Givebutter Software Reviews

“Simple platform for all fundraisers

Pros

I really like how simple the platform is to use for all kinds of fundraisers whether they are auctions, yearly drives or special events. Plus it's helped us manage many successful campaigns while easily tracking our donors, incoming donations and tickets sold.

Cons

Every update so far has made the platform easier and more helpful. The only thing that might be useful would be an option to have a physical check mailed to us but overall we have been very satisfied.

“free and great for fundraising !!

Pros

It costs nothing to use! That is why it is great because it is free still it helps us raise money and it is user friendly. Plus the tutorial guides are really helpful !

Cons

The steps to recover my organizations account were a bit of a hassle since I was a new administrator not listed on it. It was not actually difficult but I just didn't enjoy the process.

“Lots of choices in one spot

Pros

I love having so many choices. I can handle everything I need in a single spot. I even got to join a training webinar which was great!

Cons

Nothing major but having the suggested tip already set to 15% during checkout can be confusing for some donors especially older individuals.

“Incredibly simple to get started for me

Pros

Getting started was incredibly simple. I could have made a very detailed, fancy site if I wanted but I was in a hurry and needed to get a page online fast. Sill I was able to do that and still have it look neat and clean.

Cons

A few people who wanted to donate mentioned the process felt a bit long. Some said they wished they could just tap a button to give from the card stored on their phone but that was not an option. I have not looked into it personally so I am not sure how complicated it really is for them.

“The best you will find

Pros

What you get for the price is the best you will find anywhere. I have told other people starting out in the non-profit world to use Givebutter.

Cons

As a fiscally sponsored organization we cannot access certain perks. I really hope they might reconsider some of these rules in the future.

“creating campaign is easy with it

Pros

The best part is how easy it is. Creating a campaign is simple too and the automatic QR code to share is excellent. Plus being able to add it directly to our website makes it work for everyone.

Cons

There is very little I dislike about this product. Such as the front page designs could use a refresh. The Live Display feature should offer more choices for graphics and adding logos. It would also be great to highlight top donors who bought tickets not just those who made direct donations.

“pretty easy to handle

Pros

It is pretty easy to handle even for someone like me who does not know much about running websites, donor databases or online donation systems.

Cons

I am having trouble figuring out how to create a donation page that does not have a money target. I also want to learn how to email past donors to ask for their support again.

“smooth process with great layout

Pros

Getting our events ready was a very smooth process with a great layout. The customer service is also excellent. We were getting helpful setup emails even before I began building our event page. So useful!

Cons

Well I wish we could set up events that last multiple days instead of creating a separate campaign for each day. Also since our fundraiser uses tickets I think asking for the name of every person in a group was too much information for some people who considered attending.

“I love everything about it

Pros

I love everything about it as it is the absolute best. The value is unbeatable and their customer support team is quick to reply, knows their stuff and is super helpful whether you use Live Chat, email or call them. I mean they are easy to reach anytime. Plus the free templates save a lot of time and cover so many different needs, more than we even require. Switching to this platform was extremely simple too as we had everything ready to start a new campaign and accept donations in under an hour! Everything works perfectly now and managing donor payments, transactions, ticket sales and more is very efficient right from the dashboard. Overall it is very user-friendly for our whole team, even the members who are not very tech-savvy can use it without trouble.

Cons

Nothing at all! Setting up our campaigns to send emails from our own domain instead of a Givebutter address was new to us and we got a little confused. However, this was completely our mistake and our Success Manager jumped on a call, shared their screen, guided us through it step-by-step and made sure everything was working before hanging up.

“Way too easy to use

Pros

It is way too easy to use. I have been to a lot of their training sessions and they are great for helping you get started. Whenever I get stuck their team replies really quickly too.

Cons

For the Campaign Pages I'd like a little more freedom to change how they look. Also when I add photos to my page I have to adjust their size first. And I noticed that the connection between Canva and GiveButter can be a bit buggy sometimes.

“My favorite part is no cost

Pros

My favorite part is that there is no cost. This lets us use our tight budget for other important needs.

