20 best online fundraising platforms for schools in 2026

School fundraising has come a long way. Today's platforms make it easier than ever to collect donations, run peer-to-peer campaigns, and keep families engaged, all without a paper form in sight. The tricky part? Choosing the right one.

With so many tools out there, it's easy to end up paying more than expected or juggling platforms that only do one thing well. Whether you need an all-in-one system for year-round PTO fundraising or a simple way to collect donations for a single event, this guide has you covered. Below, we break down 20 of the best fundraising platforms for schools, what they cost, how schools use them, and which one fits your needs best.

Top 20 fundraising platforms for schools at a glance

How we evaluated school fundraising platforms (so you don’t have to)

Teachers and school leaders are busy, and reviewing fundraising sites takes time. So we did the homework for you, focusing on what matters most to schools: tracking donations without spreadsheets, boosting family participation, and reducing administrative work. 

Here are the criteria we used to evaluate school fundraising software:

1. Popular with real schools 🏫 We reviewed top-rated platforms used by K–12 schools, PTAs, and booster clubs, not just general donation software.
2. Easy for everyone to use 🙌 If a platform couldn’t be set up quickly without IT support, it didn’t make the list.
3. Built for families 🎉 We prioritized mobile-friendly donation forms, engaging campaign features, and tools that make it simple for families to participate and share. 
4. Transparent pricing (mostly) 💵 We looked for platforms that clearly explain their costs, whether they’re free, flat-fee, or percentage-based. A few tools require custom quotes, but are still widely used and highly rated by schools. 
5. Helpful bonus features 🚀 We highlighted standout features that save time, increase results, or solve problems you didn’t even realize you had.

1. Givebutter: Best free, all-in-one platform for schools of every size 

Everything your school needs to fundraise lives in one place with Givebutter. From customizable donation forms and offline tracking for checks and cash to peer-to-peer fundraising, ticketed events, auctions, and text-to-donate, there's no need to juggle multiple platforms or logins. 

💛 Best for: Classroom teachers, PTOs/PTAs, booster clubs, and school teams that want one flexible platform for every type of fundraiser they run

💰 Price: Givebutter's core fundraising tools are free to use when optional donor tips are enabled, with zero processing or platform fees. Campaigns with disabled donor tips pay a flat 3% platform fee.

🏫 How schools use this: Donation drives, peer-to-peer and team pages, a-thons, ticketed events, auctions, and year-round PTO fundraising—with built-in email, fundraising thermometers, and QR codes to keep families engaged and donating

🔥 Our take: Givebutter is quick to set up and easy for everyone to use, from the PTO president to first-time donors. Every campaign supports the payment methods families already use, so no one gets stuck at checkout.

What users are saying about Givebutter

”Givebutter gave us an easy platform to use for school fundraising. Setting up the fundraiser took less than an hour, and we were able to customize it exactly how we wanted. The ease of sharing truly made our fundraiser a success. We raised $10K more than we did last year with a different platform, and I think a lot of it had to do with how easy it was for users to share the fundraiser.” — Randi R., School Support Specialist & Givebutter user

2. Snap! Raise: For school sports teams

Snap! Raise is built for teams and activity groups running time-bound campaigns. Coaches can launch fundraising pages, track fundraising data, and motivate students with incentives like custom gear and participation prizes.

💛 Best for: Youth sports teams, ROTC units, raising money for extracurriculars, and large-scale fundraisers 

💰 Price: Schools typically keep around 80% of what they raise, with the rest covering service and platform fees. For specific pricing, contact Snap! Raise directly. 

🏫 How schools use this: Launch time-limited fundraising campaigns, track progress with real-time dashboard reporting, sell merchandise, and run fundraising drives

🔥 Our take: Snap! Raise makes team fundraising simple and goal-oriented. Parents can donate through an easily shareable campaign link, and students stay motivated with incentives. But due to its higher fees, Snap! Raise may not fit every budget. 

What users are saying about Snap! Raise

“I love how quickly you can start the fundraiser and get donations flowing in immediately. I really like how the emails get sent out automatically once a week after the original send. I wanted a shorter time frame for the donations, and my rep was able to do that for me.” — Shaun P., Snap! Raise user

3. GiveCampus: For private schools and higher education

GiveCampus is a robust fundraising platform offering advanced tools for donor management, volunteer engagement, recurring giving, and campaign customization. 

💛 Best for: K–12 schools, colleges, and education foundations that need powerful back-end features and have the budget to match

💰 Price: Schools must contact GiveCampus directly for a custom quote. Additional fees may apply for advanced tools, integrations, or custom branding.

