What online giving platforms really cost your church
Online giving platforms charge two layers: a card processing fee of roughly 2.2 to 2.9 percent plus about $0.30 per transaction, and in many cases a separate platform fee on top. On small recurring gifts the fixed per-transaction charge matters more than the percentage, because $0.30 on a $10 gift is 3 percent by itself.
Why do two fees appear on every gift?
Every online gift passes through a payment processor, which charges roughly 2.2 to 2.9 percent of the amount plus a fixed charge of about $0.30. This layer is unavoidable; it is what the card networks cost.
Many giving platforms add a second layer on top, either as a further percentage, a monthly subscription, or both. This is the layer worth examining, because it varies enormously between providers and is often presented in marketing material as though it were the only fee.
Which fee structure is worse for a small church?
The fixed per-transaction charge is the one that damages small congregations. A church whose typical online gift is $10 to $25 loses a much larger share to the flat $0.30 than a church whose typical gift is $200.
Worked example: a congregation receiving 40 gifts of $15 per month processes $600. At 2.5 percent plus $0.30 the cost is $27, which is 4.5 percent, not 2.5. The advertised percentage understates the real cost by nearly double.
The same congregation receiving four gifts of $150 processes the same $600 for $16.20, or 2.7 percent.
Should the church ask givers to cover the fee?
Most platforms offer an option letting the giver add the processing fee to their gift. Uptake in practice is meaningful but never universal, so the church should budget as though roughly half of givers decline.
The option is worth enabling. It is not worth making mandatory, because a required surcharge at the moment of giving reads as a toll and reduces completion.
How do I work out what this costs us per year?
Take the number of online gifts per month, not the total amount. Multiply by $0.30 to get the fixed cost. Then take the total amount and multiply by the percentage. Add both, multiply by twelve.
Doing this before choosing a provider changes the decision more often than not, because it exposes churches with many small gifts to the fact that per-transaction pricing dominates their cost.
Does the website choice affect the fees?
No. The giving provider sets the fees, not the website. A custom-built site, a WordPress site and a church website builder all pay the same processor rates for the same provider.
What the website affects is completion: how many people who intend to give actually finish. A giving page that loads slowly, demands account creation, or breaks on a phone loses gifts regardless of how competitive the fees are.
What does Christian Web Designer recommend?
Christian Web Designer does not receive commission from any giving provider and therefore has no provider to push. The setup work is included in the website build and the choice of provider stays with the church.
The recommendation is procedural rather than brand-specific: calculate the annual cost using your own gift pattern, check whether the provider holds funds before payout, and confirm the provider operates in your country before committing.
| Gift pattern | Gifts per month | Percentage fee | Fixed fees | Total cost | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Many small gifts | 40 x $15 | $15.00 | $12.00 | $27.00 | 4.5% |
| Mixed | 12 x $50 | $15.00 | $3.60 | $18.60 | 3.1% |
| Few large gifts | 4 x $150 | $15.00 | $1.20 | $16.20 | 2.7% |
Calculated at 2.5% plus $0.30 per transaction. Percentages vary by provider and country; the pattern does not.
Work in this area
Frequently asked questions
Are church giving platforms cheaper than PayPal?
Not automatically. PayPal offers reduced rates to registered charities in several countries, which can undercut dedicated giving platforms. Compare using your own gift pattern rather than the advertised headline rate.
Can we accept gifts from other countries?
Most major providers support international cards, but payout currencies and available countries differ. Confirm this before committing if the congregation receives support from abroad.
Do recurring gifts cost more than one-off gifts?
The per-transaction charge applies each time, so twelve monthly gifts of $25 cost more in fees than one annual gift of $300. Some churches mention this and let givers decide.
Is text giving worth it?
Text giving usually carries its own additional fee and duplicates what a well-built giving page already does on a phone. It is worth the cost only where a congregation genuinely uses it.
Who handles the tax receipts?
Most platforms generate annual giving statements automatically. Check this before choosing, because producing them by hand consumes real volunteer time every January.
Talk it through first
A short call costs nothing and usually clarifies whether this is the right next step for your organisation.
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