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How is Zeffy free?
How is Zeffy free?
Zeffy relies entirely on optional contributions from donors. At the payment confirmation step - we ask donors to leave an optional contribution to Zeffy.
If you run a grassroots charity or community group and want to accept donations on mobile without a large budget, a dedicated team, or hours to spend on tech, donation apps are one of the most cost-effective tools available. UK donors are increasingly giving on their phones, and the right app meets them there without eating into your fundraising target.
This guide is built specifically for small UK charities, PTAs, village halls, CICs, and community-led causes that are tired of platform fees, confusing tip prompts, and donors dropping off at checkout. We cover the best donation apps in 2026, with a spotlight on platforms like Zeffy, the only 100% free fundraising tool that lets you keep every pound raised.
What is a donation app, and what types of donation apps are there?
Donation apps make it easier for supporters to give from their phones or tablets, without having to search for a donate page or navigate a clunky desktop form. With UK charity website traffic increasingly coming from mobile devices and UK donors spending hours each day on their phones, apps offer the convenience people already expect from shopping and banking.
Donation apps are available on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and for some eCommerce platforms via Shopify. They offer flexible, fast mobile giving with just a few taps.
What are the different types of donation apps?
Charity-facing apps: collect donations, engage donors, and support fundraising campaigns for registered charities and not-for-profits.
Consumer giving apps: help individual supporters discover causes and give back via mobile.
eCommerce donation apps: enable donations at the point of purchase in an online shop.
How to choose a donation app
Learn how to choose the right donation app for your organisation as you review the top options below. Take your time and consider what your donors need alongside what your team can actually manage.
Checklist: Choosing the best donation apps for charities
Fundraising: run raffles, lotteries, auctions, events, peer-to-peer fundraising, and donation pages
Gift Aid handling: does the app collect declarations and submit to HMRC via Charities Online?
UK GDPR compliance: does the app comply with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and PECR for e-marketing consent? UK charities routinely ask this before adopting a new platform (Fundraising Regulator Code)
Direct Debit support: Direct Debit accounts for around 31% of all UK charity donations; look for GoCardless integration or native Direct Debit handling (NCVO)
Donor tools: build relationships and improve retention with supporter management features
Tracking: view data clearly and make informed decisions
Easy interface: simple for your team and your donors
Secure payments: all personal and financial information protected
Sharing: QR codes and social media sharing options
Checklist: Choosing the best donation apps for individuals
Navigation: easy to use on phone and tablet
Secure payments: data safe from fraud or breaches
Gift Aid on donations: confirm whether the app enables Gift Aid for UK-registered charities you support
Charity search: find registered charities easily
Donation tracking: manage and review your giving history
Checklist: Choosing the best donation apps for businesses
Customisation: set incentives, find charity partners
Seamless: no disruptions during checkout
Easy: intuitive donation and payment process, no support needed
Analytics: track activity and performance
Payment options: ability to accept digital wallets and multiple cards
Gift Aid caveat: donations collected via eCommerce checkout apps do not automatically qualify for Gift Aid; the business must route funds through a Gift-Aid-enabled donation platform or forward to the charity's own HMRC claim
Why small charities need zero-fee donation apps
Every pound matters for a small charity. Unfortunately, many donation platforms take 5 to 7% in processing and transaction fees from every gift. These fees add up fast for grassroots teams with limited budgets, staff, or tech capacity.
There is also the platform tipping problem. The JustGiving default suggested tip of around 17% has been repeatedly flagged by Money Saving Expert and BeCleverWithYourCash as the most-criticised pricing pattern in UK fundraising. UK donors are unusually sensitive to this: real feedback from UK charity supporters shows a 10% ceiling is considered fair, and many donors have been alarmed to find a tip added without their clear knowledge. If your app suggests a tip, make sure donors can set it to zero and understand it is not the charity's own fee.
