Choosing a WordPress donation plugin now takes more care. Payment options keep expanding – Stripe, PayPal, plus Apple Pay or Google Pay through wallets – so expectations rise too. Donors want fast one-page forms, saved details, smart suggested amounts that encourage larger gifts without feeling pushy, and fewer fields so they don’t quit midway.
Security and privacy sit at the core. Plugins should route payments through gateways like Stripe or PayPal to meet PCI rules, support SCA in Europe, and respect GDPR requirements. Fees and reporting matter as well. Teams need tools to offset costs where possible and export clean reports for accounting.
Pricing often starts free, then gates features such as recurring donations or deeper integrations behind paid plans. The guide below ranks the top options, includes direct download links, and explains the trade-offs. Readers get a clear view of what fits their setup with no surprises later.
GiveWP is the best all‑around donation platform for most sites
GiveWP is a focused donation platform for WordPress, built to run fundraising campaigns with flexibility and low friction. The core plugin is free on the WordPress repository at wordpress.org/plugins/give/. Paid add-ons and bundles live on the official site at givewp.com/pricing/. Start small, then add features as campaigns expand.
It’s purpose-built for donations, which is why it ranks high for nonprofits. Recurring gifts work well and help create steady monthly revenue. Stripe and PayPal come built in, so donors use familiar payment methods. Fee recovery tools offset transaction costs. Form templates speed setup. Donor dashboards show clear giving history. Reporting provides the right metrics to track goals and spot trends.
Stripe and PayPal integrations go further with Apple Pay and Google Pay via Stripe’s payment intents. SCA compliance in Europe is supported, which keeps transactions secure and reduces failed payments.
Extensibility is a strong point. GiveWP’s add-ons fit specific strategies: Tributes for honoring someone, Peer‑to‑Peer campaigns that let supporters fundraise for a cause, and Gift Aid for UK charities. Integrations connect with major CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce through Zapier or native plugins.
The core plugin is free, but advanced features sit behind paid add-ons or bundles, priced about $149 to $349 per year. Those plans unlock recurring donation management, deeper reports, and other tools needed for larger programs.
Charitable is a flexible, privacy‑friendly alternative with room to grow
Charitable offers a flexible, privacy-focused way to run WordPress donations. The core plugin is free at wordpress.org/plugins/charitable, and premium plans are available at wpcharitable.com/pricing. It’s lightweight, so sites stay fast. Developers like the clean code because customization stays straightforward. Built with GDPR in mind, it protects donor data – important for any group serious about privacy.
It works with Stripe and PayPal out of the box. Teams add recurring donations and peer-to-peer fundraising with paid extensions when they’re ready to scale. A helpful option lets donors cover transaction fees, which eases costs for nonprofits without making checkout awkward. Campaign managers set custom goals and deadlines to keep efforts focused. Offline gifts count too, useful for events or mail-in donations. Email receipts use templates that teams tailor so every thank-you feels personal.
Charitable connects with tools like Mailchimp and Zapier to automate workflows. On higher tiers, admins get location-based or role-based access controls for campaign managers. More control helps keep order during busy drives.
The free core gets donation live fast. Advanced tools – including recurring gifts and expanded Stripe features – sit behind paid tiers. Pricing lines up with other premium donation suites, and entry plans offer strong value given the included extras.
Donation for WooCommerce is the right pick for stores already on WooCommerce
Donation for WooCommerce fits stores already running WooCommerce. It’s available in the WordPress repository, and more details live on wooplugin.co. It drops into an existing setup with little effort, so stores add donation options next to products without reworking checkout.
It’s most useful when stores want donors to give during checkout. Shoppers round up a total or add a donation on product pages, in the cart, or at checkout. Fixed amounts work, and so do open amounts where supporters pick the number. This suits stores where donations support the business or a cause, but sales still drive the site.
Payments go through the same gateways a store already uses, including Stripe, PayPal, and local methods. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and SCA settings carry over from WooCommerce. No extra setup, and payment flows stay familiar and secure for customers.
Reporting ties into WooCommerce Analytics, so store owners see donation performance alongside sales. Donations count as virtual items and can be marked non‑taxable to keep accounting clean. Receipts send through standard Woo order emails, which keeps the experience consistent.
It doesn’t run standalone fundraising campaigns or donor management like GiveWP or Charitable. CRM features aren’t included, and there aren’t dedicated fundraising landing pages. It was built as an add‑on inside a commerce stack, not a full fundraising suite.
PayPal Donations is the fastest way to add a simple PayPal donate button
PayPal Donations for WordPress suits anyone who needs a donate button fast. It’s available on the WordPress repository at wordpress.org/plugins/paypal-donations. Setup takes a minute. Enter a PayPal email or merchant ID, and the plugin creates a Donate button that drops into pages with a shortcode or a widget. No heavy configuration.
Donors get multiple payment methods based on location. PayPal balance, credit cards, debit cards, or bank transfers cover the most common options. It doesn’t include Stripe or wallet payments like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Speed is the main advantage here. The plugin stays lightweight and quick, which fits small sites or personal projects that need a simple button live in minutes. It’s focused on one-time gifts, not full fundraising suites.
There are limits. Customization stays basic, with no advanced form builder or design controls. Recurring donations don’t run inside WordPress and need to be configured in PayPal. Reporting remains minimal on the site, with detailed data in the PayPal account dashboard. Donor data also lives in PayPal, so teams that need onsite records may want something different.
How to add a donation button with Stripe
Nonprofits that need full donation features with strong reports and donor CRM should look at GiveWP first. It scales with campaigns, and recurring donations work out of the box with no hassle. Privacy-focused teams or those who want a lighter setup to keep sites fast will appreciate Charitable. It keeps features tight and handles donor data with care.
Teams already on WooCommerce can add Donation for WooCommerce and keep the same checkout flow. No redesign, no extra friction. For a simple PayPal button with minimal setup, PayPal Donations does the job. Seamless Donations is a budget pick with useful free perks like recurring gifts and add-on support for Stripe and PayPal. The interface feels rough in places, though.
Need a Stripe donate button without a heavy setup? Two straightforward options:
- Stripe Payment Links (free and fast)
- Log into the Stripe dashboard.
- Create a Payment Link with preset amounts or an open amount.
- Copy the link.
- In WordPress, add a Button block where the donate button should appear.
- Paste the Payment Link URL into the button settings.
This route enables Apple Pay and Google Pay automatically. - Stripe Checkout via plugins
- Install “WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway” or “Accept Stripe Payments” from the WordPress repository.
- Create a product or donation item with fixed or open amounts in WooCommerce or the plugin’s settings.
- Use the provided shortcodes or links to add buttons that send donors to Stripe Checkout with wallet support and SCA compliance.
Pick based on the site stack and budget. Seamless Donations offers no-cost recurring gifts, while GiveWP delivers an all-in-one suite with deeper tools. Choose one today and move closer to your fundraising goals.
Leave a Reply