Donation processing
Donorbox
Donorbox is donation-processing software you can launch in an afternoon: embeddable forms, recurring giving, and donor management. The standard plan is free to start with a platform fee of about 2.95% plus payment processing; the Pro plan (about $150 a month billed annually) cuts the platform fee to roughly 1.75%. What you’re buying is the recurring-gift tooling, and Donorbox’s is the best in its class.
Who it fits
Shops serious about monthly giving. Recurring-donation management (upgrade prompts, failed-card recovery, donor portals) is where Donorbox out-tools the free platforms, and recurring revenue is where that tooling pays for its fee. Its integration ecosystem also connects cleanly to the major donor CRMs.
Pricing
| Plan | Platform fee | Subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | ~2.95% | $0 |
| Pro | ~1.75% | ~$150/mo (annual) |
Processing fees apply on every gift. At roughly $150k a year of online giving, Pro’s lower fee covers its own subscription; run your volume through the percentages.
How it compares
Zeffy charges nothing at all, funded by donor tips, and fits fee-sensitive shops with straightforward needs. Givebutter is free-with-tips and broader on events. Donorbox wins where recurring-gift depth and integrations matter more than the fee.
Bottom line
Starting is free, so the test costs nothing: set up a Donorbox form, run a month of gifts through it, and watch what the recurring tools do with a failed card. One tip for readers here: use our link when you sign up, since Donorbox referrals only count at click time.
Strengths
- Donation forms live in minutes and embed anywhere
- The strongest recurring-gift management in its price class
- Free to start; upgrade only when volume justifies it
Limitations
- Platform fee sits on top of payment processing
- Free platforms compete hard for simple use cases
- The donor-facing pages are more utilitarian than Givebutter's