Zeffy VS Google Sheets

Build professional donation pages and manage donors in one place. Keep 100% of every donation with zero fees, unlike spreadsheets that can't process payments.

Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits

Google Sheets

Zeffy VS Google Sheets

Zeffy VS Google Sheets: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Pricing

Completely free. Always. But how? →

$0.

Free tool, no fundraising built in

Processing fees

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

$0.

No processing fees for Google Workspace subscription services

Platform fees

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

$0.

No platform fees charged

Monthly fees

0/month.

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

$0.

Google Workspace for Nonprofits free for eligible orgs; discounted Business Standard, Business Plus, and Enterprise tiers per user per month

Other fees

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

$0.

No setup fees or hidden costs

Pricing transparency

10/10.

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

3/10.

No pricing page exists. Users must dig through support docs to find nonprofit discount info.

Value for money

5/5.

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

N/A.

Features

5/5.

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

4.7/5.

Spreadsheet tool only - no fundraising features, requires separate platforms for donations, events, and payments

Donations

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

No donation forms or payment processing - requires manual entry and separate payment tools

Ticketing

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

No ticketing features - you'd track RSVPs manually and handle payments through another platform

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

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

No peer-to-peer tools - you'd need to manually create spreadsheets for each fundraiser to track

Auctions

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

No auction features - spreadsheet tool only, requires separate auction platform and manual data entry

Raffles

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

No raffle tools - you'd need to manually track entries, draw winners, and collect payments separately

Online Store

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

No store functionality - requires manual inventory tracking and separate checkout system

Memberships

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

No membership tools - manual tracking in spreadsheets with no automation, portals, or payment processing

Donor management/CRM

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

No donor management - manual data entry only with no giving history tracking or donor profiles

Emails & Newsletter

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

No email tools - requires separate email platform and manual contact list management

Payment Processing

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

No payment processing - requires separate payment platform and manual reconciliation of transactions

Payment Methods

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

No payment processing — Google Sheets only tracks donations manually after you collect them elsewhere.

Credit Card Payments

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

No payment processing - Google Sheets is a spreadsheet tool that requires separate payment systems for donations

Apple Pay & Google Pay

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

No digital wallet support - Google Sheets cannot process any type of online payments directly

ACH / Bank Transfers

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

No payment capabilities - tracking donations requires manual entry after processing through external platforms

Tap to Pay App

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

No payment collection - can only track cash/check donations manually after events or meetings

Support

5/5.

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

4.3/5.

Support built for Google Workspace business users, not nonprofits. No fundraising expertise or mission-focused guidance.

Help Center

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

Comprehensive help center with searchable docs and FAQs, but content is geared toward general business users rather than nonprofit fundraising.

Email Support

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

Email support with slow response times - designed for general business users, not nonprofits

Phone Support

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

Phone support only available on Google Workspace Business plans starting at $12/user/month

Onboarding

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

Only self-service onboarding resources and guides; dedicated onboarding requires an enterprise contract or partner.

Community

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

Active community forums and user groups exist, but they focus on general product usage rather than nonprofit fundraising best practices.

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Calculate savings

How is Zeffy free?

Why Zeffy over Google Sheets?

Your donors deserve better than a spreadsheet

🚫📊

Your donors deserve better than a spreadsheet

Zeffy gives you donation forms, payment processing, donor tracking, and email tools in one place — with zero fees, so you can spend less time copying data and more time raising money

⏱️

Spreadsheets track the past, not your next campaign

Google Sheets helps you organize data after the fact. Zeffy helps you collect donations, send receipts, and track donors in real time — no separate tools required.

📧

Your donors deserve better than a manual receipt

With Google Sheets, you’re copying and pasting donor info by hand. Zeffy sends instant tax receipts, tracks giving history, and keeps your donor list updated automatically.

⚡

Get started in minutes, not months

Google Sheets requires formulas, templates, and separate tools to cobble together. Zeffy’s built for nonprofits — create your first donation form in under 10 minutes, no setup required.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Google Sheets

Can Google Sheets process donations and send tax receipts?

No. Google Sheets is a spreadsheet tool that can't collect payments or send receipts. You'd need to use separate payment processors and manually issue tax receipts. Zeffy processes donations and sends instant tax receipts automatically.

How much does it cost to use Zeffy compared to Google Sheets?

Google Sheets is free, but you'll pay transaction fees to payment processors like PayPal or Stripe. Zeffy charges zero fees on donations, so you keep 100% of what you raise. Donors can leave an optional contribution to support our platform.

Can I track donor history and send emails with Google Sheets?

Google Sheets requires manual data entry and a separate email platform. Zeffy tracks donor history automatically and includes built-in email tools, so you can segment donors and send campaigns without copying data between systems.

Does Google Sheets work for running fundraising campaigns?

Google Sheets can track campaign data, but you'll need separate tools to create donation forms, collect payments, and send updates. Zeffy includes everything you need to launch campaigns, accept donations, and communicate with supporters in one platform.

Can Google Sheets process recurring payments?

No. Google Sheets can't process recurring payments. You'd need a separate subscription service and manually update your spreadsheet each month. Zeffy handles recurring donations automatically and updates donor records in real time.

Still undecided?

Keep comparing — and see why nonprofits choose Zeffy

Zoho CRM

Airtable

Veracross

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.”

Amy R

Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago

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!

Debra B

Glory to Glory Women's Mentoring Ministry

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!!

Carmen M

DIVINA World Foundation

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

Nathan C

Jiwa International

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.

Ryan S

Jesters Theatre: Youth Unlimited

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.

Jennifer H

GSCB Troop 144

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

Mark B

Theta Mu Lambda Charitable Foundation

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!