Handbid: Pricing, Free Demo & Features

Name: Handbid
Rating: 4.1 (14 reviews)

Last Updated Jun 5, 2026

Overview

Handbid helps nonprofits, schools, and event teams run mobile bidding, ticketing, and auction management across in-person, online, and hybrid formats. While the guest check-in and bidding experience requires a brief adjustment period, it remains a reliable solution for organizations managing fundraising events at scale.

Overall Rating

Based on 14 users reviews

4.1

All Reviews

Rating Distribution

Positive

71%

Neutral

21%

Negative

Starting Price

Custom

Product Snapshot

Handbid Specifications

Fundraising Software
Online Fundraising Platforms
Event Management
CRM Integration
Payment Processing
Reporting & Analytics
Donation tracking
Registration management
Campaign Management
Communication management

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What Is Handbid?

Handbid is a cloud-based auction and event management software that takes the complexity out of running fundraising and commercial events. It helps organizations create personalized auction guest experience with concierge-style onboarding and white label branding. This enables a consistent brand experience across various fundraising event formats, including galas, hybrid auctions, and silent bidding. Moreover, its built-in reporting and real-time event monitoring tools give organizers clearer visibility into event performance.

What Is Handbid Best For?

Handbid stands out for its mobile bidding feature, which lets guests browse auction items, place bids, and get outbid alerts directly from their phones without paper sheets. This keeps bidders engaged throughout the event and encourages competitive bidding.

How Much Does Handbid Cost?

Handbid pricing starts at approximately $1,999/year. In addition to its base subscription, organizations should also account for implementation and additional optional costs, such as:

Implementation Cost: Ranges from around $1,396 to $2,999, depending on the selected package
Transaction Processing Fee: Approximately 3.5% + $0.30, for both commercial and nonprofit organizations
On-Site Event Staffing (Optional): Around $1,000–$3,500/event, depending on event scale and hours
CRM/Integration Setup: Estimated between $0–$2,000, varies based on complexity
White Label/Custom Branding: Estimated at around $5,000, depending on the depth of customization required
Handbid+ (A Custom Auction Website): Approximately $27,000 to $33,000

Reviewers generally find Handbid’s pricing reasonable for what it offers, but some note that costs can add up with add-ons and optional services. Small nonprofit organizations sometimes flag affordability concerns, but generally commercial events view the investment as worthwhile.

Request a personalized Handbid pricing quote for your business today!

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary.

Handbid Integrations

Handbid supports integration with various platforms, such as:

How Does Handbid Work?

Follow the steps outlined below to get started with the software:

Log in to your Handbid administrator account and access the central dashboard to manage your entire event
Create your auction and select the format that fits your requirements
Build your item catalog by uploading auction lots in bulk using a CSV or Excel file, then set rules like reserve prices and bid increments for each item
Set up ticketing and guest registration so attendees check in smoothly and get linked to their bidder profiles automatically
Launch your event and monitor live bidding activity, adjusting settings like bid increments or item visibility as needed
Close the auction, process payments, generate winner invoices, and export reports to review revenue and bidder engagement

You can also schedule a free Handbid demo to see its features in action.

Who Is Handbid For?

The software is suitable for organizations across a variety of industries and sectors, including:

Nonprofits
Education
Corporate
Healthcare
Real estate

Handbid Use Cases

Based on our analysis of Handbid's current tools and offerings, we have identified the following key business scenarios where it is well suited:

Nonprofits And Charities Running Annual Fundraising Galas

Handbid gives nonprofit development teams the tools to run silent and live auctions without the hassle of paper bid sheets. The platform supports ticketing, check-in, and payment collection together in one place. It is well suited for organizations that run multiple fundraising galas each year and need a setup they can reuse without rebuilding the process each time.

Higher Education Institutions And Private Schools Raising Funds Through Events

Educational institutions need to maintain a professional, on-brand experience when running auctions. Universities and private schools often use Handbid to run auction-based fundraisers tied to major donor events. It provides a branded auction and checkout interface that institutions can align with their own identity, keeping the experience cohesive from registration through payment.

Oil, Gas, And Energy Companies Running Asset Auctions

High-value industrial asset sales come with strict requirements around participant vetting and transaction documentation. That’s why companies in the oil, gas, and energy sectors often rely on Handbid for these auctions. It helps them keep access limited to pre-approved buyers. The platform supports invite-only controls that restrict bidder participation and maintains auction records structured for internal or regulatory review.

Corporate Event Planners Coordinating Branded Auction Experiences

Corporate event teams use Handbid when company events, client dinners, or employee engagement activities include an auction or fundraising component. Instead of running the experience through a third-party tool, teams can use Handbid's white-label capability to present the auction under their own branding.

Liquidation And Reverse Logistics Operators Managing High-Volume Sales

Liquidation operators routinely handle large volumes of inventory across rapid sales cycles. Businesses in this space rely on Handbid for online or hybrid auctions. The system helps with bulk item uploads and bidding controls that allow operators to manage high-volume sales without manual handling. This makes it a practical fit for operations that need to move large inventory quickly and repeatedly.

Is Handbid Right For You?

