Comparison · Updated October 21, 2026
Zeffy vs Givebutter for nonprofit fundraising
Zeffy
B
Zeffy (called Simplyk until April 2022) is a Montreal-based fundraising platform for nonprofits. It runs donation forms, event ticketing, raffles, auctions, memberships, online stores, a donor CRM and a Tap to Pay phone app. It charges the nonprofit nothing: no platform fee, no card fee and no subscription, and the organisation receives 100% of each gift. Zeffy pays the card processing costs itself and earns its money from an optional contribution, or tip, that donors are asked to add at checkout. That tip is pre-selected. In our October 2026 test on a live US form, a $50 gift came with a 17% ($8.50) contribution already chosen, and a $500 gift with 11% ($54.95). Donors can lower it or set it to zero through an 'Other' option, but the nonprofit cannot change the suggested amounts. Payments run on Stripe: each organisation gets its own Stripe connected account under Zeffy's platform. Payouts go out weekly on Mondays by default. Zeffy is open only to nonprofits and eligible public-benefit organisations, and this review covers its US (USD) and Canadian (CAD) offer. Donor reviews are strongly positive, but the most persistent complaint is donors who did not notice the pre-selected tip.
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 Payouts are withdrawn by hand and, according to the help centre, take 3 to 5 business days; the pricing page says 2 to 3.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 a fundraising platform, using each provider's published US pricing as of October 2026. For Givebutter we use Standard pricing, which every account opened since 9 September 2025 is on. Both platforms are paid for mainly by donor tips, not by fees taken from the nonprofit, and both run payments through Stripe accounts set up under their own platform. Zeffy has only one setting. The nonprofit pays nothing on any form, online or in person, and Zeffy pays the card fees itself. Donors are asked for an optional contribution to Zeffy at checkout. The amount is pre-selected, the nonprofit cannot change it or turn it off, and the donor can lower it to $0. Givebutter lets each campaign choose. With tips on, the nonprofit pays no platform or processing fee on online gifts. Donors are asked to cover a 2.9% + 30¢ processing fee and to tip Givebutter, and if they decline the fee, Givebutter covers it under its Guarantee, a discretionary credit subject to caps shown in the account. With tips off, the nonprofit pays a 3% platform fee plus 2.9% + 30¢ on a card, about $6.20 on a $100 gift, unless donors cover it. The two differ most on in-person and auction payments. Givebutter charges 3% plus processing on in-app payments and on auction items charged to a saved card whatever the tip setting, while Zeffy charges nothing. Givebutter offers more tools and more support: 24/7 chat and email, text-to-donate and a $99 card reader. Neither has a contract. Payment Review grades both B.
Key Takeaways
- ✓It depends on what you value. Zeffy costs the nonprofit nothing on every kind of payment. Givebutter costs nothing on online gifts with tips on, gives you more control over what donors see, and comes with more tools and round-the-clock support.
- ✓On a $100 online card gift where the donor declines every extra, both platforms pass the full $100 to the nonprofit: Zeffy always, and Givebutter on a tips-on campaign through its Guarantee, which its terms make discretionary and subject to caps. With tips off, Givebutter charges 3% + 2.9% + 30¢, leaving $93.80 unless the donor covers the fees.
- ✓Zeffy is cheaper in person and at auctions. Its Tap to Pay app is free to use. Givebutter charges 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 3% platform fee on in-person payments, and on auction items charged to a bidder's saved card, whatever the tip setting.
- ✓Both platforms ask donors to tip. Zeffy pre-selects a contribution that the nonprofit cannot change or switch off. Givebutter lets a campaign switch tips off in return for the 3% fee. Truth in Advertising reported in June 2026 that one Givebutter form it examined added a 15% tip automatically, and two proposed class actions over Givebutter's checkout are pending, with nothing proven.
- ✓Givebutter offers more around the edges: free 24/7 live chat and email support, free text-to-donate and a $99 card reader that also works with tablets. Zeffy offers chat and email daily from 9am to 5pm ET, and takes in-person card payments only through its phone app.
