The best peer-to-peer fundraising platforms help educational institutions and nonprofits boost donor engagement through personalized giving pages, social fundraising, and CRM integration. These tools streamline campaigns with built-in analytics, gamification, and mobile optimization. While some options are completely free, others cater to large-scale fundraisers that require advanced data synchronization and scalability.

The right tools can make all the difference in modern fundraising. In this blog, we’ll highlight some of the best options on the market and explore what you can expect out of them.

Key takeaways

• Peer-to-peer fundraising platforms offer technology that enables supporters to fundraise on behalf of your nonprofit or institution.
• Almabase is the most comprehensive, well-integrated peer-to-peer platform for higher education institutions and prioritizes donor experience and personalized communications.
• When choosing a platform, consider its features, scalability, user experience, learning curve for adoption, pricing, support and roadmaps, security, and customer reviews.

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Peer-to-peer fundraising platform basics

Peer-to-peer fundraising defined

Peer-to-peer fundraising, or P2P fundraising, is a type of crowdfunding in which your organization encourages its supporters to fundraise for your cause. Typically, these supporters will create an individual fundraising page and share it with their friends, family members, and social media followers to raise money.

A peer-to-peer fundraising site is the software that allows your supporters to create a donation page, share it with their personal network, and collect donations to support your mission. 

Key peer-to-peer fundraising site features

Typically, most fundraising tools today include features such as:

• The ability to create both a general campaign page and individual fundraising pages
• Seamless social sharing capabilities
• A mobile-friendly interface
• Quick and easy set-up
• Multiple giving options (e.g., one-time, recurring, pledged gifts)
• Automatic donor communications (e.g., donation receipts and thank-you emails)
• Segmentation tools 
• Gamification tools like leaderboards or challenges that promote engagement
• Robust reporting and analytics
• Integration with your constituent relationship management system (CRM) and tech stack

Peer-to-peer fundraising platform pricing

When shopping for a peer-to-peer fundraising tool, you’ll need to weigh the cost of the tool against the value it provides. However, it can be difficult to know the true cost of using the platform, depending on the software’s pricing structure. Get familiar with these common structures:

• Subscription or flat platform fee: Pay a recurring monthly or annual fee to use the software.
• Transaction fee: There is no upfront platform fee, but the provider takes a certain percentage of the money raised.
• Donor tipping: Platforms that use this model are typically free, and your organization receives 100% of the funds raised. The vendor makes money by having donors leave a tip on top of their donation.
• Tiered pricing: Some platforms offer free basic plans with limited features but require users to upgrade to higher-priced tiers to access advanced features.

To compare tools with different pricing structures, calculate what each platform will cost you, on average, for a certain period of time.

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Top 10 fundraising platforms for institutions and nonprofit donations

Whether you’re a K-12 school ,higher ed institution, or a nonprofit, in no particular order, here are some peer-to-peer fundraising platforms that you should consider:

(Prices are based on publicly available data at the time of writing and are subject to change over time)

1. Almabase

Almabase runs on a philosophy of integrating into your CRM and existing workflows, which remains true for their peer-to-peer fundraising features. Almabase boasts native sync with most higher-ed CRMs due to their TrueSync integration, combined with superior customer support and a willingness to integrate your ideas into their long-term vision. Almabase offers customizable pages and leaderboards powered with inbuilt text and email communication features built to drive donor engagement through organic and personalized communication.

Pros

• Almabase fits seamlessly into most educational institutions’ CRMs, making transition from other solutions smooth and transparent.
• It has the industry’s best two-way sync with Blackbaud’s RE NXT and Blackbaud CRM, eliminating the need for manual data pulls and syncs.
• It values donor experience and personalized communication and has built its features with them in mind. These features require little to no coding and allow automation and personalization.
• It is easy to set up, with a support team that focuses on quick response and resolution.

Cons

• As a platform catering mostly to educational institutions, they may not be as experienced in working with nonprofits yet.
• As Almabase’s roadmap depends largely on user feedback, new features requested by newer users may take a while to be implemented.

Pricing

Almabase’s pricing depends entirely on your needs. Learn how Almabase empowers your p2p strategy, Schedule a personalized demo and get a quote.

2. GoFundMe Pro

GoFundMe Pro (formerly Classy) is a peer-to-peer fundraising platform optimized for maximum nonprofit impact. It provides ready-to-use templates for scalable, high-impact campaigns and equips supporters with intuitive tools to advocate for the cause. 

