start.gg
Start.gg is a specialized tournament management platform providing automated brackets, registration tools, and integrated communication features to help you organize and scale competitive gaming events efficiently.
Zeffy
Zeffy is a 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits that covers all transaction fees through voluntary contributions from donors to ensure every dollar goes directly to your mission.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | start.gg | Zeffy |
|---|---|---|
| Website | start.gg | zeffy.com |
| Pricing Model | Free | Free |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✘ No product demo | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2015 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, USA | Montreal, Canada |
Overview
start.gg
Start.gg is a dedicated platform designed to help you organize, manage, and scale esports tournaments of any size. Whether you are running a local weekly meetup or a global professional circuit, you can handle the entire lifecycle of your event from a single dashboard. The platform simplifies complex logistics like player registration, payment processing, and seed management, allowing you to focus on the competition itself rather than administrative spreadsheets.
You can build dynamic tournament brackets including double elimination, round robin, and Swiss formats that update in real-time as scores are reported. The software also provides integrated communication tools to keep your players informed and a public-facing event page to showcase your brand. It is widely used by tournament organizers, game developers, and community leaders across the fighting game community and broader esports ecosystem to create professional competitive experiences.
Zeffy
Zeffy is a specialized fundraising platform designed exclusively for nonprofits who want to keep 100% of their donations. Instead of charging platform fees or taking a cut of credit card transactions, the system relies on voluntary tips from donors. You can manage everything from simple donation forms and peer-to-peer campaigns to complex event ticketing and lottery management without worrying about hidden costs or monthly subscriptions.
You can easily track your donor database, automate tax receipts, and sell memberships or merchandise through a single dashboard. It solves the common problem of losing 3-5% of every gift to processing fees, making it an ideal choice for small to mid-sized charities, schools, and community groups looking to maximize their impact. The platform is accessible to any registered nonprofit in North America looking for a transparent, zero-cost financial solution.
Overview
start.gg Features
- Automated Bracketing Generate complex tournament brackets instantly including double elimination and Swiss formats that update automatically as matches conclude.
- Registration Management Collect player data and entry fees securely through customizable registration forms tailored to your specific event needs.
- Real-time Seeding Organize your players based on skill levels using automated seeding tools to ensure fair and balanced competition.
- Integrated Match Chat Communicate directly with players through dedicated match dashboards to resolve disputes and coordinate game starts quickly.
- Public Event Pages Create professional landing pages for your tournaments where fans can view live standings, schedules, and player profiles.
- API & Data Access Connect your tournament data to external broadcast overlays or custom websites using the robust developer API.
Zeffy Features
- Custom Donation Forms. Create branded, mobile-responsive donation forms that you can embed on your website or share via direct links.
- Event Ticketing. Sell tickets for galas or workshops and check in guests using a built-in QR code scanner on your phone.
- Peer-to-Peer Campaigns. Empower your supporters to launch their own fundraising pages and reach new donor networks on your behalf.
- Automated Tax Receipts. Save hours of admin work by automatically sending customizable, brand-compliant tax receipts to your donors instantly.
- Membership Management. Launch and manage recurring membership programs with automated renewals and dedicated member communication tools.
- E-commerce Shop. Sell branded merchandise or physical goods through a simple online store integrated directly into your fundraising dashboard.
Pricing Comparison
start.gg Pricing
- Unlimited tournament listings
- Automated bracket generation
- Player registration tools
- Real-time score reporting
- Public event landing page
- Basic seeding tools
- Everything in Core, plus:
- Secure payment processing
- Automated payout workflows
- Custom registration fields
- Attendee data exports
- Transaction fee per registrant
Zeffy Pricing
- Unlimited donation forms
- Zero transaction fees
- Peer-to-peer fundraising
- Event & ticket management
- Automated tax receipting
- Donor management (CRM)
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Optional donor tipping
- No cost to the nonprofit
- Transparent checkout
- Full platform access
- Standard support
Pros & Cons
start.gg
Pros
- Industry standard for fighting game community events
- Highly reliable automated bracket progression logic
- Completely free to use for non-paid events
- Excellent public visibility for your tournament brand
Cons
- Learning curve for complex multi-phase seeding
- Mobile interface can be difficult for administrators
- Limited customization for non-gaming event types
Zeffy
Pros
- Completely eliminates credit card and platform fees
- Extremely simple setup process for non-technical users
- Automatic tax receipting saves significant administrative time
- Responsive customer support team for nonprofit needs
Cons
- Donor tipping prompt can occasionally confuse supporters
- Limited advanced customization for complex reporting needs
- Currently restricted to registered North American nonprofits