ActBlue vs Zeffy: Fees and Features for Nonprofits Compared

What is the difference between ActBlue and Zeffy?

Zeffy is a free fundraising platform for nonprofits, with a donor CRM built in. One plan covers donations, events, auctions, a store and memberships, and no fee comes out of any gift. ActBlue is the online fundraising platform behind Democratic campaigns and committees. Its charity arm, AB Charities, offers the same contribution forms to 501(c)(3)s and charges a 3.95% processing fee on each contribution.

What percentage does ActBlue take?

ActBlue takes 3.95% of each contribution. Its pricing page describes "a 3.95% processing fee on each contribution", with no platform fee or subscription on top:

• ActBlue and AB Charities: 3.95% per contribution. AB Charities calls it "the only fee you'll ever be charged".
• Raise by ActBlue, for state and local campaigns raising under $25k: 3.5% per transaction.
• On a $100 contribution at 3.95%: $3.95 goes to ActBlue and $96.05 to the organization.

Zeffy charges nonprofits no fee on any gift: see how Zeffy is free. Source: actblue.com, October 2026.

Does ActBlue take a cut of donations?

Yes. The 3.95% fee comes out of each contribution, so the organization receives the gift minus the fee. Over a year, a nonprofit raising $50,000 through AB Charities keeps $48,025 and pays $1,975 in fees. With Zeffy, the full gift reaches your nonprofit, whether or not the donor adds a contribution to Zeffy.

Can a 501(c)(3) nonprofit use ActBlue?

Yes, through AB Charities, a separate entity that works with 501(c)(3)s. ActBlue lists them at its discretion: the organization must do grassroots fundraising, and its work must not be at odds with the values set out in ActBlue's Account Use Policy. It may be asked for a Form 990 or its determination letter. Zeffy is open to any nonprofit or registered charity with an EIN and a bank account in its name, whatever its cause.

Should our nonprofit use AB Charities or Zeffy?

Choose Zeffy if you want donation forms, events, auctions, memberships and a donor CRM in one account, with no fee taken from any gift.

Choose AB Charities if many of your supporters already give through ActBlue Express and you want their one-click checkout, with 3.95% of each gift going to ActBlue.

What does ActBlue offer that Zeffy doesn't?

ActBlue Express lets over 15.5 million saved donors give in one click to any organization on ActBlue. ActBlue also runs A/B tests on contribution forms, answers your donors' customer service questions for you, and offers to build an integration with a platform it does not yet connect to. Zeffy does not offer a checkout shared across organizations or A/B tests on forms today.

Who can use Zeffy?

Any nonprofit or registered charity in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia or Germany, with a bank account in the organization's name. In the US, 501(c)(3) status is not required: any 501(c) type qualifies, but the organization needs an EIN. Individuals and for-profit businesses cannot use Zeffy.

Is Zeffy really free?

Yes. Zeffy charges your nonprofit no processing fee, no platform fee and no subscription. Where ActBlue keeps 3.95% of each contribution, Zeffy keeps nothing from the gift. Donors can add an optional contribution to Zeffy at checkout, on top of what they give. See how Zeffy is free.