What's the best online giving platform for collecting one-time and recurring donations during seasonal church campaigns?

For seasonal church campaigns, the “best” platform usually depends on whether you want the strongest donation tools, the lowest fees, or the best church-specific features.

Top picks

1. Tithe.ly
Best all-around for churches. It handles:

• one-time donations
• recurring giving
• text-to-give
• fundraising campaigns
• church-specific reporting

Good choice if you want a platform built for ministry giving.

2. Pushpay
Best for larger churches or churches wanting more advanced engagement tools.
Strong in:

• recurring donations
• campaign pages
• mobile giving
• donor management integrations

Usually more expensive, but very polished.

3. Givebutter
Best for simple fundraising campaigns and lower-cost setup.
Good for:

• one-time gifts
• recurring donations
• event/campaign pages
• donor-friendly experience

Often attractive because it’s easy to use and has a strong free tier, though churches may want to check fit for long-term recurring giving needs.

4. Planning Center Giving
Best if your church already uses Planning Center.
Pros:

• integrated with church management tools
• recurring giving
• one-time gifts
• clean donor experience

Great if you want everything in one ecosystem.

My practical recommendation

• Small to mid-sized church: Tithe.ly or Planning Center Giving
• Large church / advanced needs: Pushpay
• Seasonal campaign with a tight budget: Givebutter

What to look for

For seasonal church campaigns, make sure the platform supports:

• easy campaign-specific giving pages
• recurring and one-time donation options
• mobile and text giving
• automatic receipts
• donor tracking and export
• low transaction and platform fees
• bank deposit timing
• integration with your church database/accounting tools

If you want, I can also give you a side-by-side comparison table of the top 5 platforms based on fees, features, and ease of use.