The Top 5 Church Online Giving Platforms

Last year, nonprofits saw a staggering 23% increase in overall online giving revenue, with an incredible 40% increase in monthly recurring donations — and these numbers just the beginning of a promising future for digital giving.

Of course, before any nonprofit can begin benefiting from the potential of digital giving, they have to have the right software in place. Here’s a look at the top five online giving platforms for churches like yours, along with a quick breakdown of each to help you compare.

#5 Tithe.ly

• Cloud-based software
• Online giving management
• Church app and website creation
• Event management

As a cloud-bases software, Tithe.ly is a popular solution for churches looking to enter the world of online giving. Aside from donation collection, Tithe.ly also offers church app creation, website building, and event management services. 

Tithe.ly doesn’t publish their base rates. Transaction fees start at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (credit/debit card), though. It’s 1% and $0.30 per transaction for ACH transfers. There are no setup fees to start using Tithe.ly. Mobile giving and recurring giving are both under the Tithe.ly umbrella. That’s why many consider it a good solution. Unfortunately, it has its downsides.

The biggest cons noted by Capterra users include the app forcing you to the browser for various functions, limited check scanning availability, and an overall lack of customization and integration for embedding forms on your website. Given that a seamless user experience is a big part of large donor gifts, you’ll need to consider your options carefully before investing in Tithe.ly. 

#4 easyTithe

• Online giving
• Text-to-give
• Church management
• Giving kiosks

As the name implies, easyTithe has set out to be a simple solution for churches needing a way to collect donations online. They also offer a church management software. But, no matter the solution you’re after, they have tried to minimize fees while helping you “maximize your ministry.”

Users do have complaints about the functionality, though. For instance, some note that it’s hard to print reports in full, as glitches sometimes stop reports from printing in their complete form. Users also noted a problem with incomplete donor information.

Additionally, others say the clearing period for donations is simply too long, with it sometimes taking days to get money, although users noted that may be more of a bank-side issue. Fees start at $29 per month and a free version is available.

#3 Givelify

• Three-tap giving process
• Everything handled in Givelify app
• Standalone application
• No text, online, or kiosk giving

With the bold promise of making church donations a “three tap” experience, Givelify looks to bring digital giving and modern donation collection to churches everywhere. The concept is great, with Givelify promising an even easier donation process than text-to-give software. To sum it up Givelify is strictly a giving app and that’s all they do. No texting, websites, or other forms of gifting found here.

However, some users on Capterra had notable complaints, including some reviews that warned of non-existent support on weekends and others who said the app’s user interface was buggy and less-than-intuitive in some situations.

Despite those problems, Givelify was overall praised for its customization options. Others stated the tracking and reporting tools were also extremely helpful for their fundraising campaigns, so it’s worth giving it a try. Fees start at 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee. There is no signup or monthly fee and no minimums.

#2 GivePlus

• Online giving
• App giving
• Text giving
• Kiosk and card giving

Vanco Payments is a major payment processing company, and with Vanco Faith, GivePlus is one tool that’s helping bring powerful payment collection to nonprofits like yours. With the ability to collect donations online, at a kiosk, via swipe, on mobile devices, and through text, GivePlus is a great all-around solution.

Unfortunately, many users seem to have issues with Vanco’s support team, with one claiming their “stalling tactics whether intentional or just incompetence could have interrupted our income stream had it continued.” Others chimed in, confirming that GivePlus has issues, with some donors being charged multiple times alongside other problems.

The upside? GivePlus is not expensive to try with the price starting at $10 per month. Note that eGiving and Vanco Mobile are available for an extra fee.

#1 DonorWerx Online Giving Framework

• Online, kiosk, text, and app giving
• Coaching and consulting
• Donor management software
• Customized framework to follow

After going through numerous tools, it’s easy to feel discouraged about finding a truly all-in-one solution. You need a solution that brings financial wellness front-and-center without forgetting your congregants’ experience.

Frankly, it’s a difficult thing to do, which is why DonorWerx has taken many years to form our Donor-Centric Framework and align it with SecureGive, our powerful giving software. It can be hard to compare DonorWerx next to simplified giving software as DonorWerx is far more than that.

With years of industry experience, we recognize that donation collection, while critical, cannot be seen or treated as your core operation. Rather, it should be one cog in your solution. That’s why DonorWerx integrates powerful donation software with a full-fledged donor management system and one-on-one coaching to ensure success.

Increase Your Donations and Online Giving NOW

Here at DonorWerx, we know every church is unique, and so is each one of your congregants and donors. That’s why we approach every situation differently through our one-on-one coaching. We have developed our Donor-Centric Framework through guiding countless churches. Still, we form a completely customized solution for each church we work with.

Want to see for yourself just how effective our strategies our? Schedule a Discovery Call and, in just 30 minutes, we’ll share a handful of strategies to help your church increase its giving by 10% in the next six months. Click here to book.