Accepting credit card donations is one of the fastest ways to increase giving, whether you run a small community nonprofit or a large, multi-chapter organization. It makes it easier to collect online and recurring donations, accept payments at events, and give donors more convenient ways to support your work. Many processors also offer discounted nonprofit rates or fundraising tools built specifically for charities.
After reviewing the top providers and comparing pricing, features, and payment flexibility, here are my picks for the best nonprofit credit card processors this year:
- Helcim: Best overall
- Stripe: Best for customizing online donation platforms
- iATS: Best for dedicated nonprofit tools
- Givebutter: Best for online fundraising and marketing
- Square: Best free POS and chargeback protection
- PayPal: Best for payment variety
- GoFundMe Pro: Best for advanced fundraising campaigns
- Donorbox: Best for payment processing flexibility
- PaymentCloud: Best high-risk nonprofits
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Best Nonprofit Credit Card Processors Compared
Our Score (Out of 5) | Monthly Fee | Discounted Processing Rates | Option for Donor-covered Fees* | Funding Speed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.55 | $0 | Card network discount | ✕ | 1-2 business days |
 | 4.42 | $0 | Nonprofit discount | ✕ | Same-day to up to 2 business days |
 | 4.36 | Not disclosed | From 2.49% to 3.2% | ✓ | 1-2 business days |
 | 4.35 | $0-$29+ | Standard Givebutter rates only | ✓ | 2-3 business days |
 | 4.23 | $0-$149 | Standard Square rates only | ✕ | Same-day to up to 2 business days |
| 4.18 | $0-$30 | From 1.99% + 49 cents | ✕ | Instant/ same-day/ up to 2 business days |
 | 4.12 | Custom | Typically 2.2%-2.5% + 30 cents for nonprofits | ✓ | Up to 2 business days |
 | 4.04 | From $0 | Stripe: 2.2% + 30 cents PayPal: 1.99% + 49 cents | ✓ | 1-3 business days |
 | 4.03 | Custom | Custom | ✓ | 2-3 business days |
Did You Know? Visa and Mastercard offer special discounted interchange rates for eligible nonprofits and are assigned a special merchant category code (8398). The card networks apply lower rates for these types of merchant accounts.
For example:
- Visa US standard interchange fee from 1.15% + 10 cents to 2.5% + 10 cents
- Visa discounted fees for charities from 0.65% + 15 cents to 1.35% + 5 cents
- MC US standard interchange fee from 1.15% + 10 cents to 2.6% + 10 cents
- MC discounted fees for charities from 1.45% + 15 cents to 2% + 10 cents
To know if your organization qualifies for the discounted fees, refer to your merchant processor’s billing statement.
Why you can trust Fit Small Business
The Fit Small Business Editorial Policy is driven by our company mission to “deliver the best answers to people’s questions.” This involves thorough research and expertise to provide accurate, clear, and authoritative information to meet our audience’s needs.
I have over five years of order and payment processing experience and have been evaluating, testing, and writing about POS and payment solutions, including inventory management software, for over two years.
You can learn more about my specific evaluation of international merchant accounts in the methodology section below.
Helcim: Best overall nonprofit credit card processor
Pros
- Customer portal tools for donations
- In-person donations through mobile and card reader
- Built-in CRM, invoicing, and recurring billing tools
- Free credit card processing program
Cons
- No dedicated fundraising tools
- Limited third-party integrations
- Discount only through card network fees, not Helcim’s markup
- Higher fees for Amex transactions
Overview
Who should use it:
Growing nonprofits that need low-cost in-person and online payment processing
Why I like Helcim:
Helcim remains one of the most affordable and transparent payment processors available. It charges no monthly fees, uses interchange-plus pricing, and passes through special Visa and Mastercard nonprofit interchange rates, helping organizations keep more of each donation.
Although it isn’t a nonprofit-specific platform, Helcim provides a broad set of tools, such as online payment pages, mobile donation acceptance, recurring billing, invoicing, ACH payments, and a built-in CRM, that nonprofits can easily adapt to donation management.
It also offers a “zero-cost” processing program for merchants that accept ACH, allowing donors to cover fees, and provides fast deposits with a secure, fully compliant merchant account structure. The tradeoff: nonprofits must complete a formal merchant account application, which takes more time than signing up with an aggregator like Square or PayPal.
