising campaigns, as well as add more as you scale and grow.
- Integrations that support the marketing, communications, streaming, and financial reporting and accounting that you need to keep things running well.
- Professional services, implementation, and support teams that offer live help outside of 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Secure giving that doesn’t just meet minimal compliance requirements but puts your donors’ fraud protection top of mind.
- Digital wallet payment options, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, allow donors to quickly and securely give.
- Pricing transparency that assures security, development, and support teams are best-in-class, without the surprise add-on fees that plague some fundraising platforms.
Best Accounting Software: Top Picks by Use Case
- Best All-in-One Fundraising Platform — GiveSmart by Momentive Software
- Best Crowdfunding Fundraising Platform — GoFundMe
- Best “Free” Fundraising Platform — betterworld
- Best Matching Gift Fundraising Platform — Double the Donation
- Best Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platform — FunRaise
- Best Registration Fundraising Platform — Regpack
- Best Text-to-Donate Fundraising Platform — OneCause
- Best T-Shirt Fundraising Platform — Bonfire
Best All-in-One Fundraising Platform
GiveSmart by Momentive Software
Overview
GiveSmart offers comprehensive fundraising software designed to help nonprofits manage more with tools for donations, events, auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns, and donor data all in one platform.
Built for organizations of any size, it streamlines fundraising management, eliminates manual work, and helps teams focus on what matters most—growing impact and engagement.
Key Features
- Customizable and mobile-friendly fundraising pages that engage donors with auctions, raffles, sales, paddle raises, golf events, GivingTuesday, recurring giving, and more!
- Peer-to-peer fundraising for individuals and teams, with easy sign-ups and unique text-to-donate keywords
- Enhanced dashboard and reporting on donations, donors, events, and campaigns
- Excellent extended-hours customer service, implementation services, live event support, and a help center that ensures your team makes a bigger impact on your mission
Reviews
Nonprofit professionals value GiveSmart for its ease of use, security, reliability, and responsive support team. Users consistently mention the time savings gained from managing multiple fundraising activities in one system and the peace of mind that comes with dependable technology.
Benefits
- Streamlines complex fundraising workflows across events, campaigns, and donor management
- Enhances donor engagement through secure, easy digital wallet payments, interactive, and mobile-friendly experiences
- Increases fundraising with data-driven insights and automated tools
- Unlimited ticketing, campaigns, recurring giving, events, and users allow your team to scale fundraising without costly add-ons and additional tools
- Saves administrative time and reduces costs by offering an award-winning all-in-one fundraising platform
Pricing
GiveSmart offers one comprehensive fundraising plan, with all features, unlimited users, and unlimited campaigns and events included.
GiveSmart does not charge transaction or ticketing fees. No need to build complicated à la carte packages and get nickeled and dimed by extra fees— with GiveSmart, you’re empowered to try every tool to bring on better for your mission.
Why We Picked It
We recommend GiveSmart by Momentive Software for nonprofits, associations, and schools looking for an all-in-one fundraising and donor management platform that empowers better fundraising.
Best Crowdfunding Fundraising Platform
GoFundMe
Overview
GoFundMe is a well-known crowdfunding platform commonly used by individuals, small groups, and community initiatives to raise money for personal or local projects. Its straightforward setup makes it an often-used option for short-term or one-time fundraising efforts rather than for nonprofit organizations needing tools for scaling annual fundraising campaigns.
Key Features
- User-friendly campaign creation and setup
- Integrated social sharing tools
- Easy donation tracking and public update message board
- Fast payout options directly to individual crowdfunders
Reviews
Users report that GoFundMe is accessible, offers quick setup, and makes it easy to share crowdfunding campaigns on social media. However, many nonprofits note limited customization, limited data control, and problematic fees and setup costs compared to dedicated fundraising platforms.
