BiddingOwl Charges 5% on Auction Bids. Here's a Zero-Fee Alternative.

Zeffy includes auctions, donations, ticketing, and donor CRM in one platform. No add-ons required.

Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits

Zeffy VS BiddingOwl

Zeffy VS BiddingOwl: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Pricing

Completely free. Always. But how? →

Varies.

5% platform fee plus standard card fees on winning bids

Processing fees

$0 in credit card and transaction fees. Zeffy covers these. How? →

2.9% + $0.30.

Standard credit card processing via Stripe or PayPal; typical rate 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

Platform fees

Zeffy never takes a cut. Unlike platforms that skim 3–5%, you keep 100% of every donation.

5%.

on winning bids for online and mobile auctions; traditional silent and live auctions are free

Monthly fees

0/month.

No subscriptions, no paywalls. Every org, big or small, gets full access for free.

$0.

No monthly fees

Other fees

We've never charged a single cent to nonprofits and we never will.

$0.

No subscription fees, no upfront costs, no hidden fees

Pricing transparency

10/10.

No platform fees, no credit card fees, no hidden fees, no fees period!

3/10.

No clear pricing page found. Fees scattered across search results and comparison sites only.

Value for money

5/5.

450+ reviews on Capterra. All-in-one fundraising, zero fees, unbeatable value.

4.8/5.

Features

5/5.

No training needed. Built for busy nonprofit teams, not tech pros. Launch a campaign in under 30 minutes.

4.7/5.

Auction-focused platform with limited year-round tools - donations and ticketing sold separately as add-ons

Donations

Donations without the cut. Custom forms, tax receipts, donor tracking — all fee-free.

Donation forms available as separate add-on - auctions and donations managed in different systems

Ticketing

Sell tickets, check in guests, track sales — and keep 100%. No fees. No fine print.

Event ticketing available but requires separate purchase - adds complexity for gala planning

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Teams or individuals launch fundraising pages in minutes. Track progress, keep 100%. No fees.

No peer-to-peer fundraising tools - focused on auction events, not supporter-led campaigns

Auctions

Run auctions without giving up a percentage. List items, track bids, collect payments — all fee-free.

Online and silent auction platform with mobile bidding, item management, and real-time bid tracking for fundraising events

Raffles

Host online raffles and 50/50s. Track sales, set ticket limits, stay compliant — all without paying a cent.

Raffle tools available but require add-on purchase - not included in base auction package

Online Store

Skip the tool sprawl. Sell merch and manage your store in one place — no fees, no add-ons.

No online store functionality - built for auctions only, not ongoing product sales

Memberships

Automate memberships with no per-member fees. Dues go straight to your org — perfect for clubs, alumni, and supporters.

No membership features - auction-only platform with no recurring billing or member management tools

Donor management/CRM

Ditch the expensive CRM. Track donations, send thank-yous, and build donor loyalty — all fee-free.

Basic bidder contact list only - no donor profiles, giving history, or nonprofit CRM capabilities

Emails & Newsletter

Manage contacts and send newsletters from the same place you fundraise. Unlimited sends, no fees.

Auction notifications and receipts only - no fundraising campaigns or donor communication tools

Payment Processing

Accept donations, ticket sales, and payments — all 100% fee-free. No cuts, no hidden fees, ever.

Stripe integration for bid payments with automatic charge capture when auctions close

Payment Methods

All-in-one fundraising: donations, events, memberships, email, and donor CRM — 100% free.

Credit cards only. No digital wallets, ACH, or in-person payment options.

Credit Card Payments

Accept all major credit cards with zero processing fees. Zeffy covers the cost — you keep 100% of every donation.

All major credit and debit cards accepted for auction bidding and payments

Apple Pay & Google Pay

One-tap donations and tickets with Apple Pay & Google Pay. No fees, just smooth mobile checkouts.

No digital wallet support - traditional card entry only for auction payments

ACH / Bank Transfers

Accept bank transfers with zero fees. Full donation amounts go straight to your mission.

No ACH bank transfers - card-only payments limit large donor giving options

Tap to Pay App

Anyone on your team can take payments from their phone. No card reader, no fees, no friction.

No in-person payment tools - auction platform only, requires separate hardware for live events

Support

5/5.

Real humans, real fast. Free email and phone support — no bots, no paywalls, no runaround.

4.9/5.

Support geared toward auction users rather than nonprofits. Email and live chat are available but response times can be slow during peak auction seasons.

Help Center

Searchable help docs, video tutorials, and step-by-step guides — all free, all the time.

Knowledge base with guides and FAQs focused on auction setup and platform mechanics rather than nonprofit fundraising strategy.

