In the world of digital giving, fundraising platforms shape how charities connect with supporters, the ease with which campaigns are run and ultimately how much money is raised. The choice of platform means balancing usability, integrations, support and, of course, fees.

We spoke to several charities about their experiences with platforms such as Raisely, Funraisin and Ezy Raise. Their stories reveal the priorities that matter most when choosing a digital fundraising partner.

The information included in the downloadable PDF (Fundraising Platform Comparison Table) accompanying this article was sourced from the fundraising platform websites namely Chuffed, Ezy Raise, Funraisin, GiveEasy, GiveNow, Gofundme, Just Giving, Mycause, Payments2us and Raisely. Direct input from GiveNow, Payments2us, and Ezy Raise was incorporated, as these platforms responded to our request for additional details.

Usability Can Make or Break 

For smaller charities working with limited staff and resources, ease of use is often the deciding factor when choosing a fundraising platform. Teams value tools that feel intuitive from the start and enable setting up a campaign page or launching an appeal within days rather than weeks. That kind of agility is especially important for organisations that move quickly and adapt like start-ups.

However, even with user-friendly systems, onboarding can take time. Many charities note that while campaign management is straightforward, getting staff and volunteers comfortable with the backend requires continued support and occasional training.

Some also point out that more advanced fundraising platforms, though powerful, can come with a steeper learning curve.

“It’s a good website platform and has well developed tools and themes for fundraising, particularly for team fundraising events. But the backend is tricky to adjust, and we don’t have any internal IT capability.” – Ben Stammer, Co-Founder, ReLove (uses Funraisin) 

The Features Charities Value Most 

Beyond usability, charities also weigh the strength and flexibility of a platform’s tools. Many look for systems that support different fundraising formats, such as peer-to-peer campaigns, team fundraising, or large-scale events, while allowing room for creativity and personalisation. The ability to design campaign pages that reflect an organisation’s story and connect emotionally with supporters is often seen as a major advantage.

“Non-negotiables would be a user-friendly platform and a clear view of how much work our team needs to do versus what support is provided.”  – Sarah Mayo, Head of People and Culture, Youth Impact Foundation (uses Ezy Raise) 

Some teams emphasise the importance of a platform that evolves with its users, one that listens to feedback, maintains a clear development roadmap, and continuously improves its features. Others highlight the value of built-in options for live events, such as auctions or real-time donation tracking, which make it easier to engage donors and sustain momentum at scale.

“Raisely have an open feedback channel which means they take on user feedback when developing new features and functionality.” – Aniya Roslan, Growth Lead, Forever Projects (uses Raisely) 

Integration: The Hidden Pain Point 

One of the most common challenges charities face is integration. While most fundraising platforms offer basic connectivity, many fall short of providing true automation between systems. For teams managing multiple tools such as CRMs, email marketing software, and analytics dashboards, the lack of seamless data flow can create manual work.

Several organisations shared that they rely on manual uploads or third-party tools to bridge gaps between their fundraising platforms and internal systems. This can add hours of extra work each week and increase the risk of data inconsistencies. Others noted that exporting data in clean formats makes a big difference, allowing smoother uploads into existing CRMs and simplifying reporting.

Ultimately, smoother integrations free up valuable time for teams to focus on building relationships with donors rather than managing spreadsheets.

Driving Better Fundraising Outcomes 

The choice of platform can have a direct impact on fundraising outcomes. Charities emphasise the importance of tools that enable quick campaign launches and flexible setups, especially when responding to timely causes or seasonal appeals. The ability to move fast from concept to campaign in just weeks can significantly boost momentum and results.

“The ability to build fundraising campaigns quickly has been incredibly valuable. Last year, we completed a full campaign in just two weeks, with the Raisely website and landing page set up in a matter of days. For a small charity operating like a start-up, this speed to market makes all the difference.” – Aniya Roslan, Growth Lead, Forever Projects (uses Raisely) 

Strong visual presentation and storytelling features also play a key role in engaging donors. Many organisations find that customisable campaign pages help connect supporters to their mission, creating a more personal and consistent giving experience. Reliable support and smooth donor journeys further strengthen trust and repeat participation.

Larger campaigns often depend on systems that make giving easy across multiple touchpoints whether through QR codes, event auctions, or live activations ensuring donors can contribute wherever they encounter the cause.

Fees and Value for Money 

Costs remain a central factor when selecting a fundraising platform. Many charities acknowledge that while technology fees are inevitable, the structure of those fees and how transparently they are presented to donors can make a significant difference.

The fees typically comprise a platform fee (to cover the fundraising platform’s costs) and a separate payment processing fee (to cover the payment processor’s costs).

“Around 80% of donors opt to leave a tip. Ezy Raise does not charge the charity a platform fee if no tip is paid.” – Sarah Mayo, Head of People and Culture, Youth Impact Foundation (uses Ezy Raise) 

In most cases, donors can be offered the option to cover the platform fees themselves, offsetting the cost for the charity. When a donor elects to cover the platform fee, this is typically paid directly to fundraising platform. The exception is Payments2us where the fees covered are paid directly to the charity, which could lead to higher net revenues for charities if the fees collected also cover the payment processing fees or are higher than the actual fees incurred. High platform fees can sometimes be a turnoff for potential donors, so platform fees should not be ignored even when the charity may not be paying these costs directly.

