Comparison · Updated October 26, 2026
Donorbox vs Givebutter for nonprofit fundraising
Donorbox
B
Donorbox is a US donation and fundraising platform run by Rebel Idealist Inc., a Delaware corporation based in Alexandria, Virginia. Founder and CEO Charles Zhang started it in 2014 as a free WordPress donation plugin. It sells donation forms, fundraising and crowdfunding pages, peer-to-peer campaigns, event ticketing, memberships, a donor CRM, text-to-give and an in-person kiosk app. Donorbox does not process payments itself. Each organisation connects its own Stripe or PayPal account, donations land in that account, and Donorbox takes a platform fee on top of the processor's fee. As of October 2026 the free Standard plan charges a 2.95% platform fee on donation forms and pages and 3.95% on events, memberships and supporter peer-to-peer pages. Pro costs $150 a month and lowers those to 1.75% and 2%. Premium is quote-only, with platform fees of 1.6% to 2%. Processing is extra: Donorbox quotes 2.2% + 30 cents for US nonprofits on Stripe's discounted rate, and 2.9% + 30 cents for other organisations. Donors can choose to cover the fees. There is no contract or setup fee. Payouts follow the Stripe or PayPal schedule, every two business days by default for US Stripe accounts. In June 2026 Donorbox said more than 100,000 organisations had raised over $4 billion through it. Trustpilot shows a 4.3 TrustScore, but 26% of its 106 reviews are one-star.
Givebutter
B
Givebutter is a US fundraising and donor CRM platform run by Givebutter, Inc., whose executives are based in Austin, Texas, with an all-remote team. Max Friedman, Liran Cohen and Ari Krasner started it in 2016 while at college. It sells donation forms, fundraising pages, ticketed events, auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns, a donor CRM with email and text, a mobile app with Tap to Pay and card readers, and a Stripe-powered Wallet account with Visa spend cards. Every organisation is onboarded to a Stripe Connect account through Givebutter, and Givebutter sets the fees, holds campaign balances, approves payouts and handles disputes. As of October 2026, accounts created since 9 September 2025 have two choices per campaign. With donor tips switched on, Givebutter charges the organisation nothing: donors are asked to cover a 2.9% + 30 cent processing fee and to tip Givebutter, and under its Guarantee, Givebutter absorbs any processing fee they decline. With tips switched off, a flat 3% platform fee applies, plus 2.9% + 30 cents for cards (1.9% + 30 cents for ACH). Givebutter Plus adds automation and phone support from $29 a month billed annually. Payouts are withdrawn by hand and, according to the help centre, take 3 to 5 business days; the pricing page says 2 to 3. The tip model is under legal challenge: two proposed class actions filed in 2026 allege that Givebutter preselects tips and processing fees on donors' behalf without proper consent. Both are pending.
VS
Overview
We compare the two for a US nonprofit choosing an online donation platform, using each provider's published US pricing as of October 2026. For Donorbox we use the free Standard plan with Stripe at its discounted US nonprofit rate. For Givebutter we use Standard pricing, which every account opened since 9 September 2025 is on. The two are paid for in different ways. Donorbox charges the nonprofit a platform fee on every gift, 2.95% on donation forms and 3.95% on event tickets and memberships, and the organisation's own Stripe or PayPal account charges processing on top. The organisation can offer donors a box to cover both; on four of the six live forms we checked that showed it, the box was already ticked when the form loaded. Donorbox's pricing page, terms and help centre describe no donor tip to Donorbox, and none of the twelve live Donorbox forms we examined in October 2026 asked for one. Givebutter lets each campaign choose. With tips on, the nonprofit pays nothing on online gifts: donors are asked to cover a 2.9% + 30¢ processing fee and to tip Givebutter, and Givebutter covers any fee they decline under its Guarantee, which its terms make discretionary and capped. With tips off, the nonprofit pays a 3% platform fee plus 2.9% + 30¢. On a $100 card gift where the donor adds nothing, a nonprofit keeps $94.55 on Donorbox, and $100 on Givebutter with tips on or $93.80 with tips off. Givebutter includes auctions, text-to-donate and 24/7 chat support at no charge. Donorbox pays gifts into the nonprofit's own Stripe account every 2 business days and sells a self-serve kiosk app. Neither has a contract. Payment Review grades both B.