🏫 How schools use this: Manage events, launch peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, and set up recurring giving programs

🔥 Our take: GiveCampus’s powerful tools help schools manage volunteers, engage alumni, and build streamlined workflows for gift officers. It’s best suited for schools with established fundraising teams and larger budgets.  

What users are saying about GiveCampus

“GiveCampus gave our donors a simple way to give to areas of the school they are passionate about. It also allowed my team to manage our volunteers and put the power in the hands of the volunteers when it came to tracking their prospects and outreaches.” — Ashley S., VP of Advancement at Archbishop Spalding High School & GiveCampus user

4. RallyUp: For creative, prize-based school fundraisers

RallyUp goes beyond basic donation forms with tools for raffles, sweepstakes, auctions, a-thons, and product sales. It’s designed to boost participation through fun, reward-driven campaigns.

💛 Best for: Schools looking to run raffles and gamified fundraisers 

💰 Price: RallyUp is free when donors choose to cover transaction fees via an optional tip model. Schools can also opt for a flat-fee plan.

🏫 How schools use this: Launch fundraising raffles and sweepstakes, silent auctions, custom fundraising pages, or live-streamed events 

🔥 Our take: RallyUp provides the tools to launch competition-based fundraising. Its campaigns (including sweepstakes and a-thons) are exciting for participants and easy to share for organizers.  

What users are saying about RallyUp

“Our PTO used RallyUp for our recent school fundraiser silent auction, and we couldn't be happier with the experience! From the get-go, the platform was incredibly user-friendly for both our organizers and our bidders. Setting up the auction items was a breeze—the interface was intuitive, and adding descriptions and photos was straightforward.”  — Lauren N., PTO Event Chair at East Brook & RallyUp user

5. Vertical Raise: For school teams, arts programs, and clubs

Vertical Raise offers three different fundraising models. Each campaign includes a dedicated rep who guides setup, outreach, and strategy, creating a more hands-on partnership than a typical fundraising tool.

💛 Best for: Athletic programs, performing arts groups, and school clubs looking for hands-on, high-impact campaigns 

💰 Price: Vertical Raise doesn’t share pricing publicly. Organizations connect with a local fundraising rep who explains the models and provides a tailored quote.

🏫 How schools use this: Team-based fundraising, tracking group donations, managing and reporting on multiple campaigns at once, and larger fundraising efforts that benefit from expert help

🔥 Our take: Vertical Raise’s personalized, team-based fundraising pages are a great way to incentivize teamwork for a cause. But some users report that high processing fees can make it harder to reach fundraising goals, and the partnership approach may be more than some schools need. 

What users are saying about Vertical Raise

“This fundraiser was completely painless, and it was nice to run something that was out of our hands and all done online. It was simple and well laid out.” — Kelsey, Vertical Raise user

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6. OneCause: For school auctions and live events

OneCause is a fundraising platform built for schools and nonprofits that host in-person, virtual, or hybrid events. It’s especially popular for auctions, galas, and fund-a-need campaigns. 

💛 Best for: Schools focusing fundraising efforts on auctions, live events, or peer-to-peer fundraising 

💰 Price: OneCause offers custom pricing starting at $200 + 5% platform fee for its Pay-As-You-Go plan. Professional and Auction packages start at $2,995, with processing fees starting at 2%. 

🏫 How schools use this: Text-to-give campaigns for giving days, and fundraising events like auctions, luncheons, and galas

🔥 Our take: OneCause includes the tools schools need to run successful fundraising events. It’s a strong option for mobile bidding, easy ticketing, and strong donor engagement before, during, and after events.

What users are saying about OneCause

“While there are many incredible things about OneCause, perhaps the most impressive is their customer service. Anytime I have a general or specific question, they are always quick to answer and very friendly. We've had an on-site OneCause rep for our events, and they are also amazing. Our non-profit school couldn't ask for a better organization to partner up with.” — Kelly L., Advancement & Development Director & OneCause user

7. Cheddar Up: For collecting school payments, forms, and sign-ups

From spirit wear and school lunches to class dues and ticket sales, Cheddar Up replaces paper forms and scattered payment links with a streamlined checkout experience.

💛 Best for: Schools, PTAs, and parent leaders collecting payments, RSVPs, and waivers in one platform

💰 Price: Cheddar Up offers a free plan with unlimited collections and pages. Paid plans start at $15 per month. Transaction fees are around 3.5–3.95% + $0.45–$0.95 per transaction, while ACH payments typically carry lower fees. 

