Zeffy Review: Overview, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2025

Are donation fees eating into your impact?

If you’re evaluating fundraising software, you know how frustrating it is to see a chunk of every donor’s gift siphoned off by processing fees.

That ends up being real dollars lost—money that could have amplified your mission every single day.

Zeffy takes a hard stance against fees by offering nonprofits an all-in-one fundraising and donor management platform that guarantees 100% of donations reach you—plus they even automate receipts and reporting.

In this review, I’ll unpack how Zeffy helps you keep more donations and drives better outcomes for your nonprofit.

You’ll get my full analysis of their fundraising tools, ease of use, donor CRM, pricing, and how Zeffy stacks up to alternatives in this Zeffy review—giving you the insights you need to make a confident software decision.

By the end, you’ll know the features you need to choose a platform with total peace of mind.

Let’s get started.

Zeffy Overview

Zeffy, formerly known as Simplyk, has a clear mission: provide a completely free fundraising platform for nonprofits. They’ve been around since 2016, based in Montreal.

What sets them apart is a laser focus on being a truly free fundraising platform. You’ll notice they’re built for small-to-midsize nonprofits that need to maximize every single donation without losing a percentage to hidden fees.

Their 2021 funding round accelerated platform growth, helping them support over 50,000 charities. Through this Zeffy review, I’ll connect this progress to the robust feature set you see today.

Unlike competitors like Donorbox or Givebutter that often rely on platform fees, Zeffy’s entire model is built around its 100% free-to-use promise. This feels like it was designed by people who actually understand nonprofit budget pressures.

They work with an impressive 50,000+ nonprofits across North America. I’ve seen them help collectively raise over $1 billion, saving charities millions in what would have been platform fees.

I find Zeffy’s strategic focus is refreshingly straightforward: eliminate fundraising fees entirely. This all-in-one approach directly answers the call from nonprofits who need to maximize donor impact without complex pricing tiers.

Now let’s examine their core capabilities.

Zeffy Features

Struggling with complex, fee-heavy fundraising tools?

Zeffy features offer an all-in-one, completely free platform designed to maximize your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts. Here are the five main Zeffy features that simplify donor engagement and revenue generation.

1. Online Donation Forms

Are donors confused by your complicated giving process?

A clunky donation experience can deter potential supporters. This often leads to lost contributions that your organization desperately needs.

Zeffy’s online donation forms are highly customizable and can be embedded directly onto your website, offering a seamless giving experience. What I love about this feature is how simple it makes setting up recurring donations, which is critical for sustained support.

This means you can capture more donations with a straightforward process, ensuring every penny goes to your cause.

2. Event Management and Ticketing

Managing events with separate tools is a nightmare, isn’t it?

Juggling event registrations, ticket sales, and attendee data across multiple systems creates unnecessary stress and errors. Your team spends too much time on logistics.

This feature allows you to create and manage various events, from simple registrations to selling tickets and custom questions. From my testing, the intuitive setup for event pages really shines, making it easy to launch quickly.

The result is your team saves significant time on event logistics, allowing them to focus on the event itself rather than administrative headaches.

3. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Want to expand your fundraising reach beyond direct appeals?

Relying solely on direct donations can limit your campaign’s impact. You might be missing out on valuable community engagement and new donor networks.

Zeffy facilitates peer-to-peer campaigns, empowering your supporters to create personal fundraising pages and rally their own networks. This feature is fantastic for leveraging the power of your community to amplify your message and reach.

So you can tap into a wider audience and inspire more people to champion your cause, boosting overall campaign success.

4. Donor Management (CRM)

Tired of disorganized donor data and missed communication opportunities?

Manually tracking donor information across spreadsheets leads to missed follow-ups and a fragmented view of your supporters. You can’t truly understand your donor base.

Zeffy includes a built-in donor management solution that securely stores and organizes all donor and member data automatically. This is where Zeffy gets it right; new donor info is seamlessly added, and you can segment contacts with smart filters for targeted outreach.

This means you get a comprehensive view of your donors, enabling more personalized communication and stronger relationships.

5. Automated Tax Receipts and Reporting

Drowning in manual tax receipt generation and data compilation?

Handling tax receipts manually is incredibly time-consuming and prone to errors. You also struggle to get clear, real-time insights into your fundraising performance.

This feature automatically generates and sends email receipts to donors instantly, and even year-end statements for monthly givers. What you get instead is real-time analytics and comprehensive reporting that provides insights into key metrics, simplifying administrative tasks.

So you can save countless hours on paperwork, ensuring compliance while gaining immediate clarity on your fundraising health.

These Zeffy features work together as a cohesive, all-in-one fundraising ecosystem, eliminating the need for multiple, costly tools.

Zeffy Pricing

Is Zeffy truly free for your nonprofit?

Zeffy pricing is unique: it’s 100% free for nonprofits, with no platform, transaction, or credit card processing fees, allowing you to maximize fundraising impact.