Key Takeaways
- ✓It depends on whether you are comfortable with donors being asked to tip. Givebutter with tips on costs the nonprofit nothing on online gifts. Donorbox's own pages and the live forms we checked show no tip to Donorbox, but it charges a published fee on every gift, and its box asking donors to cover fees is often ticked in advance.
- ✓On a $100 online card gift where the donor adds nothing, Donorbox Standard leaves $94.55 at Stripe's US nonprofit rate ($93.85 without it). Givebutter leaves $100 with tips on, through its discretionary and capped Guarantee, or $93.80 with tips off.
- ✓Givebutter is cheaper on online event tickets in either setting: 0% with tips on, or 3% + 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off, against Donorbox's 3.95% + processing on Standard. Givebutter also runs auctions and raffles and gives free text-to-donate. Donorbox has no auctions and charges $19 or $50 a month for text-to-give.
- ✓Donorbox pays out without anyone asking. Gifts settle into the nonprofit's own Stripe account and pay out every 2 business days. On Givebutter an admin requests each withdrawal, it is reviewed by hand and arrives in 3 to 5 business days by its help centre's count.
- ✓Givebutter offers more support: free 24/7 live chat and email, against email-only support at Donorbox. Givebutter also faces two pending proposed class actions over its tip checkout, with nothing proven.
Donorbox
Choose Donorbox if you do not want donors asked to tip a platform, want gifts to land in your own Stripe or PayPal account and pay out automatically, need a self-serve donation kiosk, or operate outside the US. Apply for Stripe's nonprofit rate and switch on the cover-fees option, or the fees run to about 5% of each gift, and check whether your form shows that box already ticked.
Givebutter
Choose Givebutter if you are comfortable with donors being asked to tip and want the nonprofit to pay nothing on online gifts, or if you run ticketed events, auctions, raffles or text-to-donate and want 24/7 chat support. Check what your checkout preselects, and expect to request each payout by hand.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
The two charge for the same service in opposite ways. Givebutter with tips on costs the nonprofit nothing on online gifts and tickets, and adds auctions, raffles, free text-to-donate and 24/7 chat support. The cost moves to donors, who are asked to tip Givebutter, and that checkout is the subject of two pending proposed class actions. Payouts must be requested and are reviewed by hand. Donorbox's pages and the live forms we checked show no tip to Donorbox, though its cover-fees box is often ticked in advance. It charges the nonprofit a published fee on every gift, about $5.45 on $100 at Stripe's nonprofit rate unless the donor covers it, and pays out automatically into the nonprofit's own Stripe account every 2 business days. With Givebutter's tips switched off, Donorbox is the cheaper of the two on donation forms. A nonprofit that is comfortable with a donor tip and runs events, auctions or text appeals will do better on Givebutter. One that wants no platform tip, its own processor account, automatic payouts or an unattended kiosk will prefer Donorbox.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
What the nonprofit pays (US, online, as of October 2026)
| Feature | Donorbox | Givebutter |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee on donation forms | 2.95% (Standard); 1.75% (Pro, $150/mo) | 0% with tips on; 3% with tips off |
| Donorbox's pricing page lists 2.95% on donation forms, fundraising pages, QuickDonate, organisation peer-to-peer and crowdfunding pages on the free Standard plan, 1.75% on Pro and 1.6% on Premium (price on request). Its platform fee is capped at $25 on any US ACH gift. Givebutter's pricing page lists 0% across all campaign types when tips are enabled and a flat 3% when they are disabled. Older Givebutter accounts on Legacy pricing pay different tips-off rates. Givebutter is cheaper with tips on and dearer with tips off, so we give no winner. | ||