Cons

Sadly the current tools it offers do not match our needs perfectly. We have to use it in creative, non-standard ways to make it work.

“simple, clear and does everything

Pros

The platform seems secure and it's simple, clear and does everything our non-profit needs even with the free plan!

Cons

If I had to mention something I'd say the platforms support relies a lot on AI. I have not needed to talk to a real person yet but if I did it would be a new process for me to figure out.

“so simple to start and run

Pros

Starting and running a campaign is so simple! The process is also pretty basic but the good thing is that there are plenty of tools to help spread the word about your cause. The fees are very reasonable too and there is no minimum amount you have to raise before they send you the money. Plus payments come fast and all the pages look polished and professional.

Cons

I have absolutely no complaints about this platform! My whole experience with it has been excellent.

“pleased with how easy it was

Pros

I was really pleased with how easy it was to create an account and get everything running without having to involve another company or talk to a salesperson. I also love how it connects with so many of the other apps I use. I did not have to copy work over or pay for overlapping services.

Cons

The main problem I ran into was moving all our contacts from our existing donor database. As a lot of the information did not carry over correctly into Givebutter.

“The little tips are helpful

Pros

One thing I love is the little tips it gives on how to get more from the system. Plus it is really smart and anticipates things for us.

Cons

When we registered I was a bit disappointed to see the texting feature was no longer part of the free plan.

“Top choice for any non-profit

Pros

The simplicity, attractive promotional tools and very low fees make GiveButter the top choice for any non-profit doing fundraising!

Cons

I did not like that we could not add a button to our website that went straight just to the Auction part of our campaign and not the whole page.

“makes it easy for people to donate

Pros

I like how easy it is for people to donate and the option to ask the donor to pay the processing fee.

Cons

The donation process is confusing. Supporters often can't tell the difference between giving to the main cause, buying event tickets or supporting a personal fundraiser. This uncertainty can stop them from donating. The system needs clear, simple choices so people can give without hesitation.

“simple and efficient to campaign creation

Pros

It is very simple and efficient to create campaigns, add them to our website, collect money, report on donations and transfer funds to the bank. Plus it makes both donors and our team feel the whole process is secure, correct and worthwhile.

Cons

I think it would be useful to get a regular reminder like every week of the money available to move to our bank. Because otherwise a lot of donated cash can pile up in the account.

“Very easy for anyone to use

Pros

The whole platform is very easy for anyone to use. I also really like the design of the interface and how helpful the customer support team is.

Cons

Number of update emails was a bit high but it is not a big deal. As overall it was a fantastic experience.

“A smooth and efficient way

Pros

Givebutter offers a smooth and efficient way to handle both our supporter list and our fundraising campaigns.

Cons

A few parts could be a bit easier to figure out but all in all it's a very good platform.

“How simple this platform was to use

Pros

What I really enjoyed was how simple this platform was to figure out. The layout was also clean, modern and made a lot of sense. Everything was organized logically so I could find my way around without getting lost. A fantastic experience all around!

Cons

Even though the platform has excellent tools I did find it took some effort to learn. It required time to understand how everything functions and I believe the experience could be more welcoming for people just starting.

“easy to use and not complex

Pros

It is easy to use in many ways and is not overly complex. If you do have questions the Help section is very useful too. Plus the chat feature is excellent with quick answers and I love that you are talking to a real person.

Cons

I'd like to search for contacts using other details like their state or full address. I am still pretty new to the software so there might be other ways to do this that I do not know about yet.

“pretty simple for the most part

Pros

For the most part it seems pretty simple to use. However I still have some questions about certain data fields. I mean it is difficult not having someone to personally walk you through the confusing parts.

Cons

The thing I do not like is that you cannot get in-person training. Getting answers only through a Chatbox feels very impersonal and distant.

“simple and automatically built database

Pros

The best parts are how simple it is to use and how the Donor Management Database is automatically built from anyone who registers or interacts with a campaign in any way.

Cons

I wish I could reassign a donation to a different campaign. As I had several gifts come in under the wrong collection drive.

