Free Live Auction Software for US Galas

It displays each live on screen, records the hammer price against the winner, adds it to the campaign tally and moves the winner into checkout. The auctioneer still runs the room.

For a live auction, yes. Software cannot build competition in a room. What it does is records winning bids, takes payment or adds bids to invoices for payment later.  Pre-biddng gives them a real bid for their opening number.

Opening live items for bidding to event guests and remote supporters before the auctioneer takes over. Pre-bids give the auctioneer real number rather than asking a silent room for an opening bid.

Yes, they can bid online alongside event guests before the auctioneer takes over. If the auctioneer doesn't sell the item for a higher bid than the pre-bid the the pre-bid can entered as the winning bid.  

Once winning bids have been entered payment can be taken in-person or pre-authorized cards can be charged. Payments settle to your own Stripe account. Use the checkout console to record invoices paid by cash, check or manual card.

Only the amount paid above the item’s fair market value may qualify as a charitable deduction. For payments over $75 where the winner receives goods or services in return, the IRS generally requires the nonprofit to provide a written disclosure explaining that only the amount above fair market value may be deductible and giving a good-faith estimate of that value.

No. A Fund-a-Need gift is generally a charitable donation, so the full amount may be deductible if the donor receives no goods or services in return. For a single contribution of $250 or more, the donor needs a written acknowledgment from the nonprofit to substantiate the deduction.

Yes, you only need one campaign which gives you one place for supporters to register. Then all your fundraising activites from event ticketing to silent auctions, live auctions and paddle raises, contribute to the same tally and the same checkout.