PayPal Alternatives for Nonprofits: 11 Tools to Raise More and Keep More

There’s a specific moment most nonprofits hit with PayPal. 

The donate button works, the gifts come in, everyone’s happy – until you plan your first real event, or decide to run an auction, or sit down to figure out who your repeat donors are, and realize the tool simply doesn’t go there. 

PayPal is excellent at accepting payments and stops almost exactly at the edge of fundraising. When you reach that edge, you have options. 

In this guide, we’ll compare 11 PayPal alternatives on fees, fundraising tools, donor management, and reach. With each one’s limitations laid out plainly, let’s ensure the next tool you choose can grow with you.

Why look for alternatives to PayPal?

PayPal is one of the world’s most widely used payment systems, letting organizations send and receive money in a few clicks. For nonprofits, it offers a discounted charity rate, a simple Donate button, and support for recurring gifts and Venmo. 

But it was never built around how nonprofits raise and keep more funds. Here are some of its limitations that push organizations to look for PayPal alternatives:

• Account holds: Some users report that PayPal can freeze an account when it flags unusual activity, such as a transaction spike, leaving funds locked for days.
• Limited donor management: With PayPal alone, you cannot build detailed donor profiles or track giving history, making follow-up difficult. 
• Redirected donors: PayPal often sends donors away from your website to complete a gift, which can interrupt the donation flow.
• No built-in fundraising tools: PayPal has no events, ticketing, auctions, or peer-to-peer features, so teams often juggle several tools at once.
• Fees add up at volume: Even at the charity rate, the flat fee on every donation stacks up, so higher donation volumes mean more lost to processing.
• Giving Fund trade-offs: Reaching new donors through the PayPal Giving Fund can delay disbursement and limit the donor data you receive.

A quick comparison of alternatives to PayPal for nonprofits 

11 best PayPal alternatives with features, limitations, and pricing 

When we set out to find the alternatives to PayPal for nonprofits, we looked past payment processing alone. We judged each option on what matters most to you: fundraising support, donation tracking, branding, and payment reliability. 

Some are full payment platforms for nonprofits, others are simple processors, and a few are built for international payments. Here are 11 good PayPal alternatives worth a closer look.

1. DoJiggy – All-in-one fundraising platform

Ideal fit: Nonprofits of all sizes wanting a free, complete fundraising solution

DoJiggy is a zero-fee fundraising platform that brings payment processing and fundraising together in one place. Rather than paying for a standalone payment tool, you get a complete solution to plan multiple fundraisers, manage donor relationships, and process donations from a single place. 

DoJiggy Features

• Run donation pages, P2P crowdfunding campaigns, events, auctions, raffles, and golf tournaments from one platform
• Accepts cards, digital wallets, checks, and cash, with several other currencies through Stripe or PayPal
• Manage recurring giving on weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly terms
• Reach donors with free text to donate and scan-to-donate QR codes
• Brand every campaign with your own logo, colors, and custom domain
• Track donors and finances with real-time reporting and CSV exports

Limitations

• Offers more than a payment platform, so it suits organizations ready to fundraise, not those wanting a checkout button alone

DoJiggy Pricing 

DoJiggy is free, with no setup, monthly, or subscription fees, and is supported with donor tipping. 

If you would rather not use tipping, you can pay a percentage on the features you use instead.

• Donations 1.9%
• Simple Stores 4.9%
• P2P crowdfunding 4.9%
• Golf tournaments 4.9%
• Charity auctions 4.9%
• Event ticketing 4.9%
• Fundraising raffles 6.9%
• A-thons 6.9%
• Sweepstakes 6.9%
• All-in-one campaign 6.9%

Note: Stripe or PayPal processing fees are charged separately.

2. Stripe

Ideal fit: Tech-savvy teams building custom donation flows

Stripe is a payment processing platform you can run underneath your fundraising platform or use to collect donations through embeddable forms and pre-built payment pages. For more control, its modular UI components let you design a fully branded checkout for your donors.

