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Nonprofits · head to head

Submittable vs Zeffy

Submittable logo

Submittable

Nonprofits

Application, review and grant management for funders running open calls at volume

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeffy logo

Zeffy

Nonprofits

100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zeffy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Submittable pricing is not published and tier jumps are steep, so an organisation that grows past a submission or form limit can face a renewal quote well above the previous year with limited negotiating room mid-programme.; Zeffy revenue model relies entirely on donor voluntary tips with no guaranteed income
  • They diverge on capability: Submittable covers Configurable application forms, Zeffy covers Donation forms.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Submittable and Zeffy actually diverge.

Attributes where Submittable and Zeffy differ
AttributeSubmittableZeffy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2019

Identical on both: 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 Submittable

  • Configurable application forms
  • Blind and multi-stage review
  • Reviewer management
  • Grant payments
  • Impact reporting
  • Applicant messaging
  • API and integrations

Only in Zeffy

  • Donation forms
  • Event ticketing
  • Membership management
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising
  • Recurring donations
  • Mailchimp
  • Zapier
  • Facebook

What people use each for

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

Submittable

  • A foundation running an open grant round where a volunteer panel must score hundreds of applications without seeing applicant identitiesnot Zeffy
  • A corporate giving team collecting employee-nominated grant requests and needing an audit trail for financenot Zeffy
  • An arts council managing fellowship and residency applications with multi-stage juriesnot Zeffy
  • A city agency distributing relief funds and required to show equitable review and decision recordsnot Zeffy

Zeffy

  • Donation collection for nonprofitsnot Submittable
  • Event ticketing with check-innot Submittable
  • Membership sales with tiersnot Submittable
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising campaignsnot Submittable
  • In-person payment with Tap to Paynot Submittable

Where each one falls short

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

Submittable

  • Pricing is not published and tier jumps are steep, so an organisation that grows past a submission or form limit can face a renewal quote well above the previous year with limited negotiating room mid-programme.
  • It is built around the application funnel rather than the funder's relationship with grantees, so long-term relationship management, pledge tracking and multi-year commitments are weaker than in a purpose-built grants CRM.
  • Applicant-facing forms are constrained by the platform's templates, and organisations wanting a fully branded application experience on their own domain will find the customisation shallow.
  • Reporting is serviceable for programme counts but limited for board-level financial reporting, so many finance teams still export to spreadsheets to reconcile awards against the general ledger.
  • Payment disbursement capability varies by tier and region, and organisations funding recipients outside the United States often still pay grants through their bank rather than through the platform.

Zeffy

  • Revenue model relies entirely on donor voluntary tips with no guaranteed income
  • All features included equally with no upgrade path for additional capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

Submittable

On request
  • Submittable$undefined/year
    • Application forms and applicant portal
    • Reviewer workflow and scoring rubrics
    • Grant award and reporting modules on higher tiers

Zeffy

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • Unlimited donations
    • Ticketing
    • Memberships

Which should you pick?

Choose Submittable if

  • You need configurable application forms.
  • You also want blind and multi-stage review.
Submittable review

Choose Zeffy if

  • You need donation forms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want event ticketing.
Zeffy review

Questions people ask

Is Submittable or Zeffy better?
Neither clearly leads. Submittable starts at On request and Zeffy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Submittable or Zeffy?
Zeffy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Submittable and Free for Zeffy.
Does Submittable or Zeffy run on more platforms?
Submittable runs on Web. Zeffy runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Zeffy for free?
Yes. Zeffy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Submittable starts at On request.
What is Submittable best used for?
Submittable is most often used for a foundation running an open grant round where a volunteer panel must score hundreds of applications without seeing applicant identities, a corporate giving team collecting employee-nominated grant requests and needing an audit trail for finance, an arts council managing fellowship and residency applications with multi-stage juries, a city agency distributing relief funds and required to show equitable review and decision records. Of those, a foundation running an open grant round where a volunteer panel must score hundreds of applications without seeing applicant identities and a corporate giving team collecting employee-nominated grant requests and needing an audit trail for finance are not what Zeffy is typically brought in for.
What can Submittable do that Zeffy cannot?
Submittable covers Configurable application forms, Blind and multi-stage review, Reviewer management, Grant payments. Zeffy covers Donation forms, Event ticketing, Membership management, Peer-to-peer fundraising.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Submittable: What does Submittable actually cost?

It is not published. Reported entry points are in the low thousands of dollars a year, with price driven by submission volume, number of forms and seats. Get the tier limits written into the contract before signing.

Zeffy: How much does Zeffy cost for nonprofits?

Zeffy is completely free for nonprofits. There are no platform fees, transaction fees, credit card processing fees, monthly subscriptions, or setup costs. Nonprofits retain 100% of funds raised.

Source
Submittable: Is it a grants management system or a submission manager?

Both, depending on tier. The review side is its strength. Award tracking, payments and grantee reporting sit on higher tiers and are less deep than a dedicated grants CRM.

Zeffy: How does Zeffy make money if it's free?

Zeffy relies on voluntary donor tips at checkout. On average, 2 out of 3 donors leave a tip. Tips are optional and donors can opt out, but Zeffy operates on this voluntary contribution model.

Source
Submittable: Can reviewers work anonymously?

Yes. Blind review, staged rounds and conflict of interest flagging are core features rather than paid extras.

Zeffy: What nonprofit organizations can use Zeffy?

Schools, churches, sports teams, animal rescues, food banks, volunteer fire departments, arts organizations, and PTAs can all use Zeffy. Over 100,000 nonprofits globally use the platform.

Source
Submittable: Is there a nonprofit discount?

Nonprofit pricing exists but is applied inside the quote rather than published as a percentage, so compare quotes rather than assuming a standard rate.

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