That is why Zeffy is a genuine game-changer for small UK charities. Zeffy is the only 100% free donation platform. There are no platform fees, credit card processing costs, or monthly charges. You raise £100, and you keep £100.
Gift Aid: the UK multiplier your app should handle
HMRC lets a registered charity reclaim 25p from every £1 a UK taxpayer donates via a Gift Aid declaration. So a £100 gift becomes £125 to your charity at no extra cost to the donor. The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) adds a 25% top-up on small cash and contactless donations of £30 or less, capped at £8,000 per year.
Any donation app worth using in the UK should collect the Gift Aid declaration inline and enable filing to HMRC Charities Online, not all of them do. Check carefully before you commit. (HMRC Gift Aid guidance ; HM Revenue and Customs)
See how fees add up (even on "low-fee" platforms)
The table below shows what your charity takes home on every £5,000 raised, based on current fees for each platform. Competitor fees are sourced from the live Zeffy UK compare pages (verified June 2026).
0% on Pay by Bank (Open Banking); card processing on card payments
None
Close to £5,000 on Open Banking
Donation App
Payment processing fee
What you take home for every £5,000 raised
Zeffy
£0
£5,000
Venmo
1.9% plus £0.10
~£4,895.00
Cash App
2.75%
~£4,862.50
Fundly
2.75%
~£4,862.50
Small budgets still deserve to make a big impact
When you are a lean team trying to increase donor support, cover programme costs, or fund your next significant initiative, paying hundreds of pounds in fees is unsustainable.
Zeffy gives small charities the power to:
Launch donation forms, events, raffles, and more in minutes
Accept mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit card)
Manage donor data without needing extra software
Raise more and keep it all
So, before you absorb the cost or increase your ask to make up for fees, why not choose the tool that ensures you see 100% of your donation income.
Best free donation apps for charities
Here is a detailed comparison of donation apps for small UK charities in 2026. These apps can expand beyond simple donations and offer features like event management, supporter management, and tools to track progress across multiple fundraising campaigns.
Charity Donation App
Cost
Rating (Capterra)
Best for
Zeffy
£0
4.8/5
Zero-fee fundraising that’s simple for nonprofits and donors
Venmo
1.9% plus £0.10
4.7/5
Engaging younger donors already using Venmo for payments
Cash App
2.75%
4.2/5
On-the-go mobile giving with a simple and familiar interface
Fundly
2.75%
3.8/5
Social media-based fundraising and crowdfunding campaigns
1. Zeffy: The only zero-fee donation app for UK charities
App type:
Charity fundraising app, free donation app, donation app for charities
Zeffy is the only zero-fee fundraising platform built for charities and not-for-profits. Over 100,000 charities and not-for-profits use Zeffy to collect donations on mobile phones, engage new donor audiences, host creative campaigns, and save on fees.
Zeffy is also a recurring donation app that allows donors to give on a regular basis for more reliable income and relationship building, without the complexity.
Donation app features:
Online donations
Tap-to-pay and in-person donations
Event ticketing
Raffles and lotteries
Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
Supporter management and data
Donor engagement
Memberships for charitable organisations
Online shop
Mobile-device friendly
Secure payment information
Pricing:
Zeffy is 100% free with no hidden fees. No platform fee, no transaction fee, no credit card fee. Ever. You raise £100, you keep £100.
Who it works for:
Grassroots charitable organisations that want a seamless mobile giving experience, strong donation data to make informed decisions, and the complete assurance that every pound goes to their mission.
A view into the user experience:
"The forms are very easy to use and worked perfectly for our fundraising event. We are using a combination of ticketed event forms and donation forms. I love that they have options for automatic tax receipts, thank you emails, reminder emails, the ability to add and even require short answer questions with specific purchases, and options to add notes to any order.", Jennifer T.
Pros
• Absolutely zero fees for nonprofits, so every dollar goes to your cause
• Tailored nonprofit features that cover the entire donor experience
• Simple mobile experience and options for customization
• Helps nonprofits raise money through various campaign types
Cons
• The donor tipping model may get confusing
What about charity apps that handle raffles and events too?