GoFundMe Pro offers features like campaign templating, embedded videos and livestreams, progress thermometers, team structures, and mobile-optimized pages. The platform also supports recurring gift options and flexible payment processing, and has a mobile- and user-friendly interface.

Pros

• Over the past few years, GoFundMe Pro has established itself as one of the most user-friendly platforms.
• It has great integration capacity with CRMs and other fundraising platforms.
• It boasts a responsive and helpful customer support team.

Cons

• GoFundMe Pro usually caters to nonprofits and may not be as experienced with an educational institution’s needs
• Many reviewers mention its relatively high pricing

Pricing

GoFundMe Pro offers a standard “Essentials” plan and a “Partner” custom plan.

3. Bloomerang Fundraising

Bloomerang Fundraising (formerly Qgiv) is a fundraising platform offering tools for donation management, event planning, and donor engagement. It provides features like customizable donation forms, peer-to-peer fundraising, and text-to-give options

Pros

• The solution integrates seamlessly into Bloomerang’s CRM, making it an easy choice for current Bloomerang users.
• It offers team fundraising and other gamification features for better donor engagement.
• Many reviewers praise its auction features.

Cons

• Bloomerang Fundraising is mostly centered around nonprofits, and its functionality for institutions may be limited.
• Smaller nonprofits and associations might find the pricing to be a bit high, considering it requires transaction fees on top of the package fees.

Pricing

Bloomerang Fundraising starts at $40 per month if purchased as part of a bundle with Bloomerang CRM.

4. Zeffy

Zeffy is a 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits, offering peer-to-peer fundraising, crowdfunding, donation pages, and recurring giving options. This tool generates revenue through optional tips that donors can provide in addition to their donation. It allows fundraisers to join as individuals or teams and create their own fundraising pages.  The platform is also known for being simple, intuitive, and customizable

Pros

• Uniquely charges no fees of any kind.
• Offers tools to brainstorm, find grants, or start a nonprofit.
• Reviewers mention that it is easy to use for both staff and donors.

Cons

• Some donors not aware of Zeffy’s approach may be confused by the optional tip.
• Zeffy caters to nonprofits and may not be as experienced with an educational institution’s needs.

Pricing

Zeffy has no fees and instead runs on optional tips from donors.

5. DonorBox

Donorbox is a fundraising platform that allows nonprofits to launch peer-to-peer fundraisers in a few steps. It provides customizable donation forms and supports recurring donations via various payment methods. 

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Donorbox also offers features for managing donors, sending personalized emails, and recording donor communications. The platform provides resources like onboarding emails, courses, and templates to support nonprofits in their fundraising efforts.

Pros

• Incredibly easy to set up and use.
• It has good reporting and supporter segmenting features.

Cons

• Integrations require additional fees.
• Customer support is limited to email, according to some reviews.

Pricing

For peer-to-peer fundraisers, Donorbox charges a flat 1.75% platform fee for a main campaign and 2.95% for a supporter’s campaign.

6. Bonfire

Bonfire specializes in fundraising through custom merchandise sales. Nonprofits, schools, and even individuals can design their own custom merch and sell it via Bonfire’s free online stores. 

Bonfire supports peer-to-peer campaigns (which it refers to as “giving campaigns”) by allowing your supporters to create and share t-shirt fundraisers on behalf of your organization—then, all of the money they raise is sent directly to your nonprofit. 

Pros

• Zero inventory risk or upfront costs; products are printed on demand.
• Bonfire manages logistics, including the printing, processing, and shipping of orders.
• Supporters receive a tangible item for their contribution and serve as "walking billboards" for your mission when they wear them.
• Verified nonprofits receive exclusive benefits, including reduced processing fees and access to downloadable supporter contact lists.

Cons

• The platform is focused on merchandise, which may not fit every type of peer-to-peer campaign structure.
• The net funds raised per transaction may be lower than direct donations due to the cost of the physical product.

Pricing

Bonfire is completely free to use, and your nonprofit keeps 100% of the profits. There’s an 8% processing fee on additional donations, but if you verify your nonprofit status with Bonfire, that fee is reduced to 3.5%

7. Givebutter

Givebutter provides tools to launch peer-to-peer campaigns, complete with donation forms, fundraising pages, event management, a built-in CRM, and marketing tools to analyze your progress and streamline workflows. Their fundraiser teams offer a great choice for organizations looking to gamify their peer-to-peer fundraisers as well.

