Donation processing
Donorbox
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Disclosure
Donorbox is donation-processing software you can launch in an afternoon: embeddable forms, recurring giving, and donor management. The standard plan is free to start with a platform fee of about 2.95% plus payment processing; the Pro plan (about $150 a month billed annually) cuts the platform fee to roughly 1.75%. What you’re buying is the recurring-gift tooling, and Donorbox’s is the best in its class.
Who it fits
Shops serious about monthly giving. Recurring-donation management (upgrade prompts, failed-card recovery, donor portals) is where Donorbox out-tools the free platforms, and recurring revenue is where that tooling pays for its fee. Its integration ecosystem also connects cleanly to the major donor CRMs.
Pricing
| Plan | Platform fee | Subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | ~2.95% | $0 |
| Pro | ~1.75% | ~$150/mo (annual) |
Processing fees apply on every gift. At roughly $150k a year of online giving, Pro’s lower fee covers its own subscription; run your volume through the percentages.
How it compares
Zeffy charges nothing at all, funded by donor tips, and fits fee-sensitive shops with straightforward needs. Givebutter is free-with-tips and broader on events. Donorbox wins where recurring-gift depth and integrations matter more than the fee.
Bottom line
Starting is free, so the test costs nothing: set up a Donorbox form, run a month of gifts through it, and watch what the recurring tools do with a failed card. One tip for readers here: use our link when you sign up, since Donorbox referrals only count at click time.
Strengths
- Donation forms live in minutes and embed anywhere
- The strongest recurring-gift management in its price class
- Free to start; upgrade only when volume justifies it
Other options
- Online giving past about $40,000 a year? A flat subscription stops scaling with your success, and past roughly $40k the percentage costs more than 4aGoodCause's entry tier. Read our 4aGoodCause write-up →
- Want no platform fee at all? Zeffy takes nothing, funded by an optional donor tip. Read our Zeffy write-up →
- Event-led fundraising? Givebutter's ticketing and campaign pages carry a community-scale event for free. Read our Givebutter write-up →
Keep comparing
Donorbox head to head
Already on Donorbox and shopping to replace it? Donorbox alternatives covers why shops leave, what to move to, and when staying put is the right call.
We recommend Donorbox to shops leaving Classy and Givebutter.