For many UK charities, handling payments efficiently without eating into fundraising income is a constant challenge. Whether you are running a sponsored walk, selling event tickets or taking regular donations, choosing the right payment solution matters.

In this guide, we cover how Stripe for charities works in the UK, what fees to expect, what Stripe cannot do, and the best UK alternatives, including free options that keep 100% of every pound with your cause.

‍

In this article:

• What is Stripe for charities?

• Does Stripe handle Gift Aid?

• What are Stripe's UK fees for charities?

• What UK charities need to open a Stripe account

• 3 steps to set up Stripe for your UK charity

• What to look for in a UK charity payment platform

• Alternatives to Stripe for UK charities

• Zeffy: the best free payment solution for UK charities

• Frequently asked questions

‍

What is Stripe for charities?

Stripe is an online payment processing platform that allows businesses, including charities, to accept card payments over the internet. It is a popular, user-friendly and secure solution for processing donations online, whether through credit card payments, debit cards or bank transfers.

It is important to understand what Stripe is and what it is not. Stripe is a payment processor: it handles the card transaction and moves money to your bank account. It is not a fundraising platform. Stripe does not issue Gift Aid declarations, submit Gift Aid claims to HMRC, offer Direct Debit, or provide donor management tools. Most UK charities using Stripe do so through a fundraising platform on top, such as Zeffy, JustGiving, Enthuse or CAF Donate, which handles the charity-facing features while Stripe processes the underlying card payment.

‍

Does Stripe handle Gift Aid?

No. Stripe processes the card payment; Gift Aid is a separate process managed by your charity and your fundraising platform.

Gift Aid is the central UK donation tax mechanism. For every £1 a UK taxpayer donates to your charity, HMRC allows your charity to reclaim 25p, at no extra cost to the donor. A £100 donation becomes £125 to your charity. To claim Gift Aid, you need a signed Gift Aid declaration from the donor (their full name, home address, the charity's name and confirmation they have paid sufficient UK tax), and your charity must hold HMRC-recognised status (a Charities Reference Number, separate from your Charity Commission registration). (HMRC: Gift Aid)

Stripe alone does not capture Gift Aid declarations and cannot submit claims to HMRC via Charities Online. The fundraising platform on top of Stripe handles this. Zeffy, JustGiving, Enthuse and CAF Donate all offer Gift Aid handling, though each approaches it differently: JustGiving and Enthuse charge a percentage of the Gift Aid value; Zeffy handles it at no additional cost.

Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS): Charities can also claim a 25% top-up on small cash and contactless donations of £30 or less, without a written declaration, on up to £8,000 in eligible donations per tax year. (HMRC)

Gift Aid does not apply to payments for goods or services, including event tickets, raffle entries and auction lots at fair value.

‍

What are Stripe's UK fees for charities?

Unlike the US, where Stripe runs a separate charity discount programme, there is no equivalent UK charity discount programme from Stripe. UK charities pay Stripe's standard UK card rates. At the time of writing, Stripe charges 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, with higher rates applying to EEA cards, international cards and American Express. Always check Stripe's UK pricing page directly before committing, as rates can change.

Stripe does not charge monthly fees or setup fees for standard accounts. However, the standard card rate applies to every donation, ticket sale and membership payment with no reduced rate for charity use in the UK.

The calculator below is calibrated to Stripe's US card rate (2.2% + £0.30); UK Stripe cards are typically charged at 1.5% + 20p, so use it as a directional guide only and check the Stripe UK pricing page for the exact current rate.

‍

Stripe fee calculator

‍

What UK charities need to open a Stripe account

Opening a Stripe account as a UK charity is straightforward. There is no separate "charity verification" step as there is in the US. You open a standard Stripe account and select a non-profit or charitable business type during setup.

You will need to have the following to hand:

• Your charity registration number from the Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR for Scotland, or CCNI for Northern Ireland

• Your charity's legal name and registered address

• A UK bank account held in the name of the charity (not a personal account)

• Trustee identification documents for KYC (know your customer) verification under UK anti-money-laundering regulations

Which regulator applies to your charity? The UK has three separate charity regulators. Charities in England and Wales register with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW). All charities operating in Scotland must register with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), regardless of income. Charities in Northern Ireland register with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered in England and Wales that also operates in Scotland must register with OSCR separately.

The Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice (updated 1 November 2025, with Section 9 covering online fundraising platforms) applies to any online donation journey your charity runs.

‍

3 steps to set up Stripe for your UK charity

Setting up Stripe for your charity is a simple three-step process.

• 1. Gather your charity's details before you start: your charity registration number from your regulator (CCEW, OSCR or CCNI), the charity's legal name and registered address, trustee identification documents, and the UK bank account details for the account where payments will be received. Having these ready will make the sign-up process quick and straightforward.

• 1. Visit stripe.com/gb and click "Start now" to create your account. When prompted to select a business type, choose "Company" and then select "Non-profit" or "Charity" as your business structure. Complete all required fields about your charitable purpose and enter your charity registration number where requested. There is no separate charity-discount application to make in the UK.

• 1. Complete Stripe's UK KYC (know your customer) verification. Stripe will request trustee identification and proof of address in line with UK anti-money-laundering regulations. This is standard for all UK businesses and charities. Once Stripe approves your account, you can begin processing card payments immediately.

‍

What to look for in a UK charity payment platform

Stripe is a solid payment processor, but it is only one piece of the stack. When choosing a payment or fundraising platform for your charity, look for the following features.

• Ease of use: A clear, user-friendly interface means your team and your donors can complete transactions without difficulty.

• Mobile responsiveness: A growing proportion of UK donors give via mobile, so your platform must work well across all devices.

• Security and compliance: Prioritise platforms with strong security measures that protect donor data and comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

• Recurring donations: Regular giving is the backbone of many UK charity incomes. Your payment platform must support monthly gifts, whether by card or Direct Debit.

• Payment options: Look for support across credit and debit cards, bank transfers and digital wallets to match a range of donor preferences.

• Costs: Some platforms charge platform fees, transaction fees or monthly subscriptions on top of card processing. Zeffy charges none of these, ever.

• Gift Aid handling: For UK charities, Gift Aid is essential. Choose a platform that captures Gift Aid declarations and can submit claims to HMRC, or that integrates cleanly with your existing Gift Aid process.

• Donation acknowledgements: Your platform should send donors a clear acknowledgement after each gift and generate and store Gift Aid declarations automatically.

• Support: Choose a platform with a strong knowledge base and responsive support, especially if your team is small or volunteer-led.

• Supporter management tools: Look for a platform that integrates with a CRM or has one built in, so you can manage your supporter database alongside your payments.

• Customisation: Your donation page should reflect your charity's brand. Choose a platform that lets you create a donation page that represents your cause properly.

• Charity-specific tools: A payment processor should do more than accept card payments. Look for event ticketing, membership management, peer-to-peer fundraising and raffle tools all in one place.

‍

Direct Debit: the UK's biggest donation method Stripe does not cover

Direct Debit accounts for around 31% of all UK charitable donations, making it the single largest payment method for regular giving in the UK. Stripe does not offer Direct Debit for UK charities. GoCardless is the standard Direct Debit rail in the UK charity sector, and most UK fundraising CRMs, including Beacon, Donorfy and ChurchSuite, connect to GoCardless directly. If regular giving is a priority for your charity, factor a Direct Debit solution alongside or instead of Stripe.

‍

UK GDPR and your donor data

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, your charity is the data controller for any personal data collected through your donation or ticketing forms. Any payment platform or fundraising tool you use must have a clear lawful basis for processing donor personal data, provide appropriate data-processor agreements, and support a UK-shaped privacy notice. Many UK charities ask whether a platform is GDPR compliant before adopting it. Check the Information Commissioner's Office for current guidance on PECR and the soft opt-in rules for charities.

‍

Alternatives to Stripe for UK charities

Stripe works well as a card-processing layer, but most small UK charities need more than that. The table below sets out the main options across free fundraising platforms, Direct Debit rails and specialist tools.

