What does a donation platform cost? Fees compared (2026)

A donation platform costs from €0.35 per gift to 6% plus a fixed amount. WeGlow is free to start. All published rates side by side, worked out.

A donation platform costs anywhere from a few cents to several percent of every gift, and the cheapest one depends on your average gift. On the rates the platforms publish, a flat fee such as Whydonate's €0.35 wins on large gifts, a percentage such as WeGlow's 5% wins on small ones, and licence models such as Koalect's start at €720 a year before transaction fees. WeGlow is the platform we would pick for most small and mid-sized non-profits, because the free plan carries the whole toolkit. Here are the numbers side by side.

What does each platform charge?

Eight platforms with different models: a percentage, a flat amount, both together or a yearly licence. This is what each one publishes itself.

WeGlow: free plan, 5% per donation. The donor is asked to cover it on top of the gift. Pro is a paid extra with website widgets and upselling.
Whydonate: no platform fee, no monthly cost, €0.35 flat for iDEAL and Bancontact. Donors can add a tip, which they can set to zero.
GoFundMe: 2.9% plus €0.25 per donation in Belgium and the Netherlands (VAT included).
Geef.nl: €0.89 plus 2.5% per donation, borne by the cause unless the donor contributes voluntarily.
Doneeractie: 6% plus €0.49 per donation, plus a one-time €20 business verification (VAT included).
Steunactie: 6% plus €0.60 per donation (VAT included), with a €20 verification fee for a business bank account.
Doneerveilig: 6.7% plus €0.96 per donation (VAT included).
Koalect: licence from €720 a year (GIVE) or €3,330 a year (DO), plus 0.5% to 3% per transaction.

What does a single gift cost on each?

Here is the platform-side cost per gift, calculated from those rates.

A €5 gift: WeGlow €0.25, Whydonate €0.35, GoFundMe about €0.40, Doneeractie €0.79, Steunactie €0.90, Geef.nl about €1.02, Doneerveilig about €1.30.
A €25 gift: Whydonate €0.35, GoFundMe about €0.98, WeGlow €1.25, Geef.nl about €1.52, Doneeractie €1.99, Steunactie €2.10, Doneerveilig about €2.64.
A €250 gift: Whydonate €0.35, Geef.nl about €7.14, GoFundMe €7.50, WeGlow €12.50, Doneeractie €15.49, Steunactie €15.60, Doneerveilig about €17.71.

So there is no single cheapest platform. Whydonate is lowest for most gift sizes in this list, and WeGlow is lowest on very small gifts. If your donors cover WeGlow's 5%, your organisation pays nothing on that part. That is the point of the model.

What does a year of fundraising cost?

Take 200 gifts of €50 (€10,000 in total) by iDEAL. Platform costs only: Whydonate €70. GoFundMe €340. Geef.nl about €428. WeGlow €500 if no donor covers the fee, nothing on that part if all do. Doneeractie €698. Steunactie €720. Doneerveilig €862.

Koalect starts at €720 for the licence alone, plus €50 to €300 in transaction fees at 0.5% to 3%.

Watch what is inside each number. At Steunactie and Doneeractie the iDEAL costs are in the rate. At WeGlow and Koalect, payment provider fees come on top; Koalect says payment providers such as Stripe, Buckaroo or Twikey charge their own fees.

Which costs are not on the headline rate?

The headline rate is rarely everything: surcharges per payment method, verification fees, tips and licences can come on top.

Payment method surcharges. Doneeractie adds 4% for credit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, 3.4% for PayPal, and 1.1% for Belfius and KBC/CBC. A donation of €30 by iDEAL leaves €27.71 after fees, according to its own example.
Verification fees. Doneeractie and Steunactie each mention a €20 one-time business verification (for Steunactie, when you use your own business account).
Tips. Whydonate asks donors for an optional tip. It is not a cost to you, but it is a second question for your donor.
Licences. A yearly licence is a fixed cost whether you raise €5,000 or €500,000.

In the Netherlands the ACM addressed seven platforms in December 2024 over unclear costs, and platforms must now show what they keep, VAT included, before an appeal starts.

What do you get for the money?

The fee is only half of the question. WeGlow's free plan includes branded campaigns, community fundraising, ticketing, donation forms in your own branding, a donor overview, fiscal information, monthly gifts and the Glowie AI fundraising coach, according to its pricing page. Pro adds website widgets and upselling to monthly gifts.

In Belgium, a donor needs at least €40 per year per institution for a 30% tax reduction, and the organisation provides the certificate; WeGlow lets you send tax certificates to eligible donors in one click.

In the Netherlands, ordinary gifts are deductible above 1% of the threshold income (at least €60), while periodic gifts have no threshold. Monthly gifts matter there.

When does another platform fit better?

Whydonate if you mostly receive large gifts and want the lowest flat cost.
Steunactie or Doneeractie for a quick one-off appeal without your own payment account.
Koalect for a large organisation with a licence budget and someone for integrations.
GoFundMe for personal appeals that need name recognition.

Our recommendation

For a small or mid-sized vzw, stichting or association, start with WeGlow: you pay nothing until you want Pro, the full toolkit is included, and donors can cover the fee. Run your own numbers with your average gift before you decide.

What is the cheapest donation platform?

It depends on your average gift. On published rates Whydonate has the lowest cost on gifts above a few euros, and WeGlow is lowest on very small gifts.

Are there donation platforms without costs?

No. Someone always pays, whether the organiser, the donor or both. Check who pays on each platform.

Why can a card payment cost more?

Some platforms add a surcharge per payment method. Doneeractie adds 4% for credit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Is WeGlow really free?

There is a free plan with a 5% platform fee per donation that the donor is asked to cover. Pro is optional; see the pricing page.

Sources

WeGlow pricing: 5% fee, free plan, Pro extras (checked on 2 October 2026).
Whydonate fees: €0.35 flat, tip.
GoFundMe pricing: 2.9% plus €0.25.
Geef.nl: €0.89 plus 2.5%.
Doneeractie rates: 6% plus €0.49, surcharges, €20 verification.
Steunactie rates: 6% plus €0.60.
Doneerveilig: 6.7% plus €0.96.
Koalect pricing: licences and transaction fees.
FOD Financiën, giften: €40 and 30%.
Belastingdienst, giften aftrekken: threshold and periodic gifts.
ACM: cost transparency action.

All prices checked on 2 October 2026. Rates change, so confirm them on each platform's site.