Fundraising Software for UK Charities: What to Look for in 2026

Fundraising software can help UK charities collect donations, organise fundraising events and reduce some of the manual administration that comes with raising money.

But fundraising software can mean very different things depending on the organisation using it.

A small charity running online appeals may need straightforward donation tools. An organisation holding an annual gala dinner might need ticketing, guest management, auctions, raffles and donations working together. A larger charity may also require separate software for supporter records, communications and long-term donor management.

The right choice therefore depends less on how many features a system offers and more on whether those features match the way your organisation actually fundraises.

This guide explains the different types of fundraising software available to UK charities, the features worth considering and the questions to ask before choosing a system.

What Is Fundraising Software?

Fundraising software is technology designed to help charities and other organisations manage fundraising activities.

Depending on the software, this can include:

• Online donations
• Fundraising campaigns
• Charity auctions
• Raffles
• Event ticketing
• Guest management
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Supporter records
• Payment processing
• Campaign reporting

Not every fundraising system provides all of these features.

Some products specialise in one area, such as donor management or online giving. Others concentrate on fundraising events. Some bring several campaign activities together.

This is why charities should first decide what they actually need the software to do.

Why Do UK Charities Use Fundraising Software?

Fundraising can involve a surprising amount of administration.

Even a relatively straightforward charity event might require a team to manage ticket sales, guest details, payments, auction bids, donations, raffle entries and financial reporting.

Without suitable software, much of that information may end up spread across spreadsheets, emails and different online tools.

Fundraising software can bring some of these activities together.

The practical benefit is not simply that fundraising becomes digital. The software should make it easier for the organisation to manage the campaign and easier for supporters to participate.

A useful system should reduce unnecessary manual work rather than create another complicated process for staff and volunteers to learn.

Different Types of Fundraising Software

There is no single category of fundraising software that suits every charity.

Understanding the main types can make it easier to identify what your organisation needs.

Online Donation Software

Donation software allows supporters to contribute online.

The organisation creates a donation page or appeal, explains what it is raising money for and gives supporters a way to make a payment.

For charities mainly running online appeals, this may be the most important requirement.

The supporter experience should be simple, particularly on mobile devices.

Event Fundraising Software

Event fundraising software is designed for organisations raising money through charity dinners, balls, golf days, school events and other in-person fundraisers.

These campaigns can involve much more than donations.

Organisers may need a platform that can handle event ticketing, tables and guest list management, event check-in, silent auctions, live auctions, raffles, pledges and payment collection.

When these activities can work within the same fundraising setup the experience is far more streamlined for organisers and supporters alike.

Charity Auction Software

Auction software allows charities to create digital auction catalogues and manage bidding electronically.

Supporters can view lots and place bids using their phones or computers.

For in-person events, digital bidding can replace traditional paper bid sheets while giving organisers a clearer view of bidding activity.

Depending on the software, participants may also receive notifications when they have been outbid.

Raffle Software

Raffle software can help organisations issue digital tickets, manage ticket sales and conduct a draw.

UK charities need to remember that using software does not remove the legal responsibilities associated with running a raffle or lottery.

The requirements depend on the type of lottery being organised and how tickets are sold.

Organisations should understand the rules that apply before launching their campaign.

Donor and Supporter Management Software

Some fundraising software focuses more heavily on maintaining supporter information over time.

This may include donation history, supporter details, communication preferences and records of previous interactions.

These systems can be useful for charities with ongoing supporter relationship programmes.

However, donor management software and event fundraising software are not necessarily the same thing.

A charity should avoid assuming that a system designed primarily for maintaining supporter records will automatically provide the specialist tools needed to run an auction or gala dinner.

Start With Your Fundraising Activities

Before comparing fundraising software, look at how your organisation raises money during a typical year.

List the main activities you currently run.

Perhaps your charity organises several donation appeals and one major fundraising dinner.

A school might run a summer fête, Christmas raffle, auction and sponsored challenge.

A sports club could rely on events, raffles and donations from members.

Once those activities are clear, you can identify the features that are genuinely important.

This prevents your team from choosing software based on an impressive feature list that has little connection to how you actually fundraise.

Look for an Easy Supporter Experience

Fundraising software needs to work for supporters as well as organisers.

Think about what someone experiences after opening your campaign.

Can they immediately understand what the fundraiser is about?

Can they find the action they want to take?

Is it easy to donate, buy a ticket or place a bid?

Can they complete the process from their phone?

These questions are particularly important for fundraising events.