| Card processing on online gifts | 2.2% + 30¢ (Stripe, nonprofit rate) | $0 with tips on; 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off |
| On Donorbox the nonprofit pays its own Stripe or PayPal account's rate. Donorbox's help centre lists Stripe at 2.2% + 30¢ (3.5% on American Express) and PayPal at 1.99% + 49¢ for registered US nonprofits, and Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢ for everyone else. Stripe grants the discount on application to registered nonprofits whose Stripe volume is at least 80% tax-deductible donations; ticket sales, memberships, registration fees and auction payments do not count towards that. Givebutter sets one rate for all organisations, 2.9% + 30¢ on cards and wallets and 1.9% + 30¢ on ACH for verified nonprofits, and lists no nonprofit discount. With tips on, Givebutter shows that fee to donors and covers any they decline. Its terms (effective 1 October 2026) call this a credit for transactions it deems eligible 'in its sole discretion', subject to caps published in account materials. | ||
| A $100 online card gift, donor adds nothing | $94.55 (Standard, Stripe nonprofit rate) | $100 (tips on); $93.80 (tips off) |
| Donorbox: $2.95 platform fee plus $2.50 Stripe fee ($2.20 + 30¢). Without Stripe's nonprofit discount the nonprofit keeps $93.85, and on Pro $95.75 before the $150 monthly subscription. Givebutter with tips off and fees absorbed: $3.00 platform fee plus $3.20 processing. Givebutter's $100 with tips on rests on its Guarantee, which does not cover card-reader or DAFpay payments, recurring plans begun before 9 September 2025, or tips-off campaigns. Either platform can pass the full $100 when the donor covers the fees; Givebutter with tips off can also require it. Givebutter is cheaper with tips on and dearer with tips off, so we give no winner. | ||
| A $50 online event ticket, buyer adds nothing | $3.38 (3.95% + Stripe nonprofit rate) | $0 (tips on); $3.25 (tips off) Winner |
| Donorbox Standard charges 3.95% on event ticketing, memberships and supporter peer-to-peer pages (2% on Pro), plus processing: $1.98 + $1.40 on a $50 ticket at Stripe's nonprofit rate. Ticket sales do not count towards Stripe's 80% donation threshold, so a ticket-heavy account may not keep that rate. Givebutter charges 0% on online tickets with tips on and 3% + 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off ($1.50 + $1.75). Givebutter is cheaper in both settings. Tickets sold in person through Givebutter's app always carry 3% + 2.9% + 30¢, even with tips on. | ||
| Monthly subscription | $0 Standard; Pro $150/mo | $0; Plus from $29/mo billed annually |
| Donorbox Standard is free; Pro costs $150 a month with a discount for yearly billing and lowers the platform fees; Premium is quote-only. Donorbox add-ons are billed monthly. Givebutter's core platform is free. Givebutter Plus is optional, priced by contact count at $29, $79 or $129 a month billed annually (or $33.80, $92.90 or $150.50 monthly), and leaves the tip and fee options unchanged. Both start at $0, so we give no winner. | ||
Platform fee on donation forms
Donorbox
2.95% (Standard); 1.75% (Pro, $150/mo)
Givebutter
0% with tips on; 3% with tips off
Donorbox's pricing page lists 2.95% on donation forms, fundraising pages, QuickDonate, organisation peer-to-peer and crowdfunding pages on the free Standard plan, 1.75% on Pro and 1.6% on Premium (price on request). Its platform fee is capped at $25 on any US ACH gift. Givebutter's pricing page lists 0% across all campaign types when tips are enabled and a flat 3% when they are disabled. Older Givebutter accounts on Legacy pricing pay different tips-off rates. Givebutter is cheaper with tips on and dearer with tips off, so we give no winner.
