Alvarum
French and European charities and associations running cause-based or sports-challenge fundraising who want donations paid directly to the beneficiary and support for European local payment methods.
A French donation crowdfunding platform for registered charities, strong in sports-challenge fundraising, where gifts are paid directly to the beneficiary association and donors can add an optional tip.
- Founded i
- 2008
- Headquartered in i
- FR
- Funding model i
- Optional tip
- Platform fee i
- 0% + tip
- Payment processing fee i
- 1.9% + €0.25
- Recipient gets i
- €97.85 / €100
- Data residency i
- France
- Client funds safeguarding i
- Segregated
- Registered entity i
- Alvarum Solutions SAS, RCS Versailles 893939827
- Refund policy i
- Donations are non-refundable (no withdrawal right); chargebacks within 30 days
- Payout speed i
- Slow
- Countries i
- 1
- Languages i
- 2
- Domain Rating i
- 68 / 100
- Transparency i
- 5 / 5
- Last updated
- 2026-08-12
Our overall editorial assessment. Full weights are published in the methodology.
The review
Alvarum is a French donation crowdfunding platform operated by Alvarum Solutions SAS, a company registered in Versailles. It specialises in cause-based fundraising for registered charities, with a particular strength in sports-challenge fundraising, where runners, cyclists, and other participants raise money on behalf of an association. The platform reports more than 2,000 partner charities and over 150,000 fundraisers, and has operated for more than a decade.
Alvarum Solutions is registered with ORIAS as an intermediary in participatory financing for donation operations, and payments are handled by HiPay, a payment institution authorised by France's ACPR. Donations are routed directly to the beneficiary charity and settled to organisations on an automated monthly cycle rather than pooled by the platform. Alvarum funds itself through an optional subscription for higher-volume organisers together with an optional donor tip, while card-processing costs are deducted per transaction from the amounts collected.
Its clearest strength is the direct-to-charity payout model paired with European local payment support, which suits associations running participatory sports events and recurring appeals. The English-language presence is functional but secondary to the French interface, and the platform is oriented around the French nonprofit ecosystem. For French and broader European charities mobilising supporters around events these characteristics fit well; organisations needing a polished, English-first international product may find it narrower than global peers.
Payment-rail coverage spans Visa and Mastercard cards alongside European local methods, including iDEAL in the Netherlands, Bancontact in Belgium, Sofort in Germany, and SEPA direct debit across most of the European Union, through its HiPay partnership. Personal data is stored on servers located in France, though some subprocessors host data outside the EU under standard contractual clauses, which GDPR-strict organisations may wish to review.
What’s good, what’s not.
- ✓Donations are routed directly to the beneficiary charity and settled on an automated monthly cycle rather than held by the platform.
- ✓Strong fit for sports-challenge and participatory event fundraising such as marathons and cycling events.
- ✓European local payment methods - iDEAL, Bancontact, Sofort, and SEPA direct debit - alongside Visa and Mastercard cards.
- ✓Payments handled by HiPay, a payment institution authorised by France's ACPR; Alvarum registered with ORIAS as a donation crowdfunding intermediary.
- ✓Personal data stored on servers located in France.
- ✓Reports more than 2,000 partner charities and over 150,000 fundraisers.
- −English-language experience is secondary to the French interface and oriented around the French nonprofit ecosystem.
- −Higher-volume organisers move onto a paid subscription tier, which may not suit every campaign.
- −Some data subprocessors operate outside the EU under standard contractual clauses, which GDPR-strict organisations may wish to review.
- −Better suited to charity-affiliated and event-based fundraising than to individual personal causes.
Where each €100 actually goes.
Fees vary by payment method. We default to Credit card because that’s the dominant method in the United Kingdom.
Alvarum doesn’t process payments in GBP. Pricing is shown in EUR, its native currency.
1 countries · 2 languages · 1 payment methods.
Better-fit alternatives to Alvarum.
Our curated shortlist — the platforms we’d actively recommend instead of Alvarum for fundraising in the United Kingdom, with the figures behind the call.
Alvarum keeps donor data in France; WhyDonate is EEA-resident and GDPR-native, so personal data never leaves the region.
Zeffy lets more of each donation through than Alvarum — £100.00 reaches the recipient per 100, against £97.85.
JustGiving operates in more countries than Alvarum (6 vs 1), so it reaches donors Alvarum can’t.
See how Alvarum stacks up head-to-head.
Frequently asked questions
What does Alvarum charge?
Alvarum charges a 0% platform fee with an optional voluntary donor tip on top, plus 1.9% + €0.25 in payment processing per donation.
Where is Alvarum based?
Alvarum was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in France. Data residency is France.
Which countries does Alvarum operate in?
Alvarum operates in 1 countries, including France.
Which payment methods does Alvarum support?
Alvarum accepts Card.
Is Alvarum suitable for nonprofits?
Alvarum’s primary audience is individual fundraisers and groups; nonprofits can use the platform but may find specialized alternatives better suited.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.