How I Setup Recurring Square Payments in WordPress Without WooCommerce

Square makes it easy to accept recurring payments on your WordPress site, even without setting up a full online store.

If you’ve ever wanted to add subscriptions, memberships, or donation forms but felt overwhelmed by WooCommerce, then you’re in the right place.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how I set up recurring Square payments on WordPress, step by step. 

By the end, you’ll be able to create your first subscription form, connect it to Square, and start collecting recurring payments without touching any code—even if you’ve never done this before.

💡Quick Answer: How to Accept Recurring Square Payments Without WooCommerce

You can easily accept recurring Square payments in WordPress by using the right plugin:

• Choose WPForms if: You want to accept recurring payments and build other forms on your site, like contact forms, surveys, event registrations, or membership signups.
• Choose MyPayKit if: You only need a simple payment or subscription form connected to Square. It’s a good choice if you want the fastest setup.
• Choose Charitable if: You run a nonprofit or fundraising website and need to accept recurring donations through Square. It’s built specifically for donation campaigns.

Why Accept Recurring Payments on Your WordPress Site?

Recurring payments turn one-time customers into steady, predictable income. There’s no need to send invoices or chase payments each month, and automatic billing helps maintain long-term relationships through consistent engagement.

This works especially well for these kinds of websites:

Type of subscription	Example
Memberships or Subscriptions	Premium content, online communities, or courses
Service Retainers	Monthly web services, consulting, or maintenance plans
Subscription Products	Recurring product boxes or digital downloads
Donations	Monthly contributions for nonprofits or causes

Why Is Square a Good Choice for Recurring Payments?

Square is a popular payment platform that makes accepting online recurring payments simple and secure. It handles everything from credit card processing to PCI compliance (the strict security standards required for accepting credit cards), so you don’t have to worry about the technical side.

Plus, if you already use a Square card reader in your physical store, using it for your website keeps all your online and offline sales in one single dashboard.

Here’s why Square works well for accepting payments in WordPress:

• Easy to Use: The dashboard is clean and intuitive, making it easy for beginners to accept payments quickly.
• Secure Payment Handling: Square manages card security and compliance, keeping customer information safe.
• No Extra Hardware Needed: Online subscriptions work without card readers or point-of-sale equipment.
• Works With WordPress Plugins: Plugins like WPForms, MyPayKit, and Charitable integrate with Square, allowing recurring payments to be set up without coding.

In my experience, Square’s combination of simplicity, security, and plugin support makes it a reliable option for recurring payments.

Why Not Use WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is great for full online stores, but it can feel overkill if all you want is a simple subscription, membership, or donation form.

I’ve seen beginners get overwhelmed by its many settings when there’s no need to manage products, shipping, or inventory.

Here’s why lightweight payment plugins often make more sense:

• Faster to Set Up: No need to configure products, shipping, or checkout pages.
• Easier to Manage: A simpler dashboard means fewer settings to navigate.
• Beginner-Friendly: Focused tools for payments or donations make it easier to get started.
• Targeted Features: Lightweight plugins provide exactly what’s needed for recurring payments without extra clutter.

For most subscription or donation setups, using a plugin that connects directly to Square is simpler, faster, and less stressful than going through WooCommerce.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Before getting started with one of the methods in my tutorial, make sure you have the basics ready. This will make the process much smoother:

1. A Self-Hosted WordPress.org Site: You’ll need a WordPress.org site with hosting and a domain name. Self-hosted WordPress gives you full control, lets you install plugins, and works perfectly with Square. For details, see our guide on how to create a WordPress website.
2. SSL Certificate: You must have an SSL certificate enabled (so your site uses https://). Square requires a secure connection to process payments and protect data.
3. A Square Account: Square handles all credit card payments for recurring subscriptions. Signing up is free and only takes a few minutes. You’ll need a business name, an email address, and a bank account to receive payments.
4. Admin Access to Your Site: You need the Administrator user role to install plugins, connect payment processors, and manage site settings.

