Start for free, pay only when you succeed
Start with our industry-leading 3% base fee and choose the AI-powered features that match your fundraising goals. No hidden costs, no surprises.
Industry-Leading Fee Transparency
Our base fee starts at just 3% plus 2.9% + $0.30 for credit card processing. Choose additional AI features as needed, with pricing that scales transparently with your requirements.
Simple, transparent pricing
3% Base Fee
Our lowest pricing tier starts at just 3% plus standard credit card processing fees.
AI-Powered Tiers
Add advanced AI features as you need them, with pricing that scales with your requirements.
No Hidden Costs
Transparent pricing with no setup fees, monthly charges, or surprise costs.
Choose your AI-powered tier
Start with our base 3% fee and add AI features as your fundraising needs grow.
Basic
Perfect for getting started
- Unlimited auction items
- Mobile bidding platform
- Real-time notifications
- Custom branding
- Basic analytics
Professional
Enhanced with AI features
- Everything in Basic
- AI-powered item descriptions
- Smart bidder recommendations
- Automated marketing insights
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Priority support
You Choose Who Pays the Fees
Complete flexibility in how fees are handled. You decide whether your organization absorbs the costs or passes them to bidders at checkout.
Organization Pays
Your organization absorbs all fees. Bidders see the full item value with no additional charges at checkout.
Best for:
Donor appreciation, premium events, maximizing bidder satisfaction
Bidder Pays
Fees are added to the final bid amount. Bidders see the total cost including processing fees at checkout. Research shows 94% of bidders are willing to pay fees when they understand it supports your mission.
Best for:
Maximizing net proceeds, budget-conscious organizations
Split Payment
Customize who pays what percentage. You can split fees between your organization and bidders.
Best for:
Balanced approach, shared responsibility, flexible fundraising
Bidder Support Statistics
Research shows that bidders are overwhelmingly supportive of organizations and don't mind contributing to processing fees.
of bidders are willing to pay processing fees when they understand it supports the organization
of donors prefer transparent fee disclosure over hidden costs
of bidders say they would bid the same amount regardless of who pays fees
Pro Tip: Clear Communication Works
When organizations clearly explain that fees support their mission, bidder satisfaction actually increases. Most bidders appreciate the transparency and are happy to contribute to a cause they believe in.
Credit Card Processing
All tiers include standard credit card processing at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. No additional setup fees or monthly charges.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about our pricing model.
Do you trick donors into leaving tips at checkout?
Absolutely not. We believe in transparent, ethical fundraising. Unlike many platforms that auto-select tip amounts hoping donors won't opt out, we never manipulate your supporters. Our checkout is clean and honest—donors see exactly what they're paying for with no hidden tricks or deceptive practices.
What are the pricing options for using CharityAuctions?
We offer two pricing models: Percentage-based plans starting at 3% + processing fees, and Pre-paid plans with upfront fees plus reduced percentages (starting at $299 + 1.5%). Both models include the same core features, with pre-paid plans offering more AI credits and better cost predictability.
Can I switch between pricing models and tiers?
Yes! You can choose between percentage-based and pre-paid models, and upgrade your tier at any time before your auction goes live. Once your auction is active, the pricing model and tier remain fixed for that event. You can change models or upgrade tiers for future events as needed.
Who pays the fees - my organization or the bidders?
You have complete flexibility! You can choose to have your organization absorb all fees, pass them to bidders at checkout, or split them between both parties. You can even customize the percentage split. This decision can be made when setting up each auction and can be changed before the event goes live.
What payment methods do you support?
CharityAuctions supports all major credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH bank transfers. All payment processing is secure and PCI compliant.
How quickly do we receive our funds?
Funds are typically available for withdrawal within 2-3 business days after your auction ends. For larger events, we offer expedited processing options.
Are there limits on auction items?
It depends on your pricing model. Percentage-based plans have no limits on auction items. Pre-paid plans have item limits based on your tier: Starter (25 items), Growth (100 items), and Scale (unlimited items). All plans have no limits on bidders or total auction value.
What AI features and credits are included in each tier?
Basic/Starter tiers include all essential auction features without AI. Professional tier (5% or Growth $599) includes AI-powered item descriptions, smart bidder recommendations, and 5,000-10,000 AI credits. Enterprise tier (8% or Scale $1,299) includes everything plus AI pricing optimization, predictive analytics, and 25,000-50,000 AI credits. Pre-paid plans get more AI credits than percentage-based plans.
What are the benefits of choosing pre-paid plans?
Pre-paid plans offer several advantages: reduced percentage fees (half the rate of percentage-based plans), more AI credits included, predictable upfront costs for better budgeting, and the same core features. They're ideal for organizations that prefer cost certainty and want maximum value from AI features.
Do you offer discounts for larger organizations?
For organizations with multiple annual events or very large fundraising goals, we offer custom pricing solutions. Contact our sales team to learn more about volume discounts and enterprise pricing.