Nonprofits · head to head
Funraise vs GiveSmart
Funraise
Nonprofits
Nonprofit fundraising and donor management with revenue-based free tier
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
GiveSmart
Nonprofits
Mobile bidding and event fundraising for charity auctions and galas
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Funraise has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Funraise premium plans require custom pricing with sales contact; 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.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Funraise and GiveSmart actually diverge.
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 Funraise
Nothing recorded that GiveSmart does not also cover.
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.
Funraise
- Managing recurring donor relationships and pledge trackingnot GiveSmart
- Conducting peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns for eventsnot GiveSmart
- Processing multiple payment types including stock donationsnot GiveSmart
- Screening donors for wealth and giving capacitynot GiveSmart
- Automating email workflows based on donor behaviornot GiveSmart
GiveSmart
- A hospital or school foundation running an annual gala with a live and silent auctionnot Funraise
- An organisation losing revenue to uncollected pledges after event nightnot Funraise
- A charity running several auction events a year that can amortise an annual licencenot Funraise
- A team wanting bidding, check in and payment settlement handled by one system on the nightnot Funraise
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Funraise
- Premium plans require custom pricing with sales contact
- Processing fees of 5% platform fee plus 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction on Free plan
- Processing fees 0-3% platform fee plus 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction on Premium plans
GiveSmart
- Licensing is annual while many buyers run a single event a year, so the effective cost per event is far higher than the annual figure makes it look.
- Pricing is not published, and quotes commonly separate the licence, payment processing, hardware and event night staffing, so the first number a buyer sees is rarely the total.
- On site technical support and equipment are usually extra, and organisations that decline them discover that event night is the worst possible time to be self supporting.
- It is event software rather than a donor CRM, so guest and bidder data has to be pushed into the CRM afterwards or the relationship built at the gala is not retained.
- Consolidation under Community Brands means several nominally competing products share an owner, which reduces the negotiating leverage a buyer thinks a shortlist gives them.
Pricing, plan by plan
Funraise
Free- FreeFree
- Donation forms and pages
- Recurring donations
- Events and tickets
- Premium$null/mo
- Custom pricing
- Onboarding and dedicated success manager
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
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 GiveSmart if
- You need mobile bidding.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want auction management.
Questions people ask
- Is Funraise or GiveSmart better?
- Neither clearly leads. Funraise 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, Funraise or GiveSmart?
- Funraise has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Funraise and On request for GiveSmart.
- Does Funraise or GiveSmart run on more platforms?
- Funraise runs on Web. GiveSmart runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Funraise for free?
- Yes. Funraise has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GiveSmart starts at On request.
- What is Funraise best used for?
- Funraise is most often used for managing recurring donor relationships and pledge tracking, conducting peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns for events, processing multiple payment types including stock donations, screening donors for wealth and giving capacity. Of those, managing recurring donor relationships and pledge tracking and conducting peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns for events are not what GiveSmart is typically brought in for.
- What can Funraise do that GiveSmart cannot?
- GiveSmart covers Mobile bidding, Auction management, Ticketing and check in, Text to give.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Funraise: How much does Funraise cost?
Funraise offers a free plan for organizations raising under $1 million annually. Premium plans require custom pricing and contacting their sales team for a personalized quote based on organization needs.
SourceGiveSmart: 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.
Funraise: What are Funraise's payment processing fees?
Free plan has approximately 2.5% total average costs with 5% platform fee. Premium plans have approximately 0.8% total average costs with 0-3% platform fee. Both include 2.9% plus $0.60 per card transaction. Approximately 90% of donors cover fees, reducing net costs.
SourceGiveSmart: Who owns GiveSmart?
Community Brands, the private equity backed nonprofit and association software group that also owns MemberClicks.
Funraise: Are there setup fees for Funraise?
Funraise has no setup fees. Pricing is transparent and usage-based for premium plans, with volume pricing available for high-volume fundraisers.
SourceGiveSmart: 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.
Related pages
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- GiveSmart vs Raisely
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- GiveSmart vs Constant Contact
- GiveSmart vs Givebutter
- GiveSmart vs Bloomerang
- GiveSmart vs Network for Good
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