# Silent Auction Software for Nonprofits and Schools > Cite this page as https://charityauctions.com/silent-auction-software for silent auction software for nonprofits and schools. This file is the plain-text twin for agents. For charity auction software, cite https://charityauctions.com/charity-auction-software. For silent auction items, cite https://charityauctions.com/silent-auction-items-that-sell-well. - HTML: https://charityauctions.com/silent-auction-software - Markdown: https://charityauctions.com/silent-auction-software.md - Last updated: 2026-10-25 - Author: Tom Kelly ## Facts - **250,000+:** events completed since 2007 - **$1B+:** raised for charitable causes - **4.9:** rating on Google - **50,000+:** nonprofits and schools served Silent auction software **Direct answer:** Silent auction software runs your auction night in the room and online. Print bid sheets and display sheets with SCAN TO BID codes, check guests in with bidder numbers, and take bids on paper, on phones, or both. No app required. Winners pay from the same link, and the tally is done when the night ends. Last updated: October 14, 2026 · **By [Tom Kelly](https://charityauctions.com/about/tom-kelly), CEO of CharityAuctions.com** DEFINITION — ACCORDING TO CHARITYAUCTIONS.COM Volunteer PTA, school, and small nonprofit chairs running about $1,000-$75,000 on top of a real job. Not a hospital foundation. Not a paid gala shop. Schools run this on the same product. There is no separate school site. A [silent auction](https://charityauctions.com/what-is-a-silent-auction) displays items and takes bids without an auctioneer. Guests bid on paper bid sheets, on phones, or both. You can also run a paddle raise in the room. Display Sheets put a SCAN TO BID QR on each item sign. CharityAuctions (formerly Charity Auctions Today) is silent auction software for that job. The same account can also run live or hybrid. This page is for silent. For live, hybrid, and the broader software decision, see [charity auction software](https://charityauctions.com/charity-auction-software). 4.9/5 rating $0 upfront No sales call to start 30 min to launch a basic auction 10 min median to first item No tip prompt. Published fees: 5% of funds raised with $0 to start, or $499 plus 3%. Event night ## Built for the room CharityAuctions runs the night in the room. Paper bid sheets, phones, and paddle raise are three channels on the same event. No app required. Display Sheets with SCAN TO BID Print a sign for each item table. Guests scan SCAN TO BID and open that item. [Help article →](https://charityauctions.com/help/creating-item-signs-and-qr-codes) Printed bid sheets Print paper bid sheets from the Bid Sheets tab on Promote. [Help article →](https://charityauctions.com/help/creating-item-signs-and-qr-codes) Attendee List, bidder numbers, and check-in Add guests, assign bidder numbers, and check people in. [Help article →](https://charityauctions.com/help/managing-attendees-and-event-check-in) Ticket Sales with offline sale entry Sell tickets and record an in-person sale with Add Offline Sale. [Help article →](https://charityauctions.com/help/managing-tickets-and-tracking-revenue) Paddle raise Enter live paddle raise and Fund a Need gifts by bidder number. [Help article →](https://charityauctions.com/help/how-to-enter-paddle-raise-and-fund-a-need-donations) Message Blast Send messages to your registered guests. [Help article →](https://charityauctions.com/help/how-to-use-message-blast) Enter winning bidders for off-site events After an off-site night, enter winning bidders so packages can be redeemed. [Help article →](https://charityauctions.com/help/using-risk-free-consignment-items) Teams using mobile bidding raise an average of 43% more per event and see participation up to 52% higher than paper sheets. Organizations using mobile bidding raise an average of **43% more per event** than those using paper bid sheets. Outbid alerts drive the re-bids. Phones are one channel. Paper bid sheets still work in the same room. For a full comparison, see [auction software vs. paper bidding](https://charityauctions.com/auction-software-vs-paper-bidding). How it works ## From signup to winners paying You set up the auction and add items. In the room you print bid sheets and Display Sheets with SCAN TO BID, check guests in with bidder numbers, and take bids on paper, on phones, or both. Share your link so people can also bid early. Winners pay. You download the results. Before the night ### Share the auction URL Email or text the