Card processing on online gifts
Donorbox
2.2% + 30¢ (Stripe, nonprofit rate)
Givebutter
$0 with tips on; 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off
On Donorbox the nonprofit pays its own Stripe or PayPal account's rate. Donorbox's help centre lists Stripe at 2.2% + 30¢ (3.5% on American Express) and PayPal at 1.99% + 49¢ for registered US nonprofits, and Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢ for everyone else. Stripe grants the discount on application to registered nonprofits whose Stripe volume is at least 80% tax-deductible donations; ticket sales, memberships, registration fees and auction payments do not count towards that. Givebutter sets one rate for all organisations, 2.9% + 30¢ on cards and wallets and 1.9% + 30¢ on ACH for verified nonprofits, and lists no nonprofit discount. With tips on, Givebutter shows that fee to donors and covers any they decline. Its terms (effective 1 October 2026) call this a credit for transactions it deems eligible 'in its sole discretion', subject to caps published in account materials.
A $100 online card gift, donor adds nothing
Donorbox
$94.55 (Standard, Stripe nonprofit rate)
Givebutter
$100 (tips on); $93.80 (tips off)
Donorbox: $2.95 platform fee plus $2.50 Stripe fee ($2.20 + 30¢). Without Stripe's nonprofit discount the nonprofit keeps $93.85, and on Pro $95.75 before the $150 monthly subscription. Givebutter with tips off and fees absorbed: $3.00 platform fee plus $3.20 processing. Givebutter's $100 with tips on rests on its Guarantee, which does not cover card-reader or DAFpay payments, recurring plans begun before 9 September 2025, or tips-off campaigns. Either platform can pass the full $100 when the donor covers the fees; Givebutter with tips off can also require it. Givebutter is cheaper with tips on and dearer with tips off, so we give no winner.
A $50 online event ticket, buyer adds nothing
Donorbox
$3.38 (3.95% + Stripe nonprofit rate)
Givebutter
$0 (tips on); $3.25 (tips off)
Winner
Donorbox Standard charges 3.95% on event ticketing, memberships and supporter peer-to-peer pages (2% on Pro), plus processing: $1.98 + $1.40 on a $50 ticket at Stripe's nonprofit rate. Ticket sales do not count towards Stripe's 80% donation threshold, so a ticket-heavy account may not keep that rate. Givebutter charges 0% on online tickets with tips on and 3% + 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off ($1.50 + $1.75). Givebutter is cheaper in both settings. Tickets sold in person through Givebutter's app always carry 3% + 2.9% + 30¢, even with tips on.
Monthly subscription
Donorbox
$0 Standard; Pro $150/mo
Givebutter
$0; Plus from $29/mo billed annually
Donorbox Standard is free; Pro costs $150 a month with a discount for yearly billing and lowers the platform fees; Premium is quote-only. Donorbox add-ons are billed monthly. Givebutter's core platform is free. Givebutter Plus is optional, priced by contact count at $29, $79 or $129 a month billed annually (or $33.80, $92.90 or $150.50 monthly), and leaves the tip and fee options unchanged. Both start at $0, so we give no winner.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
Nonprofit that does not want donors asked to tip a platform
Recommended
Donorbox
Donorbox's documentation and the live forms we checked show no donor tip, only a box to cover fees, which you can choose to offer and which some forms show already ticked. Givebutter can switch tips off, but then charges 3% plus 2.9% + 30¢, which leaves $93.80 from a $100 card gift against $94.55 on Donorbox Standard at Stripe's nonprofit rate.
Online donation campaign at the lowest cost to the nonprofit
Recommended
Givebutter
With tips on, Givebutter charges the nonprofit no platform or processing fee on online gifts and covers declined processing fees under its Guarantee, which its terms make discretionary and capped. Donorbox charges 2.95% plus processing unless donors leave or tick the cover-fees box.
