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Nonprofits · head to head

Canva for Nonprofits vs GiveSmart

Canva for Nonprofits logo

Canva for Nonprofits

Nonprofits

Design tool for nonprofit marketing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GiveSmart logo

GiveSmart

Nonprofits

Mobile bidding and event fundraising for charity auctions and galas

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Canva for Nonprofits has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Canva for Nonprofits free access covers up to 50 users; further seats are charged at 50 percent of Canva Enterprise pricing; GiveSmart licensing is annual while many buyers run a single event a year, so the effective cost per event is far higher than the annual figure makes it look.
  • They diverge on capability: Canva for Nonprofits covers Design templates, GiveSmart covers Mobile bidding.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Canva for Nonprofits and GiveSmart actually diverge.

Attributes where Canva for Nonprofits and GiveSmart differ
AttributeCanva for NonprofitsGiveSmart
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Nonprofits).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Canva for Nonprofits

  • Design templates
  • Drag-and-drop editor
  • Stock images
  • Brand kit
  • Team collaboration
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Slack

Only in GiveSmart

  • Mobile bidding
  • Auction management
  • Ticketing and check in
  • Text to give
  • Paddle raise and appeals
  • Payment settlement

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Canva for Nonprofits

  • Design work for a registered charity at no costnot GiveSmart
  • Team collaboration on branded materials across up to 50 usersnot GiveSmart
  • Access to Canva Pro premium photo, video and graphics librariesnot GiveSmart
  • Brand kit management for consistent nonprofit communicationsnot GiveSmart

GiveSmart

  • A hospital or school foundation running an annual gala with a live and silent auctionnot Canva for Nonprofits
  • An organisation losing revenue to uncollected pledges after event nightnot Canva for Nonprofits
  • A charity running several auction events a year that can amortise an annual licencenot Canva for Nonprofits
  • A team wanting bidding, check in and payment settlement handled by one system on the nightnot Canva for Nonprofits

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Canva for Nonprofits

  • Free access covers up to 50 users; further seats are charged at 50 percent of Canva Enterprise pricing
  • Government agencies, political groups, educational institutions and grant-making foundations are all excluded
  • Most 501(c) categories other than 501(c)(3) do not qualify
  • Eligibility requires registered charitable status and country-specific documentation

GiveSmart

  • Licensing is annual while many buyers run a single event a year, so the effective cost per event is far higher than the annual figure makes it look.
  • Pricing is not published, and quotes commonly separate the licence, payment processing, hardware and event night staffing, so the first number a buyer sees is rarely the total.
  • On site technical support and equipment are usually extra, and organisations that decline them discover that event night is the worst possible time to be self supporting.
  • It is event software rather than a donor CRM, so guest and bidder data has to be pushed into the CRM afterwards or the relationship built at the gala is not retained.
  • Consolidation under Community Brands means several nominally competing products share an owner, which reduces the negotiating leverage a buyer thinks a shortlist gives them.

Pricing, plan by plan

Canva for Nonprofits

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Design templates
    • Basic elements
  • Canva Pro Nonprofit$1/month
    • Premium templates
    • Brand kit
    • Team collaboration

GiveSmart

On request
  • GiveSmart$undefined/year
    • Quoted as an annual licence rather than per event
    • Payment processing charged separately on funds raised
    • On site staffing, hardware and additional event support quoted as add ons

Which should you pick?

Choose Canva for Nonprofits if

  • You need design templates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want drag-and-drop editor.
Canva for Nonprofits review

Choose GiveSmart if

  • You need mobile bidding.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want auction management.
GiveSmart review

Questions people ask

Is Canva for Nonprofits or GiveSmart better?
Neither clearly leads. Canva for Nonprofits starts at Free and GiveSmart at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Canva for Nonprofits or GiveSmart?
Canva for Nonprofits has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Canva for Nonprofits and On request for GiveSmart.
Does Canva for Nonprofits or GiveSmart run on more platforms?
Canva for Nonprofits runs on Web, IOS, Android. GiveSmart runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Canva for Nonprofits for free?
Yes. Canva for Nonprofits has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GiveSmart starts at On request.
What is Canva for Nonprofits best used for?
Canva for Nonprofits is most often used for design work for a registered charity at no cost, team collaboration on branded materials across up to 50 users, access to canva pro premium photo, video and graphics libraries, brand kit management for consistent nonprofit communications. Of those, design work for a registered charity at no cost and team collaboration on branded materials across up to 50 users are not what GiveSmart is typically brought in for.
What can Canva for Nonprofits do that GiveSmart cannot?
Canva for Nonprofits covers Design templates, Drag-and-drop editor, Stock images, Brand kit. GiveSmart covers Mobile bidding, Auction management, Ticketing and check in, Text to give.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GiveSmart: Is GiveSmart priced per event?

It is normally an annual licence, so organisations running one event a year carry the full cost against one night.

GiveSmart: Who owns GiveSmart?

Community Brands, the private equity backed nonprofit and association software group that also owns MemberClicks.

GiveSmart: Does it replace our donor database?

No. It captures bidders and guests at an event and needs to feed a CRM afterwards.

GiveSmart: What is the actual benefit over paper bid sheets?

Bidding continues across the room and payment settles before guests leave, which is where paper auctions lose money.

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