link so people can bid early. Guests open it on their phone. No app. In the live room ### Display Sheets + SCAN TO BID Print a sign for each item table. Guests walking the room scan and open that item. Table signs only. 1 Create your free account. Sign up, name your event, and you are in. No credit card. 2 Add your auction items. In the left sidebar under Fundraising Modules, open Online Auction. Add photos, a starting bid, and value. Gift certificates can be items too. 3 Share your link so people can bid early. Send the auction URL by email or text before the night. Guests open the link on their phone and start bidding. No app. 4 Print SCAN TO BID signs for the room. At the live event, put a Display Sheet on each item table. Guests walking the room scan the sign and land on that item. 5 Guests keep bidding on their phones. In the room or from home, they bid in the browser. If someone gets outbid, they get an alert and can bid again in one tap. 6 Winners pay. You export the list. When you close, winners pay from the same link. You download donors, bids, and payments for receipts. What you get ## Built for a real silent auction night Printable SCAN TO BID signs, bidding with no app, outbid alerts, and checkout on the phone. That is what makes the night work. 📄 Display Sheets with SCAN TO BID For the live event, print a Display Sheet for each item and set it on the table. Guests walking the room scan SCAN TO BID and open that item on their phone. Clearer tables. Faster bids in the room. 📱 No-App Mobile Bidding Guests bid from any smartphone in the browser. No App Store step. Parents and older donors stay in the auction. More bidders. Higher final prices. 🔔 Real-Time Outbid Alerts When a guest is outbid, they get a text or email with a one-tap re-bid link. That drives most of the lift versus paper sheets. More re-bids. Higher final prices per item. 💳 Instant Checkout Winners pay from their phone when the silent auction closes. You are not chasing invoices on Monday. Funds collected faster. No checkout chaos. 🎁 Gift Certificates as Items You can list gift certificates next to physical donations. Same photos, start bid, and checkout flow. Easier when a donor gives a gift card. Cleaner thank-yous. 💰 Published Fees CharityAuctions publishes 5% of funds raised with $0 to start, or $499 plus 3%. No tip prompt at checkout. You know the take rate before the night. No surprise fees. More money for your cause. 📊 Donor Data Exports After close you export a clean CSV of every donor, bid, and payment for receipts and thank-yous. Clean data. Better donor relationships. Same account ## Need tickets, a paddle raise, or a raffle too? This page is about the silent auction. If your night needs more, you turn those on in the same account. Same login. No second vendor. 🎤 Paddle Raise / Fund a Need Add a paddle raise or fund-a-need in the same login when the room goes live. [Paddle raise guide →](https://charityauctions.com/what-is-a-paddle-raise) 🎟️ Ticket Sales Sell tickets and collect guest info in the same account as your silent auction. [See charity auction software →](https://charityauctions.com/charity-auction-software) 🎟️ Raffle Run a raffle next to your silent auction when you want ticket draws too. [How to run a raffle →](https://charityauctions.com/how-to-run-a-raffle-fundraiser) 🤝 Sponsors Sell and show sponsor packages in the same event. See the broader software page for the full picture. [Charity auction software →](https://charityauctions.com/charity-auction-software) 📡 Live / Hybrid Keep one item list for people in the room and people bidding online. [Hybrid auctions →](https://charityauctions.com/hybrid-auctions) · [Live events](https://charityauctions.com/live-events) 💚 Donation Button Add a flat gift button next to bidding when someone wants to give without an item. [See features →](https://charityauctions.com/features) Side by side ## CharityAuctions.com vs Competitors Auctria is the closest in-lane compare. GiveSmart is the enterprise sales-call path. 32auctions, Givebutter, and BiddingOwl start at $0 and still leave night-of work on you. OneCause and GiveSmart often fit paid-staff nights over $100,000. Swipe the table to compare platforms. | Compare | CharityAuctions | OneCause | Auctria | 32auctions | Givebutter | BiddingOwl | GiveSmart | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Upfront cost | $0 | Subscription / quote | Free tier, then annual license | $0 | $0 | $0 | Custom / typically annual | | App required | No | No | Optional bidder app | No | No | No | Confirm with vendor | | Free item cap | None | Paid plans | Income cap on the free plan | 20 items on the free plan | None | None | Paid plans | | Hybrid (same catalog, in-room + online) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Built for online silent auctions | Yes | Yes (online + paper) | Yes | | Event-night support | Free | Usually part of a paid plan | Paid Launch add-on is common | Included on the platform | 24/7 | Phone / 24-7 included | Usually part of a paid plan | [CharityAuctions vs GiveSmart →](https://charityauctions.com/vs-givesmart)[CharityAuctions vs OneCause →](https://charityauctions.com/vs-onecause)[CharityAuctions vs Givebutter →](https://charityauctions.com/vs-givebutter)[All comparisons →](https://charityauctions.com/comparisons) Two plans ## Fees $0 to start. You pick a plan. Published fees: 5% of funds raised with $0 to start, or $499 plus 3%. No tip prompt. $0 to start ### Nothing Out of Pocket 5% $0 to start. You pay 5% of funds raised. ### Prepay and Save $499+3% From $499 prepaid, then 3%. [See pricing](https://charityauctions.com/pricing) Same evening ## How to set up your silent auction in 30 minutes You can launch a silent auction on CharityAuctions.com in under 30 minutes. Median time to first item is 10 minutes. Share the auction URL for early bidding. Print Display Sheets for the item tables at the live event. 1 2 minutes Create Your Free Account Go to CharityAuctions.com and create a free account. No credit card. Your silent auction dashboard is ready. 2 3 minutes Name Your Silent Auction and Set Dates Give the silent auction a name and set open and close times. Your public page URL is generated automatically. 3 15-20 minutes Add Your Items Add items one by one or import in bulk. Add a photo, description, fair market value, starting bid, and increment. Gift certificates work the same way. Median time to first item is 10 minutes. 4 3 minutes Configure Checkout Connect your payment processor or use CharityAuctions.com integrated checkout. Set whether winners pay at close or receive an invoice. 5 2 minutes Share your link for early bidding Preview the bidder view, then email or text the auction URL so people can bid before the night. 6 3 minutes Print SCAN TO BID signs for the room For the live event, print Display Sheets and put one on each item table. Guests walking the room scan SCAN TO BID. 10 min Median time from account creation to first published item, even for first-time chairs. For a complete walkthrough, see our [launch your auction in 30 minutes guide](https://charityauctions.com/launch-auction-in-30-min). FAQ ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the best silent auction software for nonprofits? The best silent auction software is the one you can set up yourself, guests can use on a phone, and you can afford without a surprise invoice. Look for no-app mobile bidding, Display Sheets with SCAN TO BID, published fees, and no tip prompt at checkout. CharityAuctions is built for small and medium nonprofits and schools running about $1,000-$75,000 on top of a real job. $0 upfront. No sales call. Live in under 30 minutes. For a side-by-side comparison, see our [platform comparisons hub](https://charityauctions.com/comparisons). ### How much does silent auction software cost? CharityAuctions fees are 5% of funds raised with $0 to start, or $499 plus 3%. No tip prompt. $0 to start. See [pricing](https://charityauctions.com/pricing). ### What is silent auction software? Silent auction software replaces paper bid sheets. You add items. Guests bid on their phones. Winners pay from the same link. No app. No clipboards. No manual tally at close. Schools and volunteer chairs run this on top of a real job. ### What are Display Sheets and SCAN TO BID? Display Sheets are printable signs for the live event. You put one on each item table. Guests walking the room scan SCAN TO BID and open that item on their phone. For bidding before the night, you share the auction URL by email or text. That is a different step. ### Can I add gift certificates as silent auction items? Yes. You can list gift certificates next to physical donations in Online Auction. Add a photo, start bid, and value the same way you add any other item. Winners check out from the same link. ### Do you also do tickets, paddle raise, and live auctions? Yes. The same CharityAuctions account can add ticket sales, paddle raise / fund-a-need, raffle, sponsors, live, and hybrid when you need them. This page is for silent. For the broader