10 best event registration software for small nonprofits (& how to choose)

Sure, you can use Google Forms to collect attendee information, but you’ll still need to manually send confirmations, track responses, and generate attendance reports.

If you want to better organize your events and provide more personalized experiences to attendees, you’ll need more than online forms.

This is where event registration software comes in. 

These solutions handle the entire event registration process, from sign-up to check-in and beyond. But which platform is right for your nonprofit?

We’ve put together the best event registration software for small nonprofits. We’ll cover key features to help you make an informed decision, so you can focus on hosting great events.

10 best event registration software for small nonprofits

Here’s a quick look at the best event registration software for nonprofits, including standout features and pricing:

Here’s a more in-depth breakdown, starting with our top pick.

1. Givebutter: Best free event registration software for nonprofits

Givebutter is a free, all-in-one fundraising platform with built-in event registration software designed to help nonprofits raise more funds. 

It has everything you need to plan and manage in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. These include customizable event pages, unlimited ticket types, and a host of ticketing features to drive more donations.

With Givebutter, you can sell tickets on your campaign pages or directly through your website via easy-to-embed fundraising widgets. It’s a great fit for registration-based events like 5Ks, walkathons, bike rides, galas, and ticketed fundraisers, with flexible payment options that make it easy for participants to give as they sign up. 

The software makes it easy to send personalized follow-up messages to donors. And with built-in reporting, you can track attendance and engagement in one place.

💰 Pricing: Givebutter is 100% free thanks to optional tips and donor-covered fees. If donors don’t cover the fee, Givebutter will—that’s the Givebutter Guarantee. That means your nonprofit keeps every dollar it raises.

Upgrade to Givebutter Plus to access more features like automated workflows, task management, and custom reports. Plans start at $29 a month.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Ticket bundling for discounts and VIP packages
• Mobile app for seamless ticket scanning, event check-ins, and on-site donations
• Live display with real-time campaign progress
• Text and email notifications
• Automated payment collection
• Tap to Pay via the mobile app
• Customizable fundraising pages
• Table seating management
• Text-to-donate and scan-to-donate 
• Peer-to-peer and team fundraising
• Online auction software with real-time mobile bidding

✅ Best for: Changemakers looking for comprehensive event management software that combines ticketing, donations, and attendee management without platform fees.

💬 Our take: Givebutter is consistently rated as the #1 fundraising software on G2. It enables changemakers to manage events and raise more funds on one easy-to-use platform. Take a look at Givebutter’s registration fundraising feature, which lets supporters register for an event, create their own fundraising page, and donate in a single, seamless flow, all within one easy-to-use platform built to help changemakers raise more.

2. OneCause: Best for online auctions

OneCause is an all-in-one event management platform. It offers a user-friendly interface for nonprofits to plan and manage a variety of fundraising events in different formats. 

With integrated ticketing, you can provide a smooth registration and check-in experience for attendees. OneCause also supports peer-to-peer fundraising to engage more people.

💰 Pricing: OneCause pricing varies by product and use case (events, auctions, or peer-to-peer fundraising). Organizations must contact OneCause directly for a custom quote.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• In-person, virtual, and hybrid events
• Live and silent auctions
• Table and seating management
• Sponsor management
• Real-time analytics

✅ Best for: Nonprofits hosting fundraising events, charity events, or other events where maximizing donations is the primary goal.

💬 Our take: OneCause is a solid platform for hosting different types of events. However, it doesn’t offer native donor CRM capabilities, so you’ll need a separate system to manage donor relationships. Some features are also only available on other plans.

More to explore

Get the full Givebutter vs. OneCause comparison guide →

3. Eventbrite: Best for ticketed events

Eventbrite is an event management and ticketing platform that helps organizations promote and sell tickets for in-person and online events. It includes AI-powered tools for organizers to quickly create pages for in-person or online events, as well as social media marketing features to help spread the word. It also offers real-time analytics, so you can track ticket sales and measure event performance.

💰 Pricing: Eventbrite is free for free events. However, paid events incur a service fee of 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket sold. There’s also a 2.9% payment processing fee per order.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Customizable event pages
• Facebook Live and YouTube integration
• Email marketing tools
• Automated event notifications
• Real-time analytics

✅ Best for: Organizations hosting larger public events that need strong marketing and ticketing capabilities.

💬 Our take: Eventbrite is excellent for public events that need strong built-in promotion, but it isn’t designed specifically for nonprofits. As a result, it lacks donor-centric features such as auctions, donor management, and stewardship tools that nonprofits need to build long-term support.

