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Nonprofits · head to head

Givebutter vs Tendenci

Givebutter logo

Givebutter

Nonprofits

Free nonprofit fundraising with donor management and campaign tools

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tendenci logo

Tendenci

Nonprofits

Open-source association management system for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Givebutter free tier includes 3% platform fee when donor tips are disabled; Tendenci self-hosting is a real operational commitment, and organisations without technical capacity should not treat the free licence as a free system
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Givebutter and Tendenci actually diverge.

Attributes where Givebutter and Tendenci differ
AttributeGivebutterTendenci
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, with paid hosting available
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud

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 Givebutter

Nothing recorded that Tendenci does not also cover.

Only in Tendenci

  • Open-source licence
  • Membership management
  • Events and registration
  • Donations
  • Content-managed website
  • Email

What people use each for

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

Givebutter

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

Tendenci

  • Nonprofits whose boards require member and donor data to stay under their own controlnot Givebutter
  • Organisations with data residency obligations a hosted platform cannot satisfynot Givebutter
  • Groups with technical capacity wanting to avoid per-member subscription costs at scalenot Givebutter
  • Associations needing to customise workflows beyond what a proprietary platform allowsnot 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

Tendenci

  • Self-hosting is a real operational commitment, and organisations without technical capacity should not treat the free licence as a free system
  • The community is small compared with mainstream open-source projects, so answers are harder to find and contributors are few
  • The interface is dated against the commercial association platforms and this is the most common user complaint
  • Fewer integrations than commercial competitors, and building them is a development task rather than a configuration one
  • Feature depth in events and continuing education is behind the specialist commercial systems

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

Tendenci

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full source code
    • No per-member licence
    • Community support
  • Managed hosting$undefined/month
    • Hosted and maintained
    • Updates applied
    • Support included

Which should you pick?

Choose Givebutter if

  • You want to start without paying.
Givebutter review

Choose Tendenci if

  • You need open-source licence.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud.
  • You also want membership management.
Tendenci review

Questions people ask

Is Givebutter or Tendenci better?
Neither clearly leads. Givebutter starts at Free and Tendenci at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Givebutter or Tendenci?
Givebutter starts at Free and Tendenci at Free.
Does Givebutter or Tendenci run on more platforms?
Givebutter runs on Web. Tendenci runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Cloud.
Can I use Givebutter for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Tendenci is typically brought in for.
What can Givebutter do that Tendenci cannot?
Tendenci covers Open-source licence, Membership management, Events and registration, Donations.

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
Tendenci: Is Tendenci really free?

The software is, under an open-source licence with no per-member fee. Running it is not: hosting, updates, backups and security are the organisation responsibility unless managed hosting is purchased.

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
Tendenci: Who should choose it?

Organisations with a genuine requirement to control their own data, and the technical capacity to act on it. Choosing it purely to avoid subscription cost usually ends badly.

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
Tendenci: Can I move my data out?

Yes, entirely. That is the point. Data lives in a PostgreSQL database you control, and there is no vendor holding it.

Tendenci: How does it compare to Wild Apricot?

Wild Apricot is easier, better supported and better looking. Tendenci is the answer when data ownership is a requirement rather than a preference.

Tendenci: Is it actively maintained?

It is developed openly on GitHub with a small team and community. Check recent commit activity before committing, as with any small open-source project.

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