DONATE vs Enthuse
Enthuse is a well-regarded UK platform, particularly for branded event fundraising, race registrations and peer-to-peer challenges. DONATE is a multi-channel giving platform run by a registered charity, built around raffles, auctions, campaigns, text and contactless giving. They overlap on donation pages and Gift Aid — but their pricing models and feature sets are very different, and which is cheaper depends almost entirely on how your supporters give.
Pricing, side by side
| DONATE | Enthuse | |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee (charity) | 4.5% + 22p | 1.9% + 30p |
| Gift Aid | Managed; fee taken from the 25% uplift | 5% of the Gift Aid claimed |
| Monthly subscription | £6–£12 (tiered by amount raised) | £39.99 |
| Payout fee | Fixed (from £3) | 5% of payout |
| Donor tipping prompts | None | None |
Enthuse's lower headline rate is real — but the £39.99 subscription and the 5% payout fee sit on top of it. For a charity whose donors give £500/month with 30% Gift Aid, the comparison calculator puts the net at £472.75 on DONATE and £447.58 on Enthuse — about £300/year of difference in the charity's favour on DONATE, driven mostly by the subscription and payout fee. At substantially higher monthly volumes the gap narrows; run your own numbers before deciding.
Feature coverage
Choose Enthuse if your fundraising is built around branded event registrations and sponsored challenges — that's its home ground, and features like event registration are genuinely strong.
Choose DONATE if you need channels Enthuse doesn't offer:
- Online raffles — fully compliant, Gambling Commission-licensed, with the draw handled for you
- Charity auctions — silent, live and online with mobile bidding
- Text giving — keyword donations from £1 to £40, ideal for services, stadiums and broadcast appeals
- Contactless tap-to-donate — donation boxes and handheld terminals at 2.95%
Both platforms handle online donation pages and recurring giving well; DONATE also covers campaign pages with targets and multi-channel payment support.
DONATE vs Enthuse FAQs
Is Enthuse cheaper than DONATE? ＋
On the headline transaction rate, yes (1.9% + 30p vs 4.5% + 22p for charities). On the total cost, usually not for small and mid-sized charities: Enthuse adds a £39.99 monthly subscription and a 5% payout fee, while DONATE's subscription is £6–£12 and its payout fee is fixed. Model your own donation mix with the comparison tool to see which wins for you.
Does Enthuse support raffles or auctions? ＋
No — Enthuse focuses on donations, events and peer-to-peer fundraising. DONATE runs Gambling Commission-licensed online raffles and full charity auctions on the same platform as your donation pages.
Who handles Gift Aid on each platform? ＋
Both platforms process Gift Aid for you. Enthuse charges 5% of the Gift Aid claimed. DONATE manages the claim to HMRC and takes its fee from the Gift Aid uplift itself, so the donor's original donation passes through in full.
See the full picture
This page covers the two platforms charities most often ask us about — the interactive comparison tool adds JustGiving, GoFundMe and FundraisingBox, with sources for every rate. Or start fundraising with DONATE — no setup fees, cancel any time.