8 Best Payment Gateways for Nonprofits in 2025 (Free and Paid)

Tapping into the benefits of online donations is crucial for today's nonprofits, but how do you accept these funds? A reliable payment processor is an essential component, seamlessly connecting your supporters' generosity with your organization's mission.

Verifying credit card details, processing payments, and finalizing contributions become challenges without trusted payment gateways. Below, you’ll find reliable information and comparisons to select the best payment gateway with a deep dive into features, costs, and performance. 

We've curated a comprehensive guide to 8 compelling payment gateways to help you choose the right payment solution based on your specific needs and the latest options available.

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Payment Gateways for Nonprofits Top PicksPicks

• 1. Zeffy: Best Free Payment Gateway for Nonprofits 

• 2. PayPal: Best Dedicated Payment Gateway Solution

• 3. Stripe: Best to Create a Custom Payment Solution 

• 4. Helcim: Best for High Volume Donations 

• 5. Stax: Best for Multiple Integration Options 

• 6. Elavon: Best to Manage Donations and Set Up Recurring Donations 

• 7. Ayden: Best for International Payments 

• 8. Authorize.net: Best for Fraud Prevention 

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What is a Payment Gateway?

A payment gateway is a technology that collects, verifies, and securely transmits payment information between the business, the customer, and the payment processor. It serves as a bridge between the parties involved in a transaction, enabling the exchange of information to facilitate online payments. 

A point of sale (POS) terminal in a physical store checks the card chip to determine whether the debit or credit card is valid, and an online payment gateway assesses whether a payment is legitimate. 

Investing in a payment gateway is essential if you want to accept donations.

A payment gateway will securely validate your supporters' payment details, ensuring funds are available for donations. It will also perform fraud checks and encrypt sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, as it passes from the customer to the payment processor. 

The payment processor will facilitate the transaction and transfer funds from your supporter's account to yours. 

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How Does a Payment Gateway Work?

Here’s a quick run-down of how payment processing services work:

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Supporter Starts the Donation Process

When supporters are ready to donate, they enter their credit or debit card information on the nonprofit organization's donation page.

Encryption of the Data

The payment gateway securely encrypts this payment information and sends it to the payment processor.

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Authorization Request

The payment processor receives the payment information from the gateway and forwards it to the supporter's bank or the bank that issued the payment. It requests authorization for the transaction.

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Authorization Process

The supporter's bank verifies the payment data and confirms whether the supporter has sufficient funds to donate. It either approves or declines the transaction. They then send this response to the payment processor.

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Authorization Response

The payment processor shares the supporter’s bank response to the payment gateway, indicating whether the transaction is approved or declined.

Transaction Result

Based on the authorization response, the payment gateway notifies the organization and supporter of the transaction status.

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Settlement of Funds

If the transaction is approved, the payment gateway application processes credit card payments or other forms of payment and facilitates the transfer of funds. It transfers the amount from supporters to a merchant's acquiring bank, temporarily holding it before sending it to the nonprofit's bank account. 

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Payment Gateway vs Payment Processor: What’s the Difference?

Although often interchangeably used, both can help you accept online donations, but payment gateways and processors have significant differences. 

A payment gateway sends a supporter's card information to a payment processor, which uses the data to process payments to the supporter's bank and merchant accounts.

Here's a better look at payment gateway vs payment processor:

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Best Payment Gateways for Nonprofits at a Glance!

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1. Zeffy: 100% Free Payment Gateway for Nonprofits

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.9

‍Capterra Rating: 4.8

Best for: Any nonprofit seeking a dedicated solution that works seamlessly alongside a strong (and 100% free) fundraising platform.

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Zeffy is a zero-fee payment processor designed for nonprofit organizations to process various types of payments seamlessly. This focus on enabling transactions efficiently makes it a top choice for nonprofits looking to maximize their fundraising efforts with minimal gateway charges.

Built with nonprofits in mind, Zeffy provides a one-stop solution for processing donations, charging membership fees, accepting recurring payments, and more, all without incurring payment processing fees.

Zeffy stands out on G2 and Capterra as the highest-rated platform among small nonprofit teams, who appreciate the additional capabilities it offers with its zero-fee model, including donor management and event tools.