Zeffy
Choose Zeffy if you want the nonprofit to pay nothing on every gift, ticket, auction item and in-person payment, with payouts that arrive weekly without you doing anything, and you are comfortable with donors seeing a pre-selected contribution to Zeffy that you cannot change.
Givebutter
Choose Givebutter if you want to decide campaign by campaign whether donors are asked to tip, need text-to-donate, a card reader or 24/7 support, or want paid CRM automation through Givebutter Plus. Keep tips on for online campaigns, because with tips off you pay about 6% of each card gift.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
Both platforms ask donors to pay the platform, so on an ordinary online gift both can pass the full amount to the nonprofit. The difference is in the details. Zeffy is never more expensive for the organisation, and is cheaper wherever Givebutter charges. Auctions and in-person Tap to Pay payments are free, payouts arrive weekly without anyone requesting them, and QuickBooks sync costs nothing. The trade-off is that its pre-selected donor contribution cannot be changed or turned off. Givebutter gives the organisation more control and more service. Each campaign can turn tips off, and there is 24/7 chat and email support, free text-to-donate, a card reader and an optional paid CRM tier. It charges 3% plus processing on in-app payments and on saved-card auction charges, and on everything else once tips are off. A nonprofit that runs galas, auctions or in-person events and wants to keep every dollar will do better on Zeffy. One that wants to decide what donors are asked, or needs text-to-donate, a card reader or round-the-clock help, will prefer Givebutter.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
What the nonprofit pays (US, as of October 2026)
| Feature | Zeffy | Givebutter |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee on online gifts | 0% | 0% with tips on; 3% with tips off |
| Zeffy's pricing page reads "No transaction fees. No platforms fees. No fees period." Givebutter's pricing page lists 0% platform fees across all campaign types when tips are on, and a flat 3% when they are off. Older Givebutter accounts on Legacy pricing pay 1% to 5% with tips off, depending on campaign type. Givebutter can match Zeffy's 0%, so we give no winner. | ||
| Card processing on online gifts | $0 (Zeffy pays Stripe) | $0 with tips on; 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off |
| Zeffy says it covers all card and transaction fees. With tips on, Givebutter shows donors a 2.9% + 30¢ fee they can choose to cover, and covers any fee they decline under the Givebutter Guarantee. Givebutter's terms (effective 1 October 2026) call the Guarantee a credit applied to transactions it deems eligible "in its sole discretion", subject to caps that "may include monthly or aggregate maximums", and say Givebutter may suspend an account's participation, for example for encouraging donors not to cover fees. The caps are published in account materials, not on the pricing page. The Guarantee does not cover payment methods that do not support tips, recurring plans that began before 9 September 2025, or tips-off campaigns. With tips off, Givebutter charges 2.9% + 30¢ on cards and wallets, and 1.9% + 30¢ on ACH for verified nonprofits. | ||
| A $100 online card gift, donor adds nothing | $100 to the nonprofit | $100 (tips on); $93.80 (tips off) |
| Givebutter's $100 with tips on rests on the Guarantee, which is discretionary and capped (see above). Givebutter with tips off, nonprofit absorbing fees: $3.00 platform fee plus $3.20 processing ($2.90 + 30¢). With tips off, a Givebutter campaign can also require donors to cover the fees, and the nonprofit then receives $100. Zeffy's help centre says that if an organisation raises very large card amounts with few donor contributions, Zeffy may set a temporary card limit on the form and steer larger gifts to bank transfer. Zeffy describes this as extremely rare. | ||
| In-person card payments | $0 (Tap to Pay app) Winner | 2.9% + 30¢ plus 3% platform fee |
| Zeffy's Tap to Pay app is free and Zeffy covers the transaction fees. Givebutter's help centre says payments taken in its app, by Tap to Pay or card reader, are charged 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 3% platform fee (1% on Legacy pricing). Tickets sold in the app carry the same 3% (5% on Legacy) even when tips are on. The organisation can add the fee to the donor's total. The Guarantee does not cover these payments. On a $100 in-person gift where the nonprofit absorbs the fee, Givebutter costs $6.20. | ||
