Event.Gives

Event.Gives is a web-based fundraising platform that combines event registration, auctions, donations, and attendee management. It is a strong fit for nonprofits running live, virtual, hybrid, or peer-to-peer campaigns that need bidding and payment workflows in the same system. The free entry plan lowers the barrier to adoption, but transaction and platform charges make the economics important for every event.

Overview

Founded in 2015 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Event.Gives is built around fundraising events rather than general-purpose event planning. It supports live and silent auctions, online auctions, virtual and hybrid events, golf tournaments, embedded donation forms, and peer-to-peer fundraising. The company reports more than 3,000 events annually and $150 million donated through the platform, indicating substantial use in mission-driven events.

Ticket sales, attendee management, donor engagement, donations, and auction administration are handled together. Raffles, text-to-donate, recurring donations, live streaming, real-time reporting, mobile checkout, and instant payout extend the platform beyond basic registration. That breadth can replace several specialist services, although organizations should compare the resulting fees with the cost of assembling separate tools.

Key features

Mobile bidding supports guests who bid from their phones, while live, silent, and online auction modes cover the principal auction formats. The AI Item DISCription Generator produces auction copy aligned with DISC personality profiles. It is a targeted aid for preparing item descriptions, not a substitute for broader event content work.

Mobile checkout accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay, and credit cards. Ticket and donation proceeds move to the organization through its Stripe account. Attendees may optionally cover fees, which can reduce the organizer's net cost when donors accept that choice. Event.Gives says it neither stores nor collects card details; payment information goes directly to third-party processors such as Stripe.

Integrations include Double the Donation, Raiser's Edge NXT, Stripe, Zoom, and Twilio. Reporting is available in real time, and the service advertises instant payout. Support operates seven days a week: Monday through Friday from 10a–5p and a live support desk Saturday and Sunday from 10a–5p. Event.Gives states SOC II Type 2, PCI DSS Level 1, and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, useful assurances for organizations handling donor payments and accessibility requirements.

Pricing

The Free plan costs free and includes Event Success Coaching, user-friendly registration, speedy check-in, mobile bidding, ticketing, and donations. It is the logical starting point for smaller organizations or a single event, but the zero subscription price does not remove payment charges.

Basic costs $99 a month, billed monthly. It adds all analytics features, up to 250,000 tracked visits, normal support, a mobile app, thank-you letters, Double the Donation, flexible fees, split payments, and a fundraising thermometer. This plan suits organizations running recurring campaigns that need analytics and donor follow-up; the monthly commitment is harder to justify for occasional events.

Professional costs $2,495 a year, billed annually. It includes all essential features, five live-streaming events, one peer-to-peer event, bulk attendee upload, table and seat management, check payout, peer/team/family management pages, custom milestones and badges, peer-to-peer leaderboards, and a peer-to-peer thermometer. It is aimed at larger or more structured programs where seating, streaming, and participant management matter.

Enterprise costs $3,495 a year, billed annually. It adds discounted support, email marketing campaigns, white-label design, and a lower processing fee. Organizations that need branded experiences or substantial transaction volume have a clearer reason to pay for it; smaller events are unlikely to need these additions.

The pricing calculator lists a 3.5% credit-card transaction fee plus $0.30 per transaction and a 4.5% platform fee. Letting attendees cover fees can offset some of that burden, but projected donation and ticket volume should be modeled before selecting a plan.

Platforms

Event.Gives runs on the web. The mobile bidding and checkout functions are designed for phone-based participation, while the paid Basic plan includes a mobile app.

Who it's for

Choose Event.Gives when a nonprofit needs registration, ticketing, auctions, donations, peer-to-peer activity, and event reporting in one fundraising-focused service. It is particularly well matched to organizations staging mixed-format events or relying on mobile bidding. It is less suitable when a low-fee auction-only tool is the priority, or when the event volume does not justify platform and card charges.

Pros and cons

Pros

Broad fundraising coverage: Ticketing, auctions, donations, raffles, text-to-donate, streaming, and peer-to-peer tools reduce the need for separate systems.

Flexible payment experience: Apple Pay, Google Pay, cards, Stripe payouts, and optional attendee-paid fees support varied donor preferences.

Operational support: Seven-day coverage and real-time reporting are valuable during live campaigns.

Security and accessibility commitments: SOC II Type 2, PCI DSS Level 1, and WCAG 2.1 AA claims address key compliance concerns.

Cons

Layered charges: The 3.5% card fee, $0.30 per transaction, and 4.5% platform fee can materially reduce proceeds.

Annual commitment at higher tiers: Professional and Enterprise require yearly billing, which may not fit seasonal organizations.

Web-first platform: Organizations seeking native mobile coverage across all operating systems may prefer a service explicitly offered on Android and iOS.

Alternatives

For a broader directory of auction-focused products, see Charity Auction Software. Organizations comparing payment specialists can review Nonprofit Payment Processing Software.

Auctria is worth choosing when a freemium, Android/iOS/web auction service with a $10,000 annual income cap on its free Explorer plan is sufficient. BiddingOwl suits organizations seeking a free service for traditional silent or live auctions. GiveSmart is a paid Android/iOS/web option with unlimited events and campaigns. ReadySetAuction fits buyers wanting a paid Android/iOS/web product with a free trial. 32auctions is a web-only freemium choice for small online auctions, with its free plan capped at 20 items. GalaBid offers a free web plan with optional tipping or a paid no-tip option. GiveBid is a paid Android/iOS/web product powered by Gavel Auction Software. Greater Giving provides paid Android/iOS/web event packages with custom proposals.

Verdict

Event.Gives is best for nonprofits that want one web service for ticketing, mobile bidding, donations, and multi-format fundraising events. Its main advantage is the breadth of coordinated workflows and payment options. Look elsewhere if transaction costs dominate your budget or if you need a simpler auction tool with a smaller fee structure.