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Standout features

• 100% free end-to-end fundraising platform 

• In-person Point of Sale (POS) system right from your phone (no card reader required)

• All major credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay are  accepted

• Quick withdrawals of online donations

• Option to accept one-time and recurring donations

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Price & fees

100% free with no payment processing fee

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What Do the Users Say?

“The best thing about Zeffy is that it allows the total donation to go to our small nonprofit, and we share this fact so that our donors can feel good about giving. Also, I like that I can export the data record of all our donations, which has allowed me to build a donor database.” - Mary T

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2. PayPal: Best Dedicated Payment Gateway Solution

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.4

Capterra Rating: 4.7

Best for: Nonprofits looking for a well-known and trusted payment platform with options for both hosted and customizable payment gateways.

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PayPal is a familiar name, making it an approachable and trusted payment processing provider. It offers a payment processor called Payflow, which is automatically included in its online payment processing tools and is also available as a standalone gateway for organizations already using credit card payment processors. 

With strong ratings from users who value familiarity and broad reach, PayPal may be ideal for nonprofits prioritizing donor convenience and brand recognition, even if the transaction fees are higher.

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Standout features

• Hosted and customizable gateway options

• Built-in fraud protection

• Accepts PayPal, PayPal Credit, credit cards

• Compatible with most processors

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Payflow offers you two options:

• Payflow link – a free checkout payment gateway hosted by PayPal. 

• Payflow Pro – a service page that offers additional checkout customization with a monthly fee. With Pro, you can offer PayPal and PayPal credit options on your website.

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With both choices, PayPal offers fraud protection, adding an extra layer of security to your payment processing gateway, making it more capable of handling threats and fraudulent transactions. 

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Price & fees

PayPal charges 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction, while Payflow Pro is available for $25.00 per month.

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What Do Users Say?

“PayPal is the oldest and largest fintech-like company in the world. It has many 3rd party sites where you can use it to pay. It's very flexible considering implementation. Also PayPal has very good customer support which can take care of any problem the client may approach.” – Mateusz L.

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3. Stripe: Best to Create a Custom Payment Solution

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.3

Capterra Rating: 4.6

Best for: Tech-savvy nonprofits seeking to build a custom, integrated donation experience across online and in-person platforms.

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Stripe is a prominent payment service provider best known for its overall payment processing solutions, but it also offers a comprehensive payment gateway. 

Stripe Terminal easily integrates with your in-person payment solution. You can track all your offline and online transactions in one place, making it easy to track and report donations. It is better suited for nonprofits that need to create a custom payment gateway or accept in-person payments.

Stripe also offers a wide range of APIs that enable you to tailor your payment gateway to best suit your needs. Stripe is praised for its developer-first approach, however, smaller teams may find the technical lift challenging without the support of developers.

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Standout features

• Extensive developer tools and APIs

• Supports multiple currencies and payment types

• Online and in-person integration with Stripe Terminal

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With Zeffy, nonprofits can access Stripe 100% free of charge as we cover all the fees for nonprofits.

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Price & fees

Stripe offers a discounted fee to eligible nonprofits that process 80% or more of donation payments on the platform. It provides 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction, instead of 2.9% + 30¢ for businesses.

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What Do Users Say?

“Not only is their system intuitive, but the customer service agents ACTUALLY like to help you! No fake smiles over the phone or loud exhaling and strained voices. You know which ones I mean ---- the kind you get from employees that don't like their job and it feels like it is a burden to help you. Yeah ---- NEVER have I experienced this with Stripe. They have a beautiful online system, they have happy employees ---- that can only mean Stripe really knows how to stay in business. And THAT is very important for my business because I use them on a daily basis”– Nayeli.

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4. Helcim: Best For High Volume Donations 

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.2

‍Capterra Rating: 4.2

Best for: High-volume nonprofits that qualify for discounted credit card processing rates.

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Helcim serves as both a credit card processing service and a payment gateway. It comes with a variety of tools that make collecting donations easier. 

Whether you're looking to create a donation page, are interested in online fundraising, or want to add a donation widget to your website, Helcim can help. It allows you to customize your payment gateway with its wide variety of APIs.

