Fundraising is all about building connections, with your donors, your community, and your mission. And the right platform should help make that easier, not more complicated. If you’re exploring alternatives to Classy, you’re in the right place.
There are some great options out there today, each designed to help nonprofits like yours raise more, work smarter, and grow their impact. Whether you’re planning your next fundraising event, launching a peer-to-peer campaign, or just looking for a better way to manage donation forms, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s find the right platform to power your mission forward.
What is Classy and why nonprofits explore alternatives
Classy is a well-known fundraising platform built for nonprofits. It offers tools for donation forms, peer-to-peer fundraising, event pages, and donor management. Many organizations like it because it’s fairly easy to use and has a clean design. It helps teams run campaigns and accept donations online without needing to be tech experts.
But as nonprofits grow or shift their focus, they sometimes start looking for other options. Maybe they need stronger customization, more personal support, or tools that better fit how they engage with donors. Some are looking for a platform that offers all the essentials in one place, without jumping through hoops.
The good news is there’s no shortage of great choices. Whether you’re focused on recurring giving, planning events, or improving your donor experience, there are platforms built to meet those exact needs. In the next section, we’ll share the key features to look for when choosing one.
What to look for in a modern fundraising solution
Choosing the right fundraising platform isn’t just about features, it’s about finding a true partner for your mission. The best tools don’t just help you collect donations; they help you plan smarter, engage your supporters, and free up your team to focus on what matters most.
Look for platforms that offer more than just software. Strategic support can make a huge difference. Whether you’re mapping out your annual plan or trying something new like a peer-to-peer campaign, having guidance from people who’ve been there can give you a big head start.
You’ll also want strong donor tools, customizable forms, recurring giving options, and easy-to-understand reporting. But even the best features fall short without real service. When you have questions (or big goals), it helps to have a responsive support team that treats you like a partner, not just another ticket in the queue.
The right platform should grow with you, simplify your work, and give you confidence as you scale. In the next section, we’ll explore five Classy alternatives that offer just that.
Top 5 Classy alternatives for nonprofit fundraising
1. Harness
Harness is more than a fundraising platform, it’s a full-service growth partner for nonprofits. Along with easy-to-use donation forms and campaign tools, you get strategic guidance from fundraising experts who become part of your team. Whether you’re planning a major campaign or just want to boost recurring giving, you’ll have the support and tools to make it happen.
What makes Harness stand out is how much time it saves. From automated donor follow-ups to built-in SmartAsk™ prompts that turn one-time donors into monthly givers, every feature is designed to help your team do more with less. You also get a personalized website managed by Harness (if you want it), real-time reporting, and donor engagement tools that are actually simple to use.
Harness is ideal for growing nonprofits that want a system built for long-term success, not just a way to collect donations. It’s strategy, service, and software all working together.
2. Givebutter
Givebutter is a flexible platform that blends fundraising, events, and donor communication in one place. It’s a great fit for nonprofits running peer-to-peer campaigns, crowdfunding drives, or ticketed events with lots of community engagement. If you like the idea of giving your supporters fun, interactive ways to fundraise, Givebutter brings a lot to the table.
One of its biggest perks is the pricing model. Givebutter is free to use, and donors can choose to leave a “tip” that helps cover platform costs. For some organizations, this keeps things simple and affordable. But it can also be a drawback, since it relies on donor tipping, there’s less predictability with fees, and not every donor is comfortable covering those costs.
Another tradeoff is support. Givebutter offers solid features, but nonprofits looking for hands-on guidance or long-term fundraising strategy may find it a bit limited. It’s a good tool for teams that know what they want and just need a place to run it, but less so for those seeking deeper partnership or growth planning.
3. Donorbox
Donorbox is known for its simple setup and strong donation form tools. It’s especially appealing to smaller nonprofits, schools, and churches that want to add branded donation forms directly to their websites without hiring a developer. You can also enable recurring giving, offer donor “walls,” and connect with tools like Salesforce or Zapier.
