Donorbox vs DipJar vs TipTap – Best Giving Kiosks Comparison

You’re ready to raise more with a sleek, affordable, in-person giving kiosk. But… you have no idea which solution is the best fit for your organization. DipJar is a popular option for cashless fundraising, but there are many reasons why fundraisers are looking to make a switch. In this article, we’ll look into DipJar alternatives like Donorbox and TipTap so you can make the best choice for your cause.

7 minutes read
Donorbox vs DipJar vs TipTap – Best Giving Kiosks Comparison

Whether you’re a fundraising pro or just getting started, chances are you agree on one point – giving your donors as many ways to donate as possible is crucial. You’re right, (go, you!). For example, nonprofits using both online and in-person fundraising methods like donation kiosks can increase donations by 212%The tricky part? Choosing the best donation kiosk for your organization. In this guide, we’ll walk you through three solutions – Donorbox, DipJar, and TipTap – and highlight the pros and cons of each. 

Let’s get you ready to raise more!


5 Reasons You Need Cashless, In-Person Fundraising 

Not sure if you even need a giving kiosk in your fundraising routine? Think again. Here are five reasons you should invest in an easy-to-use donation kiosk. 


1. Master multi-channel fundraising 

These days, fundraising is all about meeting your donors where they’re at. This means launching a fundraising campaign across multiple channels to capture donor interest, rally support, and reach the widest audience possible. 

In-person fundraising is an often neglected channel. Sure, you may have a donation box in your building or at your table during a community event. But have you considered that four in ten Americans don’t carry cash? This means a low-tech giving collection technique isn’t going to cut it anymore. 

Use a donation kiosk to practice true multi-channel fundraising.


2. Maximize your events 

The most fun, creative, and innovative events are often measured against the total amount raised. You can maximize the time and money invested into throwing stellar events by adding a donation kiosk to help your nonprofit raise even more. 

Besides collecting donations, giving kiosks can be used to collect payments for silent auction items, raffle tickets, pledges, and more. Check out this blog for six creative ways to add a giving kiosk to your next event! 


3. Capture passive donations 

Do you know your return on investment (ROI) for your average fundraising campaign? How much time and energy do you have to put in – and how much in donations do you get out? 

Installing a donation kiosk in your headquarters and at your events is a great way to increase your fundraising ROI by capturing passive donations. These are donations you don’t necessarily have to work for – but they can add up in a big way. 


4. Collect more donor information 

Another flaw of the old-fashioned cash donation box is that once someone drops a five-dollar bill in there, their information is lost. No name, no email address – and no ability to steward that relationship. 

Giving kiosks offer an easy and automated way to collect donor contact information so you can build lasting donor relationships and turn that one-time gift into a recurring donor


5. Capitalize on impulse giving 

Not every donation is planned. If someone feels compelled to give, you want to be sure to have an efficient, easy way for them to do so – so you don’t miss out on another gift. 

Having a donation kiosk ready to collect impulsive gifts ensures donors will complete the gift now instead of putting it off until later (and often forgetting). 


Donorbox vs. DipJar vs. TipTap

Now that you know you can’t live without one, which company should you turn to for setting up a streamlined donation kiosk? 

You have a few options. We’re going to look at three of the top choices: 

  • Donorbox – create a donation kiosk with a tablet, card reader, and the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app. 
  • DipJar – collect donations using DipJar’s secure cashless giving devices. 
  • TipTap – customize tap-to-pay signage to collect preset donation amounts. 

Let’s take a deeper look at each of these options. 


Donorbox 

Known for helping over 80,000 organizations raise a collective $2 billion, Donorbox offers a cost-effective, easy solution for in-person giving. 


Overview 

The Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app is available on both Android and Apple devices. Setting up your kiosk is easy – simply enable Donorbox Live™ on your Donorbox account, download the app, pair a card reader (Stripe M2 in the U.S. and WisePad 3 everywhere else), and start collecting more cashless donations. 

