Donorbox VS FirstGiving
Donorbox charges 2.95% per donation while FirstGiving takes up to 7.5%. Both platforms charge fees — $2,950 vs $7,500 lost on every $100,000 raised.
Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits
Donorbox VS FirstGiving
Zeffy is 100% free, always.
Why choose Zeffy over Donorbox and FirstGiving if you're a nonprofit
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Donorbox and FirstGiving take a cut of every donation — Zeffy doesn't
Donorbox charges 2.95% per donation and FirstGiving takes up to 7.5%. Zeffy is 100% free, so every dollar your supporters give goes straight to your mission.
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Your donors deserve simple giving, not fee calculations
Donorbox asks donors to cover fees at checkout and FirstGiving requires manual card entry. Zeffy accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH with no extra steps or awkward fee requests.
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Get all the tools you need without paying for upgrades
Donorbox locks peer-to-peer and advanced features behind paid plans starting at $150/month. FirstGiving is being phased into an enterprise model. Zeffy gives you donations, events, raffles, auctions, CRM, and email tools right away with no paywalls.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Zeffy actually cost compared to Donorbox and FirstGiving?
Zeffy is 100% free with no platform fees or monthly costs. Donorbox charges 2.95% per donation plus processing fees. FirstGiving takes up to 7.5% per donation. On $10,000 raised, you'd lose $295 to Donorbox or $750 to FirstGiving but keep everything with Zeffy.
Can I get all fundraising tools without paying for upgrades?
Yes. Zeffy gives you donation forms, peer-to-peer campaigns, event ticketing, raffles, auctions, and CRM tools right away. Both Donorbox and FirstGiving lock key features behind paid plans or enterprise packages starting at $150/month.
What happens when I need help during busy fundraising seasons?
Zeffy offers unlimited email, live chat, and phone support with real people who understand nonprofits. Donorbox has 24-48 hour email delays during peak seasons. FirstGiving is being phased out with support focused on enterprise migrations, not small nonprofits.
Can I run auctions and raffles without paying extra fees?
Yes. Zeffy includes auction and raffle tools at no cost. List items, track bids, and sell raffle tickets while keeping 100%. Donorbox and FirstGiving don't offer these features, forcing you to use separate platforms that charge their own fees.
Will I get stuck with limited payment options for my donors?
No. Zeffy accepts credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and bank transfers with zero fees. FirstGiving only takes cards and bank transfers manually. Donorbox has digital wallets but charges 2.95% on every transaction.
Keep comparing — and see why nonprofits choose Zeffy
Related content
Zeffy was built for nonprofits like yours
focus on what matters
Built for small teams with big missions.
Zeffy is the fundraising platform that cuts out the fees, clears up your tech mess, and puts your cause first — so your team, even if you're a small team wearing many hats or a one-person show, can focus on what really matters.
ZERO-FEE
Keep 100% of every dollar.
No platform fees. No processing fees. No catch. We know it sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Every penny goes straight to your mission, while competitors take 2-3% off every donation.
ALL-IN-ONE PLatform
Ditch the tech mess.
Stop bouncing between MailChimp, Eventbrite, and all those spreadsheets. Now you can handle donations, ticket sales, memberships, raffles, and all your donor info in one spot.
plug-and-play
Get going, fast.
Built for teams like yours — whether you're volunteer-led or have limited staff. Set up donation forms, sell tickets, and launch campaigns without needing a tech wizard. It's super easy, and you'll be up and running in minutes.
mobile-first
Fundraise from every device, anywhere.
From QR codes on flyers to Tap-to-Pay on a phone, Zeffy makes it easy to accept donations on the go. Mobile-optimized and offline-ready, so no donor slips through the cracks.
No turnover
Never lose a donor to volunteer transition.
Centralize supporter relationships, automate thank-you messages, and preserve institutional knowledge when board members rotate out.
100,000+ nonprofits trust Zeffy — and keep their fees at $0.
For 7+ years, Zeffy has supported nonprofits with free, user-friendly fundraising tools.
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As a startup nonprofit with only two members, and no funding (yet) we’d need something with low (or no) fees. Zeffy was a dream come true.
Masey, Loose Ends.
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SUCCESS STORIES
Zero-fee fundraising in action — nonprofit stories worth sharing.
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