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Nonprofits · head to head

Give Lively vs SignUpGenius

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
SignUpGenius logo

SignUpGenius

Nonprofits

Online sign-up and scheduling tool

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.; SignUpGenius specific pricing for paid plans is not published on the main site; users must visit the dedicated pricing page to see exact costs
  • They diverge on capability: Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, SignUpGenius covers Sign-up forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Give Lively and SignUpGenius differ
AttributeGive LivelySignUpGenius
Pricing modelFree to nonprofits, card processing charged by the processorfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile-responsive
FoundedUnknown2000

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 SignUpGenius

  • Sign-up forms
  • Email reminders
  • Volunteer tracking
  • Scheduling
  • Communication
  • Email
  • Google Calendar
  • Web support

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

SignUpGenius

  • Schools and volunteer coordinators organizing sign-up sheets for shifts, events, and potlucksnot 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.

SignUpGenius

  • Specific pricing for paid plans is not published on the main site; users must visit the dedicated pricing page to see exact costs

Pricing, plan by plan

Give Lively

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

SignUpGenius

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic sign-up forms
    • Email reminders
  • Premium$19.99/month
    • Advanced customization
    • No ads
    • Premium 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 SignUpGenius if

  • You need sign-up forms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want email reminders.
SignUpGenius review

Questions people ask

Is Give Lively or SignUpGenius better?
Neither clearly leads. Give Lively starts at Free and SignUpGenius at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Give Lively or SignUpGenius?
Give Lively starts at Free and SignUpGenius at Free.
Does Give Lively or SignUpGenius run on more platforms?
Give Lively runs on Web. SignUpGenius runs on Web, Mobile-responsive.
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 SignUpGenius is typically brought in for.
What can Give Lively do that SignUpGenius cannot?
Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Text-to-donate, Event ticketing. SignUpGenius covers Sign-up forms, Email reminders, Volunteer tracking, Scheduling.

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.

SignUpGenius: Does SignUpGenius offer a free plan?

Yes. SignUpGenius is free to start with no credit card required. The free plan includes core signup functionality without monthly fees.

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.

SignUpGenius: What do paid SignUpGenius plans include?

Paid plans add more customization options, higher communication limits, and the ability to remove ads from your signup pages. Standard payment processing fees apply to payments collected through the platform.

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

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

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.

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