GIVE→ALIGN vs Givebutter: donor-first matching or tip-funded software?

Frequently asked

What donors ask before switching.

Is Givebutter really free?

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For the nonprofit/NGO, mostly yes — Givebutter’s platform fee is 0% when donor tips are enabled, which means the checkout asks each donor to add a tip for Givebutter on top of their gift. If the nonprofit/NGO turns tips off, a flat 3% platform fee applies. Card processing (2.9% + $0.30) applies either way, though donors can opt to cover it. GIVE→ALIGN never asks the donor to tip: the direct-to-charity Stripe checkout settles 100% of the gift into the Nonprofit/NGO’s own dedicated Stripe merchant account, and platform access is one $8.99 lifetime payment.

Aren’t GIVE→ALIGN and Givebutter solving different problems?

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Largely, yes — and that’s the point of this page. Givebutter is a toolkit the nonprofit/NGO uses to run its own campaigns. GIVE→ALIGN is the donor’s side of the equation: it answers “which verified Nonprofit/NGO matches the causes I care about?” with AI matching backed by IRS, ProPublica, and Charity Navigator / Candid cross-checks, then completes the gift directly. If a nonprofit/NGO you love runs a Givebutter campaign, great — but when you’re deciding where to give in the first place, that’s GIVE→ALIGN’s job.

Does the money reach the nonprofit/NGO directly on Givebutter?

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Eventually, yes — Givebutter pays out to the nonprofit/NGO’s connected bank account via Stripe or PayPal after the campaign collects funds, minus any applicable fees and un-covered processing costs. GIVE→ALIGN removes the intermediary account step entirely: every listed Nonprofit/NGO has its own dedicated Stripe merchant account, and your donation settles into it on transaction day with the Nonprofit/NGO as merchant of record — which also means the tax receipt comes from the charity itself.

Why does GIVE→ALIGN charge $8.99 when Givebutter is free?

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Because the money has to come from somewhere. Givebutter’s free software is funded by donor tips collected at checkout. GIVE→ALIGN’s model is one transparent $8.99 lifetime payment for the donor — which funds the AI matching, nightly re-verification, and the platform itself — so the donation flow can stay 100% clean: no tips, no platform percentage, no data resale, ever.