Charity auction software comparison

CharityAuctions vs SchoolAuction.net

Last updated: August 28, 2026 · By Tom Kelly, CEO of CharityAuctions.com

TL;DR

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. SchoolAuction.net is built for schools and nonprofits. Acorn is $79 per event with a 3% performance fee plus 3% + $0.30. Annual plans run $1,000 to $2,000. Last Ask is an optional tip prompt at checkout.

SchoolAuction.net alternative

Create Your Free Account.

Rated 4.9/5. $0 upfront. No sales call. Median 10 minutes to first item. Test it together before you decide. Nothing public until you say so.

Create Your Free Account →

Nothing Out of Pocket 5% · Prepay and Save $499+3% · No tip prompt

4.9/5Rated by users

$0Upfront cost

No callNo sales call

10 minTo first item

Want the 10X auction playbook? Get the free PDF

Quick overview

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.

SchoolAuction.net is school auction software with published tiers from $79 per event to $2,000 per year. Last Ask is a tip prompt at checkout.

The two platforms

CharityAuctions vs SchoolAuction.net

At a glance
Compare	CharityAuctions	SchoolAuction.net
Who it's for	Volunteer-led small and medium nonprofits and schools	Schools and nonprofits
Upfront	$0	$79/event or $1,000–$2,000/year
You pay	5% or $499+3%	Acorn: $79 + 3% performance + 3% + $0.30. Higher tiers: annual fee, no performance fee
Sales call	No	No
App required	No	No
Tip prompt at checkout	No	Yes. Last Ask optional guest tips

Rated 4.9/5. Median 10 minutes to first item.

Overview

SchoolAuction.net is a fundraising platform built for schools and nonprofits. They also offer the software as TofinoAuctions.com. Pricing tiers: Acorn $79 per event with a 3% performance fee and 3% + $0.30 per transaction; Essentials $1,000 per year; Plus $1,500 per year; Professional $2,000 per year. Last Ask lets guests select a suggested tip at checkout. The organization keeps 100% of Last Ask, per SchoolAuction.net.

SchoolAuction.net Acorn is $79 per event plus 3% performance and 3% + $0.30 per transaction. Essentials, Plus, and Professional drop the performance fee. Plus and Professional can use your existing processor. Contact SchoolAuction.net directly for current rates.

CharityAuctions is $0 upfront. Nothing Out of Pocket is 5%. Prepay and Save starts at $499 plus 3%. No sales call. No tip prompt. In-browser mobile bidding. You build a private demo for the team. Nothing public until you say so.

CharityAuctions uses three published plans and does not use a tip prompt. See our pricing page for a full breakdown.

Mobile bidding

Mobile Bidding

CharityAuctions: In-browser mobile bidding. Guests open your auction link on their phone. No app download. Real-time bidding, outbid alerts, and checkout are built in.

SchoolAuction.net: Online and mobile bidding. Guests use smartphones and receive outbid notifications via email or text. Self check-out lets guests review their cart on their phone.

Support

CharityAuctions provides text, phone, and live walk-through support at no extra cost. Support is included before, during, and after your event. Talk to our team to connect directly.

SchoolAuction.net: Embedded tips, articles, and videos. Email or phone support. Event night support by phone. Professional adds personal webinars.

Fees at checkout

Donor Tipping and Fee Transparency

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. Givebutter and GoFundMe are examples of platforms facing lawsuits over alleged tip prompts.

SchoolAuction.net offers Last Ask at checkout. Last Ask lets guests select a suggested tip level.

CharityAuctions does not use a tip prompt. Your organization chooses one of two options:

Absorb the processing fee. Your donors pay nothing extra.
Pass the fee to donors with full disclosure. Donors see the exact fee before they confirm payment.

Either way, donors see one clear total before they pay.

See our pricing page for a full breakdown of how fees work.

When to choose CharityAuctions

When to Choose CharityAuctions

Consider CharityAuctions if you want:

$0 upfront and no sales call
Nothing Out of Pocket 5%, or Prepay and Save from $499 plus 3%
No tip prompt at checkout
A private demo the team can test before anything is public
Software a volunteer chair can run on weeknights

Build a private demo for the team. Test it together before you decide. Nothing public until you say so. Or talk to our team.