Helcim is favored by larger nonprofits for its high-volume discount structure, but organizations should confirm they qualify as ‘registered charities’ to access reduced fees.”

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Standout features

• Donation page creator

• Variable rate discounts

• API and payment widget options

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Price & fees

Helcim offers competitive credit card processing rates to select qualified charities. These are:

• Visa Canada 0.98% to 2.00%

• MC Canada 0.92% to 1.80%

• Visa US 0.65% + $0.15 to 1.35% + $0.05

• MC US 1.45% + $0.15 to 2.00% +$0.10

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What Do Users Say?

“The software is an integral part of my business and is reliable, well thought out and has an easy-to-understand interface for myself and for my customers when they are paying.” – Paul

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5. Stax: Best For Multiple Integration Options

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.9

Capterra Rating: 3.5

Best for: Nonprofits with diverse tech needs looking to integrate donations into productivity tools and CRMs.

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Stax is a software company and payment facilitator that provides a range of payment processing solutions, including a payment gateway. It supports merchants in accepting payments using their preferred method.

Along with debit and credit card payments, organizations can accept payments through ACH transfer, cash, paper checks, e-checks, money orders, and digital payments.

It offers a RESTful API for creating custom integrations. Stax even links with HubSpot CRM, Xero Accounting, Zoho, Mailchimp, QuickBooks, and several third-party apps and social channels.

Stax earns top scores for integrations and reliability, particularly among mid-sized nonprofits that prioritize predictable monthly costs over per-transaction fees. Small nonprofits may find the price model harder to justify.

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Standout features

• No transaction fees

• Text-to-donate and ACH support

• RESTful API and CRM integrations

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Price & fees

Starts at $99 per month

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What Do Users Say?

“Stax provides efficient solutions for ecommerce integration and payments processing. It is easy to use and rich in features. Supports credit card processing and is a no-contract solution.” – Willis M

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6. Elavon: Best to Manage Donations and Set Up Recurring Donations 

Overview

G2 Rating: N/A

‍Capterra Rating: 3.4

Best suited for: Nonprofits that prioritize recurring donations and hybrid (online and in-person) fundraising events.

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Elavon is a notable name on the list of payment gateways, offering three unique, flexible, and robust gateways. 

While its Fusebox and CenPOS payment gateways are suited for specific industries and businesses, its Converge solution is one of the best payment gateways for nonprofit organizations. 

Converge accepts payments from debit and credit cards, digital wallets, PayPal, and electronic checks. 

Features such as donation buttons or links, billing and invoicing, and a product catalog, among others, make donating easier while tracking the performance of specific fundraising campaigns. 

Elavon enables your donors to set up regular contributions on a frequency that suits them. Similarly, it will proactively manage recurring donations by flagging debit and credit cards that are nearing expiration.

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Standout features

• Converge gateway for nonprofits

• Tokenization and encryption

• Mobile-friendly donation tools

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Price & fees

Elavon has not disclosed its pricing, so you would need to contact them to learn about its costs and fees.

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What Do Users Say?

“Elavon has the best rates for nonprofit long-time customers, any time an issue has arisen contacting customer service is a breeze.” - Stevie C.

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7. Adyen: Best For International Payments 

Overview

G2 Rating: 3.3

‍Capterra Rating: 4.9

​​Best for: Nonprofits with international supporters who want to donate in their native currency.

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Ayden is a financial technology platform with a payment gateway functionality that supports international payments. 

It offers dynamic currency conversion (DCC) at the checkout for 36 different currencies. This allows your international supporters to pay in their currency. It is straightforward to integrate into your website. 

Ayden offers solutions such as authorization optimization, risk management, and virtual and in-person payments, all on one platform. 

Adyen’s high Capterra rating reflects its value to international nonprofits accepting multi-currency donations. Still, reviewers on G2 caution that its complex pricing and feature set may overwhelm smaller domestic teams.

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Standout features

• Dynamic currency conversion in 36 currencies

• Unified in-person and online payments

• Risk and fraud management

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Price & fees

Ayden has a fixed processing fee ($0.13) + a fee determined by the payment method.

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What Do Users Say?

