We know that effective fundraising is the heartbeat of every successful nonprofit or charity. It fuels your mission, amplifies your impact, and helps you connect with supporters.
One of the most exciting (and effective) ways to raise money today? Online auctions. They’re not only popular with donors (24% of donors prefer giving through auction events!) but also a fantastic way to boost engagement, expand your reach, and spotlight your cause.
With the right auction software, your supporters can bid from anywhere — whether they’re at home on a laptop or out and about on their phones. These tools also simplify your fundraising efforts by managing item listings, tracking bids in real time, processing payments, and keeping your donors in the loop every step of the way.
Even better? Some of the most powerful platforms out there are absolutely free. We’ve rounded up the best online auction solutions that help you raise more without spending more.
For small nonprofit or charity organizations with tight budgets, finding free auction software empowers your fundraising without cutting into your pocket. And, with the software options below, free doesn’t equal basic. These platforms offer robust features at no cost so your nonprofit can host successful fundraising events while keeping expenses low.
BiddingOwl is a widely used auction system designed specifically for nonprofits. It’s a free, easy-to-use solution that lets you set up and manage your auctions online, providing mobile-friendly bidding and real-time tracking.
While it’s free to use, there is a 5% performance fee on online bids (deducted from the winning bid) instead of charging an upfront fee. This is so that we can keep the technology up-to-date and efficient and provide a great user experience for NPOs like you!
If you’re a small to mid-sized NPO or charity organization looking for a no-cost solution to effortlessly run online auctions and raise more funds, BiddingOwl is the perfect platform for you!
Auctria is a good bet for full-feature auction management software that caters to nonprofits of all sizes. Its free plan is suitable for small organizations, offering core auction features, including basic auction site design and apps.
As fundraising needs grow or become more specific, however, nonprofits may find that the free option comes short. To scale up with Auctria, you’d have to pay for upgrades from $375 with enhanced functionalities.
Charity Auctions Today is a versatile auction platform offering a free plan for nonprofits, schools, and community organizations. The platform provides mobile bidding, event customization, and real-time notifications, ensuring a smooth auction experience.
The platform’s pricing is simple: the free plan charges 5% of funds raised with no monthly subscription fee. If you're looking for more features and lower transaction fees, you can explore their prepaid plans, which range from $297 to $1,500 per year plus 3% of funds raised.
32auctions is a platform for hosting silent auctions and offers a free plan tailored to smaller fundraising events. It’s well-suited for nonprofits that want a simple solution to run online or hybrid auctions.
The interface is intuitive and easy to set up, which is good for teams without much tech experience. With basic customization features and a smooth bidder experience, 32auctions helps you focus on fundraising, not logistics.
That said, the free plan does have limitations, such as a cap on the number of items and a lack of advanced features like ticket sales, donation options, or integrated checkout. If you’re looking for a more all-in-one platform that supports both online and in-person events, BiddingOwl offers more flexibility at no added cost.
Givebutter is an all-in-one fundraising platform that offers a generous free plan packed with features like auction tools, peer-to-peer fundraising, donation forms, and live streaming support. It’s designed to improve donor engagement and simplify donation processing, making it a popular choice for nonprofits running virtual events and campaigns.
One big plus? The platform is technically free to use, and you can pass on the 2.9% + 30c processing fee to donors, allowing you to fundraise without out-of-pocket expenses.
However, Givebutter’s auction capabilities aren’t as robust or specialized as platforms designed specifically for charity auctions. If your focus is on running detailed auction events, BiddingOwl offers more auction-specific tools like paddle raises, item watchlists, and integrated ticket sales, all built into a platform designed just for nonprofits.
Online auctions are now a core part of nonprofit and charity organizations’ fundraising. Your NPO can use them to reach more donors, engage supporters, and improve your fundraising.
When choosing your free auction software, look for key features such as mobile bidding, real-time tracking, and donor management tools. To help you make the right decision, we’ve put together a fantastic guide for choosing the best auction management software for fundraisers.
Or if you’re ready to take your auctions to the next level, explore our full feature set here and discover how BiddingOwl can help your nonprofit boost donations without boosting expenses.