While the payment processing fee must usually be covered by the charity, some fundraising platforms (e.g. Chuffed, Payments2us) offer an option for the donor to also cover the payment processing fee. Most fundraising platforms offer only 1-2 payment processor options, but Payments2us offers over 50 different payment processor options.

For many charities, the focus is not simply on minimising fees but on weighing them against overall value. If a platform enables faster campaign launches, stronger donor engagement, or clearer reporting, those efficiencies can justify the costs. But with some fundraising platforms offering zero platform and payment processing fees (e.g. JustGiving) versus other platforms where total fees can be over 7% for a $100 donation, it is worth doing the research on what different platforms offer.

Fee structures can vary based on the donation amount, organisation size, structure, country, payment method and whether donors choose to cover them. Hence, any fee comparison can be complex – please refer to the downloadable PDF (Fundraising Platform Comparison Table) for the full fee details. Most fundraising platforms display the fees and options on their websites. We have provided a summary analysis below for the total fees (where not covered by the donor) for a $100 donation to an Australian registered charity made using an Australian issued Mastercard or Visa credit card. The fee data was sourced from the fundraising platform websites or directly from the platforms. The exception was Funraisin (where the fees were not disclosed on the website and could not be sourced directly from the platform), where we assumed the platform costs suggested when making donations were the platform costs that would be otherwise be covered by the charity:

Download the full Fundraising Platform Comparison Table

In practice, cost-effectiveness is not always about finding the cheapest option. It’s about ensuring that every dollar spent contributes to better donor experiences, reduced admin time, and greater overall impact.

 “The key factors that would drive us to switch fundraising platforms would be fees, ease of use, and functionality.” – Ben Stammer, Co-Founder, ReLove (uses Funraisin) 

Support and Flexibility 

Responsive support and the ability to customise campaigns often influence how charities assess a platform’s overall value. Many emphasise that having timely, knowledgeable assistance can make a significant difference especially during setup or major campaign launches. Accessible support helps smaller teams overcome technical barriers and build confidence in managing their own pages.

This highlights how hands-on guidance can directly accelerate a campaign’s time to market.

“Raisely’s help desk responds very quickly, usually within a business day. We also get access to team members that can give advice on how to grow based on what other not-for-profits are doing.” – Aniya Roslan, Growth Lead, Forever Projects (uses Raisely) 

Customisation is another recurring priority. Charities seek platforms that can reflect their unique brand identity and adapt to the tone and goals of each campaign whether through flexible design elements, adjustable donor journeys, or integrated storytelling features that help build stronger connections with supporters.

“Ezy Raise provide very good customer support – any edits that were needed for launch were done quickly and we launched within 2-3 weeks. Ezy Raise did the full website build based on the marketing materials provided (brand, images, copy). Any changes were made within 24 hours.” – Sarah Mayo, Head of People and Culture, Youth Impact Foundation (uses Ezy Raise) 

Future-Proofing Fundraising 

As fundraising continues to evolve, many charities are looking beyond one-off campaigns toward more sustainable, long-term engagement. This includes developing recurring giving programs, ambassador initiatives, and corporate partnerships. All of which require platforms that can scale alongside their ambitions.

Organisations are increasingly focused on systems that can support both campaign delivery and donor management without creating silos. Smooth integrations, advanced reporting, and flexible event tools are becoming essential features for teams planning multi-year growth.

Scalability remains a common priority. As donor expectations shift and digital fundraising matures, charities emphasise the need for platforms that can evolve with them adapting to new technologies, expanding data connections, and enabling stronger relationship-building over time.

“As our fundraising grows to include partnerships and major gifts, we need tools that can evolve with us. From quick campaign builds to stronger donor tracking.” – Aniya Roslan, Growth Lead, Forever Projects (uses Raisely) 

Conclusion 

There is no single perfect fundraising platform. The best choice depends on how well a system aligns with an organisation’s size, structure, and long-term goals. Smaller teams often prioritise simplicity and speed, while larger or event-focused charities may look for more advanced tools and integrations.

Costs can vary significantly between fundraising platforms and should be reviewed when evaluating different platforms. However, while costs remain an important factor, many charities agree that true value lies in how a platform supports their broader mission through ease of use, responsive support, seamless integrations, and an engaging donor experience that builds lasting relationships.

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Authors:

Mangala Martinus, Managing Director, Sydney, Payments Consulting Network and Merchant Advisory. 

Mangala has over 30 years experience in the financial services and payments industries. He focuses on supporting clients with business strategy, payments optimisation, market expansion, and industry round tables. His clients include major financial institutions, retailers, e-commerce marketplaces, not-for-profits, ATM deployers, card schemes, and payment processors. 

Mariel Laxamana, Marketing Director, Manila, Payments Consulting Network and Merchant Advisory 

Mariel brings over 14 years of professional experience spanning news production, events, client servicing, and digital marketing. She began her career managing newscasts for a leading television network in the Philippines and now leads the digital marketing team at Payments Consulting Network, overseeing the global digital presence for both PCN and Merchant Advisory. 

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Our Charities Resources page brings together practical information and helpful links for charities. Have a look and don’t forget to read the related blog articles.

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