Once these are ready, it’s time to choose a plugin to make recurring payments easier. There are three main options, depending on what you want to do:

Plugin	Best For	Ease of Use	Other Benefits
WPForms	Subscriptions + other payment forms	Beginner-friendly	Contact forms, surveys, registrations
MyPayKit	Simple Square payment forms	Very easy	Lightweight setup
Charitable	Nonprofits / donation forms	Easy	Donation campaigns, supporter management

Now, let’s look at the 3 easiest ways to accept recurring Square payments in WordPress without WooCommerce.

You can use the links below to jump to the method of your choice:

• Method 1: Accept Recurring Square Payments With WPForms (For Beginners Who Want Recurring Payments + Other Forms)
• Method 2: Accept Recurring Square Payments With MyPayKit (For Simple Recurring Payment Forms)
• Method 3: Accept Recurring Payments With Charitable (For Nonprofits and Recurring Donations)
• Before You Go Live With Recurring Square Payments (Final Checks)
• Frequently Asked Questions About Accepting Recurring Square Payments in WordPress

Method 1: Accept Recurring Square Payments With WPForms (For Beginners Who Want Recurring Payments + Other Forms)

I recommend WPForms for anyone who wants to accept recurring payments and the flexibility to create other forms. It integrates smoothly with Square, and it offers plenty of extra features if you want to expand beyond payments.

Overall, it is the best WordPress form builder, great for small businesses, service providers, and membership sites.

We use WPForms at WPBeginner to build all our contact forms, so I’ve seen firsthand how reliable and easy it is to use. For a deeper look, you can check out our full WPForms review.

That said, I don’t recommend WPForms if you only need a single payment form. In that case, a lighter plugin like MyPayKit is usually a better fit. But for most WordPress sites that need recurring payments, WPForms is my go-to choice.

Step 1: Install and Activate WPForms

First, you need to install and activate WPForms on your WordPress site. If you don’t know how to do that, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Just follow our guide on installing a WordPress plugin to get started.

📍Note: WPForms does have a free version that works well for basic contact forms. However, to use Square and set up recurring subscriptions, you’ll need the Pro plan or higher, which unlocks the Square addon and all the advanced payment features.

After activation, you’ll need to enter your license key. Think of the license key like a password that tells WPForms your site is allowed to access Pro features and updates.

You can find this information in your account on the WPForms website. Then, just click the ‘Verify Key’ button.

Step 2: Enable the Square Addon

Next, you need to enable the Square addon so your forms can accept recurring Square payments.

From your WordPress dashboard, go to the WPForms » Addons page. Find the Square addon in the list and click the ‘Install Addon’ button.

Once the Square addon is installed and activated, your WPForms plugin is ready to start creating subscription forms that can take Square payments.

Step 3: Connect Square to WPForms

Previously, you downloaded and activated the Square addon, which added Square as a payment option in WPForms. But at this stage, it’s not yet connected to your Square account.

Without this connection, the forms you create won’t be able to process any payments. I’ve seen many beginners miss this step, so it’s important to follow it carefully.

To connect Square, go to WPForms » Settings » Payments » Square in your WordPress dashboard. You’ll see a section labeled ‘Connection Status’ with a ‘Connect with Square’ button.

Click it, and you’ll be redirected to the Square login page. Here, you need to enter your email and password, then click ‘Sign In.’

When you log in, Square will show a permissions screen. Don’t worry—this is just asking for approval so WPForms can manage payments on your behalf.

I recommend taking a moment to read through the permissions so you know exactly what access is being granted. Then, click ‘Allow’ to proceed.

Once you allow permissions, you’ll be sent back to your WPForms settings. If the connection is successful, you’ll see a green checkmark and a success message next to Connection Status.

Finally, don’t forget to click ‘Save’ to confirm the settings.

💡Expert Tip: WPForms offers a Test Mode, which I always recommend using first. It lets you simulate payments to make sure everything is working correctly before going live.

Once you’re confident, switch to Live Mode to start accepting real recurring payments.

