Every percentage point a payment processor takes out of a donation is money that never reaches the program it was meant for. Zeffy removes that cost entirely, routing 100 percent of every donation to the nonprofit and covering its own operating costs through optional donor tips instead of platform or transaction fees.
What Zeffy does
Zeffy is a fundraising platform built specifically for nonprofits, offering donation forms, event ticketing, membership management, an online store, raffles, and peer-to-peer campaigns, all with zero platform fees and zero transaction fees on every donation processed.
Key features
- Zero-fee donation forms: embeddable or standalone donation pages where 100 percent of the gift reaches the organization.
- Event ticketing: sell tickets to galas, walks, or community events without a per-ticket platform cut.
- Donor CRM: track donor history and engagement without a separate database subscription.
- Peer-to-peer fundraising: let supporters create their own fundraising pages on your organization’s behalf.
- Recurring donations: set up monthly giving without processing fees eating into the recurring amount.
- Tap-to-pay mobile app: collect donations in person at events using a phone instead of separate hardware.
Pricing
Zeffy is free to use, with no platform fees, transaction fees, or credit card processing fees charged to the nonprofit.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Platform fee | $0 |
| Transaction fee | $0 |
| Credit card processing fee | $0 |
| Revenue model | Optional donor tips at checkout, which the nonprofit does not pay |
Zeffy sustains its operations through optional tips donors can add at checkout, which do not reduce the amount the nonprofit receives. Every organization, regardless of size, gets access to the same feature set from day one. Confirm current terms directly with Zeffy, since fee-free fundraising models are worth verifying periodically as platforms evolve.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 100 percent of every donation reaches the organization, with no fee deductions | Free model relies on donor tips, so revenue to Zeffy is not guaranteed on every transaction |
| Full feature set available to every organization regardless of size or budget | As a nonprofit-only platform, it is not built for hybrid organizations with significant earned revenue |
| Combines donations, ticketing, and CRM in one platform instead of separate tools | Newer platform relative to long-established fundraising software, though it has a large existing user base |
Who it’s for
Zeffy fits registered nonprofits of any size that want to stop losing a percentage of every donation to platform and processing fees, particularly smaller organizations where those fees represent a meaningful share of total funds raised.
Who should skip it
If your organization is a for-profit social enterprise rather than a registered nonprofit, Zeffy’s donation-focused model will not apply to your revenue structure.
How to get started
Create a free Zeffy account, confirm your nonprofit registration status, and set up your first donation form or event before your next campaign launches.
FAQ
Does Zeffy really charge zero fees, with no hidden costs?
Yes. Zeffy charges no platform, transaction, or credit card processing fees, sustaining itself instead through optional donor tips.
Do donors have to leave a tip for Zeffy to process the donation?
No. Tips are entirely optional, and the nonprofit receives the full donation amount whether or not a donor adds a tip.
Is Zeffy only for donations, or does it handle events too?
Zeffy also supports event ticketing, memberships, an online store, raffles, and peer-to-peer campaigns beyond standard donation forms.
Disclosure: Impact DOTS may earn a commission if you sign up for Zeffy through the links in this article. This does not change what you pay, and it does not influence which tools we choose to cover.
