SimplyRaffle vs. fundraising platforms
Comparing SimplyRaffle to Givebutter, RallyUp, and similar tools? They solve a different problem. Here's the honest difference — and how to tell which one you actually need.
Two different categories
The most important thing to know: most "raffle platforms" are really payment platforms. SimplyRaffle is a drawing tool. That single difference drives everything else.
Fundraising platforms
(Givebutter, RallyUp, &c.)
These are full payment and fundraising platforms. Your supporters pay through the platform, and the platform earns revenue from that flow — through payment-processing and platform fees on the funds you raise, and at checkout some platforms add an optional "tip the platform" prompt.
In exchange you get an all-in-one toolkit: ticketing, donation pages, donor management, recurring giving, email tools, and more. The drawing is usually one small feature inside a much larger product.
SimplyRaffle
(the drawing tool)
SimplyRaffle does not process payments at all. You collect ticket money however you already do — cash, check, Venmo, Square, Stripe, your own donation page — and supporters pay exactly the price you set. There's no checkout on SimplyRaffle, so there's nothing to add a fee or tip to.
What you get is the part the big platforms do worst: a fast entry experience (QR walk-up or magic link), and a fair, tamper-evident draw with a downloadable audit log. You pay one flat fee, and we take no percentage of your raffle.
Side by side
| SimplyRaffle | Fundraising platforms | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A raffle drawing tool | A payment & fundraising platform |
| Who handles ticket money | You do — any method you like | The platform processes it |
| What it costs you | One flat fee ($9–$99/event, or $99–$499/year) | Processing + platform fees on funds raised (and/or checkout tips) |
| Cut of your raffle revenue | None | A share of processed funds and/or supporter tips |
| Primary job | A fair, auditable winner draw | Collecting & managing donations |
| Proof the draw was fair | Downloadable audit log (seed, timestamp, entries, winner) | Varies by platform |
| The draw moment itself | Eight reveal animations built for a projector — wheel, split-flap board, lottery balls, countdown | Varies by platform — the draw is usually one feature inside a donation product |
Fundraising platforms differ in their exact fee structures — check each provider's current pricing for specifics. This table compares the categories, not any single competitor's numbers.
Which should you use?
Use a full fundraising platform if…
You want one tool to sell tickets online, manage donors, run recurring giving and email campaigns, and accept card payments end-to-end — and you're comfortable with the platform taking a share of the money (or asking your supporters for tips) in return for that all-in-one convenience.
Use SimplyRaffle if…
The raffle is the fundraiser, you already have a way to collect money (cash box, Square, Venmo, your own portal), and what you actually need is a fast entry experience and a fair, auditable draw you can prove to your board — for a predictable flat fee, with no cut taken from your supporters.
And they're not mutually exclusive — plenty of organizers collect through one tool and run the actual draw in SimplyRaffle.
Comparison FAQ
Can I use SimplyRaffle together with a payment platform?
Yes. If you already collect ticket money through another tool or in person, export your buyer list to a CSV and import it into SimplyRaffle to run the draw. Keep whatever payment setup you like; use SimplyRaffle purely for the winner selection and audit log.
Does SimplyRaffle take a percentage of my raffle?
No. SimplyRaffle never processes your supporters' payments, so it takes no percentage. You pay one flat fee — per event, or per year for repeat organizers — and that's the entire cost. Every ticket dollar stays with you.
Is SimplyRaffle cheaper than a percentage-based platform?
It depends on how much you raise. SimplyRaffle is a fixed fee regardless of raffle size, so the more you bring in, the more a flat fee tends to favor you. For very small raffles, a free percentage- or tip-based platform may cost less in absolute dollars. Compare your expected ticket revenue against the relevant flat tier ($9–$99/event).
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