The most honest comparison we could write.
Most comparison pages cherry-pick. We'll tell you where Bloom wins, where we tie, and where the other platforms actually have the edge.
Most nonprofits compare donation tools. Then wonder why nothing else grows.
A donation platform is one piece of a growth stack. The other pieces — website, SEO, ads, email, campaigns, CRM — are usually a separate agency or a team member you don't have. Here's what that actually costs.
Accept donations. That’s the job.
Website, SEO, email, ad management. Usually not nonprofit-specialized.
All of the above, bundled. Funded by optional donor tips only.
What each platform actually includes.
Full = the module is a real, supported part of the product. Partial = exists but minimal or add-on. — = not part of the platform.
| Module | Bloom All 9 modules | Zeffy 100% free donation platform. | Givebutter Fundraising platform + basic CRM. | Classy Enterprise fundraising suite. | FundraiseUp AI-optimized donation widget. | Donorbox Simple donation forms. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Managed website | ||||||
SEO + local search | ||||||
Google Ad Grants | ||||||
Donations + checkout | ||||||
Email + automation | ||||||
Campaigns + P2P | ||||||
Adoption / foster / volunteer | ||||||
People CRM | ||||||
AI, actually useful | ||||||
| Pricing to shelter | $0 / mo Optional donor tips only | Free. Donor tips fund the platform. | "Free" + 2.9% + $0.30. 5% platform tip nudged to donor. | Custom. Typically thousands/month + 2-5% platform fee. | ~3% platform fee, or paid plans starting ~$499/mo. | 1.5–1.75% platform fee (waived up to $1K/mo). |
| Best for | Animal shelters that want growth, not just a form. | Shelters that only need a donation form. | Shelters that already have a website & marketing team. | Multi-million-dollar nonprofits with a staff tech lead. | Orgs that need a smart checkout but already have everything else. | Shelters under $50K/year that only need a form. |
Straight answers, no marketing speak.
Zeffy
We’re both free to the shelter. Zeffy stops at donations. Bloom keeps going — websites, SEO, Google Ads, email flows, CRM, and AI.
Givebutter
Feature overlap on donations and campaigns. Givebutter is optimized for its own platform tips. Bloom is optimized for your growth — and doesn’t sell the website, email, or ads as add-ons.
Classy
Classy is powerful and expensive. Enterprise sales, annual contracts, and services add-ons. Bloom gives most shelters 80% of what Classy offers — without the contract.
FundraiseUp
FundraiseUp bolts AI onto a donation widget. Bloom built the whole platform around AI — so the AI can see your website, ads, email, campaigns, and donors together.
Donorbox
Donorbox is a solid donation form. Bloom is a donation form plus a website, plus SEO, plus ads, plus email, plus a CRM — all at no cost to the shelter.
Where you should pick somebody else.
If the list on the right is your core need today, another platform will serve you better. We'd rather tell you than sell you.
Not sure? Ask us directly- Crypto or DAF-first fundraising
On the roadmap, but not production-ready today. If this is 20%+ of your giving, wait or use a specialist.
- Planned giving / legacy software
We don’t model bequests, charitable trusts, or complex planned giving. Look at FreeWill or PlannedGiving.com.
- Full silent-auction software
Bloom campaigns handle most fundraiser formats, but live proxy bidding is a real specialty. Handbid/Betterworld are good.
- Healthcare / church-specific compliance
We’re not HIPAA-scoped or built around tithe/pledge workflows. ChurchCenter or Blackbaud fit better.
- Text-to-give short codes
We share campaign numbers by URL, not by 5-digit short codes. If your donor base expects short codes, pair us with a tool or skip us.
Your shelter. Your growth team. Free, forever.
20 minutes on a call. If Bloom is a fit, we set your shelter up ourselves this week. If it isn’t, we’ll tell you — and point you somewhere that is.
Have a question first? Email us. We read every message.