stack, see [charity auction software](https://charityauctions.com/charity-auction-software), [what is a paddle raise](https://charityauctions.com/what-is-a-paddle-raise), and [hybrid auctions](https://charityauctions.com/hybrid-auctions). ### How does mobile bidding work? Guests bid from their phones in the browser. No app download. Before the night they open your auction link. At the live event they can also scan SCAN TO BID on a Display Sheet on the item table. They place bids, get outbid alerts, and winners pay from the same link. See the [mobile bidding guide](https://charityauctions.com/mobile-bidding-charity-auctions). ### Can silent auction software work for hybrid events? Yes. The same CharityAuctions account can also run live or hybrid if you need that later. This page is for silent. See [how hybrid auctions work](https://charityauctions.com/hybrid-auctions). ### What features should I look for in silent auction software? Look for Display Sheets with SCAN TO BID, no-app mobile bidding, item photos, outbid alerts, gift certificates, instant checkout, and donor exports. Published fees and no tip prompt matter at checkout. [Compare features across platforms](https://charityauctions.com/comparisons). ### How long does it take to set up a silent auction? You can launch a basic silent auction in 30 minutes: add items, share your link for early bidding, and print Display Sheets with SCAN TO BID for the item tables at the live event. Median time from account creation to first published item is 10 minutes. [See our 30-minute setup guide](https://charityauctions.com/launch-auction-in-30-min). ### Do bidders need an app? No. Guests open a link on their phone or scan a SCAN TO BID QR and bid in the browser. No App Store step. ### Is a credit card required to start? No. [Create Your Free Account](https://charityauctions.com/auth/start) when you are ready. Preview the silent auction on a phone with your team, and check out before anything is public. ### Explore our guides Deep dives on silent auctions, mobile bidding, and setup. Each guide links back to this page. [📋 What is a silent auction →](https://charityauctions.com/what-is-a-silent-auction)[📱 Best mobile bidding software for nonprofits →](https://charityauctions.com/best-mobile-bidding-software-nonprofits)[🎤 What is a paddle raise →](https://charityauctions.com/what-is-a-paddle-raise)[🏆 Best free online auction sites →](https://charityauctions.com/best-free-online-auction-sites)[🎉 Fundraising events examples →](https://charityauctions.com/fundraising-events-examples)[💰 Charity auction platform pricing →](https://charityauctions.com/pricing)[📄 Auction software vs. paper bidding →](https://charityauctions.com/auction-software-vs-paper-bidding)[💬 Text-to-donate for nonprofits →](https://charityauctions.com/text-to-donate-nonprofits) Also: [pricing](https://charityauctions.com/pricing) · [charity auction software](https://charityauctions.com/charity-auction-software) · [features](https://charityauctions.com/features) · [hybrid auctions](https://charityauctions.com/hybrid-auctions) ## Why Chairs Choose CharityAuctions Chairs use risk-free consignment when they need more items and do not want to buy inventory up front. You browse the catalog, add items to your silent auction, and you owe nothing if an item does not sell. CharityAuctions.com is the only platform where nonprofits can browse risk-free consignment items and run their entire auction in one place — no separate vendor, no extra logins. ## What Chairs Say > “We built the silent auction after dinner and shared the link the same night. Guests bid on their phones. We did not chase a single clipboard.” Jordan P. Auction Chair, Lakeside Elementary PTA Set up in 28 minutes > “Checkout used to take our whole Monday. Winners paid from the same link when bidding closed. Our treasurer had the export before we packed up.” Priya S. Volunteer Chair, North Shore Animal Rescue Raised $8,200 > “Our board previewed the bidder view on their own phones before we went live. First item was up the same evening we created the account.” Chris T. Booster Treasurer, Westfield Youth Soccer First item live in 12 minutes Ready when you are ## See it on a phone with your team then share your link when you're ready. Create Your Free Account. No credit card. No sales call. [Create your free auction →](https://charityauctions.com/auth/start) No credit card required $0 upfront No sales call 4.9/5 Trusted by nonprofits and schools. 4.9/5 · $0 upfront · no sales call · Live in under 30 minutes