GiveSmart vs Donately:
Which is better for small nonprofits

Looking for a GiveSmart alternative? Donately helps you grow beyond galas—with tools for year-round giving, campaigns, and donor engagement. *

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* Disclaimer: The comparison details on this page are based on publicly available data as of August 2025.^¹

Best fit breakdown

When Donately wins and when GiveSmart might

Every platform has its sweet spot. Here’s when Donately makes the most sense and when GiveSmart might be the better fit based on your fundraising needs and team setup.

Donately is your match if:

You want a simple, all-in-one platform for digital fundraising, recurring giving, and peer-to-peer campaigns.

Your team needs fast setup, no contracts, and campaign flexibility.

You prioritize modern donor experiences and marketing integrations over in-person event logistics.

GiveSmart

GiveSmart might work if:

Your fundraising relies heavily on auctions, galas, hybrid events, or mobile bidding.

You’re running multi-channel campaigns that require deep event and guest management capabilities.

You need white-glove support for onsite activations, ticketing, and auctions.

Great for galas. Not built for growth.

Built for digital growth vs built for the event floor

GiveSmart shines at events, but if you want to grow year-round, you’ll need more than ticketing and auctions. Donately gives you digital-first fundraising tools that go beyond the ballroom.

givesmart says...

“Powerful event and auction management.”

But the reality? Event-first tools don’t always translate into everyday donor experiences.

Donately says: Run campaigns, P2P, and recurring giving year-round—without an auction.

givesmart says...

“One platform for all fundraising.”

But the reality? It’s optimized for event logistics, not fast-growing digital donation flows.

Donately says: High-converting donation pages, peer-to-peer tools, and analytics from day one.

givesmart says...

“Live support and services.”

But the reality? It often means event consultants and add-on service fees.

Donately says: Real human support for digital-first fundraising—no contracts or upsells.

Donately vs GiveSmart:
feature comparison

Fundraising platforms can look similar—until you dig in. From native integrations to transparent pricing and real support, Donately gives small teams everything upfront. Here’s how we compare:

Donately

Get started

GiveSmart

Flexibility

Modular and campaign-focused—great for digital-first teams.

Strong for events, auctions, and in-person fundraising—less flexible for always-on digital giving.

Customization

Full customization available on all plans

Limited form customization; campaigns follow a standard template suited for auctions and events.

Usability

Modern UI with intuitive setup—built for ease, not overhead.

Designed for event and auction workflows; can feel clunky for everyday fundraising needs.

Support

Same-day human support on all plans.

Support varies by plan; onboarding and training often require coordination or extra cost.

Integrations

Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Webflow, Constant Contact, Zapier and more.

Integrates with CRMs and tools, but often gated behind higher pricing tiers or services.

Time to launch

Launch donation flows in hours—no implementation delays.

Typically requires onboarding process and training, especially for auction/event features.

Pricing clarity

Simple, transparent pricing—no quote walls.

Pricing not public—must request a demo for a custom quote.

Team fit

Ideal for nonprofits focused on digital fundraising, forms, and campaigns.

Best suited for fundraising teams focused on galas, auctions, and hybrid in-person events.

Top goal

Raise more online with insight-driven, easy-to-use giving tools.

Run high-touch fundraising events with ticketing, auctions, and guest engagement.

For $10,000 monthly donation volume

You save: $500-$1,500+ per month with Donately*

EveryAction is built for complex enterprise setups, but Donately offers faster time to value, lower fees, and built-in tools for leaner teams.

All features. No surprises.

GiveSmart

Event-ready. Year-round? Not quite.

Platform fees

$0–$400
(0%- 4%)

Not publicly listed

Processing fees

$220–$290
Stripe (2.2–2.9% + $0.30)

~$220–$300

Subscription fees

$0–$99/month depending on plan

Custom quote required

Setup/Onboarding

Typically includes onboarding/setup costs or is gated behind annual contracts

Support

Varies by plan—priority support available for higher tiers

Event/Auction tools

Events included
(team fundraising, donation forms, ticketing, analytics)

Core feature, but at higher pricing tiers or as part of bundled contracts

Total monthly

$220–$789 /month

$800-$2,300+ /month
(depending on fundraising type and feature access)

Ask yourself before choosing GiveSmart

If not, Donately offers self-serve fundraising with full control—no auctions, no waiting.

Explore Donately

Do you need event-specific tools—or a full donation platform that supports year-round giving?

Are you okay navigating sales-led pricing with less upfront transparency?

Will your team need fast, flexible tools—or vendor-managed campaign setups?

Why nonprofits choose Donately instead

Donately offers branded peer-to-peer, recurring, and text-to-donate campaigns with extensive integrations (HubSpot, Webflow, Zapier, etc.), human support during business hours, and transparent pricing without feature paywalls or hidden costs.

No auctions? No problem

Donately was made for year-round fundraising, not just galas.

Fast, flexible digital giving

Build donation forms, text-to-donate, and P2P in minutes.

Works with your stack

Salesforce, HubSpot, Webflow, Constant Contact, and more.

Insights that matter

Know what works and who gives—without wrangling an event report.

Real support, no contracts

We don’t upsell. We just help you raise more.

GiveSmart alternative — frequently asked questions

Does GiveSmart only work for events?

No, but it’s built around auctions, hybrid events, and ticketing. If events are a major channel for you, it’s a great fit. If you want digital-first giving, Donately is simpler and more focused.

Can I use GiveSmart for day-to-day donations?

Yes—but you may find its donation experience is designed around event timelines rather than always-on fundraising.

Does Donately support auctions or galas?

No. If auctions are core to your revenue, GiveSmart is better. If you want recurring revenue and donation growth, Donately will scale faster.

How does GiveSmart’s pricing work?

It’s sales-led and depends on your event size, services used, and donor base. Donately has transparent pricing tiers with no setup or cancellation fees.

BEST IN CLASS SOFTWARE FOR BEST IN CLASS ORGANIZATIONS