Is Chuffed Legit? Real Fees, Reviews & a Zero-Fee Alternative

Chuffed's Flat Fee model charges 4.9% + GST plus card fees, and it's built for one-time campaigns. See how Zeffy compares for year-round fundraising.

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Zeffy VS Chuffed

Zeffy VS Chuffed: What nonprofits should know before choosing.

Zeffy
Chuffed
Pricing
Zeffy:

$

0.

Completely free. Always. But how? →

Chuffed:

4.9%.

Flat Fee model platform fee + card fees. Default model is 0% funded by optional donor tips.

Processing fees
Zeffy:

$

0.

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

Chuffed:

2%.

to 3% card processing fees, published as a range on chuffed.org (July 2026).

Platform fees
Zeffy:

$

0.

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

Chuffed:

$0.

0% with the “Keep 100%” model using optional donor tips (the default); 4.9% + GST with the “Flat Fee” model.

Monthly fees
Zeffy:

$

0/month.

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

Chuffed:

$0.

$0 — No monthly fees or signup fees.

Other fees
Zeffy:

$

0.

We've never charged a single cent to not-for-profits and we never will.

Chuffed:

Varies.

GST applies to platform fees on the Flat Fee model.

Value for money
Zeffy:

5/5.

Value for money rated 5.0/5 on Capterra from 461 reviews, with an overall 4.8/5 from 494. All-in-one fundraising, zero fees.

Chuffed:

No profile.

Features
Zeffy:

4.8/5.

Rated 4.8/5 for ease of use on Capterra from 494 reviews. No training needed, built for busy not-for-profit teams rather than tech pros.

Chuffed:

No profile.

Campaign-focused platform with limited not-for-profit tools - no memberships, auctions, or standalone donation forms Chuffed has no Capterra listing, so no comparable rating exists.

Donations
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

Crowdfunding campaigns with social sharing tools - but no standalone donation forms for ongoing giving

Ticketing
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
No

No ticketing tools - requires separate platform for events and ticket sales

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

Peer-to-peer campaigns with individual fundraiser pages and team leaderboards

Auctions
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
No

No auction support - crowdfunding platform only, requires separate auction software

Online Store
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
No

No online store - focused on campaigns, not product sales or merchandise fundraising

Memberships
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
No

No membership tools - designed for one-time campaigns, not ongoing member relationships

Donor management/CRM
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
No

Basic supporter data only - no donor profiles, giving history, or not-for-profit CRM features

Emails & Newsletter
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

Campaign update emails only - no donor communication tools or fundraising newsletters

Payment Processing
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

Stripe integration with automatic payouts to your bank account

Payment Methods
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

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

Credit Card Payments
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

All major credit and debit cards accepted through Stripe integration for campaign donations

Apple Pay & Google Pay
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

Apple Pay and Google Pay supported through Stripe checkout on campaign pages

Tap to Pay App
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
No

Digital wallets online, and offline gifts recorded by hand afterwards. No device is published.

Support
Zeffy:

4.9/5.

Customer service rated 4.9/5 on Capterra from 461 reviews. Free email and phone support plus a full help centre, no bots and no paywalls.

Chuffed:

No profile.

Email-only support via contact form with no guaranteed response time and no not-for-profit-specific guidance. Chuffed has no Capterra listing, so no comparable rating exists.

Help Centre
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

Limited help centre with basic articles and FAQs but no webinars or in-depth training.

Email Support
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
Yes

Email support through contact form with unclear response times - no guaranteed turnaround.

Phone Support
Zeffy:
Yes

Need to talk? Call us. Real support from real people who understand not-for-profits.

Chuffed:
No

No phone support or scheduled calls available - contact form and email communication only.

Onboarding
Zeffy:
Yes

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

Chuffed:
No

Self-service onboarding only; no dedicated onboarding or setup assistance.

Community
Zeffy:
Yes

Join thousands of not-for-profits sharing tips, templates, and best practices.

Chuffed:
No

No community forum, user groups, or active user community available.

Zeffy is 100% free, always.

Why Zeffy over Chuffed?

Run your whole fundraiser without losing a dollar to fees

🛡️

Run your whole fundraiser without losing a dollar to fees

Chuffed works for campaigns, but you still pay platform fees on the Flat Fee model or rely on donor tips. Zeffy gives you donations, events, auctions, and a donor CRM with zero fees.

♾️

Your campaign ends, but your fundraising doesn't

Chuffed is built for one-time campaigns. Zeffy gives you donation forms, memberships, events, and a donor CRM — so you can fundraise year-round without switching tools.

💰

Keep more of every dollar without the fee math

With Chuffed's Flat Fee model, you lose 4.9% + GST plus card fees on every donation. Zeffy is 100% free — no platform fees, no monthly costs, just more funding for your mission.

🤝

Get help from people who know not-for-profit fundraising

Chuffed offers basic FAQs and contact forms. Zeffy gives you free, unlimited support from not-for-profit fundraising experts — with 2–6 hour email response times and bookable office hours.

Questions nonprofits ask when choosing between Zeffy and Chuffed

Is Zeffy really 100% free for not-for-profits?

Yes. Zeffy charges zero platform fees, zero monthly fees, and zero transaction fees. Donors have the option to leave a voluntary contribution to support Zeffy, but your not-for-profit keeps 100% of every donation.

Can I use Zeffy for more than just one-time campaigns?

Absolutely. Unlike Chuffed's campaign-focused approach, Zeffy gives you donation forms, event ticketing, memberships, auctions, and a donor CRM so you can fundraise year-round without switching platforms.

How does Zeffy compare to Chuffed's pricing models?

Chuffed's Flat Fee model charges 4.9% + GST plus card fees, while its default model is 0% funded by optional donor tips. Zeffy is always free with no platform fees, so more money goes directly to your mission.

Does Zeffy work for ongoing fundraising or just campaigns?

Zeffy is built for year-round fundraising. You get donation forms, memberships, event ticketing, auctions, and a donor CRM — all in one platform so you can build lasting relationships with supporters.

What kind of support does Zeffy offer?

Zeffy offers free, unlimited support from not-for-profit fundraising experts. You get 2–6 hour email response times, bookable office hours, and a help centre built specifically for not-for-profits.

Is Chuffed a legitimate crowdfunding platform?

Yes, Chuffed is a legitimate Australian crowdfunding platform that has helped raise over $27 million since 2013. However, Chuffed's Flat Fee model charges 4.9% + GST plus card fees, while Zeffy lets not-for-profits keep 100% with zero platform fees.

Can I use PayPal with Chuffed or Zeffy?

Chuffed processes payments through PayPal and Stripe. Zeffy accepts credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and bank transfers directly — all with zero transaction fees for your not-for-profit.

Does Chuffed require campaign approval before going live?

Yes, Chuffed reviews all campaigns before they go live, which usually takes up to 24 hours. Zeffy lets registered not-for-profits launch donation forms and campaigns immediately without a waiting period.

What's the difference between Chuffed's 'keep 100%' option and Zeffy?

Chuffed's 'keep 100%' model relies on donors adding tips to cover costs. Zeffy also uses optional donor tips, but never charges platform fees regardless — so your not-for-profit always keeps every dollar raised.

Is Zeffy or Chuffed better for small not-for-profits just getting started?

Zeffy is built for not-for-profits that need more than one-off campaigns. You get donation forms, event ticketing, memberships, and a donor CRM all in one place — with zero fees and free support from fundraising experts.

Still undecided?

Keep comparing, and see why not-for-profits 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.

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