InstaRaise Fees Aren't Published — Here's What You'll Actually Pay With Zeffy

InstaRaise hides pricing; some users report losing up to 20%. Zeffy gives you full CRM, branding, and tools free from day one.

Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits

Instaraise

Zeffy VS Instaraise

Zeffy VS Instaraise: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Instaraise

Pricing

Completely free. Always. But how? →

Varies.

You cover fees if tips fail

Processing fees

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

N/A.

Processing fees not disclosed publicly. No pricing information available.

Platform fees

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

Varies.

Platform fees not disclosed; user reports indicate up to 20% of donations may be taken.

Monthly fees

0/month.

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

N/A.

Monthly pricing not disclosed. No public information available.

Other fees

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

N/A.

Other potential fees not disclosed. No additional pricing information available.

Pricing transparency

10/10.

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

2/10.

Fees hidden completely. No pricing page found; multiple sources list fees as not disclosed.

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.

N/A.

Built for peer-to-peer campaigns - basic tools require paid plans for custom branding and full features

Donations

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

Donation forms with recurring giving options - requires paid plan for custom branding and advanced features

Ticketing

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

Event ticketing with registration management and check-in tools - limited customization on lower tiers

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

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

Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns with individual fundraiser pages - paid plan required for team features

Auctions

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

No auction features - focuses on peer-to-peer and event fundraising, requires separate auction platform

Raffles

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

Raffle campaigns with ticket sales and winner selection - available on paid plans only

Online Store

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

Product sales and merchandise store - requires higher-tier paid plan for full e-commerce features

Memberships

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

No membership management tools - designed for campaigns and events, not ongoing member relationships

Donor management/CRM

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

Basic donor database with contact info and giving history - limited segmentation and reporting

Emails & Newsletter

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

Campaign emails with templates and basic automation - limited to fundraising communications only

Payment Processing

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

Stripe integration with automated payment processing and donor receipts

Payment Methods

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

Credit cards and digital wallets only. No native in-person tools or ACH for larger recurring gifts.

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 through Stripe integration with standard processing fees

Apple Pay & Google Pay

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

Apple Pay and Google Pay supported through Stripe checkout on donation forms

ACH / Bank Transfers

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

Not available — no ACH bank transfers for donations or recurring gifts

Tap to Pay App

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

No native in-person payment tools - requires separate hardware setup for events and galas

Support

5/5.

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

N/A.

Support built for corporate fundraising, not nonprofits. No dedicated team or clear response times for mission-driven organizations.

Help Center

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

Limited help center with basic articles and FAQs — resources focus on corporate fundraising rather than nonprofit guidance.

Email Support

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

Email support available but response times unclear; no dedicated nonprofit support team.

Phone Support

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

No phone support — email and chat are the primary contact channels.

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 setup assistance.

Community

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

No community forum or user groups are available.

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Calculate savings

How is Zeffy free?

Why Zeffy over Instaraise?

Keep more of what you raise, without guessing what it costs

💰

Keep more of what you raise, without guessing what it costs

Zeffy is 100% free for nonprofits — no hidden fees, no undisclosed percentages, and no surprises that cut into your mission funding.

💸

You shouldn't have to guess what you're paying

Instaraise doesn't publish their fees upfront, and some users report losing up to 20% per donation. Zeffy shows you exactly what you keep: 100% of every dollar raised.

🤝

Your donors deserve more than a basic email list

Instaraise offers basic email tools for campaigns only. Zeffy includes donor CRM, segmentation, and email marketing built in, so you can build real relationships without adding another tool.

⚡

Get started in minutes, not months

Instaraise requires paid plans to unlock custom branding and advanced features. Zeffy gives you everything you need from day one, free, so you can launch your first campaign this week.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Instaraise

What payment methods can donors use on Zeffy?

Donors can give using all major credit and debit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. All payment options are included at no cost, so you can accept donations however your supporters prefer to give.

Does Zeffy really charge zero fees for nonprofits?

Yes. Zeffy is 100% free for nonprofits with no platform fees, monthly charges, or hidden costs. Donors have the option to leave a voluntary contribution to support our platform, so you keep every dollar raised for your mission.

Can I customize my donation forms and campaigns without upgrading?

Absolutely. Zeffy gives you full access to custom branding, donation forms, and campaign tools from day one. You can launch professional fundraising pages in minutes without paying for premium features or upgrades.

How does Zeffy help me manage donor relationships long-term?

Zeffy includes built-in donor CRM and email marketing tools so you can segment supporters, send personalized follow-ups, and track giving history. Everything you need to build lasting relationships is included at no cost.

Does InstaRaise publish its fees upfront?

No. InstaRaise doesn't publicly disclose its fees, and some users report losing up to 20% of donations. Zeffy shows you exactly what to expect: zero platform fees, zero transaction fees, and 100% of every donation goes to your nonprofit.

Is it hard to switch from InstaRaise to Zeffy?

Not at all. You can set up donation forms and campaigns on Zeffy in minutes with no technical skills required. Zeffy also offers free support with 2-6 hour response times to help you get started.

Do I need to pay extra for custom branding on Zeffy?

No. Zeffy gives you full access to custom branding, donation forms, and all campaign tools from day one. There are no premium tiers or paid upgrades.

What donor management tools does Zeffy include compared to InstaRaise?

Zeffy includes a built-in donor CRM, segmentation, and email marketing tools at no cost. InstaRaise offers only basic email tools, and advanced features require paying for premium plans.

How fast can I get help if I have questions about Zeffy?

Zeffy offers free, unlimited support with response times of 2-6 hours. You won't pay extra for help, and you won't wait days for answers.

Still undecided?

Keep comparing — and see why nonprofits choose Zeffy

No items found.

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!