Benefits
- Enables fundraising for urgent or small-scale needs
- Ideal for personal, emergency, or local community campaigns
- Broad audience reach due to brand recognition
Pricing
GoFundMe does not charge a platform fee in the U.S. for individual crowdfunders but collects a 2.9% payment processing fee plus $0.30 per transaction. While it may work for casual users, nonprofits with larger or annual campaigns may find the lack of donor data integration and reporting tools limiting.
Why We Picked It
GoFundMe offers accessible tools that individual users need to raise funds for personal needs, and social sharing helps them achieve their crowdfunding goals. For nonprofit organizations seeking a more comprehensive, branded, and data-driven fundraising experience, a dedicated fundraising platform like GiveSmart offers far greater long-term value and scalability.
Best “Free” Fundraising Platform
BetterWorld
Overview
BetterWorld positions itself as a no-cost fundraising platform, offering tools like donation pages and auctions with no platform fees for some plans. Its appeal lies in affordability and simplicity, though the tradeoff is limited customization, features, reporting, and additional fees compared to full-featured systems.
Key Features
- No platform fees for the most basic fundraising tools
- Straightforward campaign setup and navigation
- Support for donations, auctions, and raffles
Reviews
Small nonprofits and first-time fundraisers appreciate BetterWorld’s simplicity and free tools. More advanced users often cite the lack of automation, integrations, and professional-grade analytics as barriers to growth and goal achievement.
Benefits
- Free to use for one plan, making it a good budget-conscious fundraisers
- Lowers entry barriers for small or new organizations
- Provides flexible fundraising options
Pricing
BetterWorld charges 0% platform fees for some plans, but standard transaction costs of 2.9% plus an additional $0.30 per donation are applied. Paid add-ons are required for premium support and advanced customization.
Why We Picked It
BetterWorld is a good entry-level choice. Established nonprofits looking for scalability, automation, and data insights will benefit more from all-in-one solutions like this fundraising software, which offers advanced donation options, fundraising campaigns, event management, and reporting in one system.
Best Matching Gift Fundraising Platform
Double the Donation
Overview
Double the Donation helps nonprofits increase revenue by simplifying the corporate matching gift process. Its tools make it easy for donors to determine if their employer offers matching donations and automate the submission process, significantly boosting matched gift revenue with minimal administrative effort.
Key Features
- Automated employer matching gift database and search
- Step-by-step guidance for donors to complete match requests
- Integrations with major donation and CRM platforms (including GiveSmart)
- Real-time tracking of match submission status
Reviews
Nonprofits consistently praise Double the Donation for increasing their matching gift revenue and saving staff time. Many users highlight how automation replaces manual tracking and follow-up, allowing fundraising teams to focus on donor engagement instead of administrative work.
Benefits
- Increases revenue by unlocking untapped matching funds
- Reduces manual data entry and repetitive outreach
- Enhances donor experience through automated guidance and confirmation
Pricing
Double the Donation offers three plans:
- Essentials: For organizations with less than $500,000 in revenue, fees from $300-$1,200 annually
- Standard: Offering the best in functionality, this enhanced plan starts at $999 annually
- Enterprise: For large organizations requiring advanced features and customization, this plan starts at $30,000 annually
Why We Picked It
It’s an excellent add-on for nonprofits, but many organizations can find a Double the Donation integration within an all-in-one fundraising software like GiveSmart—eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions.
Best Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platform
FunRaise
Overview
FunRaise provides peer-to-peer fundraising tools designed for nonprofits that rely on supporter-driven campaigns. It enables donors to create personalized fundraising pages, share stories, and collect contributions on behalf of an organization—while offering staff analytics and automation features.
Key Features
- Peer-to-peer campaign creation and supporter management
- Branded, mobile-optimized donation forms and pages
- Support for recurring and one-time donations
- Built-in CRM and donor insights dashboard
Reviews
Users appreciate FunRaise’s clean design, flexibility, and built-in tools for communications and tracking. Many note its modern UX and social sharing capabilities, though some mention it can be cost-prohibitive.