Step 4: Create a Square Payment Form

If you don’t have a form yet, creating one with WPForms is really easy thanks to its drag-and-drop builder. From your WordPress dashboard, go to WPForms » Add New Form.

WPForms offers 2000+ premade templates for contact forms, surveys, order forms, and more, so you can get started quickly without building everything from scratch.

You can also use its AI Form Builder to generate a custom template—just give your form a name, describe what you want, and it will create a starting point for you.

Once your template is ready, it will open in WPForms’ visual editor, where you can easily edit, delete, or rearrange form fields with just a few clicks.

After that, make sure to add the ‘Square’ payment field from the left column. This is the field where users enter their credit card information.

Right now, it is just a basic payment field. It does not yet accept recurring payments—that comes in the next step.

For more information, see our tutorial on integrating Square payments in WordPress.

If you want to see real-world examples of how recurring forms can be used, check out these guides:

• How to Create a Subscription Box Service in WordPress
• Beginner’s Guide to Selling Cleaning Services with WordPress
• How to Create an Online Order Form in WordPress

Step 5: Enable Recurring Payments on Your Form

Now it’s time to set up recurring payments for your Square payment form. From the WPForms visual editor, switch to the Payments » Square tab on the left.

To charge users on a recurring basis, toggle on the ‘Enable recurring subscription payments’ option. This tells WPForms that the payment field you added in the previous step should be used for subscriptions, not just one-time payments.

Once you enable recurring payments, you’ll need to fill in a few key fields:

• Plan Name: Give your subscription a title. This is what will appear in transactions in your Square account, so make it clear and descriptive.
• Phase Cadence: This is just a technical term for the billing cycle. Choose how often the payment should occur—options include Monthly, Yearly, or a custom interval.
• Customer Email: Select the email field from your form to map it to Square. This ensures Square can send the receipt to the right person.
• Customer Name: Select the field in your form that contains the customer’s name so it appears correctly in your Square dashboard.
• Customer Address: Select the field containing the customer’s address (required for some payment types).

You can also add as many payment plans as you need by clicking the ‘Add New Plan’ button.

For example, if you run a subscription box service, you might offer a Monthly Premium Box plan, a Quarterly Box plan, or even a Yearly VIP Box plan, each with its own recurring payment schedule.

This flexibility lets you tailor subscriptions to your customers’ preferences and needs. Once your plans are set up, don’t forget to click the ‘Save’ button to store your changes.

Step 6: Embed Your Form and Manage Payments

Once your form is ready, the next step is to make it accessible to your users.

WPForms comes with a built-in block that lets you add your form to any page or post without touching a single line of code.

Just open the page or post where you want the form, click ‘Add Block’, select WPForms, and choose the form you just created.

That’s it—your form is live, and users can start subscribing right away.

For a more detailed walkthrough, you can see our guide on how to embed a form in WordPress.

After you start receiving payments, WPForms makes it easy to track and manage everything directly from your WordPress dashboard.

Go to WPForms » Payments and open the ‘Overview’ tab. Here, you can see all your transactions, track revenue trends, and monitor how your subscription forms are performing.

You can also view subscriber details, manage refunds, or adjust subscriptions if needed.

I’ve found this Payments overview really convenient because it keeps all your transaction information in one place—no need to switch between WordPress and Square.

Method 2: Accept Recurring Square Payments With MyPayKit (For Simple Recurring Payment Forms)

If you’re looking for a simple way to accept recurring payments through Square, I recommend MyPayKit.

It’s a lightweight payment plugin that focuses specifically on collecting Square payments, making it perfect for service businesses, memberships, and deposits.

The plugin handles both one-time and recurring payments, and setting it up usually takes just a couple of minutes—even if you’re not very technical.

I’ve tested MyPayKit myself, and it delivered on its promise: clean, professional payment forms that connect directly to Square’s payment system.

Step 1: Install and Activate MyPayKit

The first step is to install the MyPayKit plugin on your WordPress site.

