An online auction is an excellent way to bring in more funds during an event – or even on its own! For an online auction, all items are listed on a website or app and everyone has a chance to bid. Read on to learn more about this fundraising method and see the eight most affordable options to run your very own online auction!
Both silent auctions and live auctions have long been key components of many fundraising events. These auctions can raise significant funds as donors bid on items and experiences they want to purchase, with all proceeds going to the organization.
With the popularity of smartphones as well as virtual fundraising and events on the rise, charity auction sites have become one of the best ways to host an auction. Donors no longer have to even attend an event to bid!
These online auction platforms make running an auction simple from start to finish, streamlining everything from promoting items and managing bids to the checkout process. But how do you know which charity auction site is right for you?
We’ve gathered eight of the most affordable, yet effective, online auction sites for nonprofits.
But, first, what exactly is an online auction, and what is a charity auction site?
An online auction refers to those auctions that have all items posted on a website, app, or other digital tools. These auctions can be paired with in-person, virtual, or hybrid events, and bidders use their smartphones, bidding kiosks, desktops, or tablets to place their bids.
Organizations may even choose to host their auction online without pairing it with an event at all. They can also allow those not at the event to bid alongside guests.
Live auctions and silent auctions are both possible in the digital space, and they can have big benefits for nonprofits. They bring an exciting and competitive feel to any event or online fundraising campaign. They also encourage more donations because donors have a chance to win a product or experience!
A charity auction site facilitates these online auctions, with tools that help you list and promote items, enable participants to bid in real-time, and offer a checkout system. Some online auction platforms even include additional features such as event ticketing and check-in, paddle raises, and more.
In this list, we’ve compiled the online auction platforms we’ve found to be more affordable (or even free!) than others, while still offering a robust and innovative suite of tools.
ClickBid offers several easy-to-use auction features and touts a ‘painless’ set-up process that you can easily complete on your own.
Your donors register with a quick text message and use your mobile-friendly auction catalog to set max bids as well as receive automatic notifications when they’ve been outbid. You also have the option to open your auctions early, ask donors to cover processing fees, and more.
Pros: ClickBid provides a user-friendly, visual interface, with several features that not all other platforms offer at this price point.
Cons: ClickBid’s website and auction platform are not as customizable as others. They also do not currently offer an app for bidding.
Ideal for: Organizations looking to host multiple auctions a year, as each plan covers an unlimited number of events.
Pricing: ClickBid offers several plans and pricing models, starting at $795 per year for the Essentials plan.
Charity Auctions Today aims to help just about anyone run an auction through their user-friendly interface and setup wizard that walks you through adding auction items. You can also manage attendee communications and sell tickets within the platform.
Guests have the ability to pre-register and start bidding before the event begins, as well as make additional donations within the platform, which is available via desktop, tablet, or mobile. It’s also easy for them to track individual items and receive outbid notifications.
Pros: Charity Auctions Today is easy to use, well-designed, and affordable.
Cons: The platform is missing some of the full event features you may need.
Ideal for: Nonprofits looking to run a simple yet visually appealing online auction.
Pricing: Charity Auctions Today offers free plans (plus management and payment processing fees), and paid plans start as low as $297 per event. You can also pass fees on to bidders!
With OneCause, you put your guests’ experience in their hands. Their visual and mobile-friendly platform makes it simple for donors to place bids, receive outbid notifications, purchase raffle tickets and fixed-price items, set max bids, and make additional donations.
The interface also offers the ability to add goal meters, manage auction items and place them into virtual baskets, provide automatic receipts and check-out time slots, utilize ticketing and table management tools, and more.
Pros: OneCause offers an ‘all-in-one attendee experience,’ making everything from check-in to check-out quick and easy.
Cons: Although the mobile website is well-designed, OneCause does not currently offer an app. Pricing may also be higher than other options due to the large suite of services.
Ideal for: Nonprofits looking for a robust tool to run major events with several auction options, fixed-price items, and donation opportunities.
Pricing: OneCause offers several packages, but pricing is not posted publicly. You can request a consultation on the website.
With three ways to bid – website, app, and text message – Auctria is a versatile solution. In addition, Auctria offers organizations the ability to sell tickets, promote auction items ahead of time, acknowledge donors and sponsors, and more.
Auctria also provides website templates to help build auction catalogs, and the app can be used for virtual events or in-person bidding. And, with text-to-bid, users can manage everything, from registering to bidding to payment, via text message.
Pros: Users report that Auctria is fairly easy to use and the text-bidding option may be a good fit for donors who don’t want to download the app or go online.
Cons: The event websites and app look a little outdated when compared to competitors.
Ideal for: Nonprofits looking for texting and app capabilities without breaking the bank.