“Love the workflow system for tasks

Pros

I love the workflow system that lets you plan tasks in advance. These tasks can be anything from sending emails to making phone calls, all based on rules you set up beforehand. Overall it makes staying in touch and building donor relationships so easy!

Cons

The process for cleaning up our data was a little challenging at first but it got easier as we spent more time with it and understood the system better!

“A very good free database tool

Pros

For a free tool this is a capable payment processor and a very good database system for small non-profits. The built-in import tool makes handling data over time simple enough for one person to manage and the email feature that works with Canva is great for non-profit teams.

Cons

Well the duplicate finder is not great at spotting the same person across different donations, as it does not look at secondary info for possible matches. Plus the Segments feature, at least in the free version has some problems with exports. Trying to organize data there and then download it as a CSV still gives you the entire list instead of a filtered one. The layout can also be a bit strange, with buttons that are hard to find and generating tax summaries takes a long time even for a small number of records.

“easy to teach yourself and use

Pros

It is fairly easy to teach yourself and start using. It also produces really useful reports.

Cons

The donor management side is not as simple to use as other platforms like Little Green Lights. But it is free so I cannot really complain.

“simple to set up fundraising campaigns

Pros

With Givebutter Software is simple to set up fundraising campaigns the widgets are great too and the tools for sharing on social media are very practical.

Cons

Moving our donor information over from the DonorBox platform was a hassle. Also the newsletter sign-up form does not allow for anonymous subscribers as it requires a first and last name.

“Value the easy donation process

Pros

I really value how easy it is for the people who donate to us to use.

Cons

Donations come in individually but hit our bank as one lump sum. This forces us to manually log each donation in QuickBooks. Can we fix this?

“Quite easy to figure out

Pros

It is quite easy to figure out, the support team is helpful and you can have an unlimited number of contacts.

Cons

According to me the free plan needs better reports. Such as I want to group donors by household and easily see when each one gave last.

“Very easy for anyone to use

Pros

I find it very easy for anyone to use and manage.

Cons

The fees on each transaction really add up. As a nonprofit founder, I feel responsible for making sure donor money makes the biggest impact possible. So I wish there was a simpler more affordable option that worked well for both Givebutter and our organization.

“simple and perfect for beginners

Pros

It is simple to operate and very logical. I must say it is a perfect choice for non-profits that are just beginning to keep track of their donors.

Cons

There are some difficulties with creating thank you acknowledgments versus official receipts for in kind gifts or donations from Donor-Advised Funds.

“pretty easy with quick service

Pros

Givebutter Software is pretty easy to use and the customer service team replies quickly, is friendly and knows what they are doing.

Cons

I do not like the feature that asks donors for an additional tip.

“Really liked the live sessions

Pros

I really liked the live sessions and working with the team. Overall the office hours were great as I could get questions answered right when I needed help.

Cons

No complaints at all as I really like using this platform.

“simple, easy and works well

Pros

The software simple, easy to use and works well. Anyone can use it and learning the program is no trouble at all.

Cons

Not much at all. Some new users are not fans of the tip section but that's never been a problem at other non-profits I have worked with. Also when someone adds an extra donation on top of a ticket, it is a little tricky to track those in a report since they are not a separate ticket.

“provides everything in one place

Pros

My favorite thing is the everything in one place aspect of Givebutter. From email drives to online events, in-person gatherings, selling tickets and live auctions it truly has all the tools we need to run successful fundraisers.

Cons

Some features could be easier to use. Also I'd like a simpler way to archive multiple contacts at once when they unsubscribe or their email fails.

“Helps connect with donors faster

Pros

Using Givebutter has helped us connect with and respond to our donors much faster and in a more personal way.

Cons

Combining our old contact lists from previous systems with it has been somewhat challenging.

“Free and extremely easy to use

Pros

Givebutter is free. It is also extremely easy to use so we did not spend ages on complicated setup or training. Their support is great too as whenever I have a question I get a clear, fast answer.

Cons

Even though the basic price is free there is a charge for the more advanced features. Plus the contact limit for accessing those features seems a bit restrictive.