If you want a detailed walkthrough, check out our guide on how to install WordPress plugins. It covers everything step by step, so even beginners can follow along easily.

📍Note: To use recurring payments, you’ll need the Pro plan of MyPayKit. The free version works for simple one-time payments, but subscriptions and recurring billing require the Pro upgrade.

Step 2: Connect Your Square Account

Once MyPayKit is activated, you’ll see a new menu in your WordPress dashboard called MyPayKit Forms. Click on it to get started.

This will take you to a new screen where you have to click the ‘Connect With Square’ button.

This will open the Square login page. Sign in using the email address or phone number associated with your Square account.

Then, click the ‘Continue’ button.

After that, you’ll be sent back to your WordPress site. You should see a success message letting you know MyPayKit is now connected to Square.

Once the connection is complete, you can click ‘+ Create Payment Form’ to start building your first payment form.

Or, if you prefer, just wait a few seconds—you’ll be automatically taken to the form builder.

Step 3: Create a Square Payment Form

Once you’re in the MyPayKit form builder, you’ll see the form settings panel on the left and a live preview of your form on the right.

By default, it already includes fields for the customer’s first name, last name, email, and payment details.

I suggest starting by giving your form a clear name so you can easily identify it later, and adding a short description to explain what the payment is for.

You can also upload an image, like your business logo, to make the form look more professional and match your branding.

After that, decide what your customers see once they complete their payment by scrolling down to the ‘Confirmation Option’ section.

I recommend either showing a custom thank-you message on the screen or redirecting them to a specific page, like a dedicated thank-you page on your site.

You can also send a confirmation email to your customers after payment.

Just enable the email option and click ‘Customize Email’ to set the subject, ‘Reply To’ information, and message. I’ve found this helps build trust and keeps everything professional.

Finally, if you need extra information from customers, you can add more fields to your form. Click the ‘Fields’ tab, choose the type of field you want—like text, dropdowns, checkboxes, or date pickers—and it will appear on your form.

If you need more guidance, check out our full guide on how to integrate Square payments in WordPress.

Step 4: Set Up Recurring Payments

Now it’s time to set up recurring payments in MyPayKit. From the form builder, scroll down to the ‘Amount Type’ section in the left column.

Here, you have two main options. First, you can set an exact amount that you want your customers to pay. Then, select how often the payment should repeat using the dropdown menu.

You can choose one-time, weekly, every 2 weeks, monthly, quarterly, twice a year, or annually. This is perfect for a monthly service retainer, a quarterly subscription box, or an annual membership.

On the other hand, if you want customers to decide how much they pay, switch to the ‘Any Amount’ option. This comes in handy for donations, pay-what-you-want services, or flexible subscription models.

Once you select this, you can still choose the frequency of the recurring payment, and your customers can enter the amount they want to pay each period.

When you’re happy with your payment form and recurring settings, don’t forget to click ‘Save Form.’ This will lock in all your choices and make your form ready to start accepting recurring payments.

Step 5: Embed Your Payment Form

Now that your form is ready, go back to the main MyPayKit Forms page in your WordPress dashboard. You’ll see the form you just created listed there.

Next to the form, you’ll find a shortcode. If you’re new to WordPress, a shortcode is a small piece of code that makes it easy to add features, like forms, directly into posts or pages without touching any other code.

Click the ‘Copy’ button next to this shortcode.

To add the form to your website, open the page or post where you want it to appear.

You can also create a new page if needed. In the WordPress editor, click the ‘Add Block’ button, choose the ‘Shortcode’ block, and paste your shortcode there.

After that, just click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button.

Then, simply visit the page to see your form in action.

Method 3: Accept Recurring Payments With Charitable (For Nonprofits and Recurring Donations)

If you’re running a nonprofit, church, or fundraising website, then I recommend using Charitable.

It’s hands down the best donation plugin for WordPress, especially when you need to collect recurring donations through Square.

Instead of trying to adapt a general payment or eCommerce plugin, Charitable gives you tools that actually make sense for fundraising, donor management, and ongoing contributions.