🏫 How schools use this: Annual giving campaigns, merchandise sales, lunch money collection, trip fees, waivers, and RSVPs

🔥 Our take: Cheddar Up stands out for its dual focus on payments and administrative automation. Schools can replace spreadsheets, Venmo threads, and paper forms with one streamlined system.

What users are saying about Cheddar Up

“For our soccerathon, we collect everyone’s t-shirt size. And for after-school enrichment, we have to collect signed waivers. With Cheddar Up, collecting payments plus that information is simple. It’s SUCH a clean platform.” — Andrea F., After-school Enrichment Coordinator at Northeast Elementary School & Cheddar Up user

8. BoostMySchool: For school stores and branded giving pages

With BoostMySchool, schools can easily create mobile-friendly spirit wear shops, sell event merch, and host giving days with donation pages matching their school’s branding.

💛 Best for: K–12 private and independent schools focused on online stores and branded giving experiences

💰 Price: BoostMySchool uses custom pricing with no setup fees. Schools pay a small platform fee plus a 1.1% processing fee, with optional donor tipping to offset costs. 

🏫 How schools use this: Giving days, online stores for spirit wear and event merchandise, branded landing pages with real-time donor feeds 

🔥 Our take: BoostMySchool combines donations, event registration, and merchandise sales into one platform. Schools can manage fundraising and online stores without juggling multiple tools.

What users are saying about BoostMySchool 

“BoostMySchool has been a great tool to illustrate the impact parents have and to inspire some healthy competition! For the first time, we were able to track parent giving by class easily (it was cumbersome and next to impossible in Raiser’s Edge).” — Ellie B., Director of Annual Giving & BoostMySchool user

9. GoFundMe Pro (previously Classy): For large-scale and district-wide campaigns

GoFundMe Pro, formerly known as Classy, is a fundraising platform offering advanced reporting, CRM integrations, and extensive customization options. 

💛 Best for: School districts, education foundations, and large-scale fundraising campaigns 

💰 Price: GoFundMe Pro pricing isn’t publicly available. 

🏫 How schools use this: Peer-to-peer and team fundraising, event pages and ticketing, giving days, capital campaigns, and recurring giving programs

🔥 Our take: GoFundMe Pro is built for organizations running complex initiatives like capital campaigns or district-wide giving days. Schools with larger fundraising budgets can benefit from their enterprise-level tools and CRM integrations.

What users are saying about GoFundMe Pro

“Classy works great for us because it integrates perfectly with our CRM (Salesforce), the customer service is excellent, and the end-user experience is great and getting better. It's comforting to know Classy is always on the leading edge of innovation.” — Brandon B., GoFundMe Pro user

10. Donately: For schools with an existing website

Donately offers embeddable forms, hosted donation pages, and basic donor analytics, making it easy to add reliable giving functionality to an existing website or share campaigns on social media. 

💛 Best for: Schools that already have a website and want a simple way to accept online donations

💰 Price: Donately offers a free plan with a 4% platform fee, or a 2% platform fee for $99 a month. Payment processing via Stripe adds 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for credit cards or 0.8% for ACH.

🏫 How schools use this: One-time and recurring donations, embeddable donation forms, website fundraising pages, and basic donor analytics

🔥 Our take: Donately offers a simple, mobile-friendly way to collect donations directly from your website. Embedded forms help reduce friction by keeping supporters on your site instead of redirecting them elsewhere to give. 

What users are saying about Donately

“The user interface for the giver is easy to use and clean, and looks good on our website. We love that there's an option to make a recurring gift and that we can fairly easily change the interface.” — Emily S., Pastor & Donately user

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11. BetterWorld: For prize-based fundraising

BetterWorld is a fundraising platform specializing in auctions, raffles, and giveaways, with an optional donor tipping model that helps schools keep more of what they raise.

💛 Best for:  Schools and PTAs looking for a low-cost way to run engaging, prize-driven campaigns

💰 Price: BetterWorld is free to use, with no platform fees. Schools only pay standard payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), which donors can cover through optional tipping.

🏫 How schools use this: Online auctions, raffles, sweepstakes, giveaway campaigns, one-time and recurring donations, and branded fundraising pages

🔥 Our take: BetterWorld is a solid, budget-friendly pick for schools that want to make fundraising feel like an event. Schools that need a broader toolkit, including peer-to-peer campaigns, email marketing, or donor tracking, may want to explore platforms with more all-in-one functionality.

What users are saying about BetterWorld

“It’s free, no charges, plus we keep a higher percentage of the money we get through fundraising compared with other platforms.” — Abhitendu M., Associate & BetterWorld user

More to explore

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12. SignUpGenius: For crowdfunding campaigns

SignUpGenius Donations, which replaced Fundly after SignUpGenius acquired it, is a streamlined fundraising tool designed for individuals, schools, and community groups. It combines donation pages, volunteer signups, ticketing, and event tools into a single ecosystem.