Benefits
- Empowers supporters to fundraise on behalf of your mission
- Expands reach and visibility through built-in social tools
- Reduces staff workload with automation and recurring giving workflows
Pricing
FunRaise offers tiered, usage-based pricing plans:
- Essentials*: $0/month, 5% platform fees, 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- Premium Plans: *: $99/month, 0%-5% platform fees, 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
* limited features
Why We Picked It
FunRaise offers a good platform for peer-driven campaigns, GiveSmart’s fundraising software provides a more comprehensive suite—combining peer-to-peer fundraising, event management, donor tracking, and reporting into one ecosystem for a unified, scalable solution.
Best Registration Fundraising Platform
Regpack
Overview
Regpack is built for organizations running registration-based events such as conferences, races, and certain fundraisers. Its platform simplifies attendee management, automates payment collection, and provides flexible tools for customizing registration to fit different event types and audience sizes.
Key Features
- Advanced registration workflows and group registration options
- Integrated payment processing
- Custom forms and ticket types
- Attendee data management and analytics
- Automation for confirmations, reminders, and receipts
Reviews
Event organizers value Regpack for its customization and ability to handle complex registrations. Users highlight the flexibility of its forms, detailed reporting, and the ability to manage large numbers of registrants.
Benefits
- Streamlines registration and payment collection
- Centralizes attendee and transaction data
- Saves staff time through automation and integrated communications
Pricing
Regpack offers three plans, with features and limitations on e-mails, integrations, and other tools. Payment processing fees vary.
Why We Picked It
While Regpack is a good choice for organizations focused solely on event registration, GiveSmart offers broader functionality, combining registration, fundraising, auctions, and donor management into a single seamless solution.
Best Text-to-Donate Fundraising Platform
OneCause
Overview
OneCause offers a text-to-donate platform. Its mobile-first tools simplify giving, enabling donors to contribute instantly during live events on any device.
Key Features
- Simple setup for text-to-give campaigns
- Custom short codes and branded donation pages
- Real-time reporting and performance analytics
Reviews
Fundraising professionals like OneCause for its text-to-donate ease of use. Many note its reliability and responsive customer support.
Benefits
- Increases donation frequency by enabling instant mobile giving
- Enhances event engagement
- Works across in-person, hybrid, and virtual settings
Pricing
OneCause offers three plans, and pricing varies widely by feature set, campaign type, and usage.
Why We Picked It
Although OneCause is strong for mobile giving, GiveSmart offers an integrated experience—combining text-to-donate, event management, peer-to-peer fundraising, and donor tracking in a single platform that is standard across all of its plans.
Best T-Shirt Fundraising Platform
Bonfire
Overview
Bonfire makes it easy for nonprofits and individuals to raise funds through custom apparel campaigns. The platform manages every step of production, fulfillment, and shipping—letting organizations focus entirely on design and promotion while earning a portion of each sale.
Key Features
- Simple custom apparel design tools for t-shirts, hoodies, and more
- On-demand printing with no upfront inventory costs
- Automatic production, shipping, and customer support
- Campaign tracking and sales analytics dashboard
Reviews
Users love Bonfire for its quality merchandise, intuitive campaign setup, and hands-off fulfillment. It’s particularly popular with small nonprofits, schools, and cause-based groups looking for low-risk fundraising opportunities.
Benefits
- Generates funds with no upfront cost or inventory management
- Expands awareness through wearable merchandise
- Provides transparent sales reporting and fast payouts
Pricing
Bonfire does not charge setup fees—its costs are built into each product’s base price, and payouts vary depending on sales volume.
Additional discounts are available for verified nonprofits.
Why We Picked It
While Bonfire is excellent for one-off apparel campaigns, nonprofits looking to combine merchandise sales with auctions, event registration, and donation tracking will find GiveSmart a more scalable, all-in-one fundraising platform.
Future of Online Fundraising
The right fundraising platform can make all the difference in how efficiently and effectively your organization reaches its goals. Whether you’re hosting events, launching peer-to-peer campaigns, managing matching gifts, or running online auctions, the right tools simplify operations, engage donors, and maximize impact.
