Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Give Lively vs Handbid

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
Handbid logo

Handbid

Nonprofits

Mobile-first auction and event fundraising platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Give Lively has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Handbid the pricing page publishes no plan, no rate, no minimum and no per-event fee; it states there are no preset tiers and directs every visitor to a pricing consultation
  • They diverge on capability: Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Handbid covers Mobile bidding.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Give Lively and Handbid actually diverge.

Attributes where Give Lively and Handbid differ
AttributeGive LivelyHandbid
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree to nonprofits, card processing charged by the processorsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2011

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 Give Lively

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

Only in Handbid

  • Mobile bidding
  • Silent auctions
  • Live auctions
  • Fund-a-need
  • Ticketing
  • Salesforce
  • Stripe
  • PayPal

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 Handbid
  • Running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painfulnot Handbid
  • A small organisation with no software budget that still needs branded, mobile-ready donation pagesnot Handbid
  • Adding donor advised fund giving at checkout without paying for a separate DAF integrationnot Handbid

Handbid

  • Mobile bidding for charity and fundraising auctionsnot Give Lively
  • Event ticketing, registration and check-in with tap to paynot Give Lively
  • White-labelled online auctions for schools, nonprofits and corporate eventsnot 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.

Handbid

  • The pricing page publishes no plan, no rate, no minimum and no per-event fee; it states there are no preset tiers and directs every visitor to a pricing consultation
  • There is no self-serve signup path; the only routes offered are Start Chatting, a consultation or a demo booking
  • Because packages are assembled per event, the cost of white-label auctions, text-to-give and support levels is not published

Pricing, plan by plan

Give Lively

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

Handbid

On request
  • Starter$199/month
    • Basic auction features
    • Up to 50 items
  • Professional$499/month
    • Unlimited items
    • Live streaming
    • Fund-a-need
  • Enterprise$999/month
    • Multi-event license
    • White labeling
    • Priority support

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 Handbid if

  • You need mobile bidding.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want silent auctions.
Handbid review

Questions people ask

Is Give Lively or Handbid better?
Neither clearly leads. Give Lively starts at Free and Handbid at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Give Lively or Handbid?
Give Lively has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Give Lively and On request for Handbid.
Does Give Lively or Handbid run on more platforms?
Give Lively runs on Web. Handbid runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Give Lively for free?
Yes. Give Lively has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Handbid starts at On request.
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 Handbid is typically brought in for.
What can Give Lively do that Handbid cannot?
Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Text-to-donate, Event ticketing. Handbid covers Mobile bidding, Silent auctions, Live auctions, Fund-a-need.

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.

Handbid: How much does Handbid cost?

Handbid does not use standard pricing tiers. Instead, the company provides custom quotes based on your event needs, event volume, and support requirements. Handbid emphasizes no commission on funds raised.

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.

Handbid: Does Handbid take a commission on auction proceeds?

No. Handbid does not charge a percentage of funds raised. Platform fees are separate from payment processing.

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

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

Handbid: What payment processing fees does Handbid charge?

Handbid's payment processing fees are: Visa/Mastercard/Discover 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction, American Express 3.95% + $0.30 per transaction, and ACH 1.5% flat with no per-transaction fee.

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.

Handbid: What is included in Handbid licenses?

All Handbid licenses include unlimited items, guests, and bidders; all auction formats (silent, live, paddle raise); ticketing and check-in; money handling and reporting; platform updates; and live phone support during events.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Give Lively

More on Handbid

Keep looking

Other head to heads