  • Donors can pay with cards (with a tap, dip, or swipe), smartphones, or smartwatches.
  • At the end of their transaction, donors can choose to share their name and email address so you can send follow-up gratitude and stewardship materials. 
  • Because your kiosk is connected to your Donorbox account, you’ll easily be able to track your campaign progress and analyze your donations to create a better fundraising strategy. 
  • Donorbox Live™ Kiosk is available in 23 countries, 13 currencies, and three languages – English, Spanish, and French. 
  • Easily customize the donor-view screen to add your logo and match your branding, boosting donor trust – and add a QR code to share more information. 

Watch this short video to see Donorbox’s donation kiosk in action!

Find Out More About Our New Live Kiosk Package

Cost 

Since you can use materials you may already have on hand, Donorbox Live™ Kiosk is very cost-effective. 

First, you’ll need a tablet.  Then, you’ll need to purchase a card reader if you don’t already have one: 

Once you have your hardware, you’ll enable Donorbox Live™ on your Donorbox account. The cost for Donorbox Live™ is: 

  • $50 a month for your first device 
  • $15 a month for any additional devices 
  • Platform fee of 1.75% for Standard users and 1.5% for Pro and Premium users 
  • Standard Stripe payment processing fee of 2.2% + $0.30 

Learn more about how to set up your donation kiosk in this blog


Pros and Cons 


Pros: 

  • Affordable, transparent pricing – only $50 a month for your first device 
  • Easy to set up 
  • No proprietary hardware – you own your device(s)
  • Integrated with Donorbox 
  • Collects donor information 
  • Available in:
    • Three popular languages
    • 13 currencies 
    • 23 countries 
  • Customizable donor interface 
  • Automated, customized receipts for donors who provide their email
  • Cancel whenever on your Donorbox account – no risk  

Cons: 

  • Must have a tablet and card reader 
  • Limited options to add text or images to your interface 

DipJar 

DipJar has helped thousands of organizations raise millions of dollars through their proprietary hardware solution. 


Overview 

Whether you need a cashless giving solution during an event or at your location, DipJar offers two versions of their hardware giving tools to nonprofits in the United States: 

  1. DipJar Classic is an older model hardware system where donors give by dipping their card into the “jar.” The Classic model must be set to a specific donation amount that all donors will give and requires a power source. 
  2. DipJar Pro adds the option to select different donation amounts with a touchscreen interface and tap-to-pay payments. This model has a battery for portability. 

With DipJar, you can also access the DipJar Dashboard, which tracks donations and analyzes the success of your fundraising efforts. 


Cost 

DipJar offers different plans depending on how long you want to use their product. 

DipJar Classic: 
  • Event Package: $400 for 3 devices. 1-3 day rental period. 3.5%+ $0.30 processing fees. Add another device for $100. 
  • Monthly Package: $350 a month for 2 devices. 1-4 month terms available. 3.5%+ $0.30 processing fees. $6.99 warranty fee per device, per month. $14.99 cellular connection fee per device, per month. 
  • Yearly Package: $450 a year for 1 device. 3.5%+ $0.30 processing fees. $4.99 warranty fee per device, per month. $14.99 cellular connection fee per device, per month. 

If you rented two DipJar Classic devices for 2 months using the monthly package, you would pay the following: 

  • $700 rental fee 
  • $13.98 warranty fee 
  • $29.98 cellular connection fee 

For a total of $743.96 not including processing fees. 

DipJar Pro: 
  • Event Pricing: $700 for 3 devices. 1-3 day rental period. 3.5%+ $0.30 processing fees. Add another device for $150. 
  • Monthly Package: $600 a month for 2 devices. 1-4 month terms available. 3.5%+ $0.30 processing fees. $8.99 warranty fee per device, per month.

If you rented two DipJar Pro devices for 2 months using the monthly package, you would pay the following: 

  • $1,200 rental fee 
  • $17.98 warranty fee 

For a total of $1,217.98, not including processing fees. 

This high pricing is why many organizations are looking for DipJar alternatives! 


Pros and Cons 


Pros: 

  • All-in-one solution 
  • DipJar Pro is portable and easy to carry around 
  • Sleek, easy-to-use design 

Cons: 

  • Cost 
  • Proprietary hardware – you can only ever rent their solution 
  • Lack of tap-to-pay functionality on DipJar Classic 
  • Lack of swiping on DipJar Pro 
  • Less flexibility for donors to choose their donation amount 
  • No ability to collect donor contact information
  • No customization to match branding or campaign theme 
  • No automated donation receipts 
  • Available in English only 
  • Only available in the U.S. 