Someone attending a charity dinner may be speaking with friends, listening to a presentation and eating whilst also trying to bid in an auction.

They should not need complicated instructions simply to participate.

The best technology for an event often becomes almost invisible because supporters can understand what to do without thinking about the software behind it.

Prioritise Mobile Fundraising

Mobile usability should be one of the first things you test when evaluating fundraising software.

Supporters may arrive at your campaign after scanning a QR code, clicking a link in an email, opening a WhatsApp message or seeing a social media post.

At a physical fundraising event, their phone may be the main device they use throughout the evening.

Campaign pages should therefore be easy to read and use on smaller screens.

Buttons should be clear, payment processes straightforward and important information easy to find.

Do not rely entirely on screenshots or demonstrations.

Before committing to software, try the supporter experience on a mobile device yourself.

Consider Event Ticketing and Guest Management

If events form an important part of your fundraising programme, ticketing should be considered alongside fundraising rather than treated as a completely separate process.

A charity dinner may involve individual tickets, tables, guest names, dietary requirements and check-in.

When ticketing is connected to the wider fundraising campaign, guests can potentially move from registration into other fundraising activities without starting again on another system.

For organisers, this can also reduce the need to maintain separate spreadsheets for ticket purchasers and fundraising participants.

Think about what happens from the moment someone buys a ticket until they leave the event.

The software should support that journey rather than only handling the initial transaction.

Consider Auction Features

If your organisation regularly runs charity auctions, look beyond whether the software simply allows you to list an item.

Consider how bidding actually works.

Can supporters browse auction lots before the event?

Can they bid from their phones?

Are participants informed when someone has outbid them?

Can organisers manage silent and live auction activity?

How are winning bids handled once the auction closes?

For larger events, you may also want to display auction information or fundraising progress on screens around the venue.

The right features depend on how your auction is organised, so map out the bidding process before choosing software.

Check Raffle Functionality Carefully

Raffles can be an effective addition to a UK fundraising event, but organisations need to understand the rules associated with the type of raffle they intend to run.

The software may help with ticket sales, numbered tickets, participant records and the draw itself.

However, responsibility for running the activity appropriately remains with the organisation.

Before choosing raffle software, establish whether your organisation intends to sell tickets only at an event or make them available in advance or online.

Those differences can affect the requirements that apply.

The technology should support the way your raffle needs to operate rather than encouraging your organisation to use a format it has not properly planned.

Understand How Payments Work

Payment handling should be discussed before your organisation signs up for fundraising software.

Do not assume every system handles money in the same way.

Ask where payments go after supporters complete a transaction.

Does the fundraising software hold the funds before paying them to your organisation?

Are payments processed through your own payment account?

How long does settlement normally take?

What information will your finance team receive?

These details matter when your organisation needs to reconcile donations, ticket purchases, auction payments and other campaign income.

Your treasurer or finance team should understand the payment process before the campaign begins, not after the first transactions arrive.

Compare the Complete Cost

Pricing for fundraising software can be structured in several ways.

There may be subscription costs, platform fees, payment processing charges or fees linked to individual transactions.

Instead of looking only at the headline price, calculate how the pricing model would work for your own fundraising activity.

A charity running one large annual event may have different priorities from an organisation running smaller campaigns every month.

Fee transparency is also important for supporters. Some providers like GalaBid offer a free fundraising platform to charities. The platform is funded by tips from supporters who are asked to tip when making payment. GalaBid  shares 10% of each tip with the charity running the campaign.  

The Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice includes requirements around how online fundraising platform fees are presented. Where relevant fees are charged, information about how they are calculated and how much the platform receives should be clearly available before donors provide their financial details.

Your organisation should understand both what it will pay and what supporters will see during checkout.

Consider Gift Aid Requirements

Gift Aid is an important consideration for many UK charities.

Eligible charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs can claim an additional 25p for every £1 donated when the relevant HMRC conditions are met.

However, not every payment made through fundraising software qualifies for Gift Aid.

A voluntary donation is different from purchasing an event ticket, buying a raffle ticket or paying for an auction item.

If Gift Aid forms part of your fundraising programme, consider what information the software collects from donors and how your organisation can access that information for its claims.

Do not assume that the software automatically makes every payment eligible for Gift Aid.

Your organisation remains responsible for making sure its claims meet HMRC requirements.

Think About Supporter Data

Fundraising software can collect a significant amount of supporter information.

Depending on the campaign, this might include names, email addresses, phone numbers, payment information, bidding activity or event details.

