Zeffy

Zeffy covers its costs through optional donor tips rather than by charging nonprofits. When someone donates or buys a ticket, Zeffy adds a suggested optional contribution to itself at checkout, pre-filled at a percentage the donor can change to zero. The main catch is exactly that pre-filled tip: some donors don't notice it's optional or are confused by the messaging, and may contribute to Zeffy on top of their intended donation, or feel misled when they realize it. For the nonprofit there's no financial catch — you genuinely keep everything — but be aware your donors are being asked to cover the platform cost, and some may find the checkout confusing. Being transparent with supporters about how it works, and that the extra contribution is optional, helps avoid frustration.

Once your nonprofit is verified, Zeffy offers a broad set of fundraising tools: donation pages, event registration and ticketing, peer-to-peer campaigns, recurring giving, raffles and an online store — all without fees. Reviewers describe the ticketing, raffle and store tools as easy to set up, making it practical for common needs like events, memberships and campaigns. It's designed to be an all-in-one, no-cost toolkit so smaller organizations can run professional fundraising without a software budget. It does require verified 501(c)(3) status (US) or charitable registration (Canada) before use, so it's specifically for registered nonprofits rather than informal groups or businesses.

A few, despite strong overall ratings. Customer support speed can be inconsistent, with some users reporting long wait times. The pre-filled optional contribution at checkout can confuse donors, worth managing proactively with supporters. Payout timing varies, as funds take different times to clear depending on payment method. The platform is also more limited in scope than some advanced competitors — organizations needing text-to-give or sophisticated crowdfunding may find it lacking, and some reviewers want a mobile app for managing programs. Finally, it's restricted to registered nonprofits in the US and Canada. None of these outweigh the value of a genuinely free platform for most small and mid-sized nonprofits, but larger or feature-hungry organizations should check it covers their requirements.

The headline difference is cost. Most platforms charge nonprofits a platform percentage plus payment processing on every transaction, which adds up significantly over a year, whereas Zeffy charges nonprofits nothing and shifts the optional cost to donors. For a small or mid-sized nonprofit, that can mean keeping meaningfully more of every dollar raised. Where paid platforms may pull ahead is in advanced or specialized features, deeper integrations, dedicated support and tools like text-to-give or advanced crowdfunding that Zeffy doesn't emphasize. So the trade-off is straightforward: Zeffy wins decisively on price and covers core fundraising well, while a paid competitor might be justified if you need specific advanced capabilities or guaranteed premium support. Many organizations choose Zeffy precisely because the fee savings outweigh the feature gaps for their use case.

Registered nonprofits in the US and Canada, especially small and mid-sized organizations, that want to run donations, events, ticketing and recurring giving without paying platform or processing fees. It's ideal for budget-conscious charities, community groups, schools and clubs that want professional fundraising tools for free and are comfortable with a model where donors are asked for an optional contribution. It's a weaker fit for organizations needing advanced capabilities like text-to-give or sophisticated crowdfunding, that require fast guaranteed support, or that operate outside the US and Canada. It's also, by design, not for businesses — it serves verified nonprofits only. Match Zeffy to registered nonprofits that prioritize keeping every dollar of their donations over having the widest possible feature set.