Adyen is very good for international merchants and the excellent customer service is very pleasing. Adyen does not have setup or application fees that attracts everyone. – Thomas A

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8. Authorize.net: Best for Fraud Prevention

Overview

G2 Rating: 4.2

Capterra Rating: 4.4

Best for: Nonprofits concerned about fraud and looking for strong security features.

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Authorize.net offers a payment gateway that excels in fraud detection and prevention. It comes with an Advanced Fraud Detection Suite (AFDS), featuring 13 customizable fraud filters tailored to your specific needs.

You can set payment velocity settings, geographic limitations, minimum transaction thresholds, and more, giving you more control over transactions. It automatically identifies suspicious IP addresses or transactions.

Beyond advanced fraud detection, the platform offers recurring payments, an account updater, and digital involvement, and supports major credit cards. The robust fraud prevention comes with layered fees—best understood in conversation with a rep before committing.

Standout features

• 13 customizable fraud filters

• Recurring donation support

• Invoice customization tools

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Price & fees

Available in three packs:

• All-in-one: $25 monthly gateway and processing rate per transaction is 2.9% + 30¢

• Payment gateway and eCheck: $25 monthly gateway & processing rates for eCheck 0.75% and credit card transaction is 10¢ + daily batch fee 10¢

• Payment gateway: $25 monthly gateway and processing rates per transaction is 10¢ + daily batch fee 10¢

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What Do Users Say?

“Authorize.net is an easy system to install and use. You can customize invoices or checkout pages to fit your company branding. It's also very easy to create and send invoices.” – Thomas W

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How to Choose the Best Payment Gateway for Your Nonprofit

While you'll find a variety of payment gateways on the market, not all are designed for the same purposes.

The right payment gateway is essential for providing your supporters with a seamless donation experience, ensuring they continue to support your nonprofit. 

Here are a few features to consider when picking the right one. 

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1. Security

When collecting online donations or funds, it is essential to protect your donors' personal and financial information. They are unlikely to complete the transaction if they do not trust your donation page with their information.

Look for a secure payment gateway that is PCI compliant, detects and prevents fraud, and offers tokenization, encryption, and 3D Secure (3DS) Authentication.

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2. Customer Experience

Another essential thing to ensure is that you provide customers with a seamless transaction experience. You don't want your donor to fill out the donation form only to realize that your website won't accept their preferred payment method.

Pick a payment gateway that lets you process various electronic payments apart from credit and debit cards (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or bank transfers) on your nonprofit website.

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3. Hosted vs Self-Hosted

A hosted payment gateway will direct donors to a separate website for payment processing. Your supporters won't like this, and you have no control over the checkout experience.

Zeffy operates as a hosted gateway solution, which means it manages the transaction process on its platform. This approach helps ensure security and compliance without requiring nonprofits to handle sensitive payment data directly. 

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4. Payment Processing Fees for Nonprofits

Understanding the fee structure is crucial when selecting payment gateways. Most payment gateways charge a transaction fee. It is essential to compare these costs, as they can have a significant impact on a nonprofit's overall financials.

Zeffy is one of the top payment gateways as it covers the entire transaction fee. There are no hidden charges, ensuring you get 100% of the donations without any deductions.

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5. Multiple Integrations 

Select a payment processor that seamlessly integrates with your website or donation form, as well as your existing fundraising software. You would want something that also connects with your accounting software. When you receive funds, the corresponding information will also be automatically updated in your bookkeeping system. 

Additionally, consider how easily the payment gateway integrates with your system or website. Look for gateways that offer SDKs, APIs, and plugins. 

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Final Thoughts on Online Donation Payment Processing

Selecting the right payment gateway is crucial for nonprofits to process donations efficiently while minimizing expenses. All payment gateways offer unique features tailored to different needs, including transaction fees, security measures, and integration capabilities. 

By carefully assessing their specific requirements, nonprofits can select a gateway that not only fits their budget but also enhances their fundraising efforts. Remember, the right gateway should simplify the donation process, ensuring a seamless experience for donors and effective fund management for the organization.

Platforms like Zeffy stand out by offering a 100% free service, ensuring nonprofits receive the full amount of every donation made. With no transaction fees and a comprehensive set of features that support donation management and security, Zeffy exemplifies a gateway designed with nonprofit needs in mind.

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FAQs on Payment Gateways

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