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Nonprofits · head to head

Facebook Fundraisers vs SmartSimple Cloud

Facebook Fundraisers logo

Facebook Fundraisers

Nonprofits

Integrated fundraising on Facebook

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartSimple Cloud logo

SmartSimple Cloud

Nonprofits

Configurable grants, research and case management platform for large funders

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Facebook Fundraisers has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Facebook Fundraisers no donor email collection unless donor explicitly opts in, limiting donor stewardship and relationship-building; SmartSimple Cloud almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.
  • They diverge on capability: Facebook Fundraisers covers Campaign creation, SmartSimple Cloud covers Configurable object model.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Facebook Fundraisers and SmartSimple Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Facebook Fundraisers and SmartSimple Cloud differ
AttributeFacebook FundraisersSmartSimple Cloud
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2004Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Facebook Fundraisers

  • Campaign creation
  • Donation collection
  • Social sharing
  • Donation tracking
  • Team fundraising
  • Facebook Pages
  • Instagram
  • Messenger

Only in SmartSimple Cloud

  • Configurable object model
  • Workflow and approval engine
  • Peer review
  • Budget and payments
  • Grantee portal
  • Report writer
  • Research administration

What people use each for

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

Facebook Fundraisers

  • Business operationsnot SmartSimple Cloud
  • Productivitynot SmartSimple Cloud
  • Automationnot SmartSimple Cloud

SmartSimple Cloud

  • A national research council running peer-reviewed funding calls with panel conflict rules and multi-year milestone paymentsnot Facebook Fundraisers
  • A private foundation whose grant process differs enough between programmes that packaged software would need four separate instancesnot Facebook Fundraisers
  • A government department that must show a full audit trail of every decision and payment against public fundsnot Facebook Fundraisers
  • A health charity running grants and beneficiary case management in one system with shared contact recordsnot Facebook Fundraisers

Where each one falls short

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

Facebook Fundraisers

  • No donor email collection unless donor explicitly opts in, limiting donor stewardship and relationship-building
  • Slow payouts of 15-45 days for enrolled nonprofits, up to 90 days for unenrolled organizations
  • No recurring giving option after discontinuation in 2023, limiting lifetime donor value
  • Limited customization and branding control compared to dedicated fundraising platforms
  • Not available in European Economic Area countries as of July 1, 2024

SmartSimple Cloud

  • Almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.
  • Because each deployment is bespoke, upgrades and new platform features often need configuration work before they apply to your instance, which slows the benefit of paying an annual subscription.
  • Organisations that lose their internal configurator become dependent on the vendor or a partner for even routine form changes, which turns small requests into billable work.
  • The user interface is dense and utilitarian; occasional users such as grant reviewers and applicants need instructions, which increases support load during a funding round.
  • It is priced and scoped for large funders, so a small foundation running one annual round will pay for flexibility it never uses and would be served faster by a packaged tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Facebook Fundraisers

Free
  • Standard$undefined/mo
    • Donation collection
    • Birthday fundraisers
    • Matching donations on Instagram

SmartSimple Cloud

On request
  • SmartSimple Cloud$undefined/year
    • Configurable grants, review and case management
    • Grantee and reviewer portals
    • Annual subscription plus separate implementation engagement

Which should you pick?

Choose Facebook Fundraisers if

  • You need campaign creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want donation collection.
Facebook Fundraisers review

Choose SmartSimple Cloud if

  • You need configurable object model.
  • You also want workflow and approval engine.
SmartSimple Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Facebook Fundraisers or SmartSimple Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Facebook Fundraisers starts at Free and SmartSimple Cloud at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Facebook Fundraisers or SmartSimple Cloud?
Facebook Fundraisers has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Facebook Fundraisers and On request for SmartSimple Cloud.
Does Facebook Fundraisers or SmartSimple Cloud run on more platforms?
Facebook Fundraisers runs on Web, iOS, Android. SmartSimple Cloud runs on Web.
Can I use Facebook Fundraisers for free?
Yes. Facebook Fundraisers has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartSimple Cloud starts at On request.
What is Facebook Fundraisers best used for?
Facebook Fundraisers is most often used for business operations, productivity, automation. Of those, business operations and productivity are not what SmartSimple Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Facebook Fundraisers do that SmartSimple Cloud cannot?
Facebook Fundraisers covers Campaign creation, Donation collection, Social sharing, Donation tracking. SmartSimple Cloud covers Configurable object model, Workflow and approval engine, Peer review, Budget and payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Facebook Fundraisers: Are there any fees for Facebook Fundraisers for nonprofits?

Meta covers payment processing fees for 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. However, PayPal Giving Fund, which processes all donations, applies 1.99% + $0.49 per donation in the US. For eligible nonprofits, Meta covers these fees, so the nonprofit keeps 100% of donations.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: How long does implementation take?

Plan in months, not weeks. Complex multi-programme funders routinely run six to twelve month implementations, and that work is billed separately from the subscription.

Facebook Fundraisers: When will I receive my donations?

Enrolled nonprofits receive donations within 15-45 days. Unenrolled organizations wait up to 90 days. Payouts go through PayPal Giving Fund.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by modules, user counts and configuration scope. Ask specifically what future configuration changes cost, because that is the recurring surprise.

Facebook Fundraisers: Can I collect donor email addresses?

No. Facebook only provides the donor's name and donation amount unless the donor explicitly opts in to share their email during the donation process.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Can it handle multi-currency, multi-year grants?

Yes. Tranche payments conditional on milestone reports and multi-currency awards are among the reasons large international funders choose it.

Facebook Fundraisers: Does Facebook Fundraisers support recurring monthly donations?

No. Native recurring giving was discontinued in October 2023. Donors can only make one-time contributions.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Do we need our own administrator?

Practically, yes. Organisations without an internal configurator end up paying the vendor for routine form and workflow changes.

Facebook Fundraisers: What platforms can I use to fundraise on?

Facebook Fundraisers are available on Facebook Pages, Instagram, and WhatsApp for verified 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Donors can contribute via donation buttons on posts, stories, live streams, and matching donation features on Instagram.

Source
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