Shopify Wasn't Built for Fundraising — Here's What Nonprofits Actually Need
Shopify costs $29/mo and lacks donation forms or tax receipts. Compare it to a free platform built for nonprofits.
Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits
Sell merch without losing donations to monthly fees
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Sell merch without losing donations to monthly fees
Shopify charges $29/month plus processing fees. Zeffy gives you a free online store, donation forms, and event ticketing built for fundraising, not retail.
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Built for selling products, not raising funds
Shopify tracks customers and orders, not donors and campaigns. Zeffy gives you donation forms, tax receipts, and donor profiles built for fundraising.
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Monthly fees before you raise a dollar
Shopify charges $29 per month plus processing fees whether you raise $100 or $10,000. Zeffy is free, so every dollar you raise goes to your mission.
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Get started in minutes, not months
Shopify requires setup, apps, and workarounds to accept donations. Zeffy gives you donation forms, tax receipts, and donor tools ready to use today.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify charge monthly fees for nonprofits?
Yes. Shopify's nonprofit plan costs $29 per month plus processing fees, whether you raise $100 or $10,000. Zeffy is completely free with no monthly costs, so you keep 100% of what you raise.
Can I accept donations and sell merchandise on the same platform?
Shopify is built for product sales, not fundraising. You'll need third-party apps to accept donations or issue tax receipts. Zeffy gives you a free online store plus donation forms, event ticketing, and tax receipts in one platform.
Do I need technical skills to set up fundraising on Shopify?
Shopify requires setup, theme customization, and app integrations to work for nonprofits. Zeffy's donation forms, online store, and tax receipt tools are ready to use right away with no technical experience needed.
How does Zeffy make money if there are no fees?
Zeffy is funded by optional contributions that donors can choose to leave at checkout. There are no required fees, subscriptions, or hidden costs for your organization.
How much does Shopify take from each sale for nonprofits?
Shopify charges processing fees of 2.7% to 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction on top of monthly plan costs. On a $100 sale, that's $3 or more going to fees. Zeffy has no processing fees, so your nonprofit keeps the full amount.
Does Shopify offer a discount for nonprofits?
Shopify offers an NPO Lite plan at $29 per month, but you still pay processing fees on every transaction. Zeffy is completely free with no monthly costs and no transaction fees for registered nonprofits.
Can I run a raffle or fundraising event through Shopify?
Shopify isn't built for fundraising events like raffles or ticketed galas. You'd need to add third-party apps and pay extra fees. Zeffy includes free raffle tools, event ticketing, and auction features designed specifically for nonprofits.
Is there a free ecommerce platform for charities to sell merchandise?
Zeffy offers a free online store for nonprofits to sell merchandise, accept donations, and manage events in one place. Unlike Shopify, there are no monthly fees or transaction costs eating into your fundraising.
What's the best Shopify alternative for nonprofit fundraising?
Zeffy is built specifically for nonprofits, with donation forms, tax receipts, event ticketing, and an online store included free. You skip the $29 monthly fee and processing costs that come with using Shopify for fundraising.
Keep comparing — and see why nonprofits choose Zeffy
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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