Tithely vs Zeffy: Which Church Giving Platform Is Best for Your Ministry?

Tithely vs Zeffy: Which Church Giving Platform Is Right for You?

Choosing the right online giving platform is a big decision for any church. You want to make it easy for people to give, steward donations wisely, and support long-term ministry growth — without unnecessary complexity or cost.

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Two platforms churches often compare are Tithely and Zeffy.

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Both help organizations accept online donations, but they take very different approaches to fees, features, and ministry support.

Below, we’ll break down how Tithely vs Zeffy compare so you can confidently choose the best fit for your church.

What Is Zeffy?

Zeffy is a zero-fee fundraising platform designed for nonprofits. Its biggest differentiator is simple: Zeffy does not charge platform or payment processing fees. Instead, it relies on optional donor tips to fund its operations.

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Zeffy is commonly used for:

• Online donations
• Event ticketing
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Simple donor tracking

For organizations focused primarily on fundraising with minimal overhead, Zeffy’s pricing model is appealing.

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What Is Tithely?

Tithely is a church-focused giving and ministry platform trusted by tens of thousands of churches worldwide. While Tithely includes online giving, it goes far beyond donations by supporting the full ministry journey — from first-time givers to long-term discipleship and engagement.

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Tithely helps churches:

• Accept online, mobile, and text donations
• Encourage recurring generosity
• Manage donors and communication
• Connect giving with church management tools
• Create a seamless digital giving experience for members

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Pricing & Fees: The Biggest Difference‍

Zeffy Pricing

Zeffy advertises 0% platform fees and 0% processing fees. In practice:

• Donations go directly to your organization
• Donors are invited to leave an optional tip to support Zeffy
• Churches receive 100% of the gift amount

This can be attractive for churches that want to avoid fees entirely — especially for one-time campaigns or events.

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Tithely Pricing

Tithely uses standard payment processing fees, similar to other giving platforms. However:

• Donors can choose to cover the processing fees
• Churches benefit from deeper ministry tools and integrations
• Pricing supports ongoing product development and church-specific support

For many churches, the decision comes down to whether they want a free fundraising tool or a full church giving ecosystem.

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Giving Experience for Donors

‍Tithely

Tithely is designed to make generosity simple, consistent, and habitual for church members.

• Online giving
• Mobile app giving
• Text-to-give
• Recurring tithes and offerings
• Fund-specific giving
• Custom branding

Zeffy

Zeffy works well for straightforward donations but does not offer text-to-give or church-specific donor engagement features.

• Online donation forms
• Recurring gifts
• Event-based giving

Recurring Giving & Financial Stability

Recurring giving is one of the most important predictors of financial stability for churches.

• Tithely includes built-in tools to encourage recurring tithes, automate reminders, and track ongoing generosity.
• Zeffy supports recurring donations but focuses more on fundraising mechanics than discipleship or long-term giving habits.

If recurring generosity is a strategic priority, Tithely offers more purpose-built support.

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Donor Management & Follow-Up

Tithely

• Detailed donor profiles
• Giving history and trends
• Communication and follow-up tools
• Integration with church workflows

Zeffy

• Basic donor records
• Tax receipts
• Simple reporting

Zeffy’s donor management works for basic tracking, but churches often outgrow it as their ministry becomes more complex.

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Event & Campaign Fundraising

Both platforms support events and campaigns:

• Zeffy shines for zero-fee event ticketing and peer-to-peer fundraising.
• Tithely supports campaigns while keeping giving connected to the broader life of the church.

If events are your primary focus, Zeffy may be sufficient. If events are part of a larger ministry strategy, Tithely offers more continuity.

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Pros & Cons

Why Churches Choose Tithely

• Built specifically for churches
• Multiple giving methods (online, mobile, text)
• Strong recurring giving tools
• Deeper donor engagement and ministry integration
• Scales with church growth

Why Some Churches Choose Zeffy

• No platform or processing fees
• Simple setup
• Great for fundraising-first use cases

Things to Consider

• Zeffy’s tip-based model may feel unfamiliar to some donors
• Tithely’s fees support a more complete church technology ecosystem
• Churches with growing needs often require more than just fundraising tools

Which Platform Is Best for Your Church?

Choose Zeffy if:

• You want a zero-fee fundraising solution
• Your needs are limited to donations and events
• You don’t require church-specific tools

Choose Tithely if:

• You want to grow consistent, recurring generosity
• You need multiple giving methods (including text-to-give)
• You want giving connected to church management and communication
• You’re planning for long-term ministry growth

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Frequently Asked Questions about Zeffy vs Tithely

Is Zeffy really free for churches?

Yes. Zeffy does not charge platform or processing fees. It relies on optional donor tips to operate.

Does Tithely charge fees?

Tithely uses standard payment processing fees, but donors can choose to cover them — helping churches maximize net giving.

Can churches use Zeffy for tithes?

Zeffy can process recurring donations, but it is not designed specifically around tithes or church giving practices.

Which platform is better for recurring giving?

Tithely offers more tools to encourage, manage, and grow recurring generosity over time.

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Looking for a Zeffy Alternative Built for Churches?

If you’re comparing Tithely vs Zeffy, the biggest difference comes down to fundraising vs ministry.

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Zeffy is a strong zero-fee fundraising option.

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Tithely is built to help churches grow generosity, engage people, and steward giving for the long haul.

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‍Start exploring Tithely today and see why thousands of churches trust it as their all-in-one giving platform.

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