How Zeffy compares to popular Volunteer Management Software

Why should I choose Zeffy over volunteer management platforms that also handle donations?

Most volunteer management platforms treat fundraising as an add-on feature, not their core strength. They'll charge you platform fees (usually 2-5%) on every donation, plus monthly subscription costs for volunteer features you might not even need. Zeffy is built specifically for fundraising first - donations, events, peer-to-peer campaigns, and donor management - all with zero platform fees. You keep 100% of every donation. If you need volunteer coordination, you can easily integrate Zeffy with free tools like SignUpGenius, but you won't lose money on donations to pay for volunteer features.

I'm already using a volunteer platform that handles some donations. Is it worth switching?

It depends on how much you're losing to fees. If you're raising $10,000 annually through your current platform and paying 3% in fees, that's $300 that could go directly to your mission - enough for supplies, materials, or program costs. Zeffy users often tell us those fee savings represent real impact: "That's two therapy grants" or "That's a whole robot kit for our students." Plus, you'll get purpose-built fundraising tools like branded donation pages, automated receipts, event ticketing, and donor management that most volunteer platforms don't offer. The switch usually pays for itself immediately.

Will donors trust a "free" platform, or does it look unprofessional compared to established volunteer management tools?

Donors actually prefer platforms that don't take fees - it shows them their full donation goes to your cause. Zeffy's donation pages, receipts, and event registration look just as professional as any paid platform, but donors can see you're not losing money to processing fees. We're transparent about our model: donors can choose to leave a voluntary contribution to support Zeffy, but it's completely optional. Many of our users say donors specifically appreciate knowing 100% of their gift supports the mission. You'll look more trustworthy, not less professional.

How long does it take to set up Zeffy compared to volunteer management platforms?

Most volunteer management platforms require weeks of setup - importing contacts, configuring volunteer roles, setting up donation forms as a secondary feature, and training your team on complex workflows. Zeffy takes about 15 minutes to get your first donation page live. You can create a branded donation form, set up event ticketing, and start accepting gifts the same day you sign up. No data migration headaches, no lengthy onboarding calls, no waiting for IT approval. Our users often tell us: "I had donations coming in before I finished my coffee." When you're already wearing five hats, those saved weeks matter - you can focus on your mission instead of wrestling with software setup.

What happens when our volunteer coordinator leaves and we lose access to our platform?

This is a huge risk with volunteer management platforms - when the person who set everything up moves on, you can lose access to donor data, payment settings, or even your account entirely. Zeffy prevents this nightmare scenario. Your donation pages, donor information, and fundraising tools stay accessible to your organization, not tied to one person's login. We help you set up admin access for multiple team members from day one, and our support team can walk new leaders through everything without charging setup fees or requiring new contracts. Many of our users switched to Zeffy specifically because they got locked out of their old platform when leadership changed. You'll never lose your fundraising momentum due to volunteer turnover.