More to explore

Learn how to make event management a success →

4. Donorbox: Best for fundraising-focused events

Donorbox offers an event ticketing solution for organizations to launch in-person, virtual, or hybrid fundraising events. A standout feature is that it automatically calculates tax-deductible amounts for each ticket. This lets you clearly communicate their tax-deductible and fair market values to supporters. Other features include unlimited ticket types, customizable event pages, and QR code access.

💰 Pricing: Donorbox charges a 3.95% platform fee and a payment processing fee of 2.9% + 30¢ for its event registration software. Costs increase across tiers based on upgrades such as Pro plans, CRM features, or in-person donation kiosks. 

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Event creation pages
• Hands-off receipting
• Unlimited ticket types
• Set ticket deadlines
• Access QR codes

✅ Best for: Nonprofits hosting fundraising events who want to combine ticket sales with donation collection and ongoing donor engagement.

💬 Our take: Donorbox offers a solid suite of event management tools. However, you may find the platform somewhat limited as it doesn’t offer auctions, mobile ticket scanning, or donor communication features.

More to explore

See the full Givebutter vs. Donorbox comparison →

5. Bloomerang: Best for tracking donor impact

Bloomerang offers event registration software for organizations to manage a variety of events, from galas and workshops to corporate events and more. The platform enables nonprofits to streamline ticketing and deliver personalized experiences to attendees. It also offers customizable dashboards that provide real-time insights into your event.

💰 Pricing: Bloomerang Fundraising, which includes event management and auction fundraising capabilities, starts at $40 per month (billed annually). Additional plans for CRM and volunteer management are priced separately, so the total cost varies based on features. 

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Customizable donation forms
• Branded event pages
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Automatic event follow-up
• Table seating management

✅ Best for: Nonprofits seeking user-friendly dashboards and flexible reporting options for campaigns and events.

💬 Our take: Bloomerang is a highly rated fundraising platform that offers an array of features to help organizations raise more. However, features such as donor management are locked behind higher-priced plans, which may be cost-prohibitive for smaller nonprofits.

More to explore

See them side by side: Givebutter vs. Bloomerang →

6. CauseVox: Best for peer-to-peer fundraising events

CauseVox is a digital fundraising platform that streamlines registrations for walks, challenges, galas, peer-to-peer events, and more. It features customizable event pages you can easily adapt to fit your event. 

It also supports credit cards, ACH transfers, and mobile wallets, so attendees can pay with their preferred method. With its peer-to-peer fundraising capabilities, you can empower supporters to raise funds for your cause. 

💰 Pricing: CauseVox offers a free plan with unlimited fundraising, peer-to-peer fundraising, and donor management. However, you’ll need to upgrade to the Professional plan ($250 per month) to access event ticketing forms, team fundraising pages, and data integrations.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Customizable event pages
• Real-time ticket inventory
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Personalized ticket receipts
• Support for global currencies

✅ Best for: Nonprofits hosting walks, runs, or other events where participants can raise money through their personal networks.

💬 Our take: CauseVox is a great choice for nonprofits looking for robust peer-to-peer fundraising capabilities. However, features like event ticketing forms are only available on the more expensive plan.

7. BetterWorld: Best for raffles and giveaways

BetterWorld is a modern fundraising platform for launching memorable in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. One area it excels at is enabling nonprofits to create engaging raffles and giveaways. It offers customizable raffle pages, automated ticket sales, and more. It even features a fulfillment center, allowing you to notify winners of their prizes and ship items to their location. 

💰 Pricing: BetterWorld offers a free plan that’s supported by donor contributions. It also offers additional plans that let you turn off suggested contributions. However, these come with platform fees and monthly subscription costs.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Customizable donation forms
• Seating management
• Leaderboard
• Sponsorships
• Mobile check-in

✅ Best for: Nonprofits looking to host online raffles, sweepstakes, and giveaways to raise funds.

💬 Our take: BetterWorld makes it easy to create prize-based events, while ensuring compliance with state regulations. However, it doesn’t offer a donor management CRM that nonprofits might need to manage donor relationships.

More to explore

Check out Givebutter vs. BetterWorld: See reviews, fees, & more →

8. Give Lively: Best for cost-free fundraising events

Give Lively is a free fundraising platform that offers event registration, customizable pages, tailored payment tiers, and automated email follow-ups. It allows nonprofits to provide a streamlined experience for in-person and virtual events. Attendees can purchase tickets, save event details, and share them from any device. 

💰 Pricing: Give Lively’s fundraising and event registration platform is free for nonprofits, but you must apply and be approved to join as a member.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Unlimited event pages
• Progress “thermometer” to track donations
• Customizable tiers for tickets
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Embedded broadcasts

✅ Best for: Nonprofits looking for free event registration software that offers the basics. 

💬 Our take: Give Lively’s free model means nonprofits keep 100% of the funds they raise. While it’s a compelling selling point, the platform isn’t an all-in-one fundraising platform. It lacks features like auctions and donor management, both of which can help nonprofits raise more funds. 