If you want a deeper look at everything it can do, check out our Charitable review.

Step 1: Install and Activate Charitable

You can start by installing and activating the Charitable plugin on your WordPress site.

If this is your first time, we have a step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin that walks you through the entire process.

📍Note: Charitable has a free version, which is great for collecting one-time donations.

However, to accept Square payments and set up recurring donations, you’ll need at least the Charitable Plus plan. This plan unlocks both the Square addon and the Recurring Donations addon, which are required for this method.

Upon activation, the next step is to add your license key. This ensures you receive updates and can use all the premium features.

To do this, go to Charitable » Settings from your WordPress dashboard. From there, paste your license key into the ‘License Key’ field and save your settings.

You can find this information in your account on the Charitable website.

Step 2: Enable the Square and Recurring Donations Addons

Next, you’ll need to enable the Square and Recurring Donations addons in Charitable. These two work together to make recurring donations possible.

The Square addon lets you accept Square payments directly on your donation forms, while the Recurring Donations addon lets donors give on an ongoing schedule, such as monthly or yearly.

To get started, go to Charitable » Addons from your WordPress dashboard. From here, locate the Square addon and click the ‘Install Addon’ button.

After that, find the Recurring Donations addon and click ‘Install Addon’ for that as well.

Once installed, both addons will be automatically activated, so there’s no extra setup needed at this stage.

Step 3: Connect Square to Charitable

Now it’s time to connect your Square account to Charitable.

From your WordPress dashboard, go to Charitable » Settings » Payment Gateways. You’ll see Square listed there. Simply click the ‘Enable Gateway’ button next to Square.

Once you do that, Charitable will take you to a new screen where you can click the ‘Connect to Square Account’ button. This opens Square’s secure login screen.

To complete the connection, Square will ask you to grant Charitable a few permissions related to your account.

This is required so Charitable can properly process donations and manage recurring payments. Go ahead and click ‘Allow’ to continue.

After approving the permissions, you’ll be redirected back to the Charitable payment settings page.

If everything is set up correctly, you’ll see a green check mark and a success message next to the connection status. That’s your confirmation that Square is connected.

Don’t forget to click ‘Save’ to apply your changes.

Step 4: Create a Donation Form

Now it’s time to create your first donation form in Charitable.

From your WordPress dashboard, go to Charitable » Add New. This is where you’ll set up your fundraising campaign and donation form.

Start by giving your campaign a clear, descriptive name. I usually recommend something short and specific, like ‘Support Local Animal Rescue.’

This title appears on your donation form and campaign page, so it should instantly tell visitors what they’re supporting.

Next, choose a campaign template. Charitable comes with several ready-made templates, each designed for different causes.

You’ll see options like Animal Rescue, Disaster Relief, Medical Support, and Environmental Campaigns. I suggest picking the one that best matches your goal because you can always customize it later.

Once the Campaign Builder opens, you’ll see a live preview of your donation form on the right and a list of fields on the left. You can drag and drop fields to rearrange them, edit existing ones, or remove anything you don’t need.

Common fields include the donation amount, progress bar, social sharing buttons, and donor details.

You can also add images, videos, and a short description to explain your cause. I’ve found that a simple story and a clear goal go a long way in encouraging people to donate.

One thing worth noting is that Charitable doesn’t use a separate Square payment field like some form plugins. Instead, it uses a Donate button.

When a visitor clicks that button, Charitable automatically shows the available payment options, including Square, based on what you’ve enabled in your settings.

This keeps the donation process clean and easy for donors, without overwhelming them with extra steps.

If you’d like more detailed guidance, you can check out our tutorial on how to create a donation form in WordPress.

Step 5: Set Up Recurring Donations in Your Form

Next, you’ll go to Settings » Donation Options in the Charitable Campaign Builder. This is where you control all the details for your donation form, including recurring donations.

Start by reviewing the ‘Suggested Donation Amounts.’

