CharityAuctions (formerly Charity Auctions Today) is for the volunteer or board member who runs a $1,000 to $75,000 event on top of a real job. $0 upfront. Nothing Out of Pocket is 5%. Prepay and Save starts at $499 plus 3%. No sales call. No tip prompt. Rated 4.9/5. Median 10 minutes to first item. GiveSmart is a staffed fundraising suite with donor CRM, peer-to-peer, and annual subscription pricing. Contact GiveSmart for current pricing.
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You chair the fundraiser on top of a real job. CharityAuctions is built for that volunteer. Small and medium nonprofits and schools. About $1,000 to $75,000 per event.
GiveSmart is built for staffed fundraising teams. It may fit a shop with paid events staff. It does not fit this volunteer.
| Compare | CharityAuctions | GiveSmart |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Volunteer chair | Paid staff |
| Upfront | $0 | Quote |
| You pay | 5% or $499+3% | They quote |
| Pricing model | Per-event fees | Annual subscription |
| Suite / CRM | Auction-first | Donor CRM and year-round suite |
| Sales call | No | Typically yes |
| App required | No | No |
| Tip at checkout | No | Not stated |
Rated 4.9/5. Median 10 minutes to first item. School and PTA chairs often also look at Auctria.
GiveSmart has helped organizations raise over $8 billion. More than 8,000 nonprofits and schools use GiveSmart. Acquired by TA Associates in 2024, they position themselves as a partner to consolidate your tech stack and centralize year-round fundraising. They offer mobile bidding, auctions, ticketing, peer-to-peer, text-to-donate, recurring giving, donor CRM, and live event support.
GiveSmart says they have fixed pricing. Exact rates are not published. Contact them for current pricing.
CharityAuctions is $0 upfront. Nothing Out of Pocket is 5%. Prepay and Save starts at $499 plus 3%. No sales call. In-browser mobile bidding. Nothing public until you say so.
See our charity auction platform pricing for a full breakdown.
Both platforms offer mobile bidding without requiring bidders to download an app.
CharityAuctions: Guests open your auction link in any browser. Real-time bidding, outbid alerts, and checkout are built in. No app download.
GiveSmart: Mobile bidding from any device. No app required. Live leaderboards, outbid notifications, text notifications, item bundling, videos, sponsorship displays, max bid (proxy bidding), and self-checkout.
If your donors prefer no app and a link they can open, both platforms meet that need.
CharityAuctions supports:
GiveSmart supports:
GiveSmart offers a broader year-round fundraising suite. CharityAuctions focuses on the auction the volunteer chair can actually run.
CharityAuctions is built so you get time back. Median 10 minutes to first item. Add items, set bidding rules, and preview with the team. No long onboarding.
GiveSmart is a full fundraising suite. More features and a donor CRM can mean a steeper learning curve. Dedicated consultants help with implementation. A demo is typically scheduled.
If you want to test quickly with no sales call, CharityAuctions lets you try the account first. If you need a staffed-shop CRM and have staff time to invest, GiveSmart may be a fit.
GiveSmart offers 24/7 support by phone, chat, and email, a dedicated one-on-one consultant, training for staff and volunteers, and optional live event support and in-person staffing.
CharityAuctions provides text, phone, and live walk-through support at no extra cost. Support is included for all customers before, during, and after your event.
Some fundraising platforms add a pre-checked tip at checkout. Donors think it helps the nonprofit. Then they feel deceived, and you own the angry email. Extra often goes to the platform. CharityAuctions.com platform data: these prompts can add 20% to 30% to a donor's intended payment.
CharityAuctions does not use a tip prompt. Your organization chooses one of two options:
Either way, donors see one clear total before they pay.
See our charity auction platform pricing page for a full breakdown of how fees work.
Consider CharityAuctions if you want:
GiveSmart is an all-in-one fundraising platform. It includes donor CRM, peer-to-peer fundraising, text-to-donate, recurring giving, and dedicated consultants. It targets staffed teams that want to consolidate fundraising tools into one suite. Contact GiveSmart directly for current pricing and a demo.
See our full comparison of charity auction platforms to evaluate all options.
CharityAuctions vs GiveSmart is a volunteer chair vs a staffed shop. CharityAuctions is $0 upfront. 5% or $499+3%. No sales call. No tip prompt. GiveSmart offers a broader fundraising suite with CRM and premium support. Contact GiveSmart for a quote.
Compare CharityAuctions to more platforms. See our silent auction software guide and auction software vs paper bidding for more context.
Browse Risk Free items. Add them to a lot. You only pay if they sell.
Browse items
Open trips, nights out, and other packages. Pick what fits your guests.
Add them to a lot
A lot is the short list for your event. Add only what you want.
You only pay if they sell
If an item does not sell, you owe nothing.
Ready when you are
Nothing public until you say so. Nothing Out of Pocket 5% · Prepay and Save $499+3% · No tip prompt. No sales call.
Create Your Free Account →CharityAuctions vs GiveSmart on price: CharityAuctions is $0 upfront. Nothing Out of Pocket is a 5% success fee. Prepay and Save starts at $499 plus 3%. No sales call. GiveSmart uses annual subscription pricing. Plans include Fundraising & Event Management, Donor CRM, and the Full Suite. Pricing is not published publicly. Contact GiveSmart directly for current pricing.
Neither platform requires bidders to download an app. CharityAuctions uses in-browser mobile bidding. Guests open a link on their phone and bid. GiveSmart also offers mobile bidding from any device with no app required. CharityAuctions is $0 upfront. Plans are 5% or $499 plus 3%.
Yes. Create Your Free Account when you are ready. Nothing public until you say so. No credit card. CharityAuctions plans are 5% or $499 plus 3%. GiveSmart typically requires a scheduled demo. Contact GiveSmart for access.
CharityAuctions provides text, phone, and live walk-through support at no extra cost. Support is included before, during, and after your event. $0 upfront. Plans are 5% or $499 plus 3%. GiveSmart offers 24/7 phone, chat, and email, plus dedicated consultants and optional live event support.
GiveSmart is an all-in-one fundraising and donor management suite for staffed teams. It includes auctions, ticketing, peer-to-peer, text-to-donate, recurring giving, and donor CRM. CharityAuctions is for volunteer-led small and medium nonprofits and schools. $0 upfront. 5% or $499+3%. No sales call. Contact GiveSmart for current pricing.
Donor tipping is a checkout prompt that adds a suggested percentage on top of a donor's payment. Some platforms pre-check it. Donors think it helps the nonprofit. Then they feel deceived, and you own the angry email. CharityAuctions.com platform data: these prompts can add 20% to 30% to a donor's intended payment. Extra often goes to the platform. CharityAuctions does not use a tip prompt. Plans are 5% or $499 plus 3%. Absorb the processing fee or pass it with full disclosure. Donors see one clear total.