As fundraising becomes increasingly digital, nonprofits that embrace AI-driven insights, mobile-first giving, and integrated platforms like GiveSmart by Momentive Software are best positioned to achieve their goals. With unified tools, automation, and data-backed strategies, organizations can focus more on building donor relationships and moving their missions forward.
FAQ
What Is the Best Fundraising Software?
The best fundraising software depends on your organization’s size, goals, and event needs. For nonprofits seeking an all-in-one solution, GiveSmart by Momentive Software stands out for combining event management, auctions, peer-to-peer fundraising, and donor tracking in one easy-to-use platform.
Which Platform Is Best for Fundraising?
For professional fundraising and long-term donor engagement, GiveSmart is one of the top-rated platforms. It supports virtual, hybrid, and in-person events and includes built-in analytics, text-to-donate tools, and real-time reporting.
What Is the 80/20 Rule in Fundraising?
The 80/20 rule—also called the Pareto Principle—states that roughly 80% of your fundraising revenue comes from 20% of your donors. Successful nonprofits use this insight to focus on cultivating major donors while still nurturing broader community support.
What Are People Using Instead of GoFundMe?
Yes. While GoFundMe is great for quick, personal campaigns, GiveSmart and BetterWorld offer more comprehensive tools for nonprofits, allowing for branded donation pages, data analytics, and peer-to-peer fundraising.
Is There a Better Alternative to GoFundMe?
GoFundMe charges a 2.9% payment processing fee plus $0.30 per donation, meaning you’ll pay around $29–$35 in fees on a $1,000 campaign. The remainder goes directly to the fundraiser.
What Fundraising Site Has No Fees?
BetterWorld is one of the few platforms that offers 0% platform fees, though standard credit card processing fees (about 2.2%–2.9%) still apply. Free platforms are great for smaller campaigns but may lack advanced reporting or support.
Is JustGiving or GoFundMe Better?
Both are widely used, but GoFundMe tends to perform better for personal causes, while JustGiving is more popular with registered charities and international campaigns. Nonprofits seeking deeper analytics and event integration should consider GiveSmart.
Which Fundraising Platform Is Free?
BetterWorld and Facebook Fundraisers both offer no-fee fundraising options, though their features are limited. For professional fundraising, investing in a platform like GiveSmart ensures more control and better donor engagement.
Which Fundraiser Platform Is Best?
Overall, GiveSmart by Momentive Software ranks among the best due to its all-in-one design, ease of use, and proven results for nonprofits and associations. It simplifies fundraising management and improves ROI through automation and analytics.
What Is the Rule of 7 in Fundraising?
The Rule of 7 suggests that a donor typically needs to see or interact with your organization at least seven times before deciding to give. Consistent communication across email, social media, and events helps build that trust.
Is GoFundMe or Spotfund Better?
Spotfund offers faster mobile experiences and focuses more on micro-donations, while GoFundMe has broader brand recognition. For structured nonprofit fundraising, however, platforms like GiveSmart offer far more scalability.
What Is the Best Fundraiser to Make the Most Money?
Fundraising event ideas that combine auctions, sponsorships, and peer-to-peer fundraising tend to raise the most money. Using an integrated platform like GiveSmart helps maximize these opportunities by managing everything from event registration to donor follow-up.
What Is the Best AI Tool for Fundraising?
AI tools like Fundraising KIT, DonorSearch AI, and Momentive’s AI-driven analytics help nonprofits identify high-value donors and personalize outreach. However, platforms like GiveSmart are beginning to integrate similar predictive features directly into their fundraising ecosystem.
What Is the Best Funding App?
For mobile-friendly giving, GiveSmart provides secure, easy-to-use apps for donations, auctions, and event check-ins. It is ideal for nonprofit organizations running galas, campaigns, or hybrid events.
Which Is the Best Funding Platform?
The best overall funding platform for nonprofits is GiveSmart. It combines online giving, event registration, auctions, peer-to-peer fundraising, and donor management—all within one powerful, scalable system built for mission-driven organizations.