Pricing: Free plans are available for small nonprofits and paid plans start at $350 annually.
Handbid enables guests to bid or purchase set-price items via a web-based platform, an app, or in-event kiosks. Participants can set max bids, receive out-bid and event messages via text or push notification, and access a dashboard with all items they have won, bid on, and more.
Organizations can also sell tickets and manage all event details within the Handbid platform, as well as use Handbid Live to stream in-app videos or Handbid TV to display live stats and leaderboards.
Pros: With Handbid, you get an array of diverse features; many of which aren’t available on other platforms.
Cons: Not all features are available in the cheapest plan, so it may be a bit costly for some.
Ideal for: Organizations that host auctions with a lot of bidders and donors to offset the cost.
Pricing: Handbid does not post its pricing publicly, partly because it builds custom packages for each user. Book a demo to learn more.
With SchoolAuction.Net, you can easily run a standalone auction or add an auction to your next event. Bidders can participate on desktop or mobile, and they can receive outbid notifications via text or email. Pre-bidding and proxy bids are available, as are in-platform communications with guests. Plus, self-checkout is easy!
SchoolAuction.Net also offers unlimited auction items, and the ability to bundle items into packages. Organizations can also add virtual or hybrid live auctions, combining live streaming, chat, and bidding onto one screen.
Pros: Organizations can purchase one event with important features to try it out.
Cons: For utilizing all features, the pricing may go a little high for smaller nonprofits.
Ideal for: Organizations looking to try auctions for the first time, as costs are relatively low.
Pricing: For basic events, the cost is just $79 per event (plus processing and performance fees). The Professional Plan, starting at $3,000 per year, is needed for virtual event streaming.
ReadySetAuction gives you the ability to manage all of the details of your event in one place, including guest management, auction items, organizing items into ‘baskets’, and more. And you can use JumpStart to find risk-fee consignment auction items!
Bidders can bid, pay for fixed-price items, and donate on your auction website via desktop or mobile, or you can set up bidding stations. They can also set max bids and automatic bidding as well as access a quick self-checkout.
Pros: ReadySetAuction offers several features, like automatic bidding and consignment auction items, not available on all other platforms.
Cons: This platform is not as affordable as others. They also do not offer an app and the bidding site can look dated.
Ideal for: Nonprofits with larger budgets and those looking to use consignment auction items.
Pricing: They offer a free trial. However, the Complete package which is required for the platform’s online auction tools is $1,999 per year.
Silent Auction Pro helps you engage with your donors before, during, and after the event with in-platform email and text message capabilities, unique URLs and QR codes for your customizable landing page, and more.
During the event, bidders can participate via the mobile or desktop website, or mobile bidding kiosks, and can receive outbid text notifications.
Paddle raises are also available virtually or in person, as is a real-time thermometer that ends with a virtual confetti drop when the goal is reached!
Pros: This platform starts at a more affordable price than many competitors.
Cons: Nonprofits will need to pay for pro plans to access features that often come in regular plans for other platforms.
Ideal for: Nonprofits that host multiple events a year and are looking for a lot of features on a smaller budget.
Pricing: The Mobile Plus plan (for virtual, hybrid, and in-person events) starts at $749 per year, plus 2% of event proceeds.
With so many online auction platforms out there, how do you select the one that is right for your organization?
First, start planning your event or campaign. You need to determine your overall goals, dates, target markets, and budget before diving into the details. If you’re hosting an event, you’ll also need to decide if it will be in-person, virtual, or hybrid.
Next, break down the budget so you know how much you have to spend on an online auction. Don’t forget to include the cost of the platform itself!
Finally, you’ll need to decide everything you want out of your online auction tool. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
Once you figure out your priorities, you can search for an online auction platform that meets your needs and budget. Our list above should help you make the decision.
Ready to get started with your online auction? Don’t forget to first set your budget and determine your needs before finding the perfect online auction site for your organization.
And if you’re looking to pair your auction with a top-of-the-line donation platform, Donorbox is the way to go! We offer zero sign-up fees and contracts, and the lowest-in-the-industry platform fee, as well as innovative products like events, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer, text-to-give, recurring donations, and more.
Check out Donorbox Premium for expert coaching services and a customizable (affordable) package for your organization. We’re here to help you elevate your fundraising and donor acquisition efforts. Book your demo today!
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Kara has several years of experience in communications and marketing for nonprofit organizations. Her love for serving others began while fundraising for and attending mission trips. She then worked with multiple local nonprofits through various marketing agencies and volunteer opportunities before becoming a communications manager at Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis for more than four years. Kara now specializes in writing and enjoys sharing her experiences and knowledge with others on this platform.
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Kara Schmid