4 Must-Have Online Giving Solutions for Small Churches
The world grows a little more digital with each passing year. And if your church is going to maximize its future donations, it must embrace this brave new world now. Fortunately, there are some flexible and accessible electronic giving solutions available — and they’re all very easy to integrate into your current strategies.
If you’re looking for a simple, low-cost way to accept digital payments from your congregants, there are four fantastic electronic giving solutions to choose from.
1. Stripe
Stripe is an online payment processing service that doesn’t charge set-up, processing, or membership fees. You only pay a fee when your church receives a donation. A fee for a typical payment is around three percent of the transaction total, plus an additional fixed charge of $0.30.
The Stripe control panel can be accessed on a desktop computer, a tablet, or a smartphone. There are no customization options, but the platform is very easy to use. You’ll find a range of APIs that can be used to integrate Stripe into your existing online giving platforms.
If your church receives a moderate number of online donations, Stripe is a good option. While there are cheaper alternatives, this established service makes the process of managing digital payments almost effortless.
2. PayPal Donations
PayPal offers some of the lowest payment transaction fees around. The standard fee is around 2.5%, with an additional $0.30 per transaction. The platform is easy to use, but it’s not customizable. When your congregants click the link to give, they’ll be taken to a PayPal-branded page. Your congregants won’t see your church’s logo, which might dampen their confidence in giving somewhat.
PayPal Donations is a good option for small to medium-sized churches looking for a low-cost digital payment processor. But it has its limitations. People who aren’t familiar with the service might be reluctant to part with their money if there’s nothing to link the payment page with your church.
3. Donor Werx
Donor Werx is a powerful giving software platform that has everything you need to manage a fruitful giving strategy. This comprehensive suite of online giving tools doesn’t just provide electronic giving solutions, it also works with your church to maximize giving opportunities — wherever they may be.
Donor Werx gives you the online payment options your church needs to thrive in the modern world. But it offers much more than that. There’s a comprehensive coaching section that teaches you how to maximize giving revenues. And the platform identifies opportunities to ensure you leverage them fully.
Donor Werx experts work with you to design a donor experience that’s unique to your church. Based on the needs and composition of your congregation, Donor Werx creates an online giving strategy that utilizes a massive selection of tools. Giving kiosks, mobile apps, and text giving services all combine to maximize both impulse and recurring giving.
4. Continue to Give
Continue to Give is a platform designed specifically for nonprofit fundraising. While it offers mobile giving and giving kiosks as part of its electronic payments package, it’s a little more expensive than other services in the sector. The main plan involves no monthly fee, but a transaction fee of nearly four percent and a $0.60 transaction fee are a little on the expensive side. There is a monthly plan that costs $29 per month. This premium package drops the fees by more than half.
Choosing the right electronic giving solutions for your church is crucial. Select a service that allows you to brand your online payment pages with logos, fonts, photos, and color schemes. And make sure your giving digital giving platform offers your congregants a range of payment options.
By choosing Donor Werx, you’re not just getting an electronic giving solution — you’re getting a comprehensive fundraising service that can be tailored to the needs of your church.
