Fund-Team.com vs Zeffy for School Team Fundraising

Zeffy advertises itself as 100% free for nonprofits — but it works by prompting donors to add a voluntary tip at checkout. Fund-Team.com charges a flat 5% commission with no tip requests, no hidden fees, and a platform built specifically for school team fundraising. Here is how the two compare for school teams.

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The Key Difference: How Each Platform Gets Paid

Both platforms need to cover their costs. They just collect money differently:

• Zeffy charges the team nothing, but shows donors a tip prompt during checkout suggesting they tip 10%–15% of their donation to Zeffy. Most donors add the tip. This means a $100 donation costs the donor $110–$115 — and most donors don't realize it.
• Fund-Team.com charges the team 5% of what is raised. Donors pay exactly what they intend. A $100 donation is $100 to the donor, and the team nets $95 after the platform fee (plus ~3% card processing).

Which model is better for your team depends on whether you want cost to fall on the team or the donor — and how transparent you want the fundraising experience to be.

Quick Comparison: Fund-Team.com vs Zeffy

Why the Tip Model Matters for School Fundraising

When a booster parent sends a donation link to grandparents and family friends, most donors won't read the fine print about a tip prompt. They'll click through and add the suggested tip automatically. This has a few effects:

• Donors pay more than they expected, which can reduce future giving
• Some donors feel misled when they notice the tip on their credit card statement
• The team's net amount is the same whether or not donors tip — Zeffy keeps the tip

Fund-Team.com's 5% commission is simple and transparent: the team pays 5%, donors pay what they intend, and there are no surprises.

What School Teams Need That Zeffy Doesn't Provide

Zeffy was built for nonprofits collecting general donations. School team fundraisers need a different workflow:

• Per-student pages. Each student needs their own link to share with family and friends. Zeffy has no per-participant page feature. Fund-Team.com gives every student their own personalized fundraising page.
• Automated reminders. Fund-Team.com sends automated email and text reminders to students' contacts throughout the campaign, which is the biggest driver of results. Zeffy does not have this.
• Real-time leaderboard. Students and organizers can see who is raising what, which motivates participation. Zeffy has no team leaderboard.
• Live support. Fund-Team.com provides phone, text, and email support for organizers, students, and donors. Zeffy does not offer live phone support.

When Zeffy Makes Sense vs When Fund-Team.com Makes Sense

How Fund-Team.com Works

1. Organizer sets up the campaign in about 10 minutes. Enter your team name, goal, and campaign dates.
2. Students join and personalize their pages. Each student adds a photo and personal message, then shares their unique link by email, text, or social media.
3. Automated reminders go out. Fund-Team.com sends reminder emails and texts throughout the campaign to keep donors engaged.
4. Donors give securely online. Credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay — no tip prompt, no hidden fees.
5. Team gets paid immediately when the campaign ends. 80% sent on closing day; 20% after 60 days.