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Nonprofits · head to head

Givebutter vs SmartSimple Cloud

Givebutter logo

Givebutter

Nonprofits

Free nonprofit fundraising with donor management and campaign tools

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartSimple Cloud logo

SmartSimple Cloud

Nonprofits

Configurable grants, research and case management platform for large funders

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Givebutter has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Givebutter free tier includes 3% platform fee when donor tips are disabled; SmartSimple Cloud almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Givebutter and SmartSimple Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Givebutter and SmartSimple Cloud differ
AttributeGivebutterSmartSimple Cloud
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: 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 Givebutter

Nothing recorded that SmartSimple Cloud does not also cover.

Only in SmartSimple Cloud

  • Configurable object model
  • Workflow and approval engine
  • Peer review
  • Budget and payments
  • Grantee portal
  • Report writer
  • Research administration

What people use each for

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

Givebutter

  • Launching donation pages where donors cover feesnot SmartSimple Cloud
  • Managing peer-to-peer and event fundraising togethernot SmartSimple Cloud
  • Automating donor thank-you workflows and tasksnot SmartSimple Cloud
  • Accepting donations across Venmo, PayPal, cards, ACHnot SmartSimple Cloud

SmartSimple Cloud

  • A national research council running peer-reviewed funding calls with panel conflict rules and multi-year milestone paymentsnot Givebutter
  • A private foundation whose grant process differs enough between programmes that packaged software would need four separate instancesnot Givebutter
  • A government department that must show a full audit trail of every decision and payment against public fundsnot Givebutter
  • A health charity running grants and beneficiary case management in one system with shared contact recordsnot Givebutter

Where each one falls short

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

Givebutter

  • Free tier includes 3% platform fee when donor tips are disabled
  • Plus pricing varies by contact volume: up to $129/month for 2,500+ contacts

SmartSimple Cloud

  • Almost everything useful is configured rather than switched on, so first-year cost is dominated by professional services and a live system is typically months rather than weeks away.
  • Because each deployment is bespoke, upgrades and new platform features often need configuration work before they apply to your instance, which slows the benefit of paying an annual subscription.
  • Organisations that lose their internal configurator become dependent on the vendor or a partner for even routine form changes, which turns small requests into billable work.
  • The user interface is dense and utilitarian; occasional users such as grant reviewers and applicants need instructions, which increases support load during a funding round.
  • It is priced and scoped for large funders, so a small foundation running one annual round will pay for flexibility it never uses and would be served faster by a packaged tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Givebutter

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Donation forms
    • Fundraising pages
    • Donor CRM
  • Givebutter Plus$29/month
    • For 250 or fewer contacts: $29/month or $348/year
    • Automated workflows
    • Task management

SmartSimple Cloud

On request
  • SmartSimple Cloud$undefined/year
    • Configurable grants, review and case management
    • Grantee and reviewer portals
    • Annual subscription plus separate implementation engagement

Which should you pick?

Choose Givebutter if

  • You want to start without paying.
Givebutter review

Choose SmartSimple Cloud if

  • You need configurable object model.
  • You also want workflow and approval engine.
SmartSimple Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Givebutter or SmartSimple Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Givebutter starts at Free and SmartSimple Cloud at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Givebutter or SmartSimple Cloud?
Givebutter has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Givebutter and On request for SmartSimple Cloud.
Does Givebutter or SmartSimple Cloud run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Givebutter for free?
Yes. Givebutter has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SmartSimple Cloud starts at On request.
What is Givebutter best used for?
Givebutter is most often used for launching donation pages where donors cover fees, managing peer-to-peer and event fundraising together, automating donor thank-you workflows and tasks, accepting donations across venmo, paypal, cards, ach. Of those, launching donation pages where donors cover fees and managing peer-to-peer and event fundraising together are not what SmartSimple Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Givebutter do that SmartSimple Cloud cannot?
SmartSimple Cloud covers Configurable object model, Workflow and approval engine, Peer review, Budget and payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Givebutter: How much does Givebutter cost?

Givebutter's core platform is free to use. The optional Givebutter Plus upgrade starts at $29 per month for nonprofits with 250 or fewer contacts, scaling to $129 per month for 2,500+ contacts.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: How long does implementation take?

Plan in months, not weeks. Complex multi-programme funders routinely run six to twelve month implementations, and that work is billed separately from the subscription.

Givebutter: How does Givebutter stay free?

Givebutter remains free when nonprofits enable optional donor tips. Donors can choose to tip when donating, and Givebutter covers any uncovered transaction costs through the Givebutter Guarantee. Without tips enabled, a 3% platform fee applies plus standard processor fees.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by modules, user counts and configuration scope. Ask specifically what future configuration changes cost, because that is the recurring surprise.

Givebutter: Can I cancel Givebutter Plus anytime?

Yes, Givebutter Plus subscriptions can be cancelled anytime; cancellation takes effect at the end of the billing period. A 30-day Plus trial is available.

Source
SmartSimple Cloud: Can it handle multi-currency, multi-year grants?

Yes. Tranche payments conditional on milestone reports and multi-currency awards are among the reasons large international funders choose it.

SmartSimple Cloud: Do we need our own administrator?

Practically, yes. Organisations without an internal configurator end up paying the vendor for routine form and workflow changes.

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