Choosing the right auction platform for your event can be challenging. After all, there are a lot of useful tools out there. Often, small nonprofit’s decisions come down to time, effort, and budget. Does a platform do what you need it to do without a lot of learning on your part? And, will the features you need cost more?
If you’ve narrowed your search down to CharityAuctionsToday and Givebutter, we can help you make a final decision. We’ve compared Givebutter reviews, pricing, features, and more to help you make the best decision for your event. Please note that while the information here was accurate at the time of publication, platforms for nonprofits make changes and updates all the time.
Comparison Is Good — But Action Changes Outcomes
You’ve looked at Givebutter vs CharityAuctionsToday. Now choose the platform that gives you deeper auction tools, full event control, and nonprofit-first support.
Launch Your Auction NowLooking for a different auction platform? Take a look at how we stack up against OneCause, Galabid, BiddingforGood (Frontstream Panorama), and Charitybuzz.
CharityAuctionsToday vs Givebutter Features
Givebutter and CharityAuctionsToday offer a lot of comparable features: auctions, raffles, donation forms, fundraising pages, ticketing, and more. We both offer such similar solutions to various fundraising needs—schools, churches, businesses, and nonprofits—that there are actually very few ways we differ.
Givebutter touts their donor management tools, allowing you to track donor information, manually track communications with donors, and other features. CharityAuctionsToday offers the ability to reach your guests via email and text messages. We also make sure that you can integrate our platform with your own CRM, as well as export your donors’ information at any time.
We strive to make our tools the easiest to use: this means we’re focused on creating and maintaining the best fundraising tools available.
CharityAuctionsToday | Givebutter | |
Auction more, more easily | ✔ | ✔ |
Package and sell tickets and tables | ✔ | ✔ |
Raise more with raffle tickets | ✔ | ✔ |
Accept direct donations through event page | ✔ | ✔ |
Send customizable emails and texts | ✔ | ✔ |
Track and export donor data | ✔ | ✔ |
CharityAuctionsToday vs Givebutter Pricing
Givebutter claims to be free, however, as they explain, they ask your donors for optional tips to cover their platform fees. This is something many platforms do, including us. It helps keep our operational costs low so that we can help more small nonprofits achieve their fundraising goals.
If you opt to turn off the request for a tip on Givebutter’s platform, you will instead be asked to pay a percentage of your total raised towards a platform fee.
- Donation form – 1%
- Fundraising page – 3%
- Event – 5%
In addition to this, you will also be asked to pay a processing fee of 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. However, donors have the option to cover these fees as well.
CharityAuctionsToday | Givebutter | |
Platform fees | 5% of your proceeds (or, a yearly subscription starting at $297) | “Free” with optional tips, or 1% for a donation form 3% for a fundraising page 5% for an Event |
Processing fees | 3% + $0.30 per transaction | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction |
Can donors cover fees? | ✔ | ✔ |
CharityAuctionsToday vs Givebutter Reviews
Both CharityAuctionsToday and Givebutter have great reviews: our users find our tools simple to use and our customer support excellent.
CharityAuctionsToday | Givebutter | |
Google Reviews | 4.9 | NA |
G2 Reviews | 4.5 | 4.7 |
Capterra Reviews | 4.3 | 4.8 |
Facebook Reviews | 100% recommend | 86% recommend |
Explore our testimonials to see what people have to say:
Our experience with CharityAuctionsToday could not have been better! Our company has been doing business with CharityAuctionsToday for the past three years. The online auction feature is exceptional. Our Foundation raised $50,000 over our intended goal and I attribute much of the success to the auction site and the CharityAuctionsToday staff.
- Alisa S.
I love using CharityAuctionsToday and so do our members! We saw a 120% increase in our fundraising efforts from the year before. We will DEFINITELY be using y’all again!
- Danielle K.
CharityAuctionsToday vs Givebutter Expertise
For nearly 20 years, CharityAuctionsToday has helped nonprofits and charities to raise more with less, expand their reach, and host successful events year after year.
That’s nearly 20 years of constantly refining our tools, features, and resources in order to help SMB nonprofits and not-for-profits reach their goals. Since its launch CharityAuctionsToday has hosted over 250,000 auctions and helped organizations raise over $500,000,000.
We’re just getting started. Our team is dedicated to helping every nonprofit become a million dollar organization. Your passion for your cause is our passion. Today, as always, our mission is to help you reach your fundraising goals with fewer hands at the helm, lower costs, and without any help from IT (or your grandkids).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do CharityAuctionsToday and Givebutter compare overall?
