Givebutter is a nonprofit fundraising platform that offers donation collection, campaign pages and event ticketing at no monthly cost on its basic tier. For news organizations exploring reader revenue, it provides a low-barrier entry point—though its fee structure and data portability limitations warrant attention.
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Key Takeaways
- Givebutter’s free tier lets nonprofit newsrooms collect donations with no monthly cost.
- Optional donor tips fund the platform; declining tips triggers a 3% fee.
- Forms, campaigns and event ticketing make it a low-barrier reader-revenue starter.
This guide covers the essentials of getting a Givebutter campaign running.
The gist
Givebutter lets newsrooms collect donations and sell event tickets without paying monthly software fees.
- Free tier relies on optional donor tips; declining to donors the option to tip triggers a 3% platform fee
- Three campaign types: donation forms, fundraising pages, and ticketed events
How to set it up
Givebutter’s setup process is designed for users without technical support.
- Create an account at givebutter.com with your nonprofit name, EIN, work email and fundraising goal.
- Choose a campaign type:
- Donation form for basic, embeddable payment collection
- Fundraising page for storytelling, video, progress tracking and matching gifts
- Event for ticketed in-person, virtual or hybrid gatherings
- Configure campaign details: title, goal, description, branding, SEO metadata, thank-you messages and fee structure.
- Connect payment processing: Add bank account information before requesting payouts.
- Set up donor communications: Free-tier email tools handle updates, progress notifications and acknowledgments. Paid tiers add SMS and direct mail.
Key numbers
Givebutter’s cost structure depends on donor behavior and plan selection.
- Basic tier: $0/month; platform requests optional tips from donors. If donors decline to top, Givebutter will cover the transaction fees.
- Without tips: 3 percent platform fee + standard processing (2.9 percent + 30¢ for cards; 1.9% + 30¢ for ACH)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for larger organizations
What to watch for
Givebutter’s free model comes with trade-offs newsrooms should understand upfront.
- Tip dependency: The “free” label assumes donors agree to tip. Budget for a 3% processing fee if don’t wish to ask for optional tips. (Givebutter will cover the processing fee if you ask for a tip but the donor declines to do so.)
- Limited analytics: Advanced reporting requires paid tiers.
- No journalism-specific features: Templates and integrations are designed for general nonprofits, not newsrooms.
Newsrooms seeking more robust donor management, faster data export or news-specific tools may also want to evaluate FundraiseUp, RevEngine (via News Revenue Hub) or GiveWP.
Accounts can be created at givebutter.com.
Correction: In a previous version of this post, Givebutter’s capitalization was incorrect. It’s “Givebutter.” Also, fee structure and interoperability with other fundraising platforms was listed incorrectly. The Media Copilot regrets the errors.
