How Zeffy compares to popular Online store & eCommerce Platforms

Can I use eCommerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce for my nonprofit's fundraising and events?

While eCommerce platforms can technically process donations, they're built for selling products to customers, not building relationships with donors. You'll face several challenges: transaction fees of 2-3% on every donation (plus monthly subscription costs), no automated tax receipts for donors, and no donor management tools to track giving history or send follow-ups. Most importantly, these platforms don't understand nonprofit compliance needs or donor stewardship. Zeffy gives you purpose-built fundraising tools with zero fees, automated tax receipts, donor CRM, and features like peer-to-peer campaigns and event ticketing that eCommerce platforms simply don't offer.

Why shouldn't I just use PayPal or Square for donations and patch together other tools as needed?

Many small nonprofits start with this approach, but it creates more work and costs more money over time. You'll pay 2.9-3.5% in fees on every donation, spend hours manually tracking donors across different platforms, and struggle to send proper tax receipts or follow-up communications. Plus, you'll need separate tools for events, email marketing, and donor management, which means more monthly subscriptions and data scattered across multiple systems. Zeffy consolidates everything you need in one platform with zero fees, so you can focus on your mission instead of juggling tools and losing donation dollars to processing costs.

Do eCommerce platforms work well for nonprofit events and ticket sales?

eCommerce platforms treat event tickets like any other product, which creates problems for nonprofits. You'll pay transaction fees on every ticket sale, have no way to track attendee information for future donor outreach, and miss features you need like donation add-ons during checkout or proper event check-in tools. These platforms also don't handle nonprofit-specific needs like sponsorship levels, auction integration, or connecting event attendees to your donor database. Zeffy's event tools are designed specifically for nonprofit fundraising events, with zero fees on ticket sales, built-in donation opportunities, and seamless integration with your donor management system.

How long does it take to set up fundraising on an eCommerce platform compared to Zeffy?

Setting up fundraising on eCommerce platforms can take weeks of work that most small nonprofits don't have time for. You'll need to configure payment processing, set up product listings for "donations," manually create tax receipt systems, and figure out how to track donor information across multiple tools. Many nonprofits get stuck trying to make these business-focused platforms work for nonprofit needs, or they end up paying developers to customize everything. With Zeffy, you can launch professional donation pages, event ticketing, and donor management in under an hour. Everything is pre-built for nonprofits, so you don't need technical skills or extra setup time. You can focus on your mission instead of wrestling with tools that weren't designed for you.

Will my donors trust a donation page that looks like an online store?

This is a real concern many nonprofits face when using eCommerce platforms. Donors expect a professional, trustworthy experience that feels like they're supporting a cause, not buying a product. When your donation page looks like a shopping cart with "add to cart" buttons and checkout flows designed for retail, it can confuse donors and hurt their confidence in your organization. Some donors may even question if their gift is tax-deductible or wonder if you're actually a legitimate nonprofit. Zeffy gives you branded donation pages that look professional and feel purpose-built for giving. Donors see clear messaging about their impact, automatic tax receipts, and an experience that builds trust in your mission. Your supporters deserve to feel confident about their giving, and you deserve to look as professional as you are.