Features

• Support for recurring donation management 
• Access to 100+ payment methods, including international cards
• Mobile-friendly and customizable donation forms
• Strong documentation and developer resources for custom builds

Limitations

• Setup and customization often require technical or developer support
• The nonprofit discount applies to donations only, not tickets, memberships, or registrations
• No built-in fundraising features, so most organizations need a separate platform on top

Pricing 

Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction with no monthly fee. Nonprofits can get a discount on the processing rates if:

• They are a verified 501(c)(3) organization
• More than 80% of their account volume comes from donations
• They apply directly to Stripe with their EIN or IRS documentation

3. Square

Ideal fit: Nonprofits collecting donations at in-person events

Square is another PayPal alternative, best known for in-person payments through its card readers and point-of-sale app. Nonprofits can use it to accept donations at events, sell tickets or merchandise, and accept online payments from the same account.

Features

• Free card reader and point-of-sale app to take payments anywhere
• Apple Pay, Google Pay, and tap-to-pay support on a phone
• Offline mode that stores payments and uploads them once you reconnect
• Reporting tools to track donations and donor activity

Limitations

• No discounted rate for nonprofits, so 501(c)(3) groups pay standard fees
• Built for businesses, so it lacks nonprofit features like fund tracking
• Donation pages are basic compared to dedicated fundraising platforms

Pricing

Square’s free plan has no monthly cost, and you pay only per transaction:

• 2.6% + 15¢ for in-person card payments
• 3.3% + 30¢ for online payments
• 3.5% + 15¢ for manually keyed or saved cards

Square also offers two paid plans at $49 and $149 per month that charge lower in-person and online rates.

4. Zelle

Ideal fit: Small nonprofits taking quick bank-to-bank gifts

Zelle is a bank-to-bank transfer service built into most US banking apps. Donors send money straight from their accounts to your nonprofit’s account, and the funds usually land within minutes. It works through your bank, not as a separate app you sign up for.

Features

• Instant transfers that move money in minutes, not days
• Works inside banking apps most donors already use
• Donors give using just your registered email or phone number
• Direct bank-to-bank giving with no card networks involved

Limitations

• Built for person-to-person transfers, so it captures no donor data
• No receipts, recurring gifts, or donation pages to share
• Banks set weekly transfer caps, which limits larger gifts

Pricing

Zelle does not charge nonprofits any transaction fee. 

5. Authorize.net

Ideal fit: Established nonprofits with their own donation systems

Authorize.net is a payment gateway that connects your donation page or website to a merchant account, then securely routes each transaction. You can typically use it alongside your own donation or fundraising software rather than as a standalone giving page.

Features

• Recurring billing for automated repeat donations
• Simple Checkout with a Donate button you add to your site
• Built-in fraud filters and Account Updater for saved cards
• Accepts cards, eChecks, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal

Limitations

• Requires a merchant account, so more setup is involved
• eCheck and gateway add-ons can raise cost 
• Better suited to organizations with strong technical understanding 

Pricing

Authorize.net charges a $25 monthly gateway fee, with no setup cost, across these plans:

• All-in-One: $25 a month plus 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction
• Payment Gateway: $25 a month plus 10¢ per transaction and a 10¢ daily batch fee
• Gateway and eCheck: adds 0.75% per eCheck on top of the gateway plan

If you process more than $500K a year, you can contact Authorize.net about custom pricing. 

6. Helcim

Ideal fit: Higher-volume organizations wanting lower processing costs 

Helcim is one of the payment processing platforms that runs on interchange-plus pricing. Instead of one flat rate, you pay the card network’s actual cost plus a small fixed markup from Helcim, and that markup drops automatically as your monthly volume grows.