- Monthly fees: $0
- Nonprofit discount: Card-network discounted interchange rates
- Card-present fee: Interchange plus 0.15% + 6 cents to 0.4% + 8 cents
- Card-not-present fee: Interchange plus 0.15% + 15 cents to 0.50% + 25 cents
- Amex surcharge fee: + 0.5% + 25 cents per transaction
- ACH fee: 0.5% + 25 cents
- Additional fee for international payments: Card network rates
- Deposit speed: 1-2 business days
- Contract: Month to month
- Chargeback fee: $15 (refundable)
Create online payment pages to accept online donations. (Source: Helcim)
Payment Types
- Card-present (mobile reader, tap, chip)
- Online/remote payments
- Recurring donations
- Invoicing
- Virtual terminal (for phone donations)
- ACH/e-check
- International payments
Fundraising Tools
(Helcim isn’t a fundraising suite, but it provides adaptable tools)
- Donate button
- QR codes
- Sharable payment links
- Hosted donation/payment page
- Membership and recurring billing
- International donations: Helcim adds no extra cross-border or currency conversion markup. You only pay Visa/Mastercard interchange for international cards — rare among processors at this price point.
- Over-the-phone donations: Use Helcim’s virtual terminal to key in donations from any browser. You can also set up recurring gifts directly from the VT.
- Customer portal: Donors can manage subscriptions, update cards on file, and track their membership or recurring donation history. Helcim’s card vault keeps payment data secure.
- Online donations: Helcim’s hosted payment pages make it easy to add a “Donate” button to your website, email, or social channels. QR codes can be used at events for quick mobile giving.
- Free credit card processing: Helcim offers an automated zero-cost processing program for merchants accepting ACH payments. For donations, it is normal for donors to cover the transaction fees (also called donor-paid fees).
- Security: Helcim is a fully Payment Card Industry (PCI)-compliant merchant account services provider with built-in fraud and behavior monitoring that flags high-risk transactions and helps protect donor data.
Stripe: Best for customizing online donation platforms
Pros
- Versatile: 450+ integrations, 135+ currencies
- Recurring donations, invoicing, ACH
- 24/7 support
- Highly customizable online donation forms
Cons
- Complex pricing; need to call for the nonprofit discount
- Discount only for 501(c)(3) and donations
- No nonprofit-specific tools
- Some coding skills required to customize
Overview
Who should use it:
Online nonprofits needing advanced customization, flexible donation flows, and extensive integrations
Why I like Stripe:
Stripe is one of the most versatile processors for nonprofits that want full control over their online donation experience. It provides developer-friendly tools, excellent rates for confirmed 501(c)(3) organizations, and a massive ecosystem of integrations — many of the top fundraising platforms, such as Givebutter, Donorbox, and CharityWeb, run on Stripe under the hood.
Stripe does not offer nonprofit-specific fundraising modules like event pages or text-to-give. Instead, it gives you the building blocks to create highly customized donation forms, recurring giving programs, and donor portals — ideal for organizations with technical resources or those already using third-party fundraising software.
See our Stripe vs PayPal comparison.
Stripe offers discounted nonprofit rates (for verified 501(c)(3)s), but you must contact sales for exact pricing. Standard merchant pricing is:
- Monthly fee: $0
- Online: 2.9% + 30 cents
- In-person via Terminal: Starts at 2.7% + 5 cents
- Digital wallet: 2.9% + 30 cents
- ACH direct debit: 0.8% capped at $5
- Recurring payments: + 0.5%-0.8% per transaction
- Invoicing: + 0.4%-0.5%
- Additional fee for international payments: + 1.5%
- Contract: Month to month
- Chargeback fee: $15
Stripe lets you customize donor pages and optimize both for websites and mobile. (Source: Stripe)
Payment Types
- Card-present (via Stripe Terminal)
- Online donations
- Recurring donations
- Invoicing
- Virtual terminal (using Payment Links or Dashboard-based keyed entry)
- ACH/e-check payments
Fundraising Tools
(Not a fundraising platform, but offers customizable tools)
- Custom donation pages and buttons
- Hosted payment links
- Customizable donor portal (via Stripe Billing)
- Integrations with major nonprofit fundraising systems
- Customizable checkout page: Stripe allows full control over checkout, from one-time donations to recurring gifts, with adaptive language, dynamic fields, and local payment methods.
- Customizable donation pages: You can configure donation amounts as “products,” build hosted payment pages, or embed Stripe Elements to create branded giving forms.
- Integrations ecosystem: Stripe integrates with 450+ apps, including CharityWeb, Donorbox, Givebutter, Kindful, Raisely, and hundreds of CRM/POS platforms.
- Funding flexibility: Stripe typically deposits funds in two business days, with optional instant payouts for a fee, faster than many merchant accounts.
- Global payments:With support for 135+ currencies and multiple local payment methods, Stripe is ideal for global or international nonprofits.
- Business tools: Stripe offers extras like financing, banking, subscription management, and financial reporting, useful for nonprofits that operate more like businesses.