Pros

• Easy to set up and navigate for both staff and donors.
• A suite of free tools with monetization that allows opting for a platform fee or donor tips instead of a platform subscription.
• Has good integration with payment and social media platforms.

Cons

• Givebutter primarily caters to nonprofits and may not be as experienced with an educational institution’s needs.
• Some customers say that payment charges can be relatively costly if the organization opts out of donor tipping.

Pricing

Givebutter offers a popular “free forever” plan, as well as a paid option starting at $29/month. If your organization opts out of having donors cover fees, Givebutter charges 1% for donation forms, 3% for pages, and 5% for events and auctions, as well as a payment processing charge of 2.9% + ¢0.30 per transaction.

8. GiveCampus

GiveCampus is a fundraising platform for educational institutions, providing solutions for online giving, giving days, crowdfunding, P2P fundraising, and more. It blends peer-to-peer outreach, social media, and gamification to engage more donors and increase fundraising. The platform allows schools to execute giving days, year-end appeals, and crowdfunding campaigns. 

GiveCampus also offers features like matches and challenges to inspire donors and make them feel like their contributions are making a difference

Pros

• While some users report a learning curve to the platform, it is known to be extremely easy to use once you get used to it.
• GiveCampus supports most existing mobile wallets as well as several cryptocurrencies.
• It specializes in giving days and fundraisers for educational institutions, making it a great choice if you fit the niche.

Cons

• GiveCampus excels at Giving Days, but may not be as robust for digital engagement and CRM integration
• Their customer support, while reportedly excellent, is limited to email at the time of writing
• As one of the premium options within educational fundraising, it is one of the more expensive options.

Pricing

GiveCampus has three platform plans: Essentials, Professional, and Enterprise. Additionally, pricing will vary depending on the modules you require.

9. JustGiving

As a Blackbaud product, JustGiving is a great choice if you are used to the Blackbaud CRM environment. Compared to other platforms on this list, JustGiving is relatively simple both in its presentation and its scope. This makes it an easy choice for teams just starting out or looking for something simple for a one-off event. However, there may be better choices for teams that want a more comprehensive solution that spans multiple fundraisers and year-long campaigns.

Pros

• Good choice for Blackbaud native teams that enjoy the CRM environment
• Its simplistic approach makes it accessible to smaller or less experienced teams that want to plan a simple event.

Cons

• JustGiving mainly caters to charities and similar initiatives
• Some customers mention that the user interface can be clunky at times

Pricing

JustGiving charges platform fees and a standard payment processing fee based on your geographical location and payment platform. Crowdfunding pages are free to set up. While UK charities do not need to pay a platform fee, they do have a subscription model.

10. Gravyty

Gravyty leverages predictive AI technology to provide frontline fundraisers with personalized insights into donor behavior. This innovative approach helps organizations enhance their outreach efforts by automating email drafts tailored to individual donors while integrating seamlessly with existing CRM systems. Gravyty's focus on personalization empowers fundraisers to build stronger relationships with donors.

Pros

• Gravyty has experience working with both educational institutions and nonprofits.
• For customers looking for a comprehensive package, it offers complementary solutions to find, engage, and build communities for donors and alumni.
• Gravyty boasts AI-powered features for better personalization and donor engagement.

Cons

• An integrated and digital-engagement-driven platform naturally comes with a steeper learning curve.
• Will require time and investment to get the most out of the suite of solutions Gravyty offers.

Pricing

While some information is available online, interested organizations will need to contact Gravyty for a custom quote.

11. Bonterra Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Software

Bonterra’s peer-to-peer fundraising product (formerly DonorDrive) offers smart and customizable P2P fundraising solutions that empower supporters to create personalized experiences at scale. Its features include an intuitive event builder, personalized coaching for fundraisers, gamification elements like leaderboards, social media integrations, and seamless CRM integration, which enhances supporter engagement significantly

Pros

• Great for running multiple events and campaigns simultaneously.
• Has great custom reporting tools that can go in-depth if set up correctly.
• Good for mobile and social media fundraising.

Cons

• It has a steep learning curve that requires some expertise to get the most out of it.
• Some reviews mention that they wish Bonterra offered more customization options and note that its communication features look outdated.

Pricing

Bonterra offers three tiers—Essentials, Pro, and Enterprise—with pricing based on customer needs.

