Platforms like Donorbox, Givebutter, Bloomerang, and Zeffy have become popular with nonprofits for one reason: they make it easy to collect online donations. But when you strip away the marketing language, these platforms are essentially doing two things:
> They provide a form to collect donations; and,
> They generate a report showing who donated.
That’s it! And nonprofits are paying a steep price — in subscription fees, in transaction fees, or in donor goodwill — for something that’s really just a single-purpose tool.
The Limitations of Donor-Only Platforms
While they may work fine for processing gifts, donor-only platforms come with major gaps:
Narrow scope: Their forms are locked into donations and raffles, nothing more.
High cost: Between subscriptions and fees, nonprofits pay far more than the value they get.
Lack of productivity features: They don’t help with day-to-day operations, collaboration, or program delivery.
The result? Nonprofits end up patching together multiple tools — one for fundraising, another for HR, another for surveys, another for event registration — while juggling higher costs and added complexity.
The “Free” Trap
Zeffy markets itself as a “free” alternative. But in practice, it passes the cost onto donors, pressuring them to add a “tip” with every transaction. Donors often feel tricked, nonprofits risk damaging trust, and the platform still takes its cut. Free isn’t really free when it costs you donor relationships.
A Smarter Alternative: Cause Work HUB + Paperform
Cause Work was designed to give nonprofits a true all-in-one solution. By pairing the Cause Work HUB with Paperform, nonprofits get everything donor-only platforms offer — and so much more.
Donation forms with reporting: Yes, you still get branded, professional donation forms and clear reports of all donation data.
Forms for everything else: HR intake, volunteer sign-ups, client applications, event RSVPs, polls, surveys, program registrations — all in the same system.
A productivity hub: Beyond forms, nonprofits can collaborate, share assets, and streamline work inside the HUB.
Hands-on support: Our team helps create and customize forms so nonprofits don’t have to figure it out alone.
Instead of being boxed into “just donations,” nonprofits finally have a platform that adapts to every part of their mission.
The Bottom Line
Donor-only platforms are just forms and reports — an expensive, limited solution to one small piece of nonprofit work. Cause Work HUB + Paperform replaces them entirely, giving nonprofits a flexible, full-featured productivity platform that handles donations and everything else they need. No hidden fees. No donor “tips.” Just tools that help nonprofits work smarter and focus on what matters most: serving their communities.
Learn more at Causework.io.