BetterWorld vs Donately:
A comparison for lean nonprofit teams

Looking for a BetterWorld alternative? Donately offers customizable, branded donation experiences—without the design or integration limits that often come with “free” tools. *

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* Disclaimer: The comparison details on this page are based on publicly available data as of Septermber 2025.^¹

Best fit breakdown

When Donately wins and when BetterWorld might

Every platform has its sweet spot. Here’s when Donately makes the most sense and when BetterWorld might be the better fit based on your fundraising needs and team setup.

Donately is your match if:

You want full control of your brand, data, and donor experience—without hiring a dev.

You need transparent pricing, no tipping models, and predictable growth costs.

You prefer integrations that actually integrate—Salesforce, Mailchimp, HubSpot, and more.

BetterWorld

BetterWorld might work if:

You’re a brand-new org with zero budget that still needs event tools, like auctions.

You’re okay relying on donors to cover your costs via tip-based models.

You want “all-in-one” functionality more than customization or integrations.

More power, no platform games

When "free forever" isn't the whole story

BetterWorld promises unlimited fundraising tools for free—but donor tipping, limited customization, and hidden costs can hold you back. Donately gives you full control of your forms and campaigns, clear pricing, and tools that grow with you.

Betterworld says...

“100% free for nonprofits.”

But the reality? Some campaigns carry hidden transaction fees, and the partner plan costs ~$1,550/year.

Donately says: Honest pricing, no tricks—pick your plan and keep your margins.

Betterworld says...

“Unlimited events, auctions, and campaigns.”

But the reality? Running complex campaigns may trigger extra fees—or rely on donor tipping to offset costs.

Donately says: Run campaigns your way. No guilt-tipping, no gatekeeping.

Betterworld says...

“Donors love it—95% cover your costs.”

But the reality? That’s not guaranteed. If they don’t tip, you eat the full cost.

Donately says: You choose the pricing model that fits. Not your donor.

Donately vs BetterWorld:
feature comparison

Fundraising platforms can look similar—until you dig in. From native integrations to transparent pricing and real support, Donately gives small teams everything upfront. Here’s how we compare:

Donately

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BetterWorld

Flexibility

Transparent, modular pricing (0%, 2%, 4%). No tipping models.

Free to use with donor-tipping model. Paid partner plan available.

Customization

Full branding control, form logic, custom domains, API and webhook access

Good visual design; limited dev-level customization.

Usability

Designed for fast use by lean teams—no dev needed.

Clean UI and easy setup for common campaign types.

Support

Real-time human support, guides, and onboarding help.

Knowledge base + chat; unclear if phone/live help is available.

Integrations

One-click integrations: Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Webflow, Constant Contact, Zapier and more.

No public CRM integration docs available.

Time to launch

Launch in minutes. Copy, paste, go live.

Most tools usable right away. Some (e.g. auctions) require manual setup.

Pricing clarity

What you see is what you pay. Zero tipping, zero confusion.

0% platform fee, but some campaigns have extra % fees unless donor tips. Partner plan costs $1,550/yr.

Team fit

Built for 1–5 person teams who do it all.

Ideal for orgs with no devs or small teams wanting “done for you” style.

Top goal

Empower nonprofits to grow giving with full control.

Lower barrier to fundraising for orgs just starting or running lots of small events.

For $10,000 monthly donation volume

You save: $45–400+ per month with Donately*

While BetterWorld covers the basics with free campaigns and events, Donately delivers deeper control—custom branding, flexible pricing, peer-to-peer tools, and real integrations—all without relying on donor tips.

All features. No surprises.

BetterWorld

Built for basics, not control.

Platform fees

$0–400
(0%- 4%)

0% for most campaigns.
Up to 5% for auctions/ticketing if donors don’t tip.
Partner plan available for ~$1,550/year.

Processing fees

$220–290/month
Stripe (2.2–2.9% + $0.30)

$220–290/month
(via Stripe or PayPal, similar rates)

Subscription fees

$0–$99/month depending on plan

None on free plan. Partner plan is optional and annual.

Setup/Onboarding

None. Onboarding is self-serve.

Support

Included across all plans

Knowledge base. Unclear if costs associated with additional support.

Total monthly

$220–$789 /month

$290-$419+ /month

Ask yourself before choosing BetterWorld

If you answered “no” to any of these, Donately delivers the power and simplicity you need—without escalating costs or fragmented tools.

Explore Donately

Will I actually use auctions, raffles, or ticketing—or just need donation forms?

Will your organization need frequent consulting or strategy support—or are you okay figuring things out yourself?

How important is advanced customization?

Why nonprofits choose Donately instead

Donately offers branded peer-to-peer, recurring, and text-to-donate campaigns with extensive integrations (HubSpot, Webflow, Zapier, etc.), human support during business hours, and transparent pricing without feature paywalls or hidden costs.

Transparent pricing

No tipping gimmicks, no platform surprises

Real integrations

Plug into your tech stack without stress

Campaign versatility

One-time, recurring, text-to-give, peer-to-peer

Full branding control

Your donors, your design, your story

Support that shows up

Real humans, not just help documents

Donately vs BetterWorld — frequently asked questions

Is BetterWorld really free?

Yes—for many use cases. BetterWorld doesn’t charge a platform fee on its free plan, but still deducts standard processing fees (~2.9% + $0.30). Some campaign types, like auctions and raffles, may also carry additional transaction fees if donors don’t opt to cover costs via tipping.

How does Donately’s pricing compare to BetterWorld’s?

Donately offers transparent platform fees (0%, 2%, or 4%) plus standard processing, with no tipping models or surprise campaign charges. BetterWorld relies on donor tipping to remain free and may require a paid plan (~$1,550/year) to avoid added transaction costs.

Does BetterWorld integrate with CRMs like Salesforce?

Not directly. BetterWorld doesn’t list CRM integrations like Salesforce or HubSpot, and API access isn’t highlighted. Donately, by contrast, offers one-click integrations with major CRMs and marketing tools—no developer required.

Which platform gives me more control over branding and customization?

Donately offers full control over branding, content, and form design—plus access to advanced customization via open API and webhooks. BetterWorld’s forms are well-designed but offer limited customization and no advanced embed tools.

Can I launch a campaign quickly on either platform?

Yes—both allow fast setup for basic donation pages. Donately is optimized for lean teams to launch in minutes with more control. BetterWorld also allows quick setup but may require more manual input for complex events or auctions.

What happens if a donor doesn’t cover the fees on BetterWorld?

If a donor chooses not to tip, the nonprofit absorbs the full processing and platform-related transaction costs—especially for events or auctions. Donately doesn’t rely on donor tipping at all. You always know what your platform fee will be.

BEST IN CLASS SOFTWARE FOR BEST IN CLASS ORGANIZATIONS