A Givergy Alternative for UK Charities

TL;DR

• Givergy is an established, well run fundraising platform used by big-name charities, so if that suits you, use it with my blessing.
• Charities usually go looking for a Givergy alternative over cost, contracts, or the voluntary donor contribution that appears at checkout.
• I built a free platform because I got sick of watching money get skimmed before the cause saw a penny.
• Ours is free when you book me as your auctioneer and host, not sold on its own, and pays out by direct Stripe into your own bank account.
• Read the fine print on any platform, weigh what your event actually needs, then pick the tool that keeps the most money with your cause.

I am a charity auctioneer. Twenty years on the mic, hundreds of events, and a long memory for the times a charity walked away with far less than the room clearly gave. So when someone asks me for a Givergy alternative (Givergy is now momoGood), I do not start by knocking them. They are a serious operation with a long track record and some of the biggest charities in the country on their books. If they are the right fit for you, that is a good outcome.

What I can do is tell you honestly how I think about this, and how the free platform I built compares. My whole reason for building it was simple. Too often the technology, or an external auction company, takes its cut off the top before the cause sees the money. I wanted a tool where that never happens. This post is for the charity treasurer or events lead who has a Givergy quote in front of them and is wondering whether there is a leaner way to run the same event.

What does Givergy actually do?

Givergy is a fundraising technology company. Their platform covers silent auctions, live auctions, sealed bidding, raffles and prize draws, donations, event ticketing and check-in, plus fundraising websites with totalisers and leaderboards. They also offer item sourcing and event staffing, which is genuinely useful if you are a small team running a big gala and need extra hands (givergy.com).

In plain terms, they are a full-service events partner as much as a piece of software. That breadth is their strength. It is also, for a lot of smaller charities, more than they need.

Why do charities look for a Givergy alternative?

In my experience it comes down to a few things.

Cost and model. Commercial platforms in this space typically charge in one of three ways: a licence or subscription fee, a commission on funds raised, or per-transaction fees. Some run a “free” tier funded by inviting your donors to add a voluntary contribution at checkout to cover the platform and payment costs. Givergy promotes a zero-fee approach for UK charities built around that voluntary donor contribution (givergy.com). None of that is hidden or dishonest. But it does mean the running cost lands somewhere, and it is worth knowing exactly where before you sign.

Contracts and commitment. Larger platforms sometimes come with account managers, minimum spends, or annual arrangements. Brilliant for a charity running twelve events a year. Overkill for one summer ball.

The tip question. This is the one I care most about. When a platform shows your donor a prompt to add a bit extra “to support the platform,” that is money coming out of the same wallet that just bid on your auction. Some donors happily pay it. Others feel nudged. The Fundraising Code is clear that fundraising must be open and honest, and it has a dedicated standard for online fundraising platforms. A voluntary contribution shown clearly is within the rules. I just prefer a model where the question never gets asked.

What should you look for in a Givergy alternative?

Forget brand names for a second. Here is what actually matters for the money your cause keeps.

• Where do the funds land, and who touches them on the way? Direct payout into your own account beats funds that sit with a third party first.
• What is the true cost? Add up fees, commission, and any donor contribution the platform relies on.
• Does it cover the auction types you run? Silent, live, sealed bid, raffle, plus a pledge moment if you run one.
• Does it work on a phone with no app to download? Guests will not install anything on the night.
• Is there a real human who understands the room? Software does not read an audience. An auctioneer does.

The headline difference is the tip. The Generosity Works platform never shows your donors a prompt to top up the platform, because there is nothing to top up. It is genuinely free. It runs in the phone browser, so no one downloads an app. And crucially, the money pays out by direct Stripe transfer into the charity’s own account. I never hold your funds. You can see exactly how it all fits together on the how this works page.

On Gift Aid, one honest note so you plan correctly: auction purchases are transactions, not gifts, so they generally do not qualify for Gift Aid, whereas straight donations and many pledge asks can (gov.uk). That is true whatever platform you use, and it is a good reason to run a proper pledge moment alongside the auction.

Why an auctioneer built the software in the first place

I have watched this from the front of the room for two decades. The thing that made me build my own tool was seeing external auction companies bring their own lots with inflated reserve prices. The charity only keeps money bid above that reserve. So the room looks generous, the gross looks healthy, and the cause quietly keeps a fraction.

One example I always give, because it is real. With MS UK, the year before I got involved an external company grossed around 13,000 pounds and the charity saw only about 1,300 of it. The year I ran it, the auction grossed about 3,500, but the live pledge I ran raised 8,300, and all of it went to the charity. Same room, wildly different outcome for the cause. That is the whole point of building software that does not take a cut.

Migrating and getting started

Moving is not a big drama. You do not need to import a database or learn a new science. Set up your Stripe account, list your lots, and you are most of the way there. If you have run a Givergy event before, your instincts already transfer: you know how to photograph lots, write clear descriptions, and set a sensible starting bid. My guide walks through it, and if you would rather talk it through with a person, that is what the phone is for.

If you are still comparing options broadly, my rundown of the best charity auction software in the UK and this piece on free silent auction software go wider. For the money side, how charity auction payments work explains the Stripe payout in plain terms.

Who runs the night if you change platform?

Changing platform does not change who runs the night. Whether you stay with Givergy or move, a gala still needs someone to call the auction, make the pledge ask and keep the evening moving. I built the Generosity Works platform to work with that person.

If a platform and a volunteer compere suit your event, you do not need me. Otherwise bring the date, the guest count and what your current provider handles. The platform is free when a charity books me as auctioneer and host; my fee is the only money Generosity Works takes, and the platform is not sold on its own. Book me at thecharityauctioneer.uk.

Who suits which?

Givergy suits a large charity running frequent, high-production events that wants a full-service partner and does not mind the voluntary donor contribution funding it. Fair enough.

The Generosity Works platform suits the charity that wants to keep every possible pound, run a phone-based silent auction or a live event without an app, and either drive it themselves or have me on the mic. No licence, no commission, no tip skim.

That is the honest comparison. If you want to talk it through, or you want me to run your night and bring the software with me for free, call me on 07596 851647. When you hire me as your auctioneer, the platform comes included, and every pound the room gives goes to the cause.