💛 Best for: Schools or groups already using SignUpGenius for volunteer coordination that want simple donation pages

💰 Price: Plans range from free to $44.99/month (billed annually), with Enterprise pricing available. Payments are processed through Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, and optional donor tipping can offset costs.

🏫 How schools use this: Classroom or PTA fundraising campaigns, donation pages connected to volunteer signups, tiered giving with perks, and mobile-friendly donation pages

🔥 Our take: SignUpGenius Donations is a natural fit for schools already organizing volunteers or events on the platform. It’s best suited for running simple crowdfunding campaigns rather than all-in-one fundraising strategies.

What users are saying about SignUpGenius (Fundly)

“If it works well, it's nice that people can just enter the amount they want to donate, all from the comfort of their own couch. A one-time donation typically works fine.” — Hannah K., At-risk Ministry Leader & Fundly user

13. SchoolAuction.net: For high-budget schools & large auction events

SchoolAuction.net is a software designed specifically for schools hosting in-person or online fundraising auctions. 

💛 Best for: Private schools, education foundations, and high-budget public institutions with complex event needs

💰 Price: Pricing starts at $79 per event (plus 3% performance and 3% processing fees). Annual plans range from $1K–$3K per year for unlimited events and premium features.

🏫 How schools use this: Virtual or in-person auctions, silent auctions, guest check-in and seating, mobile bidding, and auction item procurement 

🔥 Our take: SchoolAuction.net is one of the more advanced auction platforms built specifically for schools. While it’s more costly than many tools on this list, it provides strong event management features, mobile bidding, and easy ticket purchases. 

What users are saying about SchoolAuction.net

“I've been running school silent auctions for over 10 years and have used a variety of tools to do so. This is by far the best product we've ever used. From guest management to ease of checkout to donor item entry, everything is a breeze.” — Amy C., SchoolAuction.net user

14. 99Pledges: For a‑thon-style fundraisers

Instead of collecting paper forms and manually tracking donations, 99Pledges simplifies pledge-based fundraising by automatically generating ready-to-share fundraising pages for every participant.

💛 Best for: Schools running walk-a-thons, read-a-thons, fun runs, and other pledge-based events

💰 Price: 99Pledges is free to use with 0% platform fees and no setup costs. Transaction fees are 3.49% + $0.49 per donation. Many schools pass these fees to donors to keep 100% of funds raised.

🏫 How schools use this: To simplify and automate classic a-thon fundraisers 

🔥 Our take: 99Pledges offers a simple and affordable paperless pledge system with helpful features like automated receipts and donor thank yous to reduce admin work for organizers. 

15. SchoolFundr: For elementary school fundraising 

SchoolFundr is a lightweight fundraising site for schools and student groups that need a quick way to launch donation pages without complex setup. SchoolFundr+ offers a plan for school leaders to track fundraising activities across the whole organization. 

💛 Best for: Schools wanting a quick fundraiser and a platform with a low learning curve

💰 Price: SchoolFundr has no platform or subscription fees. Schools only pay standard processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), with optional donor tips to help cover costs.

🏫 How schools use this: Classroom or team fundraising pages, custom donation campaigns, leaderboard-style fundraising competitions 

🔥 Our take: SchoolFundr offers simplicity for schools that want a fast, low-effort way to start fundraising. SchoolFundr+ offers school leaders deeper analytical insights and customized training sessions. 

Time-saving tips

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16. Givebacks: For organization-wide fundraising 

Givebacks offers advanced fundraising solutions for PTAs, school districts, and academic booster clubs. It makes it easy to sell merch, manage fundraising, and track supporter data in one place. 

💛 Best for: School sports clubs, parent-teacher organizations, and school district leaders looking for an organization-wide fundraising solution

💰 Price: Givebacks offers two plans. The Pro Plan costs $499 per year and includes fundraising and communication tools. Premium costs $599 per year and adds expanded features and dedicated customer support. 

🏫 How schools use this: Selling merchandise and managing orders, fundraising events, auctions, raffles, sweepstakes, fundraising reports, and overseeing multiple chapters of a group

🔥 Our take: Givebacks’ higher price point and advanced fundraising features make it best suited for schools looking for an institution-wide fundraising solution. 

17. RaiseRight: For low-effort, creative fundraising

RaiseRight uses a gift card fundraising model where schools earn donations whenever their supporters purchase gift cards through the platform. 

