The best online event platforms for charities

Planning and hosting a charity event can be stressful, whatever type of event you’re running. But the advent of digital event platforms means charities can automate many of the processes involved in running an fundraising or awareness event at little or no cost, ensuring that every penny possible goes to the cause.

The most effective platforms can help with ticketing, marketing, tracking bookings, managing payments and donations, giving out essential information about the day and more.

We’ve picked some of the best online event platforms for charities below.

Eventbrite

Probably the most well known of the five, Eventbrite’s platform is great for charities wanting to capture the mass market. Aimed at those generally browsing for things to do, the platform advertises events in a calendar and map format allowing guests to search by event type, city, or date.

Charity marketing teams can also put up listing pages specifically for the event. Photos, built-in payment widgets, visitor analytics, and ticketing can be managed directly from the site and organiser app.

For charities without event organising experience, the platform can also offer equipment rentals, staffing, and dedicated relationship managers for the event. Eventbrite is free for organisers if you’re not charging for tickets, otherwise it offers a three-tier pricing package.

For charities on a budget, the essentials suite charges £0.49 per ticket in addition to 3.5% of the ticket price, for one ticket type only. This includes the ability to sell tickets directly through Facebook.  

Idloom

Idloom helps charities create customised an event website and registration page. The platform allows charities to personalise the data collection process allowing organisers to gather all the necessary information.

The company says it can help charities ‘effortlessly automate most processes’: this includes the creation of a multi-page event website, attendee management, payment processing, badge printing, invoice generation and on-site quick check-in.

For charities, the Light subscription plan includes unlimited free events, unlimited users and guests, e-ticketing and a variety of pricing options for paying customers. On Charity Digital Exchange, eligible charities can also access the Light subscription plan for 12 months, for just £40, which is a substantial saving.  

Yapsody

For charities with a hands-on approach, Yapsody’s event ticking system can support major occasions. The ticket store’s look and feel can be customised to the charity’s identity.

With an emphasis on being able to sell tickets fast, the platform comes with lots of features for marketing and promoting tickets effectively, including SEO help so you get found online. Charities can also run events with different ticket pricing structures and discount codes.

One of the most cost-effective platforms available, Yapsody does not charge any fees on the first 50 tickets. Non-profits can benefit from a flat 50% rebate on monthly invoices for any event. No fees apply for free, non-ticketed events hosted by non-profits.

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