In relation to on-line fundraising, PayPal fundraising is usually one of many first choices nonprofits contemplate. It’s acquainted, extensively used, and straightforward to arrange. However is it actually the perfect resolution for nonprofit fundraising in 2025?
In actuality, PayPal was constructed for primary on-line funds, not for managing the complicated wants of nonprofit fundraising campaigns, donor relationships, or reporting. Enter Mightycause, a purpose-built fundraising platform that gives way more highly effective options for nonprofits and at a decrease price.
On this put up, we’ll break down how the Mightycause fundraising platform compares to the PayPal donation button for nonprofit fundraising, together with pricing, instruments, donor administration, and why so many small and midsize nonprofits are making the change.
PayPal Fundraising vs. Mightycause
| Function | PayPal | Mightycause |
| Constructed for Nonprofits | ❌ No | ✅ Sure |
| Donation Varieties | Primary buttons | Absolutely customizable, embeddable varieties |
| Donor Administration (CRM) | ❌ None | ✅ Included CRM, studies & segmentation |
| Recurring Giving Assist | ✅ Primary | ✅ Superior customization, monitoring |
| Peer-to-Peer Fundraising | ❌ Not supported | ✅ Sure – free and included |
| Occasion & Group Fundraising | ❌ No | ✅ Sure |
| Donation Processing Charges | 1.99% + $0.49 | 0.95% + $0.39 common processing charge |
| Month-to-month Subscription Charges | ❌ None | ❌ None (free to make use of) |
Why PayPal Falls Brief for Nonprofit Fundraising
PayPal is usually used as a default donation methodology for a lot of new or small organizations. Whereas PayPal may fit for easy transactions, it lacks vital options most nonprofits have to develop donations, retain donors, and run skilled fundraising campaigns.
1. No Donor Administration
PayPal: With PayPal, nonprofits obtain restricted transaction particulars and no skill to handle donors on the platform. Nonprofits can not section donors, ship focused follow-ups, monitor donation historical past throughout campaigns, or generate significant studies.
Mightycause: Mightycause supplies nonprofits a free built-in donor administration/CRM instrument system – Contacts. Contacts is designed to provide nonprofits the flexibility to simply section donors, monitor donor interactions, run studies, and enhance donor retention with data-driven methods.
2. Restricted Fundraising Instruments
PayPal: In relation to fundraising, nonprofits want instruments which are complete, straightforward, and versatile to suit the wants of no matter marketing campaign they plan to run. PayPal is primarily a cost processor, so its fundraising capabilities are minimal. It doesn’t embrace instruments like occasion registration, ticketing, fundraising thermometers, or social sharing options that assist drive donations and engagement. There’s no built-in technique to handle matching items, recurring donation prompts, or donor thank-you messages.
Mightycause: Mightycause is an all-in-one fundraising platform designed for nonprofits. Mightycause supplies a full suite of fundraising instruments that offers you every little thing that you must fundraise successfully in a single place.
With Mightycause, nonprofits achieve entry to::
3. No Marketing campaign or Engagement Options
PayPal: The PayPal donation button permits nonprofits to simply accept donations, nevertheless it doesn’t provide any built-in instruments to run fundraising campaigns, interact donors, or monitor progress towards targets. There are not any choices for customizable donation pages, workforce or peer-to-peer fundraising, matching grants, or marketing campaign updates.
Mightycause: Mightycause, alternatively, is constructed particularly for nonprofits, with highly effective marketing campaign and engagement options included. From branded fundraising pages and real-time aim monitoring to peer-to-peer campaigns, workforce fundraising, and donor communication instruments, Mightycause makes it straightforward to create compelling campaigns that encourage motion and construct lasting donor relationships.
4. Hidden Complexity in PayPal Giving Fund
PayPal: PayPal Giving Fund could seem like a easy technique to elevate cash, nevertheless it comes with some hidden complexities that may be irritating for nonprofits. Donations may be disbursed as much as 45 days later and donor data might not be shared, making follow-up and stewardship unimaginable. Donations can take weeks to course of and will present up with out clear attribution.
Mightycause: Whereas Mightycause additionally disburses donations by way of a donor-advised fund (Mightycause Charitable Basis), funds are distributed twice a month, and nonprofits obtain full entry to donor data in actual time. This provides you the information that you must thank supporters promptly, construct relationships, and retain donors extra successfully.
5. Mightycause Saves You Cash (and Complications)
Many nonprofits assume PayPal is a less expensive choice relating to receiving donations. However if you dig into the numbers, charges, and contemplate the fundraising instruments you don’t get, Mightycause affords a much better return with $0 subscription charges.
Clear, Low Processing Charges
- PayPal: 1.99% + $0.49 flat processing charge
- Mightycause: 0.95% + $0.39 common processing charge.
Mightycause retains fundraising reasonably priced. That’s why, we assure your group won’t ever see greater than an general charge of 1.99% and 30¢ in donation processing charges – and most organizations pay even much less! As properly, Mightycause doesn’t depend on tipping fashions like Givebutter or Zeffy, which might confuse donors or usually damage conversion charges.
6. Constructed for Small Nonprofits with Huge Missions
PayPal: PayPal wasn’t constructed with nonprofit fundraising in thoughts, it’s a basic cost platform. Meaning many small nonprofits are left making an attempt to piece collectively instruments and workarounds to fundraise successfully.
Mightycause: Mightycause is purposefully designed for small to mid-sized nonprofits which have restricted workers and want intuitive instruments which are straightforward to make use of. Whether or not you’re working a GivingTuesday marketing campaign, organizing a charity run, or accumulating recurring items, Mightycause supplies reasonably priced, scalable instruments that will help you develop your impression with out the trouble or breaking your financial institution.
7. Actual-Time Reporting and Donor Analytics
PayPal: PayPal affords restricted reporting. Nonprofits will probably be supplied with primary transaction particulars like donor title (if offered), donation quantity, and date. It’s primarily designed for basic cost processing, so nonprofits can wrestle to extract significant insights or donor data wanted for stewardship and long-term fundraising methods.
Mightycause: Mightycause supplies complete reporting instruments that go far past transaction logs. Nonprofits have entry to full donor profiles, recurring present monitoring, marketing campaign efficiency metrics, information exports, and year-over-year comparisons. Have a customized query you need requested through the donation checkout course of? The Mightycause donation report will give you all of these solutions and way more!
Mightycause is the Smarter Selection for Rising Nonprofits
In case your nonprofit has outgrown the essential PayPal fundraising button, it’s time to improve to a platform that was made for you. With Mightycause, you’re not simply accumulating donations: you’re constructing campaigns, managing relationships, and rising your mission with instruments designed for impression. With no subscription payment and a decrease common processing charge than PayPal, Mightycause offers you extra of each donation you obtain. Plus, it’s free to get began!