Most UK donation apps are donate-only. But a small charity typically also needs ticketing, raffles (subject to small society lottery rules under the Gambling Commission), memberships, and auction tools. If you need more than a donate button, see our guide to the best online raffle apps for UK charities.
2. PayPal Giving Fund: Trusted checkout with broad UK donor familiarity
Pros
• Familiar app trusted by younger donors
• Easy mobile payments and social sharing
• Instant transfers and QR code functionality
Cons
• Charges donation fees
• Fees exist to transfer funds instantly
• Limited donor engagement
• Not built for nonprofits specifically
App type:
Charity fundraising app, donation app for charities
PayPal is one of the most recognised checkout brands in the UK. The PayPal Giving Fund enables enrolled UK charities to receive donations through PayPal's platform, including via the PayPal donate button on a charity's website. Donors already trust the checkout experience, which reduces friction at the point of giving.
Key features:
Familiar checkout trusted by millions of UK donors
Mobile-optimised giving
Charity enrolment via PayPal Giving Fund
QR code support for in-person donations
Integrates with many UK fundraising websites
Pricing:
Fees are verified on the live Zeffy vs PayPal compare page (canonical source, verified June 2026). Registered UK charities receive a reduced transaction rate.
Who it works for:
Charities that want a widely recognised payment button to reduce donor hesitation at checkout. PayPal is a payment tool, not a full fundraising platform: it does not include Gift Aid automation, event ticketing, memberships, or supporter management. For charities needing a full stack at zero cost, Zeffy is the stronger fit.
A view into the user experience:
The consumer trust people have for PayPal is a genuine advantage, especially for charities working with older donors who are cautious about online giving.
3. JustGiving: Household name, but watch the tip prompt
App type:
Charity fundraising app, peer-to-peer fundraising, donation app for charities
JustGiving has been the default UK charity fundraising platform since 2001. Its brand recognition among consumers remains high, and many donors already have an account. The mobile app and fundraising pages are well-designed and widely trusted.
The honest caveat: JustGiving uses a default suggested donor tip of around 17%, which has been repeatedly flagged by Money Saving Expert as the most-criticised fundraising-platform pattern in the UK. Real supporter feedback shows many donors are surprised to see this added. The platform also charges a 5% Gift Aid processing fee on top of the Gift Aid value reclaimed, plus card processing fees.
Key features:
Mobile-first fundraising pages
P2P sponsored fundraising (essential for mass-participation events outside the LME/Great Run exclusive Enthuse contract)
QR codes and social sharing
Gift Aid declaration collection (with a 5% processing fee)
Charities sending fundraisers to sponsored events where Enthuse is not the exclusive platform, or charities that need cold-donor discovery from JustGiving's existing user base. Less suitable for charities who want 100% of every donation and transparent zero-fee messaging.
A view into the user experience:
Brand recognition still helps with cold donors who recognise the URL, but smaller charities are increasingly moving away as they realise the tip and Gift Aid processing fees add up.
Pros
• Simple to set up and recognize among younger users
• Great for quick mobile giving
• Instant money deposits with QR and $cashtag options
Cons
• Transaction fees apply to all donations
• Lacks advanced features for donor tracking or events
• Not designed for nonprofits specifically
4. Wonderful.org: Genuinely zero-fee via Open Banking
App type:
Charity fundraising app, Open Banking donation app
Wonderful.org uses Open Banking (Pay by Bank, account-to-account transfers) to send 100% of each donation to the charity with zero platform fee, zero Gift Aid processing fee, and zero card fee on Pay by Bank transactions. It is one of the very few platforms where the claim "100% to the charity" is technically accurate on the payment itself.
