Best Fundraising Software for Nonprofits: 9 Tools

Every extra click on a donation form loses donors. Good fundraising software makes giving fast on any device, keeps recurring gifts running and saves your team from sending receipts by hand.

The nine tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, almost all from specialist nonprofit providers. Each description comes from the tool's own site, read this week. If you also need a supporter database, compare them with my list of the best CRM for nonprofits.

Fundraising tools for nonprofits at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes free use or a free plan, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Bloomerang Fundraising	Giving platform	Forms, events and peer-to-peer together	No
Donately	Donation forms	Giving forms on your own site	Yes
Donorbox	Donation suite	Recurring donations and kiosks	Yes
Fundraise Up	Online giving platform	Larger online donation programmes	No
Funraise	Fundraising platform	Website giving that converts	Yes
Givebutter	Fundraising suite	Events, auctions and forms in one	Yes
GoFundMe Pro	Online fundraising platform	Branded appeals and donation pages	No
Raisely	Campaign pages	Appeals and peer-to-peer challenges	Yes
Zeffy	All-in-one fundraising	One free tool for small teams	Yes

Nine fundraising tools for nonprofits

Bloomerang Fundraising

Best for: Nonprofits that want modern donation forms and fundraising tools that now sit inside the wider Bloomerang giving platform.

Donately

Best for: Small nonprofits that want donation forms and recurring giving on the website they already have, without rebuilding it.

Donorbox

Best for: Charities that want quick donation pages, recurring gifts and extras such as text giving and donation kiosks.

Fundraise Up

Best for: Established nonprofits with big online programmes that want AI to optimise every donation form and checkout.

Funraise

Best for: Mid-size nonprofits that want donation forms, campaigns and a donor database working together on one platform.

Givebutter

Best for: Lean nonprofit teams that want donation forms, events, auctions and a built-in CRM without paying for several separate tools.

GoFundMe Pro

Best for: Nonprofits that want branded donation forms and personalised pages for each appeal, backed by a well-known giving brand.

Raisely

Best for: Charities running appeals, giving days and peer-to-peer challenges that want polished campaign pages without a developer.

Zeffy

Best for: Tiny nonprofit teams that want fundraising, newsletters and donor management in one tool that describes itself as free.

The receipt details US donors need

Here's a detail that matters for every US gift. The IRS says the written acknowledgment for a qualifying charitable contribution must include the organisation's name, the amount of a cash gift, a description but not the value of a non-cash gift, and a statement about whether any goods or services were given in return.

Choose fundraising software that sends a receipt with those details automatically, so donors in the US have what they need without your team writing letters by hand. Test a receipt yourself before your next appeal goes out.

Forms, campaigns or peer-to-peer?

Donation forms are the foundation: they need to be quick, mobile-friendly and easy to add to your website. Campaign pages help with appeals and giving days. Peer-to-peer tools let supporters fundraise for you with their own pages and challenges.

Most nonprofits need forms first and campaigns second. Add peer-to-peer when you have supporters keen to fundraise on your behalf, such as runners, cyclists or birthday fundraisers.

Before you switch platforms

1. Export your donor and recurring gift data from your current tool.
2. Check how recurring donations will move across without donors re-entering details.
3. Test the new donation form on a phone and a laptop.
4. Send yourself a test receipt and check every detail.
5. Update every donate button on your website and emails.
6. Tell regular donors about the change before it happens.

Donation form details that lift completions

• Suggested amounts. Give donors a few clear choices.
• Monthly option. Make recurring giving easy to choose.
• Few fields. Ask only for what you need.
• Fast loading. Slow forms lose donors on mobile.

Thanking donors

A quick, warm thank you matters more than a perfect one. Set up an automatic thank-you email that goes out straight away, then follow up personally with first-time and larger donors. People who feel thanked are more likely to give again.

Reporting to your board

Pick software that shows totals by campaign, channel and donor type without exporting to spreadsheets. Your board and funders will ask how appeals performed, and clear reports make those conversations much easier.

Giving days and year-end appeals

Most nonprofits see big spikes around giving days and the end of the year. Don't wait until the week before to test your forms. Run a small test appeal a month earlier, check that receipts, thank-you emails and recurring options all work, and fix anything that's slow or confusing. You'll go into the busiest weeks knowing the technology won't let you down.

It's also worth preparing a simple campaign page you can reuse each year. Update the story and the photos, keep the structure that worked and you'll save hours every time.

Do you make fundraising software for nonprofits? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on fundraising software

Make the donate button the easiest thing on your website. A fast, simple form with a clear reason to give will do more than any advanced feature. Test your own form on a phone once a month, because that's how most supporters will see it.

Check exactly what donors see at checkout before you sign up, including any optional tip request, because every extra step or surprise on the form affects how many people finish giving. For more ways to grow giving, see my five ways to fundraise online.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best fundraising software for nonprofits?

It depends on your size and programmes. Small charities often want a simple all-in-one tool, while larger nonprofits need advanced forms and reporting.

Is there free fundraising software for nonprofits?

Yes. Several tools on this list describe free use or a free plan. Check the table and what each one shows donors at checkout.

What must a US donation receipt include?

The IRS says it must include the organisation's name, the cash amount, a description of non-cash gifts and whether goods or services were given in return.

Can fundraising software handle recurring donations?

Most tools on this list support recurring gifts, which give you steadier income through the year.

What is peer-to-peer fundraising?

Supporters create their own fundraising pages for your cause and ask friends and family to give.

Do I need a separate donor database?

Some fundraising tools include a CRM. Larger nonprofits often add a dedicated donor database alongside.