We Tested Both Platforms: Honest Thoughts on Donorbox and DonorDrive

Fundraising online is more critical than ever. Digitalization of nonprofits has given rise to a new challenge: selecting the proper donation platform. In this blog, we will discuss our firsthand experiences with Donorbox and DonorDrive, two of the donation platforms we tested.

Regardless of whether you’re yet to start or are looking to make a switch, this post provides valuable insights regarding each platform's offerings

What are Donorbox and DonorDrive?

Donorbox

Small to medium nonprofits can take advantage of Donorbox, a straightforward donation platform. The platform can assist in collecting one-off and recurring donations due to customizable donation forms, which can be embedded into your website.

Key features:

• Goal meters
• Donor management tools
• Embeddable forms
• Integrations (Mailchimp, Zapier, etc.)
• Recurring donations

DonorDrive

Health foundations and larger organizations have a specific platform they use for peer-to-peer, live streaming, and event-based fundraising: DonorDrive. The platform has been noted to cater well to these types of non-profits.

Key Features:

• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Event Registration and Ticketing
• Live Fundraising Tools
• Campaign Pages and Team Fundraising
• CRM and Donor Engagement Tools

User Interface and Ease of Use

Donorbox

Donorbox offers a clean and simple dashboard. Creating your first donation form is a matter of minutes. We liked how simple it was to edit form colors and add logos.

DonorDrive

Interfaces are easier than DonorDrive, but still rather technical. Accomplishing your goals can take a minimum of time because of the abundant features available for onboarding assistance. The dashboard is full of tools that, though time-consuming, will grant one a simple experience in terms of understanding once they're familiar with it.

Verdict: In our Donorbox vs DonorDrive review, Donorbox is the recommended option for beginners and smaller nonprofits, while DonorDrive is a better choice if you need more power and flexibility

Features and Functionality

Both platforms offer:

• Recurring donations
• Custom donation pages
• Donor management
• Email integrations
• Goal tracking

What stands out:

DonorBox: Easy embed codes, supports Apple Pay & Google Pay, quick setup for WordPress users.

DonorDrive: Fundraising team pages, campaign progress bars, donor incentives, and live streaming with Twitch integration.

Verdict: DonorDrive has larger options for fundraising campaigns. Donorbox keeps it simple and effective.

Payment Processing and Fees

Feature

Donorbox

DonorDrive

Platform fee

1.75% (free plan)

Custom pricing (often higher)

Processing fees

Stripe/PayPal fees apply

Stripe/PayPal fees apply

Donor-covered fees

Yes

Yes

Payment methods

Card, ACH, Apple Pay, etc.

Card, PayPal

Supported countries

40+

Mostly U.S. and Canada

Verdict: Donorbox is more transparent with fees and more budget-friendly for smaller orgs.

Performance and Reliability

When conducting testing:

• Donorbox forms had a fast load speed relative to mobile users.
• With slower loading speeds, DonorDrive pages ran smoother while being more interactive.We have not encountered any downtime issues with both platforms.
• The campaign builder in DonorDrive is more advanced, but this comes at the cost of some elements taking longer to load.

Verdict: Both systems have strong capabilities, though Donorbox outperforms in speed with under-resourced websites.

Customer Support and Additional Resources

Donorbox

• Responses to emails are quick.
• Donorbox now offers live chat, although this is only available to those on the paid plans.
• Guides and self-help materials are readily available.

DonorDrive

• Email and phone support are provided, along with other forms of support available to large paying clients.
• Support for larger clients is more personalized, with dedicated onboarding. Webinars and community events provide support.

Verdict: In terms of rich personal support for large organizations, DonorDrive excels. For self-service support, Donorbox is ideal.

Pricing and Scalability

Plan Type

Donorbox

DonorDrive

Free version

Yes (with fee)

No

Monthly plans

$0 to $139+

Custom quotes only

Scalability

Good for small-mid orgs

Best for large orgs & events

Verdict: Donorbox is more affordable for small to mid-size nonprofits. DonorDrive scales better if you're growing fast and need event tools.

Pros and Cons

Donorbox Pros

• Users consider the system profitable because of its simple setup.
• Affordable for smaller organizations.
• Many payment options for clients.
• Seamless embedding into organizational websites.

Donorbox Cons

• Could do better with other p2p features.
• Very basic event features.

DonorDrive Pros

• Peer-to-peer and team fundraising get excellent support.
• Campaign-driven interface encourages engagement.
• Strong reporting and engagement tools.

DonorDrive Cons

• Higher cost
• More complex for beginners

What Each Platform is Best For

Select Donorbox if your nonprofit organization is small to medium-sized and specializes in straightforward donation forms, recurring gifts, and website integration.

Select DonorDrive if you are providing walkathons, livestream fundraisers, or other complex peer-to-peer campaign-style fundraising.

Final Thoughts

Both platforms excel in their own fields, so it entirely depends on the goals, size, and budget of the nonprofit. We wish that the comparison assists in making the right decision.