Plan	Price & Features
All-in-One Nonprofit Platform	100% Free for Nonprofits • Online donation forms • Event management & ticketing • Peer-to-peer fundraising • Membership management • Online store, raffles, auctions • Donor management (CRM) • Automated tax receipts & reporting

1. Value Assessment

Incredible value, truly.

From my cost analysis, Zeffy’s pricing model is revolutionary for nonprofits, as you pay absolutely nothing for their comprehensive platform. This means 100% of the money you raise goes directly to your cause, eliminating typical fees that eat into crucial funds.

This approach significantly boosts your fundraising efficiency, ensuring every dollar donated serves your mission directly.

2. Trial/Demo Options

Evaluate with zero commitment.

Zeffy doesn’t offer a traditional trial; the entire platform is free for nonprofits to use from day one. What I found regarding pricing is that this lets you onboard and test all features without any financial obligation, ensuring it fits your specific fundraising needs.

This means you can fully assess Zeffy’s capabilities without spending a single penny, minimizing budget risk.

3. Plan Comparison

One simple, powerful plan.

Zeffy doesn’t offer different pricing tiers or subscription costs; their single, all-inclusive platform provides every feature free. What makes their pricing different is how all tools are available from the start, preventing you from needing to upgrade for essential functionalities.

This helps you match pricing to actual usage requirements effortlessly, as everything you need is already included.

My Take: Zeffy’s unique 100% free model is a game-changer for nonprofits, allowing them to maximize fundraising revenue without worrying about subscription or transaction fees.

The overall Zeffy pricing reflects unmatched value for every nonprofit budget.

Zeffy Reviews

What do Zeffy users really think?

My analysis of numerous Zeffy reviews offers a balanced view, drawing from real user feedback to help you understand the software’s actual performance and user experience.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Users are largely very satisfied.

From my review analysis, Zeffy consistently garners high ratings, averaging 4.8 stars across major platforms like Capterra and G2. What I found in user feedback is how the fee-free model delights most nonprofits, making it a standout feature in fundraising software reviews.

This means you can expect a highly positive experience focused on maximizing your donations.

2. Common Praise Points

The fee-free model earns consistent praise.

Users repeatedly highlight Zeffy’s zero-fee structure as its paramount benefit, ensuring 100% of donations reach their cause. What impressed me about the user feedback is how the intuitive interface makes setup incredibly easy, even for non-tech-savvy individuals, as many reviews attest.

This suggests you’ll retain more funds and find the platform surprisingly simple to use.

3. Frequent Complaints

Donor confusion and payment delays emerge.

Several Zeffy reviews mention donor confusion about optional tips, with some finding the default amount high. What stands out in customer feedback is how some users report delays in receiving payouts, occasionally taking weeks, which can impact cash flow for your organization.

These issues are generally considered manageable trade-offs for the otherwise free service.

Overall, Zeffy reviews indicate strong user satisfaction despite minor frustrations, particularly for its fee-free model.

Best Zeffy Alternatives

Finding the perfect fundraising platform?

The best Zeffy alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different nonprofit sizes, budget considerations, and feature requirements.

1. Donorbox

Seeking more advanced CRM and customization?

Donorbox makes more sense if your nonprofit needs deeper donor segmentation, integrated email marketing, or extensive third-party integrations beyond Zeffy’s offering. From my competitive analysis, Donorbox offers more robust CRM capabilities and customization for growing organizations, though it involves platform fees.

Choose Donorbox when you prioritize advanced donor management and integration flexibility over Zeffy’s completely free model.

2. Givebutter

Prioritizing engaging, multimedia-rich campaigns?

Givebutter excels for organizations focused on storytelling, engaging younger donors, and leveraging text-to-donate or team-based campaigns. What I found comparing options is that Givebutter provides stronger multimedia and engagement tools for modern fundraising, offering a tipping model similar to Zeffy but with potential fees.

Consider this alternative when dynamic storytelling and diverse engagement methods are paramount for your fundraising efforts.

3. Classy

Running large-scale, enterprise-level campaigns?

Classy is the better choice for large nonprofits requiring advanced campaign management, sophisticated recurring donation features, and a comprehensive suite for extensive operations. From my analysis, Classy offers enterprise-grade scalability and features, but it comes with a significantly higher monthly subscription cost than Zeffy’s free model.

Choose Classy when your organization’s size and complex needs justify a substantial investment in a premium fundraising platform.

4. Bloomerang

Focusing heavily on donor retention and analytics?

Bloomerang provides a more sophisticated donor CRM with powerful analytics and communication tools specifically designed to cultivate long-term donor relationships. Alternative-wise, Bloomerang emphasizes donor retention with deep insights and targeted communication, making it ideal if your primary need is cultivating lasting donor loyalty.

Opt for Bloomerang if a dedicated, analytics-driven donor CRM is your top priority, and you have a budget for a paid solution.