Email Support

Email us anytime. Most questions answered within hours — not days.

Email support available but response times can be slow during peak auction seasons.

Phone Support

Need to talk? Call us. Real support from real people who understand nonprofits.

No phone support or scheduled calls — email and chat support only.

Onboarding

Get set up in under 30 minutes. No training required — but we're here if you need us.

Self-service onboarding only; no dedicated onboarding or nonprofit-specific training.

Community

Join thousands of nonprofits sharing tips, templates, and best practices.

No community forum or user groups; users rely on help docs and direct support.

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Calculate savings

How is Zeffy free?

Why Zeffy over BiddingOwl?

Run your auction and everything else in one place

🛠️

Run your auction and everything else in one place

BiddingOwl works for auctions, but you still need separate tools for donations, ticketing, and donor management. Zeffy does it all, with zero fees.

📅

Run your auction and your year-round fundraising in one place

BiddingOwl works for auctions, but you need separate tools for donations, ticketing, and donor follow-up. Zeffy handles it all without the add-on costs.

💰

Keep every dollar you raise, not just the ones outside auction season

BiddingOwl charges 5% on online auction bids plus processing fees. Zeffy is 100% free for auctions, donations, ticketing, and everything else you run.

🤝

Get help from people who understand nonprofit fundraising

BiddingOwl's support focuses on auction mechanics. Zeffy's team knows nonprofit fundraising and responds in 2–6 business hours with jargon-free help.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and BiddingOwl

Does Zeffy charge fees on auction bids like BiddingOwl does?

No. Zeffy charges zero fees on auction bids, donations, ticket sales, and everything else. BiddingOwl takes 5% of every online auction bid plus processing fees, which adds up fast.

Can I run auctions and accept regular donations in the same platform?

Yes. Zeffy handles auctions, donation forms, event ticketing, memberships, and peer-to-peer campaigns in one platform. BiddingOwl requires separate add-ons for donations and ticketing.

What payment options can bidders use on Zeffy compared to BiddingOwl?

Zeffy accepts credit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, and Google Pay so bidders can give however they prefer. BiddingOwl only accepts credit cards through Stripe or PayPal.

How does Zeffy help me stay connected with bidders after my auction ends?

Zeffy includes donor management tools that track giving history and let you send personalized thank-you emails. BiddingOwl only stores bidder contact lists without relationship-building features.

How much does BiddingOwl charge in payment processing fees?

BiddingOwl charges 5% on online auction bids plus additional processing fees on top. Zeffy covers all transaction and credit card fees, so you keep 100% of what you raise.

Is Zeffy really free or are there hidden costs?

Zeffy is 100% free for nonprofits with no platform fees, no processing fees, and no percentage taken from bids or donations. The platform is funded by optional donor tips that are never required.

Can I switch from BiddingOwl to Zeffy without losing my donor data?

Yes. Zeffy includes built-in donor management tools where you can import contacts and track all giving history across auctions, donations, and events in one place.

Does Zeffy work for charity auctions and school fundraisers?

Yes. Zeffy is trusted by over 100,000 nonprofits including PTAs, schools, and community organizations running silent auctions, galas, and fundraising events of all sizes.

What's the best free auction site for nonprofits?

Zeffy is the only auction platform that charges zero fees on bids, donations, and ticket sales. Most alternatives like BiddingOwl take 5% or more from your auction proceeds.

Still undecided?

Keep comparing — and see why nonprofits choose Zeffy

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Network for Good

CauseVox

100,000+ nonprofits trust Zeffy — and keep their fees at $0.

For 7+ years, Zeffy has supported nonprofits with free, user-friendly fundraising tools.

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.

Read the full story

“We were incurring a ton of fees for our past fundraising platform and Zeffy has helped us receive so much more of our donations.”

Zeffy has been invaluable in helping me track our donors, sales, events, and revenue in one spot. The coolest thing about Zeffy is it really is free!

Everything about Zeffy suits us starting with (of course, NO fees) but also the ease of use and customer experience as well as their client support!!

Zeffy is very easy to use and ensures that every dollar quickly gets into our account.. A huge help to our work!

Zeffy is very simple, allows for a lot of customization and seamlessly integrates into our website. The fact that all of this is free is still wild to me.

We couldn't believe there was a free payment platform for our Girl Scout group. Zeffy took ZERO fees from us, which is huge when you run on very small amounts of money.

We were ready to sell tickets in less than 30 minutes. The reporting capabilities were better than some other paid-for sites.

Since using Zeffy, our conversion rate of donations has skyrocketed. It's an easy platform to use. Plus customer support has always been responsive and helpful!