Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Give Lively vs Google Nonprofit Tools

Give Lively logo

Give Lively

Nonprofits

Fundraising software given free to nonprofits, funded by its founders rather than by fees

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Nonprofit Tools logo

Google Nonprofit Tools

Nonprofits

Free Google tools for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Give Lively eligibility is limited to US 501(c)(3) organisations, so charities registered in the UK, Canada, Australia or the EU cannot use it at all regardless of fit.; Google Nonprofit Tools governmental entities and organizations are not eligible
  • They diverge on capability: Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Google Nonprofit Tools covers Email and collaboration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Give Lively and Google Nonprofit Tools actually diverge.

Attributes where Give Lively and Google Nonprofit Tools differ
AttributeGive LivelyGoogle Nonprofit Tools
Pricing modelFree to nonprofits, card processing charged by the processorfree
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown1998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Give Lively

  • Branded donation pages
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Text-to-donate
  • Event ticketing
  • Donor database
  • DAFpay
  • Multiple processors

Only in Google Nonprofit Tools

  • Email and collaboration
  • Cloud storage
  • Ad Grants
  • Analytics
  • YouTube
  • Search Console
  • Google Workspace apps
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

Give Lively

  • A US nonprofit currently paying a percentage platform fee on every gift and wanting that money back in programme budgetnot Google Nonprofit Tools
  • Running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painfulnot Google Nonprofit Tools
  • A small organisation with no software budget that still needs branded, mobile-ready donation pagesnot Google Nonprofit Tools
  • Adding donor advised fund giving at checkout without paying for a separate DAF integrationnot Google Nonprofit Tools

Google Nonprofit Tools

  • Email and productivity tools for nonprofits via Google Workspacenot Give Lively
  • Online advertising credits through Google Ad Grantsnot Give Lively
  • YouTube monetization for nonprofit contentnot Give Lively

Where each one falls short

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

Give Lively

  • Eligibility is limited to US 501(c)(3) organisations, so charities registered in the UK, Canada, Australia or the EU cannot use it at all regardless of fit.
  • The platform is funded by its founders' personal philanthropy rather than by revenue, so there is no contractual commitment to a roadmap or a service level and no paying customer base to keep it alive if that funding stops.
  • Support is email based with no paid escalation tier, so an organisation mid-campaign with a broken form has no way to buy faster attention.
  • The donor database is adequate for gift tracking but thin compared with a real CRM, so most organisations still pay for Bloomerang, DonorPerfect or Salesforce alongside it and maintain a sync.
  • Optional donor tips appear at checkout to fund the platform, which some boards object to because it puts a second ask in front of a donor who has already decided what to give.

Google Nonprofit Tools

  • Governmental entities and organizations are not eligible
  • Hospitals and health care organizations are not eligible, although their associated charitable arms or foundations are
  • Schools, academic institutions and universities are not eligible, although the philanthropic arms of educational organizations are
  • The organization must be registered as a charitable organization in one of the specific countries or regions where Google for Nonprofits has launched
  • Eligibility requirements vary by country, and every account must pass verification before access is granted

Pricing, plan by plan

Give Lively

Free
  • Give LivelyFree
    • All fundraising products included
    • No platform fee on donations
    • No setup or subscription charge

Google Nonprofit Tools

Free
  • Nonprofit ProgramFree
    • Google Workspace
    • Gmail
    • Drive

Which should you pick?

Choose Give Lively if

  • You need branded donation pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want peer-to-peer fundraising.
Give Lively review

Choose Google Nonprofit Tools if

  • You need email and collaboration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want cloud storage.
Google Nonprofit Tools review

Questions people ask

Is Give Lively or Google Nonprofit Tools better?
Neither clearly leads. Give Lively starts at Free and Google Nonprofit Tools at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Give Lively or Google Nonprofit Tools?
Give Lively starts at Free and Google Nonprofit Tools at Free.
Does Give Lively or Google Nonprofit Tools run on more platforms?
Give Lively runs on Web. Google Nonprofit Tools runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Give Lively for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Give Lively best used for?
Give Lively is most often used for a us nonprofit currently paying a percentage platform fee on every gift and wanting that money back in programme budget, running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painful, a small organisation with no software budget that still needs branded, mobile-ready donation pages, adding donor advised fund giving at checkout without paying for a separate daf integration. Of those, a us nonprofit currently paying a percentage platform fee on every gift and wanting that money back in programme budget and running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painful are not what Google Nonprofit Tools is typically brought in for.
What can Give Lively do that Google Nonprofit Tools cannot?
Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Text-to-donate, Event ticketing. Google Nonprofit Tools covers Email and collaboration, Cloud storage, Ad Grants, Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Give Lively: Is it genuinely free, or free with a percentage taken?

Genuinely free. Give Lively takes no cut of donations and charges no subscription. You pay only the card processing fee, which goes to Stripe, Shift4 or PayPal, starting around 1.99% plus $0.25.

Google Nonprofit Tools: How much do Google Nonprofit Tools cost?

Google Nonprofit Tools are provided at no cost to eligible organizations. Eligible nonprofit organizations can access a suite of no-cost and discounted tools.

Source
Give Lively: How does the company make money?

It does not, in the ordinary sense. Operating costs are covered by its founders as a philanthropic commitment, plus voluntary tips donors can add at checkout.

Google Nonprofit Tools: What organizations qualify for free Google Nonprofit Tools?

Organizations must be registered as charitable entities in one of 180+ participating geographies and verified through Goodstack, Google's validation partner.

Source
Give Lively: Can a UK or Canadian charity use it?

No. Give Lively requires US 501(c)(3) status.

Google Nonprofit Tools: What tools are included in Google Nonprofit Tools?

Included tools are Google Workspace for Nonprofits, Google Ad Grants, YouTube Nonprofit Program, and Google Maps Platform credits. Some Workspace editions also receive nonprofit-specific discounts.

Source
Give Lively: Does it replace a donor CRM?

Not for most organisations. It stores donors and gift history, but fundraisers running major gift or grant pipelines usually keep a dedicated CRM and sync to it.

Share

Related pages

More on Give Lively

More on Google Nonprofit Tools

Keep looking

Other head to heads