The best Zeffy alternatives truly depend on your organization’s specific needs and budget rather than just feature comparisons.

Compare Zeffy With Alternatives →

Zeffy Setup

Concerned about complicated software setup and training?

Implementing Zeffy is generally straightforward. This Zeffy review will guide you through its deployment, helping you set realistic expectations for your organization’s adoption process.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Getting started is remarkably simple.

Zeffy’s intuitive interface, templates, and drag-and-drop tools mean you can typically launch a fundraiser within minutes. From my implementation analysis, the platform is designed for quick launch even for non-tech-savvy users, meaning you won’t face lengthy delays.

You’ll quickly become productive, allowing you to focus on fundraising rather than complex setup tasks.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Minimal technical hurdles to overcome.

Zeffy is a cloud-based solution, so your technical requirements are simply an internet connection and a web browser. What I found about deployment is that integration primarily happens through Zapier, connecting to over 1000 web tools, including CRMs and accounting applications.

Your IT team will appreciate the light footprint; focus on planning Zapier connections for automated data transfer.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption is often seamless.

Training needs are minimal due to the platform’s simplicity and user-friendly design, making it highly accessible. From my analysis, the intuitive nature reduces the learning curve significantly, ensuring your team can quickly become proficient without extensive formal training sessions.

Expect your staff to pick it up fast; successful adoption largely hinges on encouraging initial exploration.

• 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing streamlining operations, my guide on best laundry management software explores further optimization.

4. Support & Success Factors

Strong support ensures a smooth rollout.

Zeffy offers free, highly praised chat and email support, plus free webinars to assist with any questions. From my implementation analysis, their responsive customer support is a key success factor, ensuring you have help whenever needed during your setup and ongoing use.

Your implementation success will be bolstered by leveraging Zeffy’s readily available support resources and free training.

Implementation Checklist

• Timeline: Minutes to days for basic fundraiser launch
• Team Size: Minimal; often a single user can manage setup
• Budget: Primarily staff time for initial configuration
• Technical: Web browser, internet, optional Zapier integrations
• Success Factor: Leveraging Zeffy’s free, responsive customer support

Overall, Zeffy setup is exceptionally user-friendly, emphasizing speed and ease of deployment to get your fundraising activities up and running quickly.

Get Zeffy Setup Support →

Bottom Line

Does Zeffy truly deliver for your nonprofit?

My Zeffy review provides a comprehensive look at this unique fundraising platform, offering decisive insights to help you understand if it aligns with your organization’s specific needs and priorities.

1. Who This Works Best For

Nonprofits seeking a truly free, all-in-one fundraising platform.

Zeffy shines for small to mid-sized nonprofits, grassroots organizations, and any charity committed to maximizing donor contributions by eliminating platform fees. From my user analysis, lean teams with limited technical expertise will find Zeffy’s intuitive design incredibly helpful for daily operations and fundraising.

You’ll see great success if your main goal is to retain 100% of every donation without complex setup.

• 🎯 Bonus Resource: While this article focuses on fundraising, optimizing other aspects of your operations, such as with the best printing and packaging industry software, can also boost efficiency.

2. Overall Strengths

Zero fees provide an unmatched financial advantage.

The software succeeds by offering a completely free platform for online donations, event ticketing, and peer-to-peer campaigns, ensuring all funds go to your cause. From my comprehensive analysis, its user-friendly interface simplifies fundraising efforts across various activities, making it accessible for everyone.

These strengths directly translate into greater financial impact for your mission and simplified management for your team.

3. Key Limitations

Donor tipping model can introduce some friction.

While free, Zeffy’s reliance on optional donor tips can sometimes cause confusion or reluctance among your donors, and payouts can be delayed. Based on this review, advanced CRM needs are not fully met by Zeffy’s basic donor management features, which might be a concern for larger organizations.

I find these limitations manageable for most small nonprofits but important considerations if you require advanced capabilities or immediate funds.

4. Final Recommendation

Zeffy receives a strong recommendation for specific contexts.

You should choose this software if your nonprofit prioritizes maximizing every dollar raised and values an intuitive, all-in-one platform without recurring fees. From my analysis, it excels for organizations focused on straightforward fundraising and basic donor tracking, especially those with budget constraints.

My confidence level is high for small to mid-sized nonprofits, but you should explore alternatives for highly complex or large-scale needs.

Bottom Line

• Verdict: Recommended for fee-conscious nonprofits
• Best For: Small to mid-sized nonprofits focused on maximizing donations
• Business Size: Startups to established non-profits with lean teams (1-50 employees)
• Biggest Strength: Completely free, all-in-one fundraising with zero fees
• Main Concern: Donor confusion with tipping model and basic CRM features
• Next Step: Sign up for free account to test platform ease of use

This Zeffy review confirms its significant value for the right nonprofit, offering a powerful, fee-free solution that allows your organization to keep every dollar.

See If Zeffy Fits Your Needs →