- Security: Fully PCI Level 1 compliant, with built-in machine learning, 2FA, fraud scoring, and IP/device monitoring.
iATS: Best for dedicated donation platform
Pros
- Deep integrations with nonprofit CRMs and fundraising software
- No chargeback or early termination fees
- International donations capable
- Merchant account provided
Cons
- Undisclosed fees
- No invoicing function
- Limited reporting features
Overview
Who should use it:
Small, established nonprofits
Why I like iATS:
iATS Payments is one of the few payment processors built exclusively for nonprofits. More than 15,000 organizations use it, and it partners with over 100 nonprofit-focused tools, from CRM systems to event management and donor engagement platforms.
Unlike general-purpose processors (like PayPal or Helcim), iATS provides secure, ready-made online forms designed for donations, making it easier to set up pledge forms, event signups, and auctions. Its integration ecosystem is also a major advantage, especially its Salesforce-native app, Brickwork, which lets nonprofits manage donations, recurring giving, donor data, and virtual terminal functions directly inside Salesforce.
iATS isn’t as transparent with pricing as other processors and lacks a true invoicing tool, but for nonprofits that want an end-to-end donation system with strong nonprofit software integrations, it’s one of the most specialized options available.
- Monthly fee: Not disclosed
- Per transaction: Not disclosed (third-party sources say from 2.49% to 3.2% for cards, 26 cents per ACH transaction)
- Additional fee for international payments: Card network fees
- Deposit speed:
- Visa/Mastercard/Amex: 1-2 business days
- Discover: Weekly (Thursdays)
- ACH: Weekly (Wednesdays)
- Contract: 1 year, with 6 months automatic renewal
- Chargeback fee: $0
- Early termination fee: $0
Integrate iATS directly with your Salesforce account to seamlessly manage all your donor information. (Source: iATS)
Payment Types
- Card-present (mobile app)
- Online payments
- Recurring billing
- ACH/e-check
- International cards
Fundraising Tools
- Hosted donation pages
- Customizable online forms
- Event registration
- Text-to-donate
- Auction and bid payments
- Online forms: iATS provides secure, customizable online forms tailored for nonprofits, ideal for online donations, event registrations, and auction pledges. Forms are mobile-friendly and integrate with most nonprofit CRMs.
- Mobile donations: The mobile app lets nonprofits process donations in person. It’s built for nonprofits, though not a full POS system; it is good for events and outreach, not merchandise-heavy operations.
- Third-party integrations: iATS integrates with hundreds of nonprofit-specific systems, making it easy to embed payments into CRMs, donor management platforms, online fundraising software, and event tools.
- Salesforce compatibility: The Brickwork app is a standout feature: nonprofits can manage donor profiles, set recurring donations, process payments, and use both online and offline virtual terminals directly inside Salesforce.
- Deposit speed: Funding speed varies by card type, which is unusual but manageable. Visa, Mastercard, and Amex settle quickly, while Discover and ACH settle weekly.
- Security: iATS is PCI Level 1-compliant and includes additional fraud protection tools, such as two-factor authentication, IP monitoring, and transaction filtering.
Givebutter: Best for online fundraising and marketing
Pros
- Free online donation and marketing tools
- Donor-advised funds (DAFs) integration
- Automated deposits for verified nonprofits
- 24/7 support via live chat and email (phone support only during business hours)
Cons
- Platform fees apply if donor-covered fees (“tipping”) are disabled
- Full email marketing features require a paid add-on
- Not ideal for retail-style nonprofits selling merchandise
Overview
Who should use it:
Nonprofits wanting a free, modern platform for online donations, campaigns, events, and donor engagement, especially those that rely heavily on digital fundraising.
Why I like Givebutter:
Givebutter packs an impressive amount of fundraising functionality into a free plan, making it one of the most cost-effective platforms on this list. Since launching in 2016, it has supported hundreds of thousands of campaigns and is known for its clean interface, quick setup, and donor-friendly mobile experience.
The platform goes beyond donation pages. You can run events, set up recurring donations, launch peer-to-peer fundraisers, build custom landing pages, manage pledges, and even accept DAF contributions — all from one dashboard. For in-person giving, Givebutter offers a mobile app and supports tap-to-pay, digital wallets, and optional card-reader hardware.
While some advanced tools (such as automations and full email marketing) require a paid tier, Givebutter remains one of the few platforms where nonprofits can run full campaigns without paying a monthly fee.
- Monthly fee: $0-$29+/month
- Per transaction: 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction
- Platform fee: If tipping or donor-covered fee feature is disabled
- 1% for donation forms
- 3% for fundraising pages
- 5% for events and auctions
- Email marketing: $1.95/letter for paid plan, $2.95/letter for free plan
- Additional fee for international payments: None
- Deposit speed: 2-3 business days
- Contract: Pay as you go
Start and manage donation pledges with Givebutter. (Source: Givebutter)
Payment Types
- Card-present via mobile app + optional card reader
- Online payments
- Recurring billing
- ACH/e-check
- Digital wallets (Google Pay, Apple Pay)
Fundraising Tools
- Hosted donation pages
- Custom online forms & embeddable widgets
- Event registration and ticketing
- Text-to-donate
- Auction and bid management
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Mobile payment processing: The Givebutter app supports in-person giving using tap to pay and digital wallets. For swipe, chip, and contactless card-present transactions, you can pair a Stripe Reader M2.