Here you can define preset donation amounts, like $5, $10, $15, or $20, and even add a short description for each, such as ‘This is a small donation.’

I usually make the middle option the default because it encourages most donors to give a reasonable amount without feeling pressured.

Next, check the minimum and maximum donation amounts. Leaving these blank allows donors to give any amount they choose, while filling them in sets limits.

I often leave the minimum blank to be inclusive, but set a reasonable maximum to prevent accidental large contributions.

You can also enable ‘Allow Custom Donations,’ which lets donors enter any amount they’re comfortable with.

Now scroll down to the ‘Recurring Donations’ section and toggle ‘Allow Recurring Donations’ to ‘On.’

Charitable offers two modes for recurring donations: Simple and Advanced.

I usually recommend starting with Simple. With this option, donors can set their donations to recur using the default period you set, keeping things straightforward for both you and your supporters.

If you want, you can also let donors choose their own donation period by turning on the ‘Allow donors to choose donation period’ option.

You can offer daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or yearly intervals, depending on what works best for your cause.

Other than that, decide how often donors are billed and whether the recurring donation never expires or ends after a set number of payments.

For most campaigns, I recommend at least a monthly interval—it’s easier for donors and reduces churn.

For more detailed instructions, see our guide on creating a recurring donation form in WordPress.

Step 6: Publish Your Recurring Square Donation Form

Once you’ve finished configuring your recurring donation form, the next step is to publish it. Switch the form’s status to ‘Publish’ and click ‘Save’ to store your changes.

Your fundraising campaign is now ready to accept recurring payments through Square.

To display the form on your site, open any page or post in the WordPress block editor and add the ‘Charitable Campaign’ block. From the dropdown, select the campaign you just created.

This embeds your recurring donation form directly on the page, so visitors can start donating right away.

After adding the block, click ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ to save the page.

Managing your recurring donations is just as easy. From your WordPress dashboard, go to Charitable » Donations to see all contributions for your campaigns.

Each donation is linked to the donor and their chosen recurring schedule, giving you full visibility into who is subscribed and when payments will be processed.

You can also check the Reports page for a summary of total donations, total donors, and other key donor management statistics.

If you ever need to adjust the campaign—like changing the donation amounts, updating the frequency options, or extending the campaign’s duration—you can do so from the campaign settings.

This makes it easy to keep your recurring donation campaign flexible as your nonprofit grows.

Before You Go Live With Recurring Square Payments (Final Checks)

Before you start accepting recurring payments, I always recommend a few important checks.

This ensures your forms run smoothly and your customers have a clear, professional experience.

1. Testing Your Recurring Payments

I always recommend running a full test before going live.

Most WordPress payment plugins, including WPForms, MyPayKit, and Charitable, let you test Square payments in test or sandbox mode, so you can simulate real payments without actually charging a card.

To start testing, first enable Test Mode (sometimes called Sandbox Mode) in your plugin settings. This ensures you don’t accidentally charge your own credit card while trying things out.

Then create a test subscription with a test card and ensure the payment goes through successfully. Finally, verify that the recurring process works correctly.

For subscriptions, I usually create a test plan with a shorter interval, like daily or weekly, so I can see automatic renewals in action before going live.

I’ve tested this myself, and it’s the best way to make sure everything runs smoothly from day one. If you want, our guide on testing Stripe payments in WordPress covers the process, and testing Square works in a very similar way.

⚠️ Important: Once you have finished testing, don’t forget to disable the Test Mode and switch back to Live Mode. If you skip this step, you won’t be able to accept real payments.

2. Add Clear Payment Terms

Next, make sure your payment terms are crystal clear. I suggest adding this information to the page where your payment form is embedded, so customers see it before they submit their payment.

Ideally, you should include:

• Billing Frequency: How often payments will be charged (monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.)
• Cancellation Policy: Explain how users can stop their subscription.
• Refund Policy: Whether refunds are available, and under what conditions.

Here’s an example you can use or tweak:

“Your subscription will renew automatically every month. You can cancel anytime from your account. Refunds are available within 14 days of payment.”

