Givebutter Review 2026: The Tip Model You Can Actually Turn Off
Givebutter is consistently rated #1 on G2 for general nonprofit fundraising. This is not a review of Givebutter as a general fundraising platform — it's a review of whether Givebutter works for raffle fundraising specifically. The short answer: Givebutter has one meaningful advantage over Zeffy — you can turn the tip off. That is a real and important difference.
- Raffle Capability (30%) 3.5
- Ticket Economics (25%) 3
- Checkout Friction (20%) 4
- Real-World Operations (15%) 3
- Compliance & Control (10%) 3
Score is for raffle-primary use only. Givebutter's score for general nonprofit fundraising would be substantially higher. Read methodology →
You Can Turn the Tip Off. Zeffy Cannot.
This is the most important structural difference between Givebutter and Zeffy for raffle purposes. Zeffy's tip cannot be modified or removed. Givebutter's tip can be disabled at a platform-wide or per-campaign level. When disabled, a flat 3% platform fee applies instead.
| Givebutter (tips on) | Givebutter (tips off, 3%) | Zeffy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to org | $0 | 3% of gross | $0 |
| Donor experience | ~15% optional tip at checkout | Clean checkout, no tip | 17–29% pre-checked tip — cannot be removed |
| Incr. abandonment | 30–40% | ~2–5% | 30–40% |
| Net on $10K raffle | $6K–7K | ~$9,400 (after 3% fee) | $6K–7K |
| Net on $25K raffle | $15K–17.5K | ~$23,375 (after 3% fee) | $15K–17.5K |
Givebutter tips-off is a legitimate option for simple standard raffles where specialty features aren't needed. It won't match Chance2Win's fee structure at scale, but it's structurally better than any platform that can't turn off the tip at all.
The Most Limited Raffle Feature Set in This Review
| Format | Givebutter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard online raffle | ✓ | Works. Basic ticket sales, winner selection, payout. |
| 50/50 raffle | ✗ | No native 50/50 support with jackpot display. |
| Basket raffle | ✗ | Not supported. No multi-pool allocation. |
| Queen of Hearts | ✗ | Not supported. |
| Hybrid drawing pool | ✗ | Stripe-primary. Cash buyers excluded. |
| US phone support | ~ | 24/7 chat and email. No US phone for live events. |
| General fundraising | ✓ | Donations, P2P, events, auctions. Strong outside raffle context. |
Givebutter does not invest heavily in raffle-specific functionality. Their platform strength is breadth across donation types. Raffle is a checkbox, not a focus area.
✓ Givebutter works for raffles when…
- Simple standard raffle, goal under $5K, tips turned off
- Your org already uses Givebutter for donations — no new platform needed
- Clean checkout is your priority and 3% fee is acceptable at your scale
- You want the most polished UI in the category
✗ Givebutter fails for raffles when…
- You need basket raffles, Queen of Hearts, duck races, or hybrid pools
- Raffle goal above $15K (3% fee approaches C2W Zero Fee value)
- You need cash buyers in the drawing pool
- Your prize is alcohol, tobacco, or firearms (Stripe-primary)
- You need 50/50 with live jackpot display
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Unlike Zeffy, Givebutter allows organizations to disable donor tipping per-campaign or platform-wide. When tips are disabled, a flat 3% platform fee applies instead. This is meaningfully better for raffle checkout conversion than any platform that cannot remove its tip.
When tips are enabled, Givebutter defaults to approximately 15% for most transactions. Donors can modify or remove the tip — but must actively opt out of a pre-checked default.
No. Givebutter supports standard online raffles only. It does not support basket raffles, Queen of Hearts, duck races, ball drops, or hybrid drawing pools.
Need to run a basket raffle or Queen of Hearts?
Givebutter is excellent for general fundraising. For specialty raffle formats, Chance2Win is the only platform with the infrastructure. They don't conflict — use both.
Call (813) 699-9325 — real people, real raffle expertise.