Key features:
0% platform fee on Pay by Bank (Open Banking) transactions
0% Gift Aid processing fee
Card payments available (card processing fees apply)
Charities whose donors are comfortable authenticating payments through their banking app (typically younger, digitally confident donors). The Open Banking flow converts well with that audience and badly with donors unfamiliar with bank-app authentication. Reach is narrower than JustGiving. Not a full fundraising platform: no event ticketing, auctions, memberships, or supporter management.
A view into the user experience:
Technically the best-value option for the charity on per-donation cost. The Open Banking journey takes a little getting used to, but once donors try it they tend to stick with it.
Pros
• Strong social sharing tools and Facebook integration
• Mobile optimized
• Custom donation pages
Cons
• User ratings are lower compared to other apps
• Payment processing fees apply
• Features for donor management are not as in depth as other tools
Best charity apps for individuals
If your donors are not sure where to give, what causes to focus on, or how to get involved, a charity app can help them find organisations to support and discover creative ways to contribute.
5. ShareTheMeal: Tackle global hunger from your phone
ShareTheMeal is an app created in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme. It allows users to donate meals to people facing food insecurity worldwide. To date, ShareTheMeal has helped share over 212,000,000 meals to fight global hunger.
Key features:
Monthly and one-time donations
Change or cancel donations at any time
Set up 'Challenges' to fight hunger with friends
Secure payments via Braintree (PayPal)
Track donations and their impact
Pricing:
Minimum donation to begin is approximately £0.65 (equivalent to the £0.80 minimum at time of writing; confirm current £ amount in the app).
Who it works for:
Individuals looking to help address global food insecurity directly from their phones.
A view into the user experience:
"A very easy and simple way to help people during crisis, so many countries who need help.", Samantha Hutton
Pros
• Transparent and cause-specific giving
• Low minimum donation required
• Easy recurring donations
Cons
• Focuses on global hunger relief (less flexible for other causes)
• Limited customization for individuals
• Not built as a donation platform for nonprofits
6. Pennies and UK round-up giving: Micro-donations at checkout
App type:
Charitable giving app, micro-donation platform
Overview:
In the UK, round-up giving typically happens at the retail checkout rather than through a standalone bank-linked app. Pennies is the UK's leading micro-donation infrastructure, embedded directly into payment terminals at major retailers, fast-food chains, and hospitality venues. Over one million people give via Pennies round-ups in UK stores every week, making it the dominant route for small regular giving.
Unlike the US RoundUp App (which links to US bank accounts and is not available for UK accounts), Pennies operates through retailer partnerships rather than a donor-side app. UK donors who want to round up their spending for charity should look for the Pennies logo at checkout or ask their favourite retailers to enrol.
For UK charities looking to collect micro-donations themselves, Zeffy's donation forms can be customised to suggest small gift amounts and support regular giving from any device.
Key features:
Embedded at retail point of sale
Round-up or fixed small donations
No separate app download required by donors
Retailer partnership model
Gift Aid eligible where applicable
Who it works for:
Individuals who want to give small amounts regularly without thinking about it, through everyday spending.
Pros
• Users can give small change effortlessly
• Great to discover new causes
• Works well for recurring micro donations
Cons
• Donation growth may be slower depending on spending volume
• Setup requires quite a few steps (linking cards, adjusting spend limits)
7. Charity Miles: Turn every run, walk, or ride into a donation
Charity Miles is a donation app that tracks exercise and converts miles into donations to your chosen charity. Every time you run, walk, or cycle, you can direct a donation and share your fundraising efforts with friends and family through the app. For UK supporters who want to tie their fitness habits to a cause, Charity Miles offers a low-effort way to give back.
Key features:
Activity tracking with phone pedometer and GPS
Strava, Apple Health, and Apple Watch integrations
Pledge Pages to gain support from your network
Social media updates to secure pledges
Pricing:
Charity Miles is free for all users.
Who it works for:
Active individuals who want to turn their daily exercise into a way to give back through simple mobile tracking.