One of Donorbox’s strengths is how quickly you can get started. If you already have a site and just need a better way to collect donations, it’s an easy plug-and-play option. It also gives you decent control over form design and donor communications.
But there are tradeoffs. Donorbox is mostly self-serve. You won’t get much in the way of strategic guidance, and the tools can feel basic as your needs grow. Support is available, but it’s not always hands-on. If you’re planning larger campaigns or want help thinking through your donor journey, you might find yourself wishing for more structure and expertise.
4. OneCause
OneCause is a strong choice for nonprofits that focus on event-based fundraising. It’s especially popular with teams that run auctions, galas, and in-person or virtual events where mobile bidding and ticketing are key. If your fundraising strategy centers around live events, OneCause offers a suite of tools built specifically for that.
It’s designed to make event management smoother, handling everything from guest registration to donor check-in and silent auctions. Support is available during events, which is a big help when things get busy.
That said, OneCause is built with events in mind, so its features may not be as useful if you’re focused on year-round campaigns or building a strong recurring giving program. Pricing can also be a factor, OneCause tends to be on the higher end, and costs may add up depending on the features you use. It’s powerful for the right use case, but not always the best fit for organizations looking for an all-in-one solution.
5. Qgiv
Qgiv is a versatile platform that offers a wide range of tools, from donation forms and peer-to-peer fundraising to event registration and text-to-give features. It’s designed to support growing nonprofits that need flexibility and value detailed donor data.
One of Qgiv’s biggest strengths is its user interface. It’s clean and intuitive, making it easy for teams to launch campaigns without a steep learning curve. It also shines when it comes to donor segmentation and reporting, which can help you tailor your outreach and understand what’s working.
On the flip side, some users find the design customization a bit limited compared to other platforms. If having full creative control over the look and feel of your campaigns is important to you, that could be a sticking point. And while Qgiv’s pricing is transparent, costs can rise as you add more modules or features.
Still, for nonprofits that want a solid, flexible toolkit with strong data capabilities, Qgiv delivers a lot of value.
Comparison table: 5 best fundraising platforms at a glance
Here’s a quick look at how the top five Classy alternatives stack up. This isn’t everything, but it covers some of the features and differences nonprofit teams ask about most.
This table is a great starting point, but your perfect fit depends on your goals, your team, and the kind of support you’re looking for. Up next, we’ll dive deeper into how Harness supports every step of your fundraising journey.
How Harness helps nonprofits modernize and scale fundraising
At Harness, we’ve seen firsthand how the right tools, and the right team, can transform the way a nonprofit fundraises. That’s why we don’t just offer software. We offer a complete system designed to help you grow smarter, raise more, and stay focused on your mission.
Let’s start with giving tools. Harness makes it easy to launch branded donation forms, set up recurring giving with SmartAsk™, and create campaign pages that look great and work on any device. You can even add a personalized website that we help manage, so you don’t need to worry about design or tech.
What really sets us apart is the strategy and support we bring. You’ll have access to fundraising experts who become an extension of your team. We help plan your campaigns, answer the tricky questions, and make sure you’re getting the most out of every tool.
And everything lives in one place, donor data, reports, communications. That means less jumping between systems and more time focusing on your impact.
If you’re looking for a platform that grows with you and supports your team like a true partner, Harness might be the one.
Simplify your nonprofit’s growth with the right fundraising platform
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to fundraising platforms, and that’s actually a good thing. It means you get to choose what works best for your team, your goals, and the way you connect with supporters.
Some platforms shine with event tools. Others keep things lean and simple. But if you’re looking for something that combines smart fundraising features with real support and strategy, Harness offers a balance that’s hard to find. It’s not just about collecting donations, it’s about growing with a system that’s built around you.
Whether you’re just getting started or ready to scale, Harness is here to help you take that next step with clarity and confidence.