TipTap 

Trusted by thousands of organizations, TipTap creates custom signage with built-in tap-to-pay functionality. 


Overview 

When purchasing your TipTap signage, choose your preferred type of sign and the number of TipTap devices you wish to include. This will depend on the donation amount you want to add to your sign. For example, if you want donors to be able to give $5, $10, and $20, you will need three TipTap devices. 

TipTap offers the following solutions for printed signage: 

  • Counter solutions that sit on a surface in a high-traffic area. 
  • Stand-alone floor solutions are used with a wall plug or a high-capacity battery. 
  • Lanyards for events and on-the-go fundraising. 
  • Selfie stick signage, similar to the lanyard option. 

You can also get creative and create your own TipTap signage product that matches your theme. 

Plus, log in to your TipTap dashboard to see your fundraising results in real time. 


Cost 

While TipTap doesn’t publish pricing for each solution, their products start at $20 plus a $ 35-a-month fee. 

There is also a minimum order value of $100 and a one-month subscription. Plus, there is a transaction fee of 1.5% for all payments, not including payment processing fees. 

You can order a TipTap device for a one-month subscription but must email support immediately to cancel your plan. 


Pros and Cons 

Pros:

  • Very specific campaign branding is available 
  • Lots of customization 
  • Easy payments for donors with tap-to-pay 
  • Many options for signage size and shape 

Cons:

  • Stuck with one design/campaign 
  • Donors can’t choose their own unique donation amount 
  • No way to collect donor information 
  • No donor receipts 
  • No swipe or dip functionality 
  • No easy way to cancel 

Here’s Why Donorbox Live™ Kiosk Stands Out

Donorbox’s adaptive, user-friendly kiosk offering is perfect for organizations of all sizes because you can: 

  • Use an existing tablet or card reader – or purchase materials that match your budget. 
  • Collect swift, cashless donations with cards, smartphones, and smart wallets. 
  • Bring your donation kiosk anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. 
  • Record crucial donor contact info to create lasting donor relationships. 
  • Customize your donor view screen to match your brand. 
  • Automate receipts for donors who choose to include their email addresses. 
  • Track and store all fundraising data in one place. 
  • Reach donors in three different languages, with more to come!
  • Pay only $50 a month for your first device and only $15 a month for any additional devices. 

Cancel your Donorbox Live™ subscription at any time through your Donorbox account for risk-free fundraising. Whether you need it for your next event or plan to have a year-round donation kiosk at your location, Donorbox can help you bring in more donations. 

Ready to get started? Sign up or log in to your Donorbox account and activate Donorbox Live™. Check out this blog for the steps to get started. 


Ready to Ramp Up Your In-Person Fundraising?  

Many fundraisers are looking for DipJar alternatives with a sleek, easy-to-use design and tons of functionality to raise more – without more effort. 

While DipJar and TipTap offer interesting solutions for some organizations, the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app stands out as an affordable and powerful donation magnet. Make the most of your next event or multiply in-person donations at your location by setting up your donation kiosk in just a few steps.  Not a Donorbox user yet? Sign up today and start fundraising in less than fifteen minutes!

For more fundraising platform comparisons, check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the best of the blog in your inbox every month.

Lindsey Baker

Lindsey spent years wearing many hats in the nonprofit world. Whether she was helping arts nonprofits with their messaging and content, planning a fundraising gala, writing an NEA grant proposal, or running a membership program with over 400 members, she learned how to navigate – and appreciate! – the fast-paced world of fundraising. Now, she loves sharing those hard-earned lessons with the Donorbox community.

  • linkedin

Join the fundraising movement!

Subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive the latest blogs, news, and more in your inbox.

Take your donor experience to the next level!
Join the 50,000+ nonprofits already raising funds online.
Join a 30min Demo to see how Donorbox can help you reach your fundraising goals!
Join a 30min Live Demo to see how Donorbox can help you reach your fundraising goals!