- Online donation tools: Givebutter excels at online donations with plug-and-play forms, widgets, and a campaign builder that supports pledges, events, auctions, and team-based fundraising. It also includes a shopping cart builder for multipurpose giving pages.
- CRM and marketing: You can track donor history, manage pledges, and send branded messages. Full email marketing and direct mail tools are available as add-ons.
- DAF donations: Givebutter has a built-in DAF Pay button, allowing donors to give directly from donor-advised funds with no extra setup.
- Workflow automation: Paid plans unlock Givebutter’s automation engine, allowing you to set triggers for donor communications, reporting, data processing, and follow-up tasks.
- Security: Givebutter runs on Stripe’s Level 1 PCI-compliant infrastructure, giving nonprofits access to Stripe’s advanced fraud detection and transaction monitoring.
Square: Best for nonprofits that need a free POS
Pros
- Free POS software, ecommerce tools, and virtual terminal
- CRM and donor database tools included
- Waived chargeback fees
- Simple transparent pricing
Cons
- No discounted nonprofit rates
- Some fundraising functions require integrations
- Live phone support only during business hours
- Account stability issues typical of aggregators
Overview
Who should use it:
New or growing nonprofits that need a free POS system and reliable in-person, mobile, and online donation tools.
Why I like Square:
Square remains one of the easiest ways for nonprofits to accept donations anywhere, such as events, community drives, fundraisers, or online. You get a full POS system, an online store, invoicing, a virtual terminal, and a free card reader, all without monthly fees. Square also makes donor management easier through built-in CRM tools, recurring payments, and customizable checkout options.
While Square doesn’t offer discounted nonprofit pricing, it also simplifies the chargeback process by waiving chargeback fees for up to $250 per month, something most processors don’t do. And because Square owns the entire ecosystem (software, hardware, and payments), setup is fast and user-friendly.
Related: Our review of Stripe vs Square vs PayPal
- Monthly fee: $0-$149 (with POS)
- In-person transaction fee: 2.6% + 15 cents
- Online transaction fee: 2.9% + 30 cents
- Keyed-in/virtual terminal, card in file: 3.5% + 15 cents
- Invoices and online payments: 3.3% + 30 cents
- Additional fee for international payments: Card network fees
- Same-day transfers: 1%
- Deposit speed: Next-day funding and same-day options for a fee (1.75%)
- Contract: Month to month
DonorDock uses Square to manage their donations. (Source: DonorDock)
Payment Types
- Card-present payments (tap, chip, swipe)
- Online donations
- Recurring payments
- Invoicing
- Virtual terminal
- ACH/e-check
- Mobile payments
Fundraising Tools
- Hosted donation pages
- Donate buttons and payment links
- Membership and recurring billing
- Event ticketing and merchandise sales
- Registration and digital storefront tools
- Online donation options: Create donate buttons, payment links, and recurring payment options. You can also use Square Online to build a free fundraising site.
- Mobile payments: Square’s mobile app turns your phone or tablet into a donation tool using tap to pay, contactless cards, or a free magstripe reader.
- Built-in payment tools: Square includes a free virtual terminal, POS software, and ecommerce store builder, useful for nonprofits selling merchandise or event tickets.
- Reporting and analytics: You can track donations, compare event performance, and analyze donor behavior in real time.
- CRM and donor engagement: Square’s built-in customer directory helps nonprofits store donor information, send emails, segment contacts, and monitor recurring payments.
- Business tools: Square offers integrated banking, payroll, team management, loyalty tools, and financial services, handy for nonprofits with staff or multiple programs.
- Security: Square is PCI-compliant and includes fraud monitoring, risk scoring, and chargeback assistance, along with waived chargeback fees.
Want to learn more about Square?
- Read about Square and all of its solutions
- Check out our Square POS review for Square’s in-person sales tools
- See why Square offers our favorite card readers for small businesses
PayPal: Best payment variety for small nonprofits
Pros
- Discounted rates for confirmed 501(c)(3) nonprofits
- Accepts the widest range of payment types (PayPal, Venmo, PayPal Credit, Pay Later)
- In-person and online donation tools
- International donations supported
- Huge donor trust and brand recognition
Cons
- Limited CRM and donor management tools
- Discounts apply only to verified 501(c)(3)s
- Virtual terminal requires a monthly fee
- Fund holds and account freezes possible with aggregate processors
Overview
Who should use it:
Small nonprofits that want fast setup and the widest range of donation payment options, including PayPal and Venmo.
