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Nonprofits · head to head

GiveSmart vs Trello for Nonprofits

GiveSmart logo

GiveSmart

Nonprofits

Mobile bidding and event fundraising for charity auctions and galas

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trello for Nonprofits logo

Trello for Nonprofits

Nonprofits

Simple project management for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Trello for Nonprofits has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GiveSmart licensing is annual while many buyers run a single event a year, so the effective cost per event is far higher than the annual figure makes it look.; Trello for Nonprofits free plan limited to 10 collaborators per Workspace, which restricts larger team usage
  • They diverge on capability: GiveSmart covers Mobile bidding, Trello for Nonprofits covers Kanban boards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GiveSmart and Trello for Nonprofits actually diverge.

Attributes where GiveSmart and Trello for Nonprofits differ
AttributeGiveSmartTrello for Nonprofits
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 GiveSmart

  • Mobile bidding
  • Auction management
  • Ticketing and check in
  • Text to give
  • Paddle raise and appeals
  • Payment settlement

Only in Trello for Nonprofits

  • Kanban boards
  • Card management
  • Team collaboration
  • Integrations
  • Labels and checklists
  • Slack
  • Google Drive
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

GiveSmart

  • A hospital or school foundation running an annual gala with a live and silent auctionnot Trello for Nonprofits
  • An organisation losing revenue to uncollected pledges after event nightnot Trello for Nonprofits
  • A charity running several auction events a year that can amortise an annual licencenot Trello for Nonprofits
  • A team wanting bidding, check in and payment settlement handled by one system on the nightnot Trello for Nonprofits

Trello for Nonprofits

  • Project management and team collaboration for nonprofit organizationsnot GiveSmart

Where each one falls short

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

GiveSmart

  • Licensing is annual while many buyers run a single event a year, so the effective cost per event is far higher than the annual figure makes it look.
  • Pricing is not published, and quotes commonly separate the licence, payment processing, hardware and event night staffing, so the first number a buyer sees is rarely the total.
  • On site technical support and equipment are usually extra, and organisations that decline them discover that event night is the worst possible time to be self supporting.
  • It is event software rather than a donor CRM, so guest and bidder data has to be pushed into the CRM afterwards or the relationship built at the gala is not retained.
  • Consolidation under Community Brands means several nominally competing products share an owner, which reduces the negotiating leverage a buyer thinks a shortlist gives them.

Trello for Nonprofits

  • Free plan limited to 10 collaborators per Workspace, which restricts larger team usage
  • Pricing shown is per-user monthly subscription; total cost grows with team size

Pricing, plan by plan

GiveSmart

On request
  • GiveSmart$undefined/year
    • Quoted as an annual licence rather than per event
    • Payment processing charged separately on funds raised
    • On site staffing, hardware and additional event support quoted as add ons

Trello for Nonprofits

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 collaborators per Workspace
    • Unlimited cards
    • Up to 10 boards
  • Standard$5/month
    • Annual billing; $6 USD per user per month with monthly billing
    • AI features
    • Unlimited boards
  • Premium$10/month
    • Annual billing; $12.50 USD per user per month with monthly billing
    • Multiple views (Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard, Map)
    • Unlimited command runs
  • Enterprise$17.5/month
    • Billed annually at $210 per user per year
    • Unlimited Workspaces
    • Organization-wide permissions

Which should you pick?

Choose GiveSmart if

  • You need mobile bidding.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want auction management.
GiveSmart review

Choose Trello for Nonprofits if

  • You need kanban boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want card management.
Trello for Nonprofits review

Questions people ask

Is GiveSmart or Trello for Nonprofits better?
Neither clearly leads. GiveSmart starts at On request and Trello for Nonprofits at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GiveSmart or Trello for Nonprofits?
Trello for Nonprofits has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for GiveSmart and Free for Trello for Nonprofits.
Does GiveSmart or Trello for Nonprofits run on more platforms?
GiveSmart runs on Web, iOS, Android. Trello for Nonprofits runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Trello for Nonprofits for free?
Yes. Trello for Nonprofits has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GiveSmart starts at On request.
What is GiveSmart best used for?
GiveSmart is most often used for a hospital or school foundation running an annual gala with a live and silent auction, an organisation losing revenue to uncollected pledges after event night, a charity running several auction events a year that can amortise an annual licence, a team wanting bidding, check in and payment settlement handled by one system on the night. Of those, a hospital or school foundation running an annual gala with a live and silent auction and an organisation losing revenue to uncollected pledges after event night are not what Trello for Nonprofits is typically brought in for.
What can GiveSmart do that Trello for Nonprofits cannot?
GiveSmart covers Mobile bidding, Auction management, Ticketing and check in, Text to give. Trello for Nonprofits covers Kanban boards, Card management, Team collaboration, Integrations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GiveSmart: Is GiveSmart priced per event?

It is normally an annual licence, so organisations running one event a year carry the full cost against one night.

Trello for Nonprofits: How much does Trello Standard plan cost?

Trello Standard costs $5 USD per user per month with annual billing, or $6 USD per user per month with monthly billing. Standard includes AI features, unlimited boards, custom fields, card mirroring, and 1,000 workspace command runs monthly.

Source
GiveSmart: Who owns GiveSmart?

Community Brands, the private equity backed nonprofit and association software group that also owns MemberClicks.

Trello for Nonprofits: What is the difference between Trello Premium and Enterprise plans?

Premium ($10 per user per month annually, $12.50 monthly) includes multiple views, unlimited command runs, and admin controls. Enterprise ($17.50 per user per month or $210 annually) adds unlimited Workspaces, organization-wide permissions, multi-board guests, Atlassian Guard Standard, and 24/7 Enterprise Admin support.

Source
GiveSmart: Does it replace our donor database?

No. It captures bidders and guests at an event and needs to feed a CRM afterwards.

Trello for Nonprofits: What is included in Trello Free plan?

Trello Free includes unlimited cards, up to 10 boards, up to 10 collaborators per Workspace, Inbox, unlimited Power-Ups, assignees, due dates, mobile apps, and two-factor authentication. No payment required.

Source
GiveSmart: What is the actual benefit over paper bid sheets?

Bidding continues across the room and payment settles before guests leave, which is where paper auctions lose money.

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Related pages

More on GiveSmart

More on Trello for Nonprofits

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