Silent Auction Software (2026): 10 Tools Compared

A silent auction used to mean clipboards on a trestle table and a scramble for pens at closing time. Now most of it can run from guests' phones, with outbid alerts, a live catalogue and checkout at the end of the night.

The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Each description comes from the vendor's own website, read on 1 Nov 2026. The focus is the silent charity auction itself, and nothing here is advice on fundraising law or tax rules where you are.

Silent auction tools compared

Tool	Type	Good for
32auctions	Silent auction platform	Online silent auctions bidders join from any device
Auction Software	Custom auction software firm	Custom auction sites that include silent auctions
Auctria	Event and auction platform	Silent, live and online auctions with event websites
BiddingOwl	Nonprofit auction tool	Charity auctions with phone support from people
Givebutter	Nonprofit fundraising platform	Auctions beside donation forms and fundraising pages
Handbid	Auction and event technology	Premium auctions with concierge-level service
Qgiv	Fundraising platform, now Bloomerang	Auction fundraising inside a full giving platform
SchoolAuction.net	School fundraising auctions	School galas and auctions, in person or online
Silent Auction Pro	Auction and event management	Mobile and paper bidding at the same event
Zeffy	Free fundraising software and CRM	Auctions inside a free fundraising suite

Ten silent auction platforms

32auctions

Best for: Small charities and schools wanting a platform built only for silent auctions, with bidders joining from any phone, tablet or laptop.

Auction Software

Best for: Organisations that want a customised auction website built with expert help, with silent auctions among the formats offered.

Auctria

Best for: Organisers running silent, live or online auctions with mobile bidding, tickets, tables and raffles, plus a website for each event.

BiddingOwl

Best for: Nonprofits and schools that value reaching a real person who knows fundraising whenever they call for help.

Givebutter

Best for: Nonprofits wanting auctions alongside donation forms, fundraising events, peer-to-peer pages and a donor CRM in one platform.

Handbid

Best for: Galas and larger fundraisers wanting premium, fully customisable auction software with concierge-level service and hands-on support.

Qgiv

Best for: Charities that want auction fundraising alongside donation forms, text giving, peer-to-peer events and donor management.

SchoolAuction.net

Best for: School parent groups planning an in-person gala or an online auction, with planning guides and checklists from the same company.

Silent Auction Pro

Best for: Event committees running paper bid sheets, mobile bidding or both, with ticketing, seating assignments and self check out.

Zeffy

Best for: Smaller nonprofits wanting a free all-in-one platform covering donations, ticketing, raffles, auctions and donor management.

Auction-only tools or a full fundraising suite?

The vendors' own pages draw the line. Silent Auction Pro lists 'Mobile and Paper Bidding', the title of 32auctions is 'Free Online Silent Auction Fundraisers', SchoolAuction.net is aimed at school fundraisers, and Auctria runs 'fundraising events and auctions'. The title of Auction Software starts 'Silent Auction, Penny Auction', and BiddingOwl says 'you'll always reach a real person'.

On the suite side, Qgiv is 'A Unified Fundraising Platform for Nonprofits', and its page says it's now Bloomerang Fundraising. Zeffy is 'Free, All-in-One Fundraising Software + CRM', and Givebutter is 'Fundraising Software For Nonprofits'.

So the split is this: auction-only tools built around the bidding, versus fundraising suites where the auction is one module of many. If the auction is your one big night of the year, the first kind may be all you need. If you're fundraising all year round, a suite keeps your donors in one place.

How a phone-based silent auction runs on the night

1. Before the event, add each item with photos, a short description, a starting bid and a minimum raise.
2. Guests register, often through a text link or QR code, so their contact and card details are ready for checkout.
3. Bidding opens on guests' phones, on paper bid sheets, or both, and bidders get an alert when they're outbid.
4. You close the auction at a set time, item by item or all at once, and the software records the highest bid on each item.
5. Successful bidders check out on their phones or at a desk, and volunteers hand over items against a pickup list.

Getting more bids on each item

• Photos and stories. A clear photo and a line on who donated the item does more than a long description.
• Sensible starting bids. Start low enough that the first bid comes quickly, because early bids pull in the rest.
• Bundles. Group small items into themed packages so they're worth bidding on.
• Staggered closing times. Closing items in waves keeps guests checking their phones through the evening.
• A paper backup. Keep a few bid sheets ready for guests who'd rather not bid on a phone.

If the auction is part of a wider campaign, my guide to ways to fundraise online has more ideas, and my set of ChatGPT prompts for charity fundraising helps with item descriptions and appeal emails.

Questions to ask a silent auction vendor

• Can guests bid without downloading an app?
• Can you run paper and mobile bidding at the same event?
• How do guests register at the start and check out at the end?
• Can you run online-only, in-person and hybrid auctions?
• Is support available during the event itself, including in the evening?
• Do auction results flow into your donor records afterwards?

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

My plain advice on picking silent auction software

Decide whether this is a one-off auction or part of a year-round fundraising programme. For a single school gala or charity night, an auction-focused tool keeps things simple and puts the bidding first. If you're already running donations, events and donor records, a fundraising suite with an auction module saves you stitching systems together. Either way, run a short practice auction with your committee on their own phones before the night, and check what support you'll get while the event is live.

Selling tickets for the night separately? My Eventbrite review covers that side of it. A theatre or venue that sells seats all year, not one gala, has different needs, and box office software compares tools made for that.

Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.

Frequently asked questions

What is silent auction software?

It's software that runs a silent auction: the item catalogue, bidder registration, bidding on phones or paper sheets, and checkout at the end.

Can guests bid on their phones?

Yes, with many of these tools. Guests join through a link or QR code, bid from their phone and get alerts when they're outbid. Some tools also support paper bid sheets.

Is there free silent auction software?

Some vendors say their software is free, or free up to a set number of items, while others offer a trial or a demo. Check each vendor's own site for its current terms.

Can I run a silent auction online only?

Yes. Several tools run online-only auctions where people bid over days or weeks, which suits schools and charities without a venue.

How long should a silent auction run?

At an event, bidding often runs for most of the evening and closes in waves. Online auctions can run for several days. Pick a closing time that leaves room for checkout and item pickup.

What's the difference between a silent and a live auction?

In a silent auction, guests place bids on items without an auctioneer, on sheets or phones. A live auction has an auctioneer calling bids in the room, and many events run both.