More to explore

Go deeper with a full Givebutter vs. Give Lively comparison →

9. Neon One: Best for unified donor and event tracking

Neon One is a versatile fundraising platform with a robust set of features for creating and managing a wide range of events—galas, races, classes, and more. It allows nonprofits to handle ticket sales, registration management, seating arrangements, and sponsorship deals from one platform. With peer-to-peer fundraising, supporters can build personal pages and launch their own campaigns to raise more funds.

💰 Pricing: Neon One’s CRM plans start at $99/month, with higher tiers unlocking additional CRM functionality. Core fundraising tools, such as donation forms, peer-to-peer fundraising, event registration, and ticketing, are priced separately and can be added based on the features your organization needs.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Branded event pages
• Audience segmentation
• Peer-to-peer campaigns
• Email automation
• Donor management CRM

✅ Best for: Nonprofits wanting an all-in-one solution that connects donor management with event management and registration capabilities.

💬 Our take: Neon One offers streamlined tools for event planning. However, these features come at a higher cost than other event registration software. Organizations that only need event management may end up paying for features they don’t use.

More to explore

Givebutter vs. Neon One: Compare pricing, features, & real reviews →

10. RallyUp: Best for interactive fundraising experiences

RallyUp is an online fundraising platform that enables nonprofits to create engaging events and boost participation through auctions, raffles, gamified peer-to-peer fundraising, and a-thons. 

Nonprofits can easily combine different fundraising methods. For example, you can add a raffle to an auction or incorporate peer-to-peer fundraising into a race or walk event. Teams can check in guests from any device.

💰 Pricing: RallyUp offers three plans: Free, Flex, and Enterprise. Core fundraising features, like raffles, auctions, ticketing, registration, and peer-to-peer fundraising, are available on the free plan. Features like live auctions, live display, and automated checkout are only available on the Flex plan, which charges a platform fee of 2.9%–6.9%.

🔥 Standout event registration features: 

• Real-time donation displays
• Multi-activity campaigns
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Branded storefront
• Livestreaming

✅ Best for: Nonprofits looking to create engaging fundraising events that combine different activities and prioritize the participant experience.

💬 Our take: RallyUp boasts solid features for creating different types of fun and engaging events. Potential downsides include required donor tipping on the free plan and advanced event features, such as live auctions, locked behind the paid plan.

How to choose which event registration software is right for you

The right event registration software can help you launch events with ease and provide a more engaging experience to attendees.

We’ve already covered some of the top options, but if you still need help deciding, consider these factors to narrow down your choices:

• Does the platform offer unlimited ticket types for in-person and virtual events? It should also let you set up different bundling options for tables, VIP experiences, and discounts.
• What percentage does the platform charge? Ideally, you’ll want to look for platforms that don’t charge any fees so your nonprofit can keep 100% of what it raises.
• Does the platform enable supporters to create their own personal fundraising pages? Peer-to-peer and team fundraising features can multiply your reach and raise more funds. 
• Does the software offer donor management capabilities? With a nonprofit CRM, you’ll be able to deepen relationships with donors and gain valuable insights into their behaviors.
• What integrations does it offer? The event registration software should replace or connect with your existing tools to sync your data.

If you’re looking for a platform that offers all these features and more, then give Givebutter a try. It combines event registration software with comprehensive fundraising tools, donor management, and peer-to-peer capabilities. 

The best part? No platform costs and optional donor-covered fees mean your nonprofit keeps 100% of the funds it raises.

Sign up for a free account to see why Givebutter is rated as the best event registration software for nonprofits.

FAQs about event registration software 

Still have questions? Here are some frequently asked questions about event registration software, along with our answers.

How much does event registration software cost?

It depends on the platform. Some event registration tools charge platform fees of 2%–5% per registration, while others use monthly subscriptions with lower transaction fees. Platforms like Givebutter offer free event registration tools with optional donor tips to cover fees, helping nonprofits keep costs low while still accessing powerful fundraising and event features.

What’s the difference between event registration software and fundraising platforms?

Event registration software primarily helps organizations manage attendee sign-ups, ticketing, and logistics. In contrast, fundraising platforms offer a broader range of capabilities, including donations, peer-to-peer campaigns, and donor management. Many platforms, such as Givebutter, combine both functionalities in a single solution.

What types of events can event registration software handle?

Nonprofits can use event registration software to manage events such as galas, auctions, workshops, and runs. Most platforms support both in-person and online events, with features tailored to each format’s specific needs. Givebutter, for example, handles in-person, virtual, and hybrid events in one place, with tools for ticketing, registrations, donations, and attendee engagement.