GiveNow vs Pledge
Small to medium-sized Australian charities, not-for-profits, and community groups that want a low-overhead, no-lock-in donation platform with local Australian data storage and an optional donor-covers-cost model.
US-based individuals, nonprofits and purpose-driven companies that want a free-to-start fundraiser with a wide range of giving methods - cards, ACH, PayPal, Venmo, stock, donor-advised funds and crypto - plus Shopify and API-based embedded giving.
Of every 100 donated, GiveNow delivers 1.44 more per 100 to the recipient than Pledge.
Each platform is priced in its own currency: GiveNow in AUD, Pledge in USD.
Side-by-side.
| Metric | GiveNow | Pledge |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient gets (per 100) | A$98.24★ winner | $96.80 |
| Platform fee | 1.5% | 0%★ winner |
| Payment processing fee | 0.26% + A$0.00★ winner | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Trustpilot | — (0) | — (0) |
| Country coverage | 1 countries | 1 countries |
| Data residency | Australia | US |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Payment methods supported | 0 | 10★ winner |
Winner by category.
A$98.24 vs $96.80 reaches the recipient.
— vs — on Trustpilot.
1 vs 1 countries.
Both share the same residency posture.
Choose based on who you are.
Small to medium-sized Australian charities, not-for-profits, and community groups that want a low-overhead, no-lock-in donation platform with local Australian data storage and an optional donor-covers-cost model.
- ✓Purpose-built for small to medium-sized Australian charities and not-for-profits.
- ✓Operated by Our Community, a long-running Australian social enterprise (since 2001).
- ✓Percentage-based pricing with no subscription, lock-in, or upfront cost.
- ✓Optional donor-covers-cost model, which the platform reports most donors choose.
US-based individuals, nonprofits and purpose-driven companies that want a free-to-start fundraiser with a wide range of giving methods - cards, ACH, PayPal, Venmo, stock, donor-advised funds and crypto - plus Shopify and API-based embedded giving.
- ✓No mandatory platform fee - funded by optional donor tipping, with most donors choosing to cover the fees.
- ✓Exceptionally broad giving methods: cards, ACH, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, stock, donor-advised funds and cryptocurrency.
- ✓Donations are regranted through the Pledgeling Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity, with multi-state US fundraising compliance.
- ✓Shopify "Give & Grow" app and embedded-giving APIs and widgets for e-commerce and product integrations.
A third option.
Dutch and other social-impact initiators running Global-Goals-aligned campaigns who value personal coaching and community-building over a high-volume, self-serve crowdfunding marketplace.
Other comparisons.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, GiveNow or Pledge?
Of every 100 donated, GiveNow delivers approximately A$98.24 to the recipient and Pledge delivers approximately $96.80. Real costs depend on the payment method donors choose.
Which is better for European nonprofits?
Both platforms operate inside the EEA framework. Choose based on local payment-method coverage and language support.
Which platform has more country coverage?
GiveNow operates in 1 countries; Pledge operates in 1.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.