Swell Fundraising Is Built for Events. What About the Rest of the Year?

Compare Swell's $40/mo + 5% platform fees to Zeffy's zero-fee donations, memberships, and peer-to-peer tools.

Zeffy is trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits

Zeffy VS Swell Fundraising

Zeffy VS Swell Fundraising: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Pricing

Completely free. Always. But how? →

Varies.

$40/month + 5% platform fees + card fees per ticket

Processing fees

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

3.99% + $0.25.

per transaction via CardPointe/CardConnect

Platform fees

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

1%.

of funds processed via Stripe (can be covered by donors), or 5% platform fee depending on the plan

Monthly fees

0/month.

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

$30/month.

for basic up to 200 tickets or $40/month based on plan; Basic License at $579/year

Other fees

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

$149.

setup fee; $99/event fee option available

Pricing transparency

10/10.

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

3/10.

No clear pricing page found. Fees scattered across search results and help articles, not transparent.

Value for money

5/5.

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

9.1/10.

Features

5/5.

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

4.7/5.

Event-focused auction platform - missing year-round fundraising tools like donation forms and memberships

Donations

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

No general donation forms - focused on event-based giving only, not year-round fundraising

Ticketing

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

Event ticketing with table management and seating assignments for galas and fundraising events

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

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

No peer-to-peer tools - designed for organization-run events, not supporter-led campaigns

Auctions

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

Silent auction platform with mobile bidding, item management, and real-time bid tracking for fundraising events

Raffles

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

Raffle ticket sales with prize management and winner selection tools built for event fundraisers

Online Store

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

Auction items and sponsorship packages - no general merchandise store for ongoing sales

Memberships

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

No membership tools - focused on event-based fundraising, not ongoing member relationships or recurring billing

Donor management/CRM

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

Basic donor data from auction purchases only - no full donor profiles, giving history, or relationship tracking

Emails & Newsletter

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

Event-related emails and bid notifications only - no donor communication tools or fundraising campaign emails

Payment Processing

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

Integrated payment processing with credit card and mobile payment options for auction purchases

Payment Methods

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

Credit cards and digital wallets only. No ACH bank transfers or in-person payment options.

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 for event ticket sales

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 for faster ticket purchases

ACH / Bank Transfers

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

No ACH bank transfers available - card-only checkout limits large donor giving options

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 event day transactions

Support

5/5.

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

4.95/5.

Support built for event organizers, not nonprofits. Email-only help with slower response times during peak event seasons.

Help Center

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

Comprehensive help center with step-by-step guides built specifically 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 event seasons

Phone Support

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

Phone support not clearly available — appears to rely primarily on email and chat

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 available

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Calculate savings

How is Zeffy free?

Why Zeffy over Swell Fundraising?

Run your gala and your year-round fundraising in one place

🎉

Run your gala and your year-round fundraising in one place

Swell is built for events. Zeffy gives you ticketing, auctions, donation forms, memberships, and donor tools with zero platform fees.

♾️

Your fundraising doesn't stop after the event

Swell is built for one-time galas and auctions. Zeffy supports year-round giving, memberships, peer-to-peer campaigns, and donation forms — so you can fundraise beyond event night.

💸

Fees add up fast when you're running multiple campaigns

Between monthly fees, platform fees, processing fees, and setup costs, Swell can take hundreds of dollars before you raise a single dollar. Zeffy is 100% free — no monthly charges, no platform fees, no surprises.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Swell Fundraising

Can I accept donations outside of events with Zeffy?

Yes. Zeffy includes donation forms, recurring giving, and peer-to-peer campaigns alongside event tools. You can fundraise year-round without paying for multiple platforms or switching between systems.

Does Zeffy work for both events and year-round fundraising?

Yes. Zeffy supports ticketing, auctions, raffles, donation forms, memberships, and peer-to-peer campaigns in one platform. You can run your gala and manage ongoing giving without switching tools or paying extra fees.

How much does Zeffy cost compared to Swell Fundraising?

Zeffy is 100% free with zero platform fees, monthly charges, or setup costs. Swell charges monthly fees starting at $30, plus setup fees up to $149, plus platform fees up to 5%, plus processing fees of 3.99% per transaction.

Can I use Zeffy for auctions and donation forms at the same time?

Yes. Zeffy lets you run silent auctions, sell event tickets, accept donations, and manage memberships all in one place. You don't need separate tools or pay multiple subscription fees to fundraise in different ways.

Does Swell Fundraising charge setup fees?

Yes. Swell charges setup fees up to $149, plus monthly fees starting at $30 and processing fees of 3.99% per transaction. Zeffy has no setup fees, monthly charges, or platform fees.

What payment methods does Zeffy support that Swell doesn't?

Zeffy supports ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and in-person tap-to-pay via smartphones. Swell reportedly lacks these payment options.

How is Zeffy actually free with no catch?

Zeffy is funded by optional tips from donors at checkout. The tip is never required, and nonprofits always keep 100% of what they raise with zero platform, transaction, or credit card fees.

What kind of support does Zeffy offer compared to Swell?

Zeffy provides unlimited support including phone, training webinars, and dedicated office hours. Swell offers limited email support, with phone support potentially restricted to premium users.

Is Zeffy hard to set up if I'm not tech-savvy?

No. Zeffy is designed for quick campaign setup with simple, intuitive tools. You can launch donation forms, ticketing, or auctions in minutes without technical training.

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!