‍

‍

Zeffy: the only truly free platform for UK charities

‍

Unlike Stripe and other payment processors, Zeffy is the only zero-fee fundraising platform for UK charities. That means no processing fee, no platform fee, no monthly subscription and no hidden charges. With Zeffy, charities can create custom donation forms, run event ticketing, collect membership fees, accept recurring gifts, manage supporter databases and run raffles, all in one place.

Secure, easy to use and built with charities in mind, Zeffy is a one-stop solution for accepting donations and making the most of every fundraising effort. Trusted by over 100,000 charities and organisations around the world, Zeffy is 100% transparent and always free.

Fees: Zeffy: 0%. Every other platform: typically 2% to 10%.

Pros:

• 0% fees on all transactions

• Online donation forms

• Event ticketing

• Membership management

• Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns

• Gift Aid handling

• Donation acknowledgements

• Unlimited support

• Custom supporter profiles

• Custom donation forms

• Marketing and engagement tools

• No application process or verification required

‍

PayPal: a trusted checkout for UK donors

‍

PayPal is a widely recognised payment processing platform. Like Stripe, it offers a reduced UK charity rate and has several useful tools for processing donations online. For current PayPal UK charity fees, see the Zeffy vs PayPal comparison page.

Pros:

• Familiar and trusted by UK donors

• Embeddable donate button

• Integrations with a wide range of third-party tools

• Mobile-friendly

• Recurring donation support

Cons:

• No Gift Aid automation

• No event ticketing or supporter management

• Limited customisation options

‍

Wonderful: genuinely 0% via Open Banking

‍

Wonderful offers a truly fee-free giving experience using Open Banking (account-to-account) bank transfers. Charities keep 100% of donations, with no platform commission and no Gift Aid processing fee. Card transactions carry card processing only. Wonderful is a strong choice for charities with digitally confident donors who are comfortable authenticating through their bank app.

‍

GoCardless: the Direct Debit gold standard for UK charities

GoCardless is the leading Direct Debit platform in the UK charity sector. At approximately 1% + 20p per transaction, capped at £2, with a 25% charity discount available, it is the most cost-effective way to run regular giving via Direct Debit. Verify current rates at gocardless.com/pricing before committing. GoCardless does not handle Gift Aid natively, so you will need a separate Gift Aid process alongside it.

‍

CAF Donate: trust-first giving for UK charities

‍

CAF Donate is run by the Charities Aid Foundation, one of the UK's most respected charity infrastructure organisations. Used by more than 8,000 charities, it offers low transaction fees with no monthly subscription and includes Gift Aid processing. It is a strong fit for charities where trustee credibility and institutional trust are a priority.

‍

JustGiving: brand recognition with a caveat

‍

JustGiving is the UK's best-known donation and peer-to-peer platform. The headline platform fee is 0% on donations, but JustGiving uses a default donor contribution prompt of around 17%, which has become the most-criticised pricing pattern in the UK fundraising press. Card processing and a Gift Aid processing charge also apply. JustGiving suits campaigns that benefit from consumer brand recognition; it is a less compelling choice for charities that want the full donor experience to sit within their own brand.

‍

GoodBox: tap-to-donate for events and venues

GoodBox provides contactless tap-to-donate devices and apps designed for in-person giving at events, museums, churches and visitor attractions. It directly addresses the reality that cash is no longer a reliable income stream at fetes and community events. For current GoodBox UK fees, see the Zeffy vs GoodBox comparison page.

‍

Zeffy: the best free payment solution for UK charities

Stripe is a capable payment processor, but it was not built with UK charity fundraising in mind. It does not handle Gift Aid, does not offer Direct Debit, and its standard UK card fees of 1.5% + 20p apply to every transaction with no charity discount. Like most payment processors, it also lacks the features a charity needs day to day: recurring gift management, event ticketing, supporter management and donation acknowledgements.

Zeffy is different. While every other platform takes fees away from your cause, Zeffy delivers 100% of every donation to your charity. No platform fee, no transaction fee, no card fee. Ever. UK charities raise more with Zeffy because every pound raised stays with the cause.

‍

‍

‍

Frequently asked questions

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