Choosing the right event fundraising platform is critical to saving time, raising more and engaging your valuable donors. Zero hidden fees.
If you are looking for event fundraising software, two popular choices are GiveSmart and ClickBid. Both offer comprehensive solutions for nonprofit fundraising events, including mobile bidding, ticketing and sponsorships, and ongoing giving opportunities. However, there are differences when it comes to pricing and support.
ClickBid started in 2002 as an in-person event fundraising platform. Using computer based bidding, charities were able to increase the frequency of bids, shorten lines at check-in and check-out and give donors an exciting and competitive experience. Over the years, ClickBid has expanded to provide online auctions, mobile bidding, ticket sales and live video.
The key to ClickBid is the simplicity of using a single tool for unlimited events throughout the year. Backing up your simplified experience is a dedicated support representative who follows your account all year. They will help you setup all your events and guide you through all the fundraising opportunities.
GiveSmart, a part of Momentive Software, works to provide options for all forms of nonprofit software needs. In this case, GiveSmart is their event fundraising software that helps nonprofits with tasks related to fundraising, including auctions, ticketing, donations, messaging, and more. GiveSmart is one of the most expensive platforms available. In addition, their pricing is not listed on their website, making it difficult and time-consuming for nonprofits to perform cost planning. GiveSmart’s support model is not the same for every nonprofit and requires additional purchases to get dedicated support from their team.
GiveSmart’s pricing remains hidden, but is rumored to start much higher in comparison to ClickBid. GiveSmart requires nonprofits to talk to their sales team to be shown packages and pricing, making it tough for nonprofits to research and plan for yearly costs associated with their software. GiveSmart support resources are available in higher-priced packages, requiring nonprofits to purchase additional help that is not included in standard packages. Additionally, nonprofits must purchase add-ons for syncing with third-party integrations, increasing the yearly cost for nonprofits to get the features they need. GiveSmart offers a 3.5% credit card transaction fee.
It is important to note that GiveSmart restricts support to its higher-tier enterprise annual plans. Organizations with the lower package find themselves with minimal support and one-on-one training. Additional costs are required in order to get in touch with their team or have technical phone support on event night.
GiveSmarts pricing is quote-only, with exact package costs not publicly listed. GiveSmart typically starts at more than double the price of ClickBid, often $3,000 – $6,000. For nonprofits, choosing GiveSmart requires you to raise significantly more money just to ‘break even’ on the software cost compared to ClickBid, which offers comparable features and tools for fundraisers.
While both ClickBid and GiveSmart are web-based, GiveSmart’s interface is often described as “heavy”, requiring complex navigation for both administrators and donors. Whereas ClickBid was developed with simplicity in mind, intentionally removing friction so donors can give quickly and teams can launch their events faster.
$45,000 fundaiser
Yearly License with Unlimited Events
$1,495
Credit Processing Fee
$1,575
Per Transaction Fee
$0
Donor Requested Fees
$0
TOTAL COSTS
$3,070
$45,000 fundaiser
Yearly License
$6,000
Credit Processing Fee
$1,575
Per Transaction Fee
$36
TOTAL COSTS
$7,611
ClickBid and GiveSmart have a very similar feature comparison, both platforms covering auctions, in-event displays and capabilities, and year-round giving campaigns.
| Feature | ClickBid | GiveSmart |
|---|---|---|
| Event & Auction | ||
| Mobile Bidding | ||
| Silent Auctions | ||
| Live Video Event Stream | Limited | |
| Raise the Paddle / Fund-a-Need | ||
| Online Auctions | ||
| Event Ticket Sales | ||
| Event Check-In | ||
| Custom Event Pages | ||
| Raffles | ||
| Fundraising | ||
| Online Donations | ||
| Peer-to-Peer Fundraising | ||
| Communication & Marketing | ||
| Mass Email Messaging | Add On | |
| Mass SMS Messaging | Add On | |
| Event Registration | ||
| Platform & Support | ||
| Dedicated Account Manager | Training Only | |
| US-Based Support Team | Add On | |
| AuctionGPT (AI Assistant) | ||
| Unlimited Events per License | ||
| Published Pricing | ||
GiveSmart pricing model can add up quickly to receive all fundraising features, support and more that your nonprofit needs to host successful events. Their gated pricing and support model require additional purchases to get basic help or to integrate your CRM.
ClickBid’s straightforward pricing and support model, along with full features, is the clear superior choice for nonprofits that want to keep more of their proceeds. If your organization values a user-friendly interface that volunteers can master in minutes rather than hours of training, ClickBid is the professional choice.
*This information was taken from review sources in 2025.
ClickBid Wins
ClickBid Wins
ClickBid Wins
ClickBid has spent more than 20 years focusing on maximum fundraising for charities all over North America. Our recipe of simple software and dedicated support has helped us become a top level event fundraising provider.
Our support team consists of seasoned, US based representatives who call ClickBid their home. Each talented team member attends events in-person to know what it feels like to be in your shoes. They personally walk you through your onboarding, answer all your questions along the way and manually review your events before they start. This isn’t extra! It’s the ClickBid Experience.
Our team is trained in helping charities migrate their event data from GiveSmart to ClickBid. We will walk you through a customized demo and focus on the process of migration. Unlike switching CRMs, the process is surprisingly simple and takes only minutes.
Connect directly to your account manager who will support you for the entire year. Unlike a call center, our team is dedicated to your organization. Tell your story only once and then let your account manager help you stay engaged with your donors.
With your first event set up, you’re ready to engage and raise more money. Best of all, there’s no more $$ to spend on multiple events. The road ahead of you is wide open for maximizing your donor experiences and raising more funds.
We love our nonprofits and they have loved using a proven platform.