💛 Best for: Teachers and schools looking for an easy fundraising option 

💰 Price: RaiseRight is free to join. Gift card processing fees are $0.29 per ACH transaction, 1% of the gift card amount for debit card transactions, and 3% for credit card transactions. 

🏫 How schools use this: Gift card fundraising for classroom supplies, field trips, facility upgrades, or school programs 

🔥 Our take:  RaiseRight offers a unique, low-effort fundraising model built around gift card purchases. Because it doesn’t include fundraising tools like donation pages or event management, it works best as one part of a broader fundraising strategy. 

18. FundHub: For elementary school fundraising events

FundHub, also known as Get Movin’, is a fundraising app for schools to organize events and student fundraisers. Each participant gets their own fundraising page, and families can donate through the app with just a few clicks. 

💛 Best for: Elementary schools running event-based fundraisers or traditional a-thon campaigns

💰 Price: FundHub typically charges 4% of the online donation total. There is no fee for offline donations. 

🏫 How schools use this: Team fundraising events, a-thon fundraisers, and donation tracking 

🔥 Our take: FundHub is a simple, effective tool for school fundraising events. Setup is quick, and the mobile donation option is convenient for families. However, schools should factor in the 4% online fee when estimating what they'll keep. 

19. Successfund: For schools partnering with sponsors

Successfund provides customizable fundraising templates to help schools launch campaigns for tournaments, bake sales, and other events. Schools can also start their own fundraiser from scratch. 

💛 Best for: Schools seeking corporate sponsors to support fundraising campaigns

💰 Price: Successfund charges $1 + 5% for each transaction.  

🏫 How schools use this: Sponsored fundraising campaigns, event fundraising pages, real-time donation tracking, and media uploads from sponsors

🔥 Our take: Successfund offers customizable campaign pages and built-in fundraising tools that can be valuable for schools looking to secure local business support while organizing fundraisers.

More to explore

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20. DonorsChoose: For public schools in need of classroom resources

DonorsChoose allows public schools to fundraise for classroom supplies. Teachers can set up a fundraising project, and once enough money is raised, DonorsChoose purchases the requested items and ships them directly to the schools. 

💛 Best for: Public school teachers raising funds for classroom supplies and projects

💰 Price: DonorsChoose charges a $30 fee per project, along with a 1.5% processing fee. 

🏫 How schools use this: Launch fundraisers without creating a fundraising page, raise funds for school supplies listed in the DonorsChoose catalog

🔥 Our take: DonorsChoose offers a simple way for teachers to fund classroom needs with minimal setup. Because donations can only be used for items from its catalog, it works best as a supplemental fundraising strategy. 

Simplify school fundraising with Givebutter

For some schools, one specialized tool is all they need. But for most, the needs add up fast—PTO payments, peer-to-peer campaigns, ticket sales, auctions, donation drives. That often means multiple fundraising platforms, more fees, and more confusion for families.

Givebutter brings it all together in one free, easy-to-use platform. As G2's #1 Nonprofit Software of 2026, it's trusted by schools of every size to raise more without the hassle. And thanks to the Givebutter Guarantee, core fundraising tools are completely free to use when optional donor tips are enabled, so your school keeps 100% of funds raised.

Create your free Givebutter account today and start raising more for the students and programs that matter most.

FAQs about fundraising websites for schools 

What’s the best free fundraising platform for schools? 

Givebutter is the best free fundraising platform for schools. It includes customizable donation pages, event management tools like ticketing and auctions, and built-in marketing features like social sharing and email blasts to help keep families engaged.

How much do school fundraising platforms charge?

Pricing varies by platform. Some tools are free to use when optional donor tips are enabled (like Givebutter). Some school fundraising platforms range from free with processing fees (like BetterWorld, 99Pledges, and SchoolFundr) to $499+ per year, while others require you to call for a custom quote. 

Do I need a 501(c)(3) to use school fundraising platforms? 

Not always. Some platforms require you to be a registered 501(c)(3), but many schools can set up a fundraising account without this. 

With Givebutter, you don’t need to be a registered nonprofit organization to start fundraising. Simply set up your free account, launch your campaign, and begin accepting donations. 

Does Givebutter offer free resources for schools?

Yes! Beyond fundraising software, we’ve created a few simple tools schools can use year-round:

• A customizable spelling worksheet generator for quick classroom assignments
• An easy grading calculator to simplify percentage calculations
• A test grade percentage calculator to quickly calculate quiz and exam scores

They’re free, easy to use, and designed to support educators—whether you’re planning your next fundraiser or managing day-to-day school activities.