“offers the best free plan

Pros

To be honest the free plan offers a surprisingly large amount of useful features for no cost at all.

Cons

The auction fees are a little high but it is hard to find much to complain about overall.

“I love its simplicity

Pros

One of my top favorite part of it is how simple it is. The platform helps non-profits tell their story clearly and makes donating easy for supporters. The admin dashboard is really impressive too with reports you can tailor and great tools for keeping track of every donor.

Cons

I can honestly say it went far beyond what we hoped for. We were in a tough spot trying to plan our year-end campaign and this tool rescued us making our efforts look polished and professional in every aspect.

“Brings all tools together in one

Pros

Givebutter brings all kinds of fundraising tools together in one place like donation forms, event tickets and donor tracking. This all in one setup lets organizations run their fundraising smoothly and efficiently.

Cons

The checkout process for winning an auction item needs to be more direct and simple.

“easy to get started for free

Pros

I like how easy it is to get started. The free basic version is also great. Plus setting up accounts and assigning tasks is pretty easy too.

Cons

There are a few things such as I dont like the prompts asking for tips but I feel that way about all platforms. So it does not take away from all the great things about it.

“Everything is organized into sections

Pros

One thing I like is that everything you need is organized into different sections. I also like that each person enters their own information.

Cons

The only downside is that people arent not required to complete all the information fields when they donate.

“offers full set of useful tools

Pros

Its full set of tools has been simple to learn and enjoyable to use. Our setup team, plus the free Givebutter Academy course and live training webinars, really prepared us to succeed. The team and their approach have felt honest, genuineand open. I truly think they understand that when our organization wins, they win too so they work hard to make sure we are comfortable with the platform. In just a few months, we moved years worth of contacts and records over and started using most of the major features. This included mailings, fundraiser pages, website widgets for donations and sign-ups, email newsletters and ticketed events. It is also great that we can choose whether to pay a small percentage fee ourselves or let supporters optionally add a tip for Givebutter on each campaign. Overall we really value having that choice.

Cons

If you're moving from a big, complex donor system and actually use all its features, you might notice a few temporary limitations in Givebutter's donor management side. But the good thing is that the team is always improving based on user feedback. Whenever we ask our setup or support teams about a feature, they kindly upvote it on their public roadmap. Sometimes, updates happen in just a few days which is a nice surprise.

“Outstanding quality of support

Pros

Givebutter Software quality of support is outstanding! They are always asking how they can help and sincerely want our organization to do well.

Cons

The donor management tools for handling businesses and organizations are not very strong yet. We have a temporary fix but I am really looking forward to the new feature they are planning to release.

“Effortless planning...

Pros

To me the best feature is being able to host our silent auction on the platform. It made planning effortless and was very easy for our guests to use.

Cons

During our silent auction, we could not watch the bids come in live. So I wish that was an available feature.

“Easy to learn and use

Pros

I like it because it is easy to learn and use. Also there are plenty of videos to help you learn the best ways to use the platform and easy ways to contact support if you need it.

Cons

Sometimes it still does not catch duplicate contacts so you have to go through and check the imported contacts manually.

“interface is simple and makes sense

Pros

The interface is simple and makes sense. Plus the support and development teams are creative and full of energy and they have a very clear plan for improvements that are based on user feedback.

Cons

Problems are very rare. So if I had to mention something, I'd say they do not release new improvements as often as I'd like though I've only been using it for 4 months. Also testing different campaign setups can be hard because there is not a safe practice area that simulates real donations, card payments and auctions.

“Makes fundraising feel interactive

Pros

I absolutely love how it makes fundraising feel really interactive and enjoyable! You can customize your pages and the sharing tools are the best for spreading your message. The sense of community on the platform is also a huge plus.

Cons

To be honest one thing that can be a little difficult with it is that the fees can grow depending on your setup. Also when sending emails, you can only select groups to include, not exclude certain newsletter subscribers. But in general it is still an excellent tool.

“Works the best for donations

Pros

At my job we use this platform to accept donations and it works the best for that.

Cons

The cost feels a bit high after the free trial ends and I noticed there is no option for a one-time purchase.