Fundraising platforms can look similar at checkout while solving very different problems. Before comparing fees, decide whether you mainly need a way to collect donations, a system for running your parent group, or help running the fundraiser itself.
The lowest-cost option is not always the best fit for your group.
“We can run the fundraiser. We just need to collect money.”
Start with the Donation platforms category.
“Fundraising is only one part of everything our group has to manage.”
Look at All-in-one parent group software .
“We don't have enough people or time to run this campaign ourselves.”
Look at Full-service fundraising companies .
PRIMARY JOB
Collect donations.
WHAT IT HANDLES
Donation pages, payment collection, receipts, and fundraising tools.
WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR
Payment collection and fundraising functionality.
GOOD FIT WHEN
Your group can run the campaign and mainly needs a way to collect money.
PRIMARY JOB
Help run the organization.
WHAT IT HANDLES
Fundraising, communications, volunteers, events, programs, websites, records, and board transitions.
WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR
Year-round software for running the organization.
GOOD FIT WHEN
You want fundraising and parent group work in fewer disconnected systems.
PRIMARY JOB
Help run the campaign.
WHAT IT HANDLES
Campaign planning, coaching, materials, incentives, staffing, and event support.
WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR
Labor, expertise, structure, and execution.
GOOD FIT WHEN
You want outside help planning and executing more of the campaign.
A donation platform may cost very little because your volunteers do most of the work. A parent group platform may charge an annual fee because it supports more of the group's year-round work. A full-service fundraiser may charge substantially more because it helps run the campaign.
Compare what you pay with what your group still has to do itself.
Many parent groups use separate tools for donations, volunteers, email, files, websites, and events. That can keep software costs low, and for some groups it works well.
The tradeoff is that your tools, information, and know-how get spread across different people.
The volunteer coordinator knows one system, the fundraising chair knows another, and important details often stay in someone’s head. When volunteers move on, the next board may inherit the accounts without inheriting the knowledge.
A parent group platform costs more because it solves a different problem: keeping the group’s work, records, and know-how connected from year to year.
A full-service fundraising company may charge substantially more than a software platform. In return, it may provide people, materials, coaching, incentives, and campaign execution.
Compare not only what a provider charges, but what your group still has to do itself.
| Platform type | Main job | Year-round work | Hands-on fundraising help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donation platforms | Collect donations | Mostly fundraising | Little |
| All-in-one parent group software | Help run the organization | Broad | Usually little |
| Full-service fundraising companies | Help run the campaign | Usually limited | Substantial |