Why I like PayPal:
PayPal makes it incredibly easy for nonprofits to start accepting donations — no onboarding delays, no underwriting, and no monthly fee unless you add optional tools like the virtual terminal. For donors, PayPal is one of the most trusted payment methods available, which can boost conversion rates.
PayPal also offers discounted nonprofit rates, supports international giving, and enables payments through Venmo, PayPal Credit, Pay in 4, and other PayPal-owned tools, making it the most flexible processor for donors who prefer digital wallets.
For nonprofits that need more advanced customization, PayPal’s sister company Braintree offers a developer-friendly merchant account with ACH and higher customization potential.
- Monthly fees:
- PayPal account: $0-$30
- Virtual Terminal: $30/month
- Payment Gateway: $0-$25/month
- Transaction fees for confirmed nonprofit accounts*:
- 1.99% + 49 cents for online transactions
- Instant transfer: 1% fee
- Additional fee for international payments: 1.5%
- Deposit speed:
- Instant (via PayPal Balance)
- Instant deposit (with fee)
- Standard deposit two business days
- Contract: Month to month
- Chargeback fee: $20
*Discounts for 501(c)(3) are only for nonprofit organizations confirmed by PayPal. Otherwise, donations to PayPal Business accounts incur a 2.89% + 49 cents transaction fee.
**Update: PayPal no longer charges extra monthly fees for recurring donations (subscriptions), but it may charge a higher transaction rate.
Build a complete donation payment platform with PayPal. (Source: PayPal)
Payment Types
- Card-present
- Online donations
- Recurring donations
- Invoiced payments
- Virtual terminal
- PayPal, Venmo, PayLater
- ACH/e-check (via Braintree)
- International donations
Fundraising Tools
- Donate button
- QR code
- Sharable payment link
- Hosted donation page
- PayPal Giving Fund access
- Online donations: Create customizable donate buttons for your website or generate shareable payment links for email and social media.
- In-person donations: Use PayPal Point of Sale for in-person events or display QR codes that donors can scan to donate instantly.
- Recurring payments: PayPal allows stored payment methods and automatic recurring billing with no additional monthly fee.
- PayPalMe: Easy to use for simple fundraising campaigns, though it carries higher commercial transaction fees.
- PayPal Giving Fund: Nonprofits can register to receive donations through PayPal, eBay, Facebook, and other partner platforms at no platform fee.
- Security and protection: PayPal is PCI Level 1-compliant and offers built-in fraud monitoring, payment authentication tools, and seller/buyer protections. However, its aggregate-account structure means occasional fund holds or freezes can occur.
When to choose Braintree:
Braintree is run by PayPal but offers more customizability. Choose Braintree when you need greater customization, ACH support, direct merchant account stability, and more control over the user checkout experience.
Read our full Braintree review to learn more.
GoFundMe Pro: Best for advanced fundraising campaigns
Pros
- Full fundraising platform with events, P2P, and campaigns
- Access to GoFundMe’s large donor audience
- Recurring donations, ACH, and multi-currency support
- CRM-style supporter management
Cons
- Custom pricing; no public rate sheet
- Typically requires annual contracts
- Card-present tools require event-specific hardware or workflows
Overview
Who should use it:
Mid-sized and growing nonprofits that need a complete fundraising platform with peer-to-peer, events, and donor engagement tools, not just payment processing
Why I like GoFundMe Pro:
GoFundMe Pro (formerly Classy) combines one of the most advanced nonprofit fundraising platforms with the recognition of the GoFundMe brand. Nonprofits that use GoFundMe Pro get access to a full suite of giving tools, such as campaign pages, branded donation forms, peer-to-peer fundraising, recurring giving programs, and live event capabilities.
Unlike simple processors, GoFundMe Pro lets organizations run multi-channel fundraising efforts, analyze donor behavior, and tap into GoFundMe’s extensive donor network. Its deep CRM integrations, especially with Salesforce, make it a strong choice for nonprofits that want to scale their fundraising operations.
GoFundMe Pro uses custom nonprofit pricing, so exact rates depend on your organization’s size and volume. Typical pricing includes:
- Monthly fee: Custom (often annual contracts)
- Processing fees: Generally 2.2%-2.5% + 30¢ for cards (lower than standard ecommerce rates)
- ACH fees: Vary by setup
- Platform fees: Typically covered by donors through optional tipping
- International fees: Standard card network cross-border fees
- Deposit speed: Up to 2 business days
- Chargeback fees: Not publicly disclosed
Manage campaigns, track donations, and monitor performance metrics from the GoFundMe Pro dashboard. (Source: GoFundMe Pro)
Payment Types
- Online (cards, wallets, bank transfers)
- Recurring donations
- ACH
- International cards
- In-person/event payments
Fundraising Tools
- Hosted donation pages
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Ticketing and event management
- Live & hybrid events
- Crowdfunding campaigns
- Auction and pledge tools
- Direct integrations with CRMs and marketing platforms
- Advanced donation forms: Create branded, mobile-optimized donation pages with suggested amounts, impact statements, and donor fields.