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How to choose the best peer-to-peer fundraising site

With so many unique platforms out there, choosing the right one can be a little overwhelming. However, there are several key factors to consider when selecting the right peer-to-peer fundraising software for your team:

1. Features

Each platform will offer peer-to-peer fundraising capabilities, but you should dig a little deeper to find the right fit for your needs. For example, if you are a small team looking to organize a quick fundraiser, you may end up paying for features you don’t need. On the other hand, if you are looking for a long-term solution, a platform without built-in analytics would be a dealbreaker. Look for features that boost, rather than hamper, your fundraising efforts, and aim for a high return on investment.

2. Scalability

Many teams want a tool that scales up alongside them as they engage more donors and alumni, but there is often a point where their needs outgrow the platform. To avoid this, consider both your short-term and long-term goals to determine if the platform’s upgraded pricing tiers will meet your team’s requirements later on. This way, you can simply upgrade to a plan with more advanced features or storage rather than migrating to a completely new platform.

3. User experience

Your staff, fundraisers, and donors should all have positive, smooth experiences when engaging with your fundraising pages. For example, if you want to sell custom merch, both the designing process and purchasing process should be easy and intuitive for supporters. From payment processing to reporting workflows to page load times, there are many aspects you should ask about or test out during a free trial or demo to see if a platform is the right one for you.

4. Learning curve

Some solutions come with a relatively low learning curve but offer limited functionality. Some, on the other hand, can be the driving force behind all your fundraising strategies but may require in-depth technical and/or coding experience. Try to find a balance between the training time required and potential functionality to ensure high adoption.

5. Pricing

Pricing is a key consideration for any tool, but it’s also important to consider the nuances that may arise down the line. Always consider the rates associated with upfront costs, renewals, transaction fees, upgraded plans, and other relevant expenses. Additionally, switching to a new platform inevitably leads to more expenses through database transfers and staff upskilling. Consult with your database managers and other staff members before making a decision.

6. Support and roadmaps

In the event that something goes wrong, you need to be able to reach the platform provider to resolve the issue. Keep factors like response times on live chat or email support channels in mind. For the long term, you also want to support platforms that onboard customer feedback and have detailed roadmaps for upcoming features.

7. Security

Both your staff and donors need to be assured that sensitive data like payment information will be kept safe and secure. Always look out for a platform’s data encryption measures, as well as its compliance and authentication processes, to see if it inspires confidence from your donors.

8. Customer reviews

Third-party review sites like G2 and Capterra offer insight into what customers think about specific tools. Keep in mind that these reviews are subjective, but they can be a great indication of how a platform is perceived overall, highlighting positive and negative software trends.

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Peer-to-peer fundraising site FAQs

Which fundraising website is the best?

There is no single “best” fundraising website, but you can find the one that is best for your organization. Choose a platform that aligns with your goals, budget, audience, and campaign type.

Can I integrate my peer-to-peer fundraising platform with my CRM?

Yes, a reputable fundraising platform should be able to integrate with your CRM to ensure donor data flows automatically into your central database. This eliminates data silos and the need for manual data transfers. 

Is there a better site than GoFundMe?

GoFundMe is a popular tool for personal crowdfunding, but it may lack the tools you need to run a full-fledged campaign. The platforms referenced in this guide offer the specialized tools mission-driven organizations need for branding, tracking donor data, and communications.

What is the difference between crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising?

Crowdfunding is a centralized process led by your organization using a single donation page. On the other hand, peer-to-peer campaigns decentralize fundraising, empowering many supporters to help you raise money. Peer-to-peer campaigns empower supporters to help you raise money, meaning there are many people fundraising for your cause. Make sure your platform has the tools to support a peer-to-peer campaign.

How can I keep peer-to-peer fundraisers engaged?

Look for platforms that include gamification features, such as fundraising thermometers, badges, and leaderboards. These tools spark friendly competition among fundraisers and help them visualize their progress to maintain momentum and engagement.

Wrapping up

We hope we’ve given you the tools you need to choose or at least consider some of the best peer-to-peer fundraising solutions out there, as well as the questions you need to ask yourself before adopting one. Whether you’re a higher ed institution optimizing your peer-to-peer fundraisers or a K-12 school just looking to get started, we hope you pick out the right solution and can make a great positive change.

If you’ve had successful peer-to-peer fundraisers before, learn how you can build a peer-to-peer fundraising community to help you keep providing meaningful experiences