Features

• Hosted payment pages and a no-code online checkout you can build
• ACH payments that pull directly from a donor’s bank account
• Free customer manager to store and organize donor records
• Wide variety of integrations, including QuickBooks and Xero, with developer APIs

Limitations

• Interchange-plus rates are harder to predict than flat pricing
• Built for businesses, so it lacks nonprofit-specific tools
• Deposits take up to two business days, with no same-day option

Pricing

Helcim has no monthly fees, setup costs, PCI fees, or contracts, and charges only for what you process. Card rates use interchange-plus and drop as monthly volume grows:

• In-person: Interchange plus 0.40% + 8¢ on $0 to $50K
• Keyed and online: Interchange plus 0.50% + 25¢ on $0 to $50K
• ACH: 0.5% + 25¢ per transaction, capped at $6
• Recurring payments: An added 0.4% per transaction
• Chargeback: $0 if resolved in your favor, $15 if lost

Hardware is bought outright, not leased:

• Card reader: $199 per unit plus shipping
• Smart terminal: $349 per unit, or $32 a month for a year
• Tap to Pay on iPhone: An added 10¢ per transaction

Volume discounts apply automatically, and organizations processing over $5 million a month can ask about custom pricing.

7. Venmo

Ideal fit: Nonprofits whose donors already use the app

Venmo is a mobile payment app most people use to split bills and send money to friends. Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status can claim a verified charity profile, which lets supporters donate inside Venmo and discover your cause through its in-app search.

Features

• Verified charity profile with a badge that signals legitimacy
• QR code and username to share across your campaigns
• Supporters can share their gift, spreading it to their network
• Donation history and statements with donor contact information

Limitations

• No donor profiles or engagement tools to build relationships over time
• Setup requires a PayPal business account and verification first
• Works best as an extra channel, not a full fundraising system

Pricing

Venmo charges no setup or monthly fees, just a per-donation fee:

• 1.9% + 10¢ on each donation to a verified charity profile
• Instant transfers cost 1.75%, with a $0.25 minimum and $25 cap, while standard transfers in one to three days are free

8. Wise

Ideal fit: Organizations collecting donations globally

Wise is one of the notable PayPal alternatives for international payments​ that handle global gifts or grants. It lets you send and receive money across 160+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate, with no markup added to that rate.

Features

• Hold and manage money in multiple currencies from one account
• Batch payments to pay up to 1,000 recipients in one upload
• Multi-user access with permission levels at no extra cost
• Connects to QuickBooks and Xero to sync transactions

Limitations

• Built for transfers, so it has no donation pages or fundraising tools
• Charity accounts are limited to a handful of countries
• No cash deposits, checks, or in-person banking options

Pricing

Wise has no monthly fee or subscription, and you only pay for what you use:

• Registering for a Wise account is free
• Sending or converting money: From 0.33%, varying by currency and shown upfront
• Receiving domestic payments in major currencies, including USD, is free
• Receiving USD wire and SWIFT payments: A fixed $6.11 per payment
• Volume discounts apply on larger conversions

9. Cheddar Up

Ideal fit: PTOs, schools, and clubs collecting group payments 

Cheddar Up is a payment and forms platform that works well for dues, event fees, spirit wear, and field-trip collections. It’s simple to use: create a page, add your items or forms, and share the link with your community.

Features

• Forms that capture waivers, sizes, and registration details
• Credit card reader for collecting payments in person
• Real-time tracking of who paid and who still owes
• Donors can cover the fees, so more of each gift reaches you

Limitations

• Built for group collections, not deeper nonprofit fundraising
• Lacks fund restrictions and reporting that larger nonprofits need
• Few tools for building long-term donor relationships

Pricing

Cheddar Up is free to start on its Basic plan, with no monthly fee and free standard withdrawals to your bank:

• Free plan: 3.95% + 0.95¢ per credit card transaction
• Pro ($15/mo) and Team ($35/mo) with 3.59% + 59¢ per card transaction
• eCheck (ACH): 1.95%, minimum $1, on Pro and Team plans
• Cash and check tracking is free on every plan
• Custom pricing available on contact

10. Google Pay

Ideal fit: Nonprofits wanting faster mobile checkout 

Google Pay is a digital wallet that lets your donors give using saved card details on their phone or in their browser. You can add it as an option inside your donation forms, so supporters give in a few taps without typing out card details.