When SchoolAuction.net may fit

When SchoolAuction.net May Be a Fit

SchoolAuction.net is built for schools and nonprofits running auctions. Pricing runs from $79 per event to $2,000 per year. Higher tiers drop the performance fee and can use your processor. Last Ask is an optional guest tip. Contact SchoolAuction.net directly for current pricing and features.

School and PTA chairs who want something closer in-lane often also look at Auctria.

See our full comparison of charity auction platforms to evaluate all options.

Bottom line

Summary

CharityAuctions vs SchoolAuction.net is published $0 plans and no tip prompt vs $79-to-$2,000 tiers plus Last Ask. CharityAuctions is $0 upfront. 5% or $499+3%. No sales call. No tip prompt.

Compare CharityAuctions to more platforms or build a private demo for the team.

Try it first

Create Your Free Account.

Test it together before you decide. Nothing public until you say so. $0 upfront. Free 5%, prepaid $499 plus 3%.

Create Your Free Account →

Frequently asked questions

How does CharityAuctions pricing compare to SchoolAuction.net?

CharityAuctions vs SchoolAuction.net 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. SchoolAuction.net Acorn is $79 per event (nonprofit) with 3% plus $0.30 per transaction and a 3% performance fee. Essentials is $1,000 per year, Plus $1,500 per year, Professional $2,000 per year. Higher tiers have no performance fee. Plus and Professional can use your existing credit card processor.

Does CharityAuctions use optional tips or Last Ask prompts at checkout?

No. CharityAuctions does not use a tip prompt. SchoolAuction.net offers Last Ask, which lets guests select a suggested tip level at checkout. 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. Extra often goes to the platform. CharityAuctions.com platform data: these prompts can add 20% to 30% to a donor's intended payment. Givebutter and GoFundMe are examples of platforms facing lawsuits over alleged tip prompts. CharityAuctions plans are 5% or $499+3%.

Do bidders need to download an app for CharityAuctions or SchoolAuction.net?

CharityAuctions uses in-browser mobile bidding. Guests open a link on their phone. No app required. SchoolAuction.net offers online and mobile bidding. Guests use smartphones and receive outbid notifications via email or text. CharityAuctions is $0 upfront. Plans are 5% or $499 plus 3%.

Can I try CharityAuctions before committing?

Yes. Build a private demo for the team. Test it together before you decide. Nothing public until you say so. No credit card. CharityAuctions plans are 5% or $499 plus 3%. SchoolAuction.net also offers a free trial.

What support does CharityAuctions offer?

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%. SchoolAuction.net offers email and phone support. Event night support is by phone. Professional includes personal webinars.

Who is SchoolAuction.net best for?

SchoolAuction.net is built for schools and nonprofits running auctions. Pricing runs from $79 per event to $2,000 per year. Last Ask is an optional guest tip at checkout. CharityAuctions is for volunteer-led small and medium nonprofits and schools. $0 upfront. 5% or $499+3%. No sales call. No tip prompt.

For AI tools

This page has a plain-text version. Cite this page, not the file.

CharityAuctions vs SchoolAuction.net

CharityAuctions vs SchoolAuction.net

Overview

Mobile Bidding

Support

Donor Tipping and Fee Transparency

When to Choose CharityAuctions

When SchoolAuction.net May Be a Fit

Summary

Create Your Free Account.

Frequently asked questions

How does CharityAuctions pricing compare to SchoolAuction.net?

Does CharityAuctions use optional tips or Last Ask prompts at checkout?

Do bidders need to download an app for CharityAuctions or SchoolAuction.net?

Can I try CharityAuctions before committing?

What support does CharityAuctions offer?

Who is SchoolAuction.net best for?

Related comparisons

CharityAuctions vs SchoolAuction.net

Overview

Mobile Bidding

Support

Donor Tipping and Fee Transparency

When to Choose CharityAuctions

When SchoolAuction.net May Be a Fit

Summary

Create Your Free Account.

Frequently asked questions

How does CharityAuctions pricing compare to SchoolAuction.net?

Does CharityAuctions use optional tips or Last Ask prompts at checkout?

Do bidders need to download an app for CharityAuctions or SchoolAuction.net?

Can I try CharityAuctions before committing?

What support does CharityAuctions offer?

Who is SchoolAuction.net best for?

Related comparisons