| Auction items charged to a bidder's saved card | $0 Winner | 3% plus 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Givebutter's Standard pricing article says that auto-charging, or charging a bidder's saved card from the dashboard, always incurs the 3% platform fee (5% on Legacy) plus processing, whatever the tip setting. Only bidder-paid invoices qualify for the tips-on waiver. Zeffy runs auctions at no cost to the nonprofit. | ||
| Monthly subscription | $0 (one free plan) | $0; Plus from $29/mo billed annually |
| Zeffy has a single free plan with every feature. Givebutter's core platform is free. Givebutter Plus is optional and is priced by contact count: $29, $79 or $129 a month billed annually ($348, $948 or $1,548 a year) for up to 250, 1,000 or 2,500 contacts, or $33.80, $92.90 or $150.50 billed monthly. It adds workflows, outbound texting, QuickBooks Online sync and phone support, and has a 30-day free trial. Both start at $0, so we give no winner. | ||
Platform fee on online gifts
Zeffy
0%
Givebutter
0% with tips on; 3% with tips off
Zeffy's pricing page reads "No transaction fees. No platforms fees. No fees period." Givebutter's pricing page lists 0% platform fees across all campaign types when tips are on, and a flat 3% when they are off. Older Givebutter accounts on Legacy pricing pay 1% to 5% with tips off, depending on campaign type. Givebutter can match Zeffy's 0%, so we give no winner.
Card processing on online gifts
Zeffy
$0 (Zeffy pays Stripe)
Givebutter
$0 with tips on; 2.9% + 30¢ with tips off
Zeffy says it covers all card and transaction fees. With tips on, Givebutter shows donors a 2.9% + 30¢ fee they can choose to cover, and covers any fee they decline under the Givebutter Guarantee. Givebutter's terms (effective 1 October 2026) call the Guarantee a credit applied to transactions it deems eligible "in its sole discretion", subject to caps that "may include monthly or aggregate maximums", and say Givebutter may suspend an account's participation, for example for encouraging donors not to cover fees. The caps are published in account materials, not on the pricing page. The Guarantee does not cover payment methods that do not support tips, recurring plans that began before 9 September 2025, or tips-off campaigns. With tips off, Givebutter charges 2.9% + 30¢ on cards and wallets, and 1.9% + 30¢ on ACH for verified nonprofits.
A $100 online card gift, donor adds nothing
Zeffy
$100 to the nonprofit
Givebutter
$100 (tips on); $93.80 (tips off)
Givebutter's $100 with tips on rests on the Guarantee, which is discretionary and capped (see above). Givebutter with tips off, nonprofit absorbing fees: $3.00 platform fee plus $3.20 processing ($2.90 + 30¢). With tips off, a Givebutter campaign can also require donors to cover the fees, and the nonprofit then receives $100. Zeffy's help centre says that if an organisation raises very large card amounts with few donor contributions, Zeffy may set a temporary card limit on the form and steer larger gifts to bank transfer. Zeffy describes this as extremely rare.
In-person card payments
Zeffy
$0 (Tap to Pay app)
Winner
Givebutter
2.9% + 30¢ plus 3% platform fee
Zeffy's Tap to Pay app is free and Zeffy covers the transaction fees. Givebutter's help centre says payments taken in its app, by Tap to Pay or card reader, are charged 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 3% platform fee (1% on Legacy pricing). Tickets sold in the app carry the same 3% (5% on Legacy) even when tips are on. The organisation can add the fee to the donor's total. The Guarantee does not cover these payments. On a $100 in-person gift where the nonprofit absorbs the fee, Givebutter costs $6.20.
Auction items charged to a bidder's saved card
Zeffy
$0
Winner
Givebutter
3% plus 2.9% + 30¢
Givebutter's Standard pricing article says that auto-charging, or charging a bidder's saved card from the dashboard, always incurs the 3% platform fee (5% on Legacy) plus processing, whatever the tip setting. Only bidder-paid invoices qualify for the tips-on waiver. Zeffy runs auctions at no cost to the nonprofit.
