When considering a donation plugin for your non-profit’s WordPress website, here are some key questions ranked in sequential priority to help you quickly get to the solution for them.
Does the plug-in meet our:
A. Technical Non-Negotiables
- Payment Gateways: What payment methods (i.e., major credit cards, PayPal, Venmo) do our current and potential donors prefer?
- Currency Support: What currencies do we need to be able to receive?
- Recurring Donations Automation: Are recurring donations how our support comes in?
- Integration / Compatibility: Does the plugin integrate with our current WordPress theme and other plugins we are using?
B. Donor Experience Priorities
- Ease of Donating: Donor-friendly? Easy for our donors to navigate and make donations?
- Security: How secure is it? What measures does it take to protect our donors’ data?
- Customization: Can we customize the donation form, thank-you messages, and other elements to align with our brand identity?
- Reviews and Ratings: What are other users saying about the plugin?
C. Operator Priorities
- Ease of Operating: Operator-friendly? Easy for my team and me to use?
- Fundraising Campaigns: Are different types of fundraising campaigns supported, such as target-based or time-bound campaigns?
- Tax Receipts: Can it automatically generate tax receipts for donors, and are these receipts compliant with local laws?
- Reporting and Analytics: Does it provide comprehensive reports and analytics so we can track donations and donor behavior?
D. Longevity Factors
- Support and Updates: What kind of support is available for the plugin? How frequently is the plugin updated, and how are updates handled? How long is its history?
- Transaction Fees: Are there any transaction fees, and if so, are we OK with them?
By articulating answers to these questions and then evaluating plugins against those answers, non-profits will find a plugin that will suit their needs and help them raise more funds for their cause.
Looking for some quick donation plugins to consider? Here are a few reviews as of May 2023.
| Plugin | wpforms.com | elegantthemes.com | wpbeginner.com |
| WP Forms | 1 [advertorial] | 2 | 1 |
| WP Charitable | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| WP Simple Pay | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| GiveWP | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| WP Crowdfudning | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Donorbox | 6 | 10 | 9 |
| YITH Donations | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| Formidable Forms | 8 | 3 | 7 |
| Seamless Donations | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Donation for WooCommerce | 8 | ||
| Accept Donations with PayPal | 5 | ||
| Donation Thermometer | 10 |