Your organisation should understand what information is being collected, why it is needed, where it is stored and how it can be accessed.

It is also important to distinguish between information required to administer a fundraising transaction and information used for future marketing.

Fundraising communications can fall within UK direct marketing rules, so charities need appropriate processes for using supporter information and respecting communication preferences.

Data protection should therefore be considered during software selection rather than being left until after the system has been introduced.

Look at Reporting

Good reporting can save fundraising teams considerable time after a campaign.

Think about the information your organisation will need.

For an online donation appeal, that might include donation amounts and donor information.

For an event, reporting may need to cover tickets, guests, auction bids, raffle sales, donations and outstanding payments.

The software should make it possible to access the information your team needs without manually combining several spreadsheets.

Consider who will use the reports as well.

Fundraising staff, volunteers, event organisers and finance teams may all need different information.

A reporting system is useful when it makes campaign activity easier to understand rather than simply producing large amounts of data.

Consider Branding and Campaign Presentation

Your fundraising campaign represents your organisation.

Supporters should be able to recognise who is running it and understand the purpose of the fundraiser.

Useful fundraising software should allow appropriate campaign information, branding and imagery to be added without requiring specialist design knowledge.

For an event, you may also want to display sponsors, auction items and campaign information.

Keep the supporter experience at the centre of these decisions.

Branding should support the campaign rather than make the page unnecessarily complicated.

A clear fundraising message and an obvious next step remain more important than decorative features.

Look at Fundraising Software Support

Software support may not seem important when you are comparing features several months before an event.

It becomes much more important when your fundraiser is live.

If your organisation runs evening or weekend events, find out when help is available.

Consider how support is provided and whether your staff or volunteers can speak with someone when they need assistance.

This can be particularly important for smaller charities, schools and clubs where the person managing the campaign may not have specialist technical experience.

Good fundraising software should be usable without constant assistance, but support should be available when something unexpected happens.

Avoid Using Too Many Separate Systems

It is common for organisations to add new fundraising tools as different needs arise.

One system handles donations.

Another sells event tickets.

A spreadsheet manages guests.

Another platform runs the auction.

A separate process handles the raffle.

Each individual decision may make sense at the time, but the result can be a collection of systems that staff and volunteers have to manage together.

Consider whether some activities could reasonably be combined.

For an organisation running event-led fundraising, bringing ticketing, auctions, raffles and donations into the same campaign can reduce the number of accounts, reports and supporter journeys that need to be managed.

That does not mean every charity needs one piece of software for everything.

The aim is to avoid unnecessary complexity.

Fundraising Software for Small UK Charities

Small charities often have different requirements from organisations with dedicated fundraising and technology teams.

Ease of use can be especially important.

A campaign might be managed by a small group of employees, trustees or volunteers who only use the fundraising software several times each year.

They should not need extensive technical knowledge simply to create a campaign.

Pricing also needs to suit the scale of the organisation.

Before choosing software, consider how frequently you expect to use it and which features are genuinely necessary.

A smaller charity may benefit more from software that does a few important jobs well than from a complex system containing functions the team rarely uses.

Fundraising Software for Schools and PTAs

Schools and PTAs often run several different types of fundraiser throughout the year.

These could include fêtes, auctions, raffles, sponsored challenges and ticketed events.

Because fundraising may be organised by parents or volunteers, software needs to be straightforward to learn and easy to hand over when committee members change.

Mobile participation can also be particularly useful.

Parents can access campaigns from their phones without needing complicated instructions or specialist equipment.

When choosing fundraising software for a school or PTA, consider whether the system can support different campaign types rather than solving only one event.

Fundraising Software for Charity Events

Event fundraising creates its own set of requirements.

A charity gala, ball or golf day may involve ticket sales before the event, guest check-in on arrival, silent bidding throughout the evening, a live auction, raffle sales, pledges and final payments.

These activities need to work together while the event continues around them.

This is where specialist event fundraising software can differ from a standard online donation system.

Rather than concentrating only on collecting a payment, event software needs to support the entire fundraising experience.

For organisations that rely heavily on events, this distinction should be considered early in the selection process.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing Fundraising Software

Before choosing a system, your organisation should be able to answer a few practical questions.

What fundraising activities do we run most often?

Will supporters mainly participate online, at events or both?

Does the software work well on mobile devices?

How are payments processed?

What fees apply?

What information can we access after the campaign?

Does the software support the types of auctions, raffles or events we run?