Handbid works well for nonprofits, schools, and commercial operators that need a dependable platform for auctions and fundraising events. The platform is trusted by organizations, such as Oil and Gas Asset Clearinghouse and Liberty University that already rely on it for high-value events. It is hosted on SOC 2 Type II certified infrastructure, handles payments through Stripe's PCI DSS Level 1 processing, and meets WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.

Still unsure whether Handbid software is the right choice? Contact our support team at (661) 384-7070 for further guidance.

Handbid Features

Auction Management Tools

The platform gives organizers complete control over their auction from a single dashboard, covering everything from item setup to final checkout. Teams can upload hundreds of items using a CSV or Excel file, manage categories, and bidding rules without switching between tools. Bid tracking and instant item updates keep staff in control throughout the event without any delays.

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Peer-To-Peer Fundraising

This feature keeps peer-to-peer campaigns and auction events on the same platform, so donor data, payment history, and activity records stay connected. It helps create personal fundraising pages and join teams in just a few minutes. Leaderboards and team pages give supporters a reason to compete, share their pages, and bring in more donations through their networks.

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Competitive Bidding

The system allows organizers to gate access so only approved bidders can participate. Every action taken during the event is captured as a record to support post-event reporting and compliance review. It allows bidders to place bids in real time with instant updates that keep the competition active throughout the event.

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Ticketing And Registration

This feature handles the full guest entry experience, from online ticket sales to on-site check-in, using QR scanning and Tap to Pay on compatible devices. It automatically links each guest to their bidder's profile, so they are ready to participate until the moment they arrive. Custom ticket types, promo codes, and seat assignments give organizers flexibility to manage events of all sizes and formats.

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White-Label Auctions

Handbid software helps to apply custom colors, logos, and email communications throughout the entire guest experience. It operates in the background while the organization's name and identity stay front and center, from registration through checkout. This extends to a fully branded mobile app on iOS and Android, listed under the organization's own app name.

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Pros And Cons of Handbid

A quick look at Handbid's strengths and weaknesses to
help you decide if it's the right fit

Pros

Intuitive design with powerful backend tools
Auction tools support the appealing display of items
Full white-label branding for every touchpoint
Invite-only access for vetted bidder management
Supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid auctions

Cons

Initial guest data entry requirements can take some effort
Spreadsheet imports can be slow and error-prone
Some guests face login and access issues

Handbid Reviews

Insights from real users on Handbid’s features,
performance, and overall experience.

Total 14 reviews

4.1

All reviews are from verified customers

Rating Distribution

Stars

64%

Stars

14%

Stars

Share your experience

Dave J.

Environmental Services, 1-10 employees

Less than a year

5.0

January 2024

“A strong fundraising support”

Pros

Working with their team is very simple and they help bring a significant amount of funding into the organization.

Cons

It costs more than handling it internally with our own team.

Rating Distribution

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer Support

Functionality

Anonymous

Non-Profit Organization Management, 1-10 employees

Less than 6 months

2.0

January 2023

“setup is frustrating”

Pros

From the end-user side, the experience is okay. It's a capable tool for running auctions but need major improvements too!

Cons

Configuring everything is challenging and the interface isn't very adaptive at first. That said their demo does a good job of walking through the features and there's a large library of how-to videos that helps with just about anything you need to do in the software. You'll need to set aside more time for setup than with most other platforms but once it's in place, it does seem more strong than many competitors and offers a very strong experience for end users.

Rating Distribution

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer Support

Functionality

Anonymous

Education Management, 1-10 employees

Less than a year

2.0

February 2022

“Vague pricing”

Pros

We chose this platform because it handled both auction/event management and peer-to-peer fundraising which matched our needs well. Their support team was responsive and genuinely helpful when we reached out.

Cons

Unfortunately, the software came with a long list of technical problems. Around 25% of our guests struggled with logging in, accessing their tickets or editing guest information. Display sheets also will not print if your descriptions contain HTML, yet the tutorial never explains that limitation. After the sales process, our assigned contact often took about 7 days to respond to emails and did not offer a phone number for alternative communication. The contract is also unclear about what is included in the 125 items in the basic plan. That total covers not just silent and live auction items but also games, sale items and raffle items. If you need more, it costs an additional $300 and Handbid tends to push extra add-ons as well. These are only a few of the issues we ran into and after more than 15 years of running auctions and using several other platforms like er Giving, OneCause and qTego, Handbid has been by far the worst.

Rating Distribution

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer Support

Functionality

View All 14 Reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions to help you better understand the product, features, and services.

What other apps does Handbid integrate with?

The platform integrates with platforms, such as DonorPerfect, Salsa Engage, Kindful, Bloomerang, and Salesforce.

Does Handbid offer an API?

Yes, Handbid provides an API.

What level of support does Handbid offer?

The platform provides support through email, ticket submission, and a knowledge base.

What types of pricing plans does Handbid offer?

Handbid cost starts at $1,999/year. Request a custom Handbid price plan for your business today!

What languages does Handbid support?

The platform currently supports the English language.

Does Handbid have a mobile app?

Yes, Handbid offers a mobile app.

Who are the typical users of Handbid?

Handbid features are designed for businesses in industries and sectors like education, healthcare, sports, corporate, real estate, and nonprofits.