Features

• Works across mobile and desktop for a consistent checkout
• Tokenized payments that keep card details secure
• No Google account needed; donors can check out as guests
• Adds easily to forms built on Stripe, Authorize.net, and others

Limitations

• No fundraising and donation tools
• Works only through your own donation forms and processor
• Offers little control over the checkout experience

Pricing

Google Pay adds no fee of its own. A donation through it is treated like any other card payment, so you pay only your processor’s standard rate.

11. Apple Pay

Ideal fit: Nonprofits reaching donors on iPhones 

Apple Pay gives nonprofits a secure way to accept donations right inside their app or website. Supporters give with the card already in their Apple Wallet, skipping the billing, shipping, and contact details a checkout usually asks for. 

Features

• One-tap giving confirmed by Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode
• A “Donate with Apple Pay” button for your app or website
• Tokenized payments, so card numbers are never shared
• Works through your existing payment provider

Limitations

• Not built for nonprofits, so it lacks fundraising and donor tools
• Reaches only donors on Apple devices, not every supporter
• Set up needs an Apple Developer account and donation approval

Pricing

Apple charges no fees or commission on Apple Pay donations, but your processor’s standard rate applies. Also requires membership in the Apple Developer Program.

How to decide on the right PayPal alternative?

When looking for alternatives to PayPal​, you need to go beyond donation collection and consider your whole fundraising process. The right tool should match how you raise money now, and where you want to take it next. 

Here are the questions to ask yourself to weigh each PayPal alternative:

1. How do you raise most of your money?

If you only collect online donations or one-off gifts, donation or payment processing platforms for nonprofits are enough. 

But if you run events, auctions, raffles, or peer-to-peer drives, or plan to soon, a fundraising platform like DoJiggy is the better fit. It supports campaign-led fundraising, so you can build each campaign and process its donations in one place.

2. Does it offer enough customization?

Your donation pages and checkout flow should match your brand, so donors feel confident they are giving to you. 

Online payment processing platforms often limit how much you can change, but a fundraising tool usually gives you more control. You can adjust your logo, colors, domain, and even images to keep everything on brand.

3. How do your donors give? 

Donors pay in different ways, so your tool should accept them all. Look for credit and debit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, and bank transfers. If you receive gifts from abroad, check for multi-currency support too, so no donor hits a barrier at checkout.

4. What happens after the gift? 

A payment tool stops at the transaction, but fundraising needs more. Look for software that offers donor profiles, giving history, and flexible recurring options in one place. This is what helps you thank donors, track their support, and turn a one-time gift into ongoing giving.

5. What is the true cost? 

Look for the complete platform fee. Add up the processing rate, setup fee, POS device charges, and any extras, then check whether donors can cover the fees through tips. A platform with clear pricing often costs less than one with a low rate and hidden add-ons.

Which is the best PayPal Alternative for you?

PayPal is a trusted, widely used payment system, but there are some alternatives that better serve nonprofits. These save you from having to run separate platforms to collect donations and manage campaigns. 

In fact, many fundraising tools build PayPal’s payment processor right into their software, so you keep its familiar trust while raising funds in one place.

To pick the right platform, weigh your fees, fundraising features, and how well it manages donors after the gift. DoJiggy, a zero-fee fundraising platform, scores well on all three. It brings campaign planning, donor management, and payment processing together at no platform cost.

FAQs on payment processing platforms 

Related Resources

16 Best Fundraising Platforms for Nonprofits [2026] Finding the right fundraising platform can make all the difference…

Top 10 Donorbox Alternatives for Nonprofits: Features, Pricing & Limitations Compare the best Donorbox alternatives: 1. DoJiggy 2. Zeffy 3.…

11 Best Donation Apps for Nonprofits to Raise More Funds in 2026 Compare the best donation apps for nonprofts: 1. DoJiggy 2.…