There is no shortage of online auction software and mobile bidding options for nonprofit fundraisers.
But, who are you going to trust with your school, charity, church or club’s silent auction?
In this post, we’ll break down how to choose an online auction site for your nonprofit and summarize the solutions from major auction software companies.
How to Choose Online Auction Software
The reality is that there are likely multiple options that will perform well for your online auction.
Your most important task when choosing auction software is to rule out any auction software that has a “dealbreakers.” Below are some questions to get you started.
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Does it have the features you need?
Different events have different needs.
Perhaps you’re running a basic online auction and need a simple solution. Or perhaps you have an in-person gala with a silent auction and live auction and need lots of features.
Consider which of the below features you need for your event (in addition to bidding and payment functionality) and rule out any solutions that don’t have what you need:
- Access to auction items
- Event ticket sales
- Live Streaming
- In-person event management
- Raffles
Is it easy for organizers and bidders?
Often, a tradeoff for more features is complexity. Not only is the additional configuration time consuming, it can result in mistakes, like a bidding closing at the wrong time.
Evaluate your organization’s technical expertise and bandwidth to determine if a feature rich but complex auction software is right for your event.
Note that many auction software companies offer an event consultant to help get your auction set up for an additional charge.
Additionally, view a demo of the software from a bidder’s perspective to verify registration is straightforward and there is no app to download.
Is the pricing right for your auction?
Pricing structures differ among auction software providers. Most providers charge a combination of the following:
- Base software license fee (per event or per year)
- Add-on charge for additional features, like video streaming
- Payment processing fee (% of funds processed)
- Service fee for dedicated event consultant
Pro Tip: Some auction software providers ask winning bidders to leave an optional tip for the software provider at checkout, but the software is otherwise free to your nonprofit. The “tip” model is great for your bottom line!
Auctions that expect to raise over $100,000 in winning bids will likely prefer a pricing structure with more fixed costs, like a base license fee, but lower or nonexistent payment processing fees.
By contrast, smaller auctions will likely prefer a percentage model without upfront costs.
Best Online Auction Sites (for you)
By now, you’ve hopefully realized that the best site for you will depend on your event’s needs.
Reference the table to build your shortlist of online auction solutions.
| Software | Pricing | Auction Items | Ticketing | Live Streaming | Perfect for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Free (optional “tip” model) | Nearly $100M in fun experiences | No | No |  Simple Online Auctions |
 | $795/yr event license, add-ons for purchase | Integrates w/ TravelPledge | Yes | Yes | Live Galas |
 | 3% transaction fee up to $3,000 | Integrates w/ TravelPledge | Yes | Yes | Virtual Galas |
 | Not published | Integrates w/ TravelPledge | Yes | Yes | Golf Events |
 | 8% transaction fee up to $25k in winning bids, 5% fee above that | Integrates w/ TravelPledge | Yes | No | Customer Service |
 | Not published | Consignment packages | Yes | Yes | Event Management |
 | $0/mo, $99/mo or $299/mo, 3.5% transaction fee on free plan | No | Yes | Yes | Raffles |
 | $249/event + $1/participant, 1% transaction fee on tickets | No | Yes | Yes | Ticketing |
 | $1,000/event, $1,500/yr or $2,500/yr | No | Yes | Yes | |
 | $0, $300/yr or $600/yr, 1% transaction fee on free plan. | No | Yes | No | |
 | $600/yr | No | Yes | No | |
 | Not published | No | Yes | Yes | |
 | Not published | Consignment packages | Yes | Yes | |
 | $696/yr, $1,296/yr, $1896/yr or $2,496/yr, add-ons for purchase | No | Yes | Yes | |
 | 5% transaction fee | No | No | No | |
 | Free (optional “tip” model) | Consignment packages | Yes | Yes | |
 | $1,099/yr, $1,499/yr or $1,999/yr | Consignment packages | Yes | No | |
 | Not published | No | Yes | Yes | |
 | Not published | Consignment packages | Yes | Yes | |
 | Plans at $0/event & $297 to $997/event, 5% transaction fee on free plan | No | Yes | No | |
 | $0/event, $80/event, $160/event or $280/event, 2.9% + $0.40/transaction fee | No | No | No |
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