How will supporter data be handled?

What help is available if something goes wrong?

Can staff and volunteers learn to use the system without extensive training?

These questions are often more useful than simply comparing the number of features each product advertises.

Common Fundraising Software Mistakes

One mistake is choosing software before deciding what the campaign actually requires.

This can leave organisations paying for features they do not use while still missing functions they need.

Another is evaluating the system entirely from the organiser's perspective.

A powerful dashboard is useful, but the supporter experience matters just as much.

Organisations can also underestimate payment and reporting requirements. Finance teams should understand how money and campaign data will be handled before the fundraiser begins.

Finally, avoid introducing new software immediately before a major event without testing it.

Run through the complete experience as both an organiser and a supporter.

Testing early gives your team time to identify questions and make adjustments before the campaign goes live.

How GalaBid Supports UK Event Fundraising

GalaBid provides fundraising software for UK charities, schools, clubs and community organisations running online and event-based campaigns.

The platform brings together event ticketing and check-in, silent and live auctions, raffles, pledges and donations within one fundraising campaign.

Supporters can participate through their phone's web browser without needing to download an app.

For UK campaigns, online payments are processed through the organisation's connected Stripe account. GalaBid does not hold campaign funds before passing them to the organisation.

This can be particularly useful for event-led fundraising where organisers would otherwise need separate systems for tickets, guest information, auction bidding, raffle activity and donations.

GalaBid is not intended to replace every type of charity software. Organisations looking primarily for a full charity CRM, for example, may have different requirements.

For charities focused on fundraising events and campaigns, the aim is to give organisers and supporters one place to manage the activities happening around the fundraiser.

Choose Fundraising Software Around Your Organisation

There is no single fundraising software setup that will suit every UK charity.

Start with your organisation rather than the technology.

Look at how you currently raise money, which activities create the most administration and how supporters prefer to participate.

Then evaluate the practical details.

Consider mobile usability, donations, ticketing, auctions, raffles, payment handling, reporting, fees, Gift Aid information, supporter data and available support.

Most importantly, test the software from the supporter's perspective.

Fundraising technology should make taking part easier. If it creates additional barriers for supporters or unnecessary work for your team, it is not solving the problem it was introduced to address.

The right fundraising software should fit naturally into your campaigns and give your team more time to concentrate on the cause, the supporters and the fundraising itself.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fundraising Software

What is fundraising software?

Fundraising software is technology used to help charities and other organisations manage fundraising activities. Depending on the system, it may support donations, auctions, raffles, events, ticketing, supporter information, payments and reporting.

What fundraising software do UK charities need?

The answer depends on how the charity raises money. An organisation focused on online donations may need different software from a charity running gala dinners, auctions, raffles and ticketed events. Start by identifying your regular fundraising activities before comparing systems.

Can fundraising software manage charity events?

Yes, specialist event fundraising software can support activities such as ticket sales, guest check-in, auctions, raffles, donations and pledges. The available features depend on the system being used.

Can fundraising software help with Gift Aid?

Some fundraising software can collect information needed to support Gift Aid processes. However, Gift Aid only applies to eligible donations that meet HMRC requirements. It does not automatically apply to every payment made during a fundraising campaign.

Can small charities use fundraising software?

Yes. Small charities, schools, clubs and community organisations can use fundraising software. Ease of use, pricing and support can be particularly important when campaigns are managed by small teams or volunteers.

What should I look for in fundraising software?

Look at the fundraising activities supported, mobile experience, payment handling, fees, reporting, supporter data, branding, available support and how easy the software is for both organisers and supporters to use.

Is fundraising software the same as a charity CRM?

Not necessarily. A charity CRM generally focuses on managing supporter relationships and records over time, while fundraising software may focus more directly on running campaigns, collecting donations or managing fundraising events. Some systems offer elements of both.

Can fundraising software be used for auctions and raffles?

Some fundraising software supports charity auctions and raffles alongside donations and event ticketing. UK organisations running raffles or lotteries should still check the rules that apply to their particular fundraising activity.

Ready to Find the Right Fundraising Setup?

Whether you're planning a charity dinner, auction, raffle, ticketed event or online fundraising campaign, the right software can make the experience easier for your team and your supporters.

GalaBid brings event ticketing, auctions, raffles and donations together in one fundraising campaign, giving UK organisations flexible tools for online and in-person fundraising.

Explore GalaBid's pricing options available to charity fundraisers in the UK and book a call with our team. We have been working with UK fundraisers since 2012.