- Peer-to-peer campaigns: Supporters can create personal fundraising pages, track progress, and share their campaigns, boosting donor reach.
- Event management: Handle ticketing, registration, live or virtual bidding, paddle raises, and table assignments. GoFundMe Pro’s event tools are more robust than typical payment processors.
- Donor management & CRM: Track supporter history, segment donors, view gift summaries, and sync data with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other donor systems.
- Recurring donations: Strong subscription tools allow nonprofits to set up monthly giving programs with automated donor updates.
- Global reach: Accept donations in multiple currencies and payment methods, making it suitable for international or globally supported missions.
- Security: GoFundMe Pro uses GoFundMe Pay (powered by Stripe), ensuring PCI Level 1 compliance, fraud monitoring, and strong donor data protections.
Donorbox: Best for flexible payment processing
Pros
- Works with both Stripe and PayPal/Venmo
- Free plan available with optional upgrades
- Donor-covered platform fee option
- Supports stock, crypto, and ACH donations
- Built-in event ticketing and recurring giving
Cons
- Platform fee applies unless donor covers it
- Advanced features require paid plans
- Add-on monthly fee for customization tools and to accept in-person payments
Overview
Who should use it:
Small nonprofits that want modern donation forms and the flexibility to choose between Stripe and PayPal for processing
Why I like Donorbox:
Donorbox is one of the easiest ways for nonprofits to start accepting donations online. Its free plan offers customizable forms, recurring giving, and donor management tools with little setup effort. Because Donorbox works with both Stripe and PayPal, organizations can choose the processor with the best rates or payment options, something most platforms don’t allow.
Donorbox also supports more donation types than many competitors, including ACH transfers, Venmo, crypto, and stock donations, making it ideal for nonprofits with diverse donor bases. While many advanced features require a paid plan, the free tier is strong enough for most small organizations.
- Monthly fee: $0/$139, custom plan also available
- Nonprofit discount rate: For Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits
- Stripe: 2.2% + 30 cents
- PayPal/Venmo: 1.99% + 49 cents
- Standard rates:
- Stripe: 2.9% + 30 cents
- PayPal/Venmo: Contact PayPal
- ACH payments: 0.8% ($5 maximum)
- Platform fee: 1.75% (can be fully covered by donors)
- International payments: Card network rates
- Chargeback fee: Depends on payment processor
- Contract: Month to month
- Funding speed: 1-3 business days
- Chargeback fee: Processor-dependent
Accept standard credit card and PayPal payments methods on a Donorbox online donation form. (Source: Donorbox)
Payment Types
- Online donations
- Card-present (Donorbox Live kiosk)
- Recurring donations
- ACH bank transfers
- PayPal/Venmo
- Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
- Crypto and stock donations
Fundraising Tools
- Donation forms and pop-ups
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Text-to-give
- Payment links and donation buttons
- Event ticketing
- Memberships and recurring giving
- Crowdfunding pages
- In-person/kiosk: Donorbox’s Live kiosk allows nonprofits to accept cashless donations via card or digital wallet by downloading the Donorbox Live app on a tablet.
- Event ticketing: Donorbox provides nonprofits with its very own ticketing software for nonprofits that sell tickets for fundraising events.
- Online donation platform: Donorbox provides nonprofits with tools to create online donation platforms and a customer portal so donors can sign up on the nonprofit’s site and send a one-time donation or sign up for membership with a recurring donation.
- Peer-to-peer campaigns: With Venmo, nonprofits using Donorbox can accept peer-to-peer payments easily.
- Crowdfunding pages: Nonprofits can create crowdfunding pages hosted by Donorobox at no extra cost.
- Donation management: Track donor history, recurring gifts, and memberships through Donorbox’s donor management dashboard.
- Security: Donorbox comes with tokenization tools, two-factor authentication, and session tokens via Proper Access Control for securing third-party integrations. It is also equipped with advanced algorithms that monitor visitor profiles such as IP addresses, user behavior, and device information.
