FirstGiving Is Being Phased Out — Here's a Zero-Fee Alternative Built for Small Teams
FirstGiving takes up to 7.5% and is moving to enterprise-only. Zeffy charges $0 and is ready now.
Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits
Zeffy VS FirstGiving
Zeffy is 100% free, always.
Keep 100% of every donation, no platform fees or surprises
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Keep 100% of every donation, no platform fees or surprises
FirstGiving takes up to 7.5% per donation and is migrating to an enterprise model. Zeffy is 100% free, built for small nonprofits, and ready to use today.
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Your donors shouldn't need a manual to give
FirstGiving requires donors to verify bank accounts and enter card details manually. Zeffy accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH with no extra steps.
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You shouldn't have to guess what support you'll get
FirstGiving is being phased into Frontstream's enterprise model. Zeffy gives you unlimited email, chat, and phone support built for small teams, not corporations.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zeffy really 100% free, or are there hidden fees?
Zeffy is completely free for nonprofits. There are no platform fees, processing fees, or monthly charges. Donors have the option to leave a voluntary contribution to keep Zeffy running, but you keep 100% of every donation.
Can I switch from FirstGiving to Zeffy without losing my donor data?
Yes. You can export your donor data from FirstGiving and import it into Zeffy. Our support team helps you migrate your contacts, donation history, and campaigns so you can start fundraising right away.
How does Zeffy make money if there are no fees?
Donors have the option to leave a voluntary contribution when they give. This covers all our costs so nonprofits never pay a cent. You keep 100% of donations, and we stay sustainable.
Does Zeffy work for peer-to-peer campaigns and team fundraising?
Yes. Zeffy includes peer-to-peer fundraising with custom fundraiser pages, team tools, and progress tracking. All features are free, with no enterprise upgrade required.
Donors can give using credit cards, debit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. All payment methods are included at no extra cost to your nonprofit.
Donors can give using credit cards, debit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. All payment methods are included at no extra cost to your nonprofit.
What fees does FirstGiving charge per donation?
FirstGiving charges up to 5% platform fees plus 2.5% credit card processing fees, meaning you could lose up to 7.5% of every donation. Zeffy charges zero fees, so you keep 100% of what donors give.
Is FirstGiving still available for small nonprofits?
FirstGiving has been absorbed into Frontstream Panorama, an enterprise-focused platform with complex setup requirements. If you're a small team or grassroots organization, Zeffy is built specifically for you with quick setup and no learning curve.
How long does it take to set up Zeffy compared to FirstGiving?
You can launch your first Zeffy donation form in under 30 minutes with no training required. FirstGiving's enterprise model typically involves a more complex onboarding process.
Does Zeffy offer event ticketing and auctions like FirstGiving?
Yes. Zeffy includes ticketing, auctions, raffles, peer-to-peer campaigns, an online store, memberships, and a built-in CRM — all completely free. FirstGiving requires paid plans or enterprise packages for advanced features.
Can donors use Apple Pay or Google Pay with Zeffy?
Yes. Zeffy accepts credit cards, debit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, and Google Pay at no extra cost. FirstGiving only supports credit cards and ACH.
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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