One platform instead of three
Most nonprofits stitch together a donation tool, a grant tool and a spreadsheet for everything else. GiveKit covers fundraising, grants, volunteers and your board in one place.
Features included of 15 compared
15- Zeffy11
- Givebutter10
- Donorbox6
- GrantAppli2
Paid add-ons included. Based on each company's public website.
Features compared
Based on what each company lists on its own website.
| Feature | | Zeffy | Givebutter | Donorbox | GrantAppli |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundraising | |||||
| Donation forms & campaigns | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Peer-to-peer fundraising | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Events & ticketing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Memberships | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Silent auctions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Automatic max bids | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Soft close on late bids | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Raffles | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Grants | |||||
| Grant discovery & matching | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Search only |
| Guided grant writing | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Grant pipeline tracking | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Relationships & operations | |||||
| Donor CRM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Not listed |
| Email newsletters | Add-on | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Not listed |
| Volunteer shift scheduling | Yes | Sign-ups | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Board management | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Offered · — Not listed on their website. "Add-on" means available for an extra charge. GiveKit Email is +$10/month.
What sets GiveKit apart
Everything on one profile
Donations, tickets, auction bids, memberships, grants and volunteer shifts all land on the same supporter record.
Your whole organization
Volunteer shifts, board meetings and documents, and grants sit next to your fundraising, not in separate tools.
Grants built in
Find matching grants, draft applications with guided help, and track every one, next to the rest of your fundraising.
No tip prompts at checkout
Your donors see your cause, not a request to tip the software company.
How each one charges
Every model works differently, so here's what you actually pay, and who pays it.
Zeffy
Free
Funded by optional tips donors are asked to add at checkout.
Givebutter
Free, or Plus from $29/mo
Free with donor tips on; a 3% platform fee plus processing if tips are off.
Donorbox
2.95–3.95% per gift
Free plan with a platform fee plus processing; Pro is $150/mo at a lower fee.
GrantAppli
Pricing by demo
Grant writing software only, so you'd still need a fundraising platform.
Card processing fees (for example through Stripe or PayPal) may also apply, depending on the platform and plan.
"Free" is paid for by your donors
Tip-funded platforms don't charge you. They ask your supporters instead, at the moment they're deciding how much to give to you.
Your donors foot the bill
Zeffy and Givebutter's free plans are funded by tips donors are asked to add on top of their gift.
It competes with your ask
Right as a supporter decides what to give you, they're asked to give to a software company too. Every dollar tipped to the platform is a dollar that didn't go to your mission.
Opting out isn't really an option
Zeffy says its suggested contribution can't be removed or customized. Turning Givebutter tips off adds a 3% platform fee plus card processing.
Detailed comparisons
Pricing, strengths and who each platform fits best, one competitor at a time.
Zeffy is free for nonprofits and funded by optional donor tips. GiveKit is a flat-fee plan with no tip prompts, plus grants, volunteer shifts and board management.
Read the comparison GiveKit vs GivebutterGivebutter is free with donor tips (or a 3% fee without them), with paid Plus plans from $29/mo. GiveKit is a flat-fee plan with grants, volunteer shifts and board management built in.
Read the comparison GiveKit vs DonorboxDonorbox charges a 2.95–3.95% platform fee per gift on its free plan, with no native auctions or raffles. GiveKit is a flat-fee plan with auctions, raffles, grants and a CRM included.
Read the comparison GiveKit vs GrantAppliGrantAppli is AI grant writing and funder research software, without fundraising tools. GiveKit includes grant matching, guided drafting and tracking alongside donations, events and a CRM.
Read the comparisonCommon questions
Zeffy and Givebutter are free. Why pay for GiveKit?
Free platforms are paid for by your donors: they're asked to add a tip for the platform at checkout, right as they decide what to give you. Zeffy's suggested contribution can't be removed, and turning Givebutter's tips off adds a 3% fee. GiveKit is a flat monthly plan instead, with no tip requests, and it covers more of your organization in one place, including grants, volunteer shift scheduling and board management.
Can GiveKit replace a separate grant tool like GrantAppli?
GiveKit includes grant discovery with Grant Fit™ match scores, guided application drafting and a pipeline board. If you also need donations, events and a CRM, you get those in the same system.
Can you help us switch from another platform?
Yes. We help bring your contacts and giving history into GiveKit so you don't start from scratch.
Competitor information is based on each company's public website as of October 2026 and may change. Zeffy, Givebutter, Donorbox and GrantAppli are trademarks of their respective owners. Spot something out of date?Let us know.
See GiveKit for yourself
Get a walkthrough built around your organization, or pick a plan and start today.