Event management software: 5 top platforms to consider

Events are a fantastic opportunity for fundraising, and several virtual event platforms now give changemakers better options for reaching audiences, selling tickets, and raising more for their causes in a number of ways.

We’ll walk you through some of the most important features to consider when choosing the right event registration and management software for your next event and compare these top software brands to help you find the best match for your organization.

• Givebutter
• OneCause
• Silent Auction Pro
• Grassroots Unwired
• Regpack

3 questions to ask when comparing nonprofit event management software

Fundraising events are one of the most popular ways to nonprofits to raise funds, but finding the right software to manage and promote your events is key to making them successful. Ask yourself the following questions when deciding on your next event management platform.

1. Does it have the tools you need? 🛠️

The first and most important thing to consider is whether your event management software meets the needs of your particular nonprofit. Have you moved many of your events online? If so, you’re likely looking for software with virtual features like online auctions or livestream capabilities. If you’ve noticed your donors have lost interest in your traditional events, adding some fun new bells and whistles may help you increase your audience and raise more funds.

Look at event software for nonprofits that has some or all of the following features:

• Customizable registration pages  
• Ability to create different ticket types and bundles
• Mobile check-in and ticket sales
• Peer-to-peer and team fundraising pages
• Livestream video capacity
• Silent auction features
• A variety of payment options
• Live display and text-to-donate
• Volunteer management tools
• Email and social media integrations

Every platform won’t be right for all organizations or kinds of events, so before you make your decision, determine which features are a must, and which you can live without.

2. Is it affordable? 💸

Your next step is to cope with the fact that it costs money to raise money. Thankfully, event platforms range in price, and some are even free! You’ll just need to find the software that gives you all the features you need for a price you can afford.

3. Is it easy to use? 🤩

Event software can offer hundreds of features but still be useless if you can’t get it to work. As you research potential event management platforms, check out online reviews and even signup for a free tour or demo if possible. This research gives you an unbiased view and may open your eyes to potential downsides you hadn’t thought of.  

5 of the best event software for nonprofits

You’ve determined what features you need and how much you can spend, so now it’s time to choose the platform that’s the best fit for you. Most nonprofits hold several events throughout the year, so you’ll want to choose one that works for most—if not all—event types that you have planned.

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1. Givebutter: Fun and free event management software for nonprofits

A free, all-in-one fundraising platform, Givebutter helps nonprofits raise more with customized donation pages, auctions, and events, whether they’ll be happening in person, virtually, or a hybrid mix of the two.

💰 Price: Thanks to optional tips from attendees and donors, nonprofits can keep all of the funds raised during their events.

🤩 Top event features:

• Unlimited ticket types, bundles, and promo codes (General Admission, VIP, Early Bird, etc.)
• “Can’t attend? Donate!” option
• Mobile app ticket sales and event check-in
• Customized auction items with start and end times, buy-now functionality, photos, and video
• Real-time auction updates and notifications for attendees to see new bids and items as they go live
• Live display and text-to-donate
• Peer-to-peer and team fundraising pages
• Livestream events and interactive supporter wall
• A variety of payment options, including Apple Pay and Venmo

✅ Best for: Changemakers looking for all of the fundraising and event management tools they need in one place without the hefty price tag

🔥 Our take: Givebutter makes planning your next fundraiser easy and fun, and its donor-friendly features make for a stress-free experience for your staff and attendees alike.

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2. OneCause: Unique and exciting features—if money isn’t an issue

Like Givebutter, OneCause provides numerous tools for fundraising and event planning like auctions, peer-to-peer fundraisers, and text-to-donate features.

💰 Price: While OneCause does not publicly share pricing information, you can request a demo or give them a call to get more information about their three different packages.

🤩 Top event features:

• Sell tickets online with personalized ticket packages, questions, options, and promo codes
• Upload table layouts and receive real-time data on table sales
• Attendees can manage their own profiles and self-checkout
• Automated paddle raises
• Customized individual donation moments
• Ability to display scoreboards and slide shows
• Live chat to engage in-person and virtual attendees

✅ Best for: Larger organizations that hold a significant number of events throughout the year and/or expect to raise a large amount of funds through their events

🔥 Our take: OneCause has several unique and exciting options to upgrade your auction. If you can afford it or find the elite features worth the money, it may be the answer to your event woes.

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3. Silent Auction Pro: All the online auction tools you need

Whether you’re holding an in-person, hybrid or virtual event, Silent Auction Pro helps nonprofits manage every aspect of their auction, from marketing and ticket sales to donor communications, in one platform.

💰 Price: Packages range from $449 to $899 annually, plus 2% of event proceeds.

🤩 Top event features:

• Online auction catalog
• Custom color branding, banner, and donate pages
• Printed display sheets, bid sheets, bid paddles, and tracking sheets
• Seating management tool with automatic table numbers for bidder paddles
• Customized banner space for sponsor ads
• Ability to features sponsors in animated banner

✅ Best for: Nonprofits looking for an affordable option for their auction software among other online auction platforms

🔥 Our take: Large galas are complicated and time-consuming, but this platform gives nonprofits solid tools that make it easy for donors to register, bid, and checkout.

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4. Grassroots Unwired: Made for endurance events

For nonprofits holding outdoor events or visiting supporters door-to-door, Grassroots Unwired is an excellent option to consider.

💰 Price: Pricing info isn’t listed on their website, but you can request a demo for more information.

🤩 Top fundraising event features: Their 4EventDay Mobile Platform includes:

• Real-time tracking of check-ins, registrations, donations, bib assignments, and more
• Cash and check donations
• Card reader integration for payment collection
• … all of which works without wifi coverage!

✅ Best for: Organizations with a strong ground game can use Grassroots Unwired to upgrade outreach to donors, but this software’s 4EventDay Mobile Platform is really why they’re on this list. Grassroots Unwired is best for organizations that hold 5k walks, swims, and cycling fundraisers.

🔥 Our take: Anyone that’s held an outdoor event knows how difficult registration and donor collection can be without reliable wifi. Grassroots Unwired takes the stress out of scanning barcodes, checking in pre-registered participants, syncing peer-to-peer pages, and capturing donations in the wild.

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5. Regpack: Empowering teams to reach more and raise more

With a different take on event registration and management, Regpack’s unique application flow for supporters focuses on data collection and personalized event registrations.

💰 Price: Plans start at $125/month per admin, plus a 2.1% payment processing fee.

🤩 Top fundraising event features:

• Customized landing pages and various ticket types
• Automated emails and texts to segment donors from your database
• In-person, virtual, or hybrid paddle raise to collect donations during your event
• Group registration
• Team-member access to donor data insight and communication tools
• Post-event surveys

✅ Best for: Nonprofits looking to engage fundraising teams to collect in-kind gifts and sponsorships and raise funds with peer-to-peer campaigns

🔥 Our take: Team fundraising to the max! RegPack empowers teams with data and mobilized event registration tools to engage greater numbers and raise more for your cause.

Free event registration software for nonprofits is within reach

We hope this software comparison will help you find the right fundraising event management platform for your needs and budget. As you research, remember that event fundraising doesn’t have to cost a lot.

Here at Givebutter, we’re proud to be a hub for nonprofits to access all the tools to sell tickets, collect donations, run online auctions, promote your events, and track donor activity—all for free! If you’re looking for an affordable option for your next event, sign up for your free Givebutter account today.

And if you go with another option, we hope it’s the right fit, but if not—we make switching to Givebutter easy peasy.