PaymentCloud: Best for high-risk merchant account
Pros
- Dedicated merchant account
- Excellent client onboarding support
- Payment gateway agnostic
Cons
- Add on fees for payment gateway and virtual terminal
- Requires merchant account application
- Lacks fee transparency on its website
Overview
Who should use it:
Nonprofits that prefer a flexible dedicated high-risk merchant account for processing recurring and over-the-phone donations
Why I like PaymentCloud:
Nonprofits, particularly new ones, often encounter challenges opening a merchant account because some activities, such as accepting donations over the phone (MOTO) and setting up subscription-based online donations, are considered risky. This is where PaymentCloud comes in. A traditional merchant account provider, PaymentCloud also works with low-risk organizations, but it truly shines in mid- and high-risk industries.
PaymentCloud stands out both for its expertise in the industry and flexibility. I especially like how it can adapt its pricing structure depending on the organization’s needs.
PaymentCloud is also payment gateway agnostic, which means you can choose from a variety of partner gateways or keep what you already have in place. If your nonprofit requires a unique payment platform, PaymentCloud can even customize one for you. You can find this level of customization with Stripe, but it doesn’t offer a dedicated merchant account or the same level of support in getting set up.
PaymentCloud does charge monthly account and gateway fees, unlike Stripe and Square, which are free and quick to set up. That said, PaymentCloud is well known for its onboarding support, and many clients rave about how efficient and seamless it is to set up an account.
PaymentCloud offers fully custom pricing. The figures below are estimates provided by PaymentCloud for mid- to high-risk businesses or organizations and will vary based on your preferred pricing structure and business profile.
- Monthly account fee: $10-$45
- Card-present fee: 2%-$4.3%
- Card-not-present fee: 2%-$4.3%
- ACH payments: Not disclosed
- Virtual terminal fee: $15-$45/month
- Payment gateway fee: $15/month
- Chargeback fee: $25
- Application/Setup fee: $0
- Cancellation fee: Waived early termination fee
PaymentCloud offers flexible payment gateway options both for online and in-person platforms. (Source: PaymentCloud)
Payment Types
- Card-present
- Online
- Recurring donations
- Mail Order/Telephone Order (MOTO
- ACH
- Cryptocurrency
Fundraising Tools
- Donation forms
- Payment links/Donation buttons
- Event ticketing
- Recurring donation/memberships
- In-person: PaymentCloud works with a number of mobile card reader providers that can allow you to accept donations in person. This includes popular devices such as SwipeSimple and Clover.
- Event ticketing: PaymentCloud’s online platform integration can be customized to sell and manage tickets for fundraising events and auctions.
- Online platform: PaymentCloud’s ability to integrate with most payment gateways allows you to choose based on the level of customization you need in developing online donation forms, such as the ability to adapt the interface based on your donor’s location.
- Recurring donation: Create donation subscriptions through PaymentCloud’s subscription manager, which allows you to create custom plans and embed payment methods.
- Over-the-phone donations: Use PaymentCloud’s virtual terminal to process over-the-phone donations. You can set it up to accept a one-time donation or sign up your donor for recurring payments. The system can also be set to send digital receipts immediately for every transaction.
- Security: PaymentCloud is PCI level 1-compliant, so your donor information and payment records are safe. PaymentCloud’s dedicated merchant account also minimizes the risk of account holds and frozen funds.
How to choose your nonprofit credit card processor
Still not sure how to choose the best nonprofit credit card processing solution for your business? Follow these simple steps:
Create a list of merchant account providers and payment processors that can match your requirements (online, in-person, or both). To help you get started, consider these questions:
- Does your nonprofit only accept donations online?
- Are you looking to expand your online campaign by attending events that require tools to accept donations in person?
Related: Read our recommendations for the best merchant services.
Narrow down your list by identifying the payment processing tools you need and matching these with what each provider has to offer. For example, if you want to accept payments in person, do you prefer a mobile device so you can move around during events? Or, when considering the best way to collect donations online, decide if you want to sign up donors for a recurring collection, just a one-time payment, or both.
Payment processing methods to look for in nonprofit payment solutions
- Card-present/mobile
- Card-not-present/online
- Recurring payments
- Invoicing
- Virtual terminal
- ACH/e-check
Most payment processors offer additional features such as a website builder, rewards program, accounting tools to track NGO payments, and more. However, be sure to watch out for extra fees that sometimes accompany these functions. Start a tally and compare, then remove those with the highest add-on cost from your list.
Now that you have a solid list of payment processor options, it’s time to take a closer look and find out which ones support the donation tools you need.
For example, not all payment processors that allow you to accept donations online have the ability to set up registration for events or manage auction bids. In the same way, not all in-person payment processors can manage inventory to sell tickets or other merchandise.
Tools to look for in nonprofit credit card processors
- Donate button
- QR codes
- Shareable payment link
- Hosted donation page
- Membership/sign-up forms
- Event management
- Ticket and merchandise sales
You’ll also want top-notch security and maybe even business management features from your merchant account. Think about what other software you’re using and what you want from your payment processor. Ideally, these features are built-in and will not require any additional integration (and fees). Compare the security features of your shortlisted nonprofit credit card payment processing options and the additional account features they provide.