Monthly subscription
Zeffy
$0 (one free plan)
Givebutter
$0; Plus from $29/mo billed annually
Zeffy has a single free plan with every feature. Givebutter's core platform is free. Givebutter Plus is optional and is priced by contact count: $29, $79 or $129 a month billed annually ($348, $948 or $1,548 a year) for up to 250, 1,000 or 2,500 contacts, or $33.80, $92.90 or $150.50 billed monthly. It adds workflows, outbound texting, QuickBooks Online sync and phone support, and has a 30-day free trial. Both start at $0, so we give no winner.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
School, PTA or club fundraiser with tickets, an auction and in-person sales
Recommended
Zeffy
Zeffy charges nothing on tickets, auctions or in-person Tap to Pay payments. Givebutter charges 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 3% platform fee on in-person payments and on auction items charged to a saved card, even with tips on.
Nonprofit that does not want donors asked to tip a platform
Recommended
Givebutter
Givebutter lets you switch tips off on any campaign and pay a published 3% platform fee plus processing instead, with the option to ask or require donors to cover it. On Zeffy the pre-selected contribution is always shown, and you cannot change it.
Online-only donation campaign at the lowest cost
Both pass the full gift to the nonprofit on an online card donation: Zeffy always, and Givebutter on a tips-on campaign through its Guarantee, which its terms make discretionary and subject to account caps. Compare the two checkouts as a donor would before choosing.
Church or venue that wants text-to-give or a card reader at the door
Recommended
Givebutter
Givebutter offers free text-to-donate keywords and a $99 card reader that works with phones and tablets. Zeffy has no built-in text-to-give and takes in-person payments only through its phone app, with no external reader.
Small team that wants payouts and bookkeeping to run themselves
Recommended
Zeffy
Zeffy pays out automatically every Monday and syncs payouts to QuickBooks Online at no charge. On Givebutter, an admin requests each withdrawal until automated payouts are approved, and QuickBooks sync needs Givebutter Plus.
Zeffy: Best for 2 use cases
Givebutter: Best for 2 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
For online gifts, they cost the same with Givebutter's tips switched on. Both pass the full gift to the nonprofit, and Givebutter covers any processing fee donors decline under its Guarantee, which its terms make discretionary and subject to caps shown in the account. Zeffy is cheaper everywhere else. It charges nothing in person or on auctions, where Givebutter charges 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 3% platform fee. With tips off, Givebutter charges 3% plus 2.9% + 30¢ on every card gift, about $6.20 on $100. This is as of October 2026.
Both rely mainly on optional donor tips. Zeffy asks every donor for a contribution to Zeffy at checkout and says this is its only revenue. Givebutter asks for a tip on tips-on campaigns. It also earns platform fees on tips-off campaigns, in-person payments and saved-card auction charges, as well as 1.75% on instant payouts and Givebutter Plus subscriptions from $29 a month.
On Givebutter, yes. Each campaign can switch tips off, and a 3% platform fee plus processing then applies, which you can ask or require donors to cover. On Zeffy, no. The contribution prompt is part of every form, and Zeffy's help centre says it cannot be customised. Donors can lower it to $0 by choosing "Other", and can ask Zeffy to refund a contribution made by mistake.
Neither platform publishes its default. Zeffy says its suggested percentage falls as the gift rises. In Payment Review's October 2026 test, a $50 gift had 17% pre-selected and a $500 gift had 11%. Truth in Advertising reported in June 2026 that one Givebutter form it examined added a 15% tip automatically. Both say the tip is optional and can be changed at checkout.
Zeffy pays out automatically every Monday by default, after an anti-fraud review of typically 1 to 3 business days. Eligible organisations can get free next-day payouts. On Givebutter, you request each withdrawal once funds are available, 48 to 72 hours after a gift, and after manual approval it arrives in 3 to 5 business days by its help centre's count (its pricing page says 2 to 3). Eligible verified nonprofits can pay 1.75% for an instant payout, and verified nonprofits can ask for automated nightly payouts.
Zeffy serves nonprofits in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and Germany. Givebutter works with organisations based in the US or with a US presence, needs a US bank account and a US EIN or SSN, and processes all donations in US dollars. Donors can give to either from almost anywhere.
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