CharityAuctionsToday focuses on auctions and gala-night fundraising (silent/live auctions, paddle raise, mobile bidding). Givebutter is a broader fundraising suite (donation forms, peer-to-peer, events, and basic auctions). Your best fit depends on whether your primary need is auction-first or multi-campaign fundraising.
Which is better for an auction-centric gala vs. year-round giving campaigns?
For auction-centric events with complex catalogs and event-night tools, a specialized auction platform can be advantageous. For year-round donation pages, P2P, and simple events with occasional auction items, a broader fundraising suite can work well.
Which provides a smoother mobile bidding experience for guests on event night?
Evaluate item browsing, one-tap outbid alerts, max/auto-bids, quick add-to-cart, and a fast checkout. Fewer taps and clear prompts generally drive higher participation and final bids.
How do they handle Fund-a-Need and paddle raise moments during galas?
Look for preset giving levels, real-time thermometers, big-screen displays, table-side payment capture, and fast reconciliation reports. Strong appeal tools often yield the night’s largest revenue block.
Do both support extended bidding to prevent last-second sniping?
Most auction tools offer “extended bidding” that auto-extends an item when a bid arrives near closing. Confirm the extension window, whether it’s configurable per item/category, and how leaderboards update in real time.
Which platform is stronger for peer-to-peer and year-round donation pages?
Broad fundraising suites typically emphasize donation forms, team pages, and supporter fundraising with native social sharing and simple recurring options—useful beyond a single gala calendar.
How do they compare on ticketing, seating, and guest check-in for events?
Review ticket types, sponsorship packages, table assignments, custom questions, and check-in tools. Ensure guest records sync to bidder/donor profiles to avoid duplicates on event night.
What payment options and fee-cover features should we expect at checkout?
Seek credit/debit and digital wallets (Apple/Google Pay), saved cards for quick recharges, split payments (items vs donations), and an optional donor “cover fees” toggle. Confirm payout timing and refund workflows.
Do both platforms support outbid alerts and campaign messaging to supporters?
Look for automated outbid notifications, last-call reminders, and configurable SMS/email alerts for both auctions and donation campaigns. Timely alerts keep supporters engaged near deadlines.
Which handles large auction catalogs and item workflows more efficiently?
If you have many items, prioritize CSV imports, donor intake forms, bulk photo upload, categories, FMV/minimums, Buy-It-Now, bundles, and bulk editing. These save staff time and reduce errors.
How should we compare pricing and potential hidden fees between the two?
Request a sample invoice based on expected bidders, items, tickets, messages, and revenue. Compare platform fees, payment processing, texting/ticketing add-ons, overages, and any premium support charges to understand net proceeds.
Do we own our data and can we export or sync it with our CRM easily?
Your contract should state you own your data and can export bidders, donors, gifts, items, and payments (CSV/API). Confirm real-time vs batch CRM syncs, custom field mapping, and source codes for attribution.
How customizable are campaign/auction pages, emails, and receipts on each platform?
Review themes, logo/colors, custom fields, donor-cover-fees messaging, and automation templates (outbid alerts, receipts, thank-yous). Consistent branding boosts trust and conversion.
Which handles hybrid events with both in-room and remote supporters more smoothly?
Confirm synchronized bidding/donating for on-site and remote users, staggered closings, fair extended-bidding rules, and real-time leaderboards to keep energy high across audiences.
Do they support text-to-give and mobile prompts during campaigns and events?
Many suites include SMS keywords that link to mobile forms for quick giving and reminders. For auctions, ensure SMS supports outbid alerts and last-call prompts without spamming guests.
What security, privacy, and reliability standards should we expect from either platform?
Look for HTTPS, PCI-compliant processing, role-based admin permissions, audit logs, and strong uptime history. Ensure clear data-ownership terms and easy export/deletion on request.
What support should we expect during setup and on closing night or campaign deadlines?
Verify live chat/email hours, weekend/holiday coverage, and escalation during final bidding or countdown windows. Ask about onboarding sessions and an event-night contact if timing is critical.
What’s a quick checklist to decide between CharityAuctionsToday and Givebutter?
- List must-haves: auction depth (catalog, extended bidding, Fund-a-Need) vs. multi-campaign needs (P2P, forms, texting).
- Run a scripted demo with your real items and a closing-time scenario.
- Request a sample invoice at expected volume to compare net proceeds.
- Confirm CRM syncs, data exports, and event-night support coverage for your date/hour.
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