- Fraud detection and chargeback management: Nonnegotiable. The credit card processor should have level 1 PCI compliance to take care of data security as donors and integrated third-party software access your platform. Learn about PCI compliance.
- Marketing: Marketing tools are necessary for nonprofit organizations. Make sure that your payment processor has a variety of marketing tools in place to launch different kinds of campaigns.
- Reporting: At the minimum, a nonprofit payment processor should have built-in basic reporting tools that track processed transactions and marketing campaigns.
- Easy-to-use platform: Look for a payment processor with a platform that’s easy to navigate and set up tools that don’t require complex coding skills.
Note that advanced features such as analytics, multiple access, and accounting integrations may require extra fees. Decide whether that additional cost is worth the role that these functionalities play in your nonprofit.
Once you have all the features you need in place, it’s time to consider the cost of accepting donations. To do this, you need to identify the size of donations your nonprofit processes in a month or year.
Your goal should be to accept the most donations with the lowest nonprofit credit card processing fees. If you process less than $10,000 in donations per month, look at payment processors that charge flat rate fees (example: 1.9% + 49 cents). Otherwise, consider payment processors with interchange plus pricing like Helcim and Dharma, which offer big discounts to large volume transactions.
Before disregarding payment processors that charge a monthly subscription straight away, consider what comes with these paid plans. It may have interchange-plus rates and/or free payment and donation tools that may actually save you money depending on your processing volume.
Methodology: How I evaluated nonprofit credit card processors
For charities and nonprofits, credit card processors should do more than handle your payments. They should provide discounted rates, simple tools for fundraising, and the ability to reach out to donors. I examined 20 solutions for credit card processing for nonprofits to determine the eight best.
I worked extensively to include all significant factors that can affect the best choice for nonprofit credit card processors. To consistently provide the best answer, this guide is regularly updated to reflect changes in payment services industry standards.
With an overall score of 4.55 out of 5, Helcim ranked as the nonprofit best credit card processing solution. It offers good rates with no contracts or monthly fees — in fact, it’s also our top recommendation as the cheapest credit card processor for most nonprofit organizations and for-profit businesses.
Click through the tabs below for a full list of our scoring criteria:
25% of Overall Score
You may not have full-time fundraising needs, so we favored processors that did not have contracts or charge monthly fees. I also looked for discounted rates, the ability to process donor-covered fees with convenience fees, low chargeback fees, and no cancellation penalties.
30% of Overall Score
You need to be able to accept multiple payment types and from many places. Thus, I gave points for in-person payments (including tap payments like Apple Pay), ecommerce transactions, ACH and e-checks, and stored payment information for recurring donations.
30% of Overall Score
The best credit card processors for nonprofits don’t stop at managing payments. They also offer fundraising tools, a customer database, and marketing functions. I favored those that offered quick disbursements and 24/7 live customer service. Lastly, I evaluated each provider’s payment security features, which include PCI compliance and chargeback management.
15% of Overall Score
In addition to our own evaluation of the features and platform, I considered the opinions of real-world experts: nonprofits that use these platforms. I examined ratings and comments on independent user review sites.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
These are some of the questions I encounter most often about nonprofit credit card processing.
Nonprofits accept credit card donations the same ways as traditional businesses accept payments via credit cards. They will need a merchant account that can process credit card transactions and a payment gateway to capture and encrypt credit card information while data is transmitted to the relevant banks and card networks.
The best payment system for nonprofits depends on your organization type. If your nonprofit is steadily growing in donations, Helcim is the best option with its automated volume discount and all-around payment processing tools at zero monthly fees.
If you are running a new or small nonprofit, the best payment system would be one that provides an all-in-one solution like Square or Donorbox to quickly get you started. For established nonprofits, platforms with advanced tools like iATS and Charity Engine and highly customizable payment processors like Stripe are the better option.
Yes, nonprofits are required to pay credit card processing fees if it is to accept cashless donations. However, nonprofits that fall under the category of “charities” enjoy much lower transaction rates. There are also options for donors to cover the fees for using the platform.
Like every payment processor, Square charges fees for nonprofits that use the platform to collect donations. Note that Square offers free POS and payment processing, but it does not provide discounted rates for nonprofits.
Bottom Line
If you are a nonprofit, you should be getting a discount on your payment processing. There are many fantastic merchant services and credit card processors, both direct and third-party, that work with nonprofits. Third-party processors offer not only reduced rates but also additional tools to make fundraising easier.
Overall, Helcim offers the best credit card processing for nonprofits with its free merchant account, interchange-plus rates for low-volume transactions, and automatic volume discounts for nonprofits processing $50,000 per month and above