Silent Auction Pro Costs $899/yr + 2% of Bids. What Do You Actually Get?

Silent Auction Pro handles auctions only. Zeffy adds donations, ticketing, raffles, and donor CRM — all free.

Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits

Zeffy VS Silent Auction Pro

Zeffy VS Silent Auction Pro: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Pricing

Completely free. Always. But how? →

Varies.

$449/yr + 2% + card fees on bids

Processing fees

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

2.9%.

flat fee on all credit card transactions (no per-transaction fees); processing available through CardConnect or Worldpay

Platform fees

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

$99/year.

Bidsheet Basic $99/year, Bidsheet Plus $348/year, Bidsheet Pro $649/year, Mobile Plus $749/year + 2% of proceeds, Mobile Pro $899/year + 2% of proceeds

Monthly fees

0/month.

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

Varies.

$0 monthly fees waived for Silent Auction Pro customers; CardConnect charges $25/month minimum if using their payment processing

Other fees

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

2%.

set-up fees waived; 2% fee on event proceeds (capped at $2,000 per event)

Pricing transparency

10/10.

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

4/10.

Pricing requires Google searches to find. No clear page, fees scattered across snippets.

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.

4.5/5.

Auction-focused platform with limited year-round tools - no memberships, peer-to-peer, or donor campaigns

Donations

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

Donation forms available but limited customization - built for auctions first, donations second

Ticketing

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

Event ticketing integrated with auction events - works for galas but not standalone ticketing needs

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 organization-run auctions and events only

Auctions

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

Full silent auction platform with mobile bidding, item management, and real-time bid tracking

Raffles

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

Auction-focused platform with bidding tools - raffles require workarounds or separate raffle software

Online Store

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

Item catalog for auction items only - no general merchandise store or year-round sales capability

Memberships

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

No membership tools - auction-focused platform only, not designed for ongoing member relationships

Donor management/CRM

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

Basic bidder contact database - no donor profiles, giving history, or nonprofit CRM features

Emails & Newsletter

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

Auction-related emails only - bid notifications and receipts, no donor campaigns or newsletters

Payment Processing

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

Integrated payment processing with credit card support and automatic charge for winning bidders

Payment Methods

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

Credit cards only via the mobile bidding app — no support for digital wallets, ACH bank transfers, or a native in-person Tap to Pay app.

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 integrated payment processing for auction bidding

Apple Pay & Google Pay

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

No digital wallet support - bidders must enter card details manually, creating friction at checkout

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 gift options for major auction items

Tap to Pay App

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

Mobile bidding app allows on-site payments but requires separate hardware for card processing at events

Support

5/5.

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

5.0/5.

Support access limited to paid plans starting at $199/event. Phone help during business hours only - no evening or weekend coverage.

Help Center

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

Yes - Comprehensive help center with guides tailored for nonprofit teams

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.

Phone support available during business hours only - no evening or weekend coverage

Onboarding

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

Self-service onboarding only — limited training webinars and documentation; no dedicated onboarding included

Community

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

No community forum or user groups available

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Calculate savings

How is Zeffy free?

Why Zeffy over Silent Auction Pro?

Run your auction and everything else, without the fees

💸

Your auction tool shouldn't cost you a percentage of your mission

Silent Auction Pro charges 2% of your proceeds plus annual fees. Zeffy is 100% free, so every dollar raised goes to your cause, not platform costs.

🔄

Run more than one fundraiser without buying more software

Silent Auction Pro is built for auctions only. Zeffy gives you donations, ticketing, memberships, raffles, and peer-to-peer in one place, year-round.

⚡

Get started in minutes, not months

Silent Auction Pro requires technical setup and training to navigate. Zeffy is designed for small teams with no fundraising software experience.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Silent Auction Pro

How does Zeffy handle donor follow-up after my auction ends?

Zeffy automates thank-you emails and tax receipts after your auction closes, helping you stay connected with bidders. Silent Auction Pro focuses on bid notifications during the event but lacks donor engagement tools for building long-term relationships.

Does Zeffy charge fees on auction proceeds like Silent Auction Pro?

No. Zeffy is 100% free with no platform fees, no annual subscriptions, and no percentage taken from your auction proceeds. Silent Auction Pro charges annual fees plus 2% of proceeds and 2.9% processing fees.

Can I use Zeffy for more than just auctions?

Yes. Zeffy includes auctions, donation forms, event ticketing, memberships, raffles, and peer-to-peer campaigns in one platform. Silent Auction Pro is built for auctions only, so you'll need separate tools for other fundraising.

Do I need technical experience to set up an auction on Zeffy?

No. Zeffy is designed for small nonprofit teams with no software experience. You can launch an auction in minutes without training or technical setup, unlike Silent Auction Pro which requires navigation of complex features.

How much does Silent Auction Pro cost compared to free auction platforms?

Silent Auction Pro charges 5% of your auction proceeds plus processing fees on every transaction. Zeffy charges zero platform fees, so your nonprofit keeps 100% of every winning bid.

What payment methods can bidders use on Zeffy vs Silent Auction Pro?

Zeffy accepts credit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Silent Auction Pro only accepts credit cards, which limits how your bidders can pay.

Is there a free silent auction platform for Canadian nonprofits?

Yes. Zeffy is 100% free for nonprofits in Canada, the US, and the UK with no platform fees, no subscriptions, and no percentage taken from your auction proceeds.

How quickly can I get help if something goes wrong during my auction?

Zeffy's nonprofit fundraising experts respond within 2-6 hours, any day of the week. Silent Auction Pro only offers support during business hours.

Can donors cover credit card fees so 100% of the bid goes to my cause?

With Zeffy, there are no platform fees for your nonprofit to worry about. Donors can leave an optional tip to support the platform, but your organization always keeps every dollar raised.

Still undecided?

Keep comparing — and see why nonprofits choose Zeffy

Planning Center

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Network for Good

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!