A view into the user experience:
"I tried a few exercise charity apps that are available on the App Store and this is the best one. You have so many different charities you can choose from, I immediately chose a charity I cared about and within seconds I was tracking my walk.", Scarlet3311
Pros
• Ideal for active users who give through movement
• Wide charity selection
• Fitness app integrations
Cons
• Required physical activity to maximize impact
• Donation process is tied to sponsors and user engagement
Makua is a fundraising app that helps you discover charities that align with your values and make donations. It covers causes from education and healthcare to the environment and animal welfare. Makua Communities allow you to contribute recurring donations to the causes you want to build closer relationships with.
UK availability: confirm current availability in the UK App Store before downloading.
Key features:
User-friendly interface
Charity community discovery
Social giving to follow and connect with other supporters
One-time and monthly donations
Manage multiple donations from a single profile
Pricing:
You can use Makua by donating a minimum of £1 (approximate; confirm current amount in the app) to a charity's community.
Who it works for:
Individuals seeking to engage with causes on a deeper level and connect with like-minded supporters who share similar charitable values.
A view into the user experience:
"The app is so easy to navigate and within minutes you are able to find a cause you are passionate about. Provides easy-to-digest information on the charity or services you are choosing to support and then breaks down the donation categories for you.", Catalina
Pros
• Well-designed user interface
• Focused on community and values
• In-depth cause information
Cons
• Minimum donation is required to use the app
• Still growing in name recognition and features for donations
Best donation apps for businesses and eCommerce
Many businesses add a donation or charitable contribution to purchases as a way to support communities in need or partner with a charity as a corporate sponsor. These donation apps make the process straightforward and integrate into the existing customer experience.
Important UK note: donations collected via eCommerce checkout apps do not automatically qualify for Gift Aid. To enable Gift Aid, the business must route the funds through a Gift-Aid-enabled donation platform or the charity must process its own HMRC claim. Always check with the Charity Tax Group or your charity's finance team before promoting Gift Aid eligibility on a business checkout.
9. Givz: Collect donations for charities through Shopify
Givz is a Shopify app that helps eCommerce shops collect donations on a charity's behalf. Businesses can set a flat-rate donation amount for purchases above a certain total, or apply a donation to any purchase. You can also use Givz charity donation promotions without a Shopify shop.
Key features:
Donations with product purchases
Add to Shopify basket and checkout
Donation products or landing pages
Choose charities to support
Pricing:
Givz offers three payment plans (USD pricing at time of writing; confirm current £ rate in the Shopify App Store):
Basic: £19/month
Essential: £99/month
Advanced: £299/month
Who it works for:
Businesses with a Shopify shop that want to increase charitable contributions and boost brand reputation.
A view into the user experience:
"An amazing team that is friendly and helpful. The app is easy to use and worked well with the incentives that aligned with my brand. Givz makes doing good seamless.", User review
Pros
• Shopify integration
• Boosts customer loyalty
• Supports nonprofit partnerships
Cons
• Monthly subscription cost
• Focused on eCommerce but not suitable for all business types
10. Easy Donation: Integrate a charity donation widget into your Shopify shop
Easy Donation is a Shopify app designed for businesses seeking to find charities to support and provide an easy way for customers to make donations. Donations are added as part of the checkout process on Shopify shops while keeping purchases swift.
(USD pricing at time of writing; confirm current £ rate in the Shopify App Store.)
Who it works for:
Shopify shop merchants looking to integrate a donation feature into their checkout and customise the experience.
A view into the user experience:
"We are a charity and use this app so that people purchasing merchandise from our online shop have the option to give a donation with their purchase. The donation widget sits on the shopping basket page and has done well for us. Easy to set up and has not given us any issues.", Mighty Oaks
Pros
• Easy to integrate in WordPress sites
• Highly customizable donation forms
Cons
• Limited to PayPal transactions (that come with fees)
• Fewer built-in analytics
• No donor management or in-depth analytics
11. Tip Cup: Collect donations and voluntary contributions at checkout
Tip Cup (formerly known as Tip Jar) is a Shopify app that encourages customers to offer a voluntary contribution as part of a purchase. You can choose where to place custom upcharges on your website or at checkout.
