Softwr

Nonprofits · head to head

Give Lively vs TechSoup

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
T

TechSoup

Nonprofits

Technology solutions and discounts 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.; TechSoup plus membership requires $200 annual commitment
  • They diverge on capability: Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, TechSoup covers Software marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Give Lively and TechSoup differ
AttributeGive LivelyTechSoup
Pricing modelFree to nonprofits, card processing charged by the processorfreemium
FoundedUnknown1987

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 TechSoup

  • Software marketplace
  • Hardware discounts
  • Vendor directory
  • Technology resources
  • Training
  • Various vendors
  • 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 TechSoup
  • Running a peer-to-peer campaign where thin margins make a per-donation platform cut painfulnot TechSoup
  • A small organisation with no software budget that still needs branded, mobile-ready donation pagesnot TechSoup
  • Adding donor advised fund giving at checkout without paying for a separate DAF integrationnot TechSoup

TechSoup

  • Business operationsnot Give Lively
  • Productivitynot Give Lively
  • Automationnot 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.

TechSoup

  • Plus membership requires $200 annual commitment
  • Advanced courses at high original cost ($5,900 valued)
  • Community networking limited to 10 members in dedicated space
  • Chat support only available to Plus members

Pricing, plan by plan

Give Lively

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

TechSoup

Free
  • TechSoup CoreFree
    • Up to 90% discounts on 100+ software and hardware
    • Basic and intermediate courses
    • Select webinars
  • TechSoup Plus$200/year
    • All Core benefits
    • Exclusive limited-time partner offers
    • Advanced courses at 80% discount

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 TechSoup if

  • You need software marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want hardware discounts.
TechSoup review

Questions people ask

Is Give Lively or TechSoup better?
Neither clearly leads. Give Lively starts at Free and TechSoup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Give Lively or TechSoup?
Give Lively starts at Free and TechSoup at Free.
Does Give Lively or TechSoup run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 TechSoup is typically brought in for.
What can Give Lively do that TechSoup cannot?
Give Lively covers Branded donation pages, Peer-to-peer fundraising, Text-to-donate, Event ticketing. TechSoup covers Software marketplace, Hardware discounts, Vendor directory, Technology resources.

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.

TechSoup: How much does TechSoup cost?

TechSoup Core is free, while TechSoup Plus costs $200 per year and includes exclusive offers, advanced courses, expert consultations, and networking events.

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.

TechSoup: Is TechSoup free to join?

Yes, TechSoup Core membership is completely free and provides access to 100+ discounted software and hardware solutions from major partners like Microsoft, Adobe, and AWS.

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

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

TechSoup: What additional benefits does TechSoup Plus provide?

TechSoup Plus ($200/year) adds exclusive partner offers, advanced courses at 80% discount, expert-led webinars, personalized tech audits, one-on-one consultations, and a dedicated community space.

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.

TechSoup: Who qualifies for TechSoup membership?

TechSoup is designed for nonprofits and provides discounted access to software from Microsoft, Adobe, Intuit, AWS, Cisco, Dell, and other technology partners.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Give Lively

More on TechSoup

Keep looking

Other head to heads