Gala or school fundraiser with tickets, an auction, a raffle and text appeals
Recommended
Givebutter
Givebutter includes auctions, raffles and text-to-donate free, and charges less on online tickets in either tip setting. Donorbox has no auctions, charges 3.95% plus processing on tickets on Standard and sells text-to-give from $19 a month.
Church or museum wanting a donation kiosk in the lobby
Recommended
Donorbox
Donorbox Live Kiosk runs unattended on a tablet with a card reader and costs 1.75% + 2.7% + 5¢ per gift plus $80 a month. Givebutter's app takes payments on a staff member's phone or tablet and charges 3% + 2.9% + 30¢ per in-person gift, so the kiosk is cheaper above roughly 47 gifts of $100 a month.
Organisation that wants gifts in its own processor account with automatic payouts
Recommended
Donorbox
Donorbox says it never holds funds: gifts settle in the nonprofit's own Stripe or PayPal account, and Stripe pays out every 2 business days. On Givebutter, balances sit with Givebutter until an admin requests a withdrawal, which is approved by hand.
Nonprofit based outside the United States
Recommended
Donorbox
Donorbox works wherever Stripe or PayPal is available. Givebutter requires a US bank account and a US EIN or SSN and processes gifts in US dollars only.
Donorbox: Best for 4 use cases
Givebutter: Best for 2 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
It depends on Givebutter's tip setting. With tips on, Givebutter charges the nonprofit nothing on online gifts, so a $100 card gift arrives as $100, while Donorbox Standard leaves $94.55 at Stripe's US nonprofit rate unless the donor covers the fees. With tips off, Givebutter charges 3% plus 2.9% + 30¢, leaving $93.80, which is slightly worse than Donorbox. Givebutter is cheaper on online event tickets in either setting. This is as of October 2026.
Not that we could find. As of October 2026, Donorbox's pricing page, terms and help centre describe no tip to Donorbox, and none of the twelve live Donorbox donation forms we examined had a tip field. What donors may see is a box to cover the platform and processing fees, which the organisation chooses to offer; on four of the six forms we checked that offered it, the box was already ticked when the form loaded. Donorbox says it keeps only its platform fee from a covered amount. In May 2026 a law firm announced an investigation into Donorbox's tip and fee practices, but we found no filed federal case. Givebutter, by contrast, asks donors for a tip on any campaign that has tips switched on.
Yes, campaign by campaign. With tips off, Givebutter charges a 3% platform fee plus 2.9% + 30¢ on cards (1.9% + 30¢ on ACH for verified nonprofits), and you choose whether donors must cover the fees, may cover them, or never see them. Givebutter's Guarantee does not apply to tips-off campaigns.
On Donorbox, the nonprofit uses its own Stripe account and can apply to Stripe for the discount, which Donorbox lists as 2.2% + 30¢ in the US. Stripe requires registered nonprofit status and at least 80% of volume from tax-deductible donations; tickets, memberships and auction payments do not count. Givebutter sets a single 2.9% + 30¢ card rate for every organisation and lists no nonprofit discount, though with tips on the nonprofit does not pay it.
Donorbox does not hold funds. Stripe pays US accounts automatically every 2 business days, with the first payout taking about 7 days, and PayPal gifts arrive 2 to 3 business days after you withdraw them. On Givebutter, gifts become available after 48 to 72 hours, an admin requests a withdrawal, Givebutter approves it by hand, and it arrives in 3 to 5 business days by its help centre's count. Eligible verified nonprofits can pay 1.75% for an instant payout or ask for automated nightly payouts.
Givebutter includes auctions, raffles and text-to-donate at no charge, and its free app takes Tap to Pay or a $99 card reader at 3% plus 2.9% + 30¢ per payment. Donorbox has no auctions, sells text-to-give for $19 or $50 a month, and sells its Live Kiosk app from $80 a month, with a 1.75% platform fee plus Stripe's 2.7% + 5¢ per gift.
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