Key features:
Compatible with PayPal, Shop Pay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay
Cashless voluntary contributions available through a custom button on the Shopify storefront
Flexible wording to either accept donations or make an upsell
Pricing:
Tip Cup costs £9.99 per month (USD pricing; confirm current £ rate in the Shopify App Store).
Who it works for:
eCommerce shops that want to offer multiple avenues to donate at various points throughout a customer's visit. Note: your business will need to facilitate the transfer of donation funds to a charity directly, as this app does not handle that automatically.
A view into the user experience:
"This gets a full 5 stars just from the support from the team alone. The app is easy to install and use, and our vendors really like it.", User review
Compare Zeffy against every UK donation platform
The right donation app depends on your charity's needs. If you want to consolidate your fundraising, ticketing, memberships, and auctions into a single tool with zero fees, Zeffy is the only platform that does all of this at no cost to your charity.
See how Zeffy stacks up against the major UK platforms including JustGiving, PayPal, Eventbrite, and more.
Zeffy is the only 100% free donation app for UK charities. There is no platform fee, no transaction fee, and no credit card fee. Other platforms such as JustGiving and PayPal offer low or zero platform fees, but charge card processing fees or Gift Aid processing fees, or use a default tip prompt that reduces what donors effectively give to your cause. With Zeffy, you raise £100 and you keep £100, plus your charity can still reclaim Gift Aid on eligible donations via HMRC.
Gift Aid lets a UK-registered charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every £1 donated by a UK taxpayer. The donor signs a Gift Aid declaration (which can be collected digitally at the point of donation), and the charity files a claim through HMRC Charities Online. On a £100 donation, your charity receives £125 in total at no extra cost to the donor. Not all donation apps collect Gift Aid declarations inline, check carefully before choosing a platform. (HMRC Gift Aid guidance)
Yes. Zeffy charges no fees whatsoever to charities. Other platforms may advertise a 0% platform fee but still charge card processing, Gift Aid processing, or rely on a suggested donor tip to cover their costs. Always look at the full picture: platform fee plus card processing plus any Gift Aid processing fee. The Fundraising Regulator Code (effective 1 November 2026) also requires online platforms to be transparent about all fees and tip prompts.
Yes. Zeffy handles online donations, event ticketing, raffles, peer-to-peer fundraising, memberships, and auctions in one free platform. Most other UK donation apps are donate-only, which means small charities end up paying for multiple tools. For charities specifically looking for raffle and lottery support, small society lotteries are regulated under the Gambling Act 2005 and must be registered with your local council. See our guide to online raffle apps for UK charities for more detail.
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Keep reading :
Nonprofit guides
Recurring Donations for UK Charities: A Complete Guide to Regular Giving (2026)
Regular giving is the backbone of sustainable charity income in the UK. This guide explains the benefits of recurring donations for UK charities, how Gift Aid multiplies every regular gift, and how to set up a monthly giving programme on Zeffy's free platform. Practical tips cover converting one-off donors into regular supporters, staying compliant with the Fundraising Regulator's Code, and acknowledging donors in line with UK norms.
Choose a donation form your UK charity can actually afford (2026)
Compare the best donation forms for UK charities in 2026. Learn 10 tips to optimise your form for more gifts, understand Gift Aid mechanics, and see how Zeffy, JustGiving, CAF Donate and Enthuse compare on fees and features.
How to Accept Donations Online for Your Charity in 2026
A practical guide for UK charities and community groups on how to accept donations online. Covers eight essential steps, ten fundraising tips, a UK platform fee comparison, and answers to common questions about Gift Aid, payment methods, and GDPR compliance.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
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