Clear terms reduce confusion and build trust with your subscribers.

3. Setting Up Email Notifications

Next, make sure your email notifications are configured. WPForms and Charitable let you set these up directly in the plugins. At a minimum, enable notifications for payment confirmations, failed payments, cancellations, and renewal reminders.

Here’s a quick overview of what each email does:

Notification Type	What It Does
Payment Confirmation	Immediately lets customers know a payment was successful.
Failed Payment Notice	Alerts customers if a payment didn’t go through, so they can update their card.
Cancellation Confirmation	Confirms when a subscription is canceled
Renewal Reminders	Optional. Reminds customers before a recurring payment is processed.

💡Expert Tip: WordPress sends emails using PHP, the underlying programming language on your server. By default, this can sometimes cause emails to end up in spam or not arrive at all.

To fix this, I recommend using WP Mail SMTP. It is the best WordPress SMTP plugin that ensures your payment receipts and admin notifications are actually delivered to the inbox, not the spam folder.

To get started, take a look at our tutorial on fixing the WordPress not sending email issue.

Frequently Asked Questions About Accepting Recurring Square Payments in WordPress

Even after setting up your recurring payment form, it’s normal to have a few questions.

In this section, I’ll answer the most common questions I get about using Square with WordPress. This will help you avoid surprises and make sure your recurring payments run smoothly from day one.

Can I use Square on WordPress.com?

Yes, but only on a Business or eCommerce plan. Square works best on self-hosted WordPress.org sites, which give you full control to install plugins like WPForms, MyPayKit, or Charitable.

Does Square charge extra for recurring payments?

No, Square doesn’t add a separate fee for recurring payments. You’ll pay the standard Square transaction fee for each payment processed. This makes it simple to budget for your subscriptions without hidden costs.

Can customers cancel their own subscriptions in Square?

Yes, but it depends on how you set it up in WordPress. With WPForms or Charitable, customers can cancel from a dashboard or account page if you enable that option. Otherwise, you’ll manage cancellations from your Square account.

What happens if a Square payment fails?

If a payment fails, Square will not automatically retry it unless your plugin supports it. WPForms and Charitable can notify the customer via email so they can update their card.

Can I offer free trials for my service or product with Square?

Yes, you can offer free trials through Square using a plugin that supports recurring payments, like WPForms or Charitable.

You can set a trial period, and the customer’s subscription will start charging automatically afterward.

Do I need Square hardware to accept payments on my website?

No, Square hardware, such as card readers, is not required for online subscriptions. All recurring payments can be processed online directly through your WordPress payment forms.

Can I accept multiple currencies with Square?

Yes, but there is a catch. Square accounts are tied to the currency of your country (for example, a U.S. account can only accept USD). You generally cannot accept a different currency than the one associated with your bank account.

If you need to accept multiple currencies on your site, I recommend using Stripe instead. Most payment plugins support both Square and Stripe.

I hope this article helped you learn how to accept recurring Square payments in WordPress without WooCommerce. You may also want to see our guide on adding a PayPal payment form in WordPress and our list of important online payment statistics.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How I Setup Recurring Square Payments in WordPress Without WooCommerce  first appeared on WPBeginner.

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Best Donor Management Software: I Tested 10, Recommend 6

Running a nonprofit is hard enough without having to spend hours managing donor data.

When I first started helping nonprofits build their websites, I quickly realized that many organizations were drowning in disorganized data. They’d have donor information scattered across Excel files, email inboxes, and even handwritten notes.

That chaos could be costing you time, money, and momentum.

That’s where the right donor management software comes in. This isn’t just a fancy address book – it’s the tool that helps you automate thank-you emails, track pledges, spot key fundraising trends, and generate accurate reports that actually make sense.

To cut through the noise and find the true winners, I put 10 leading donor management platforms to the test. I checked their pricing, core features, how easy they are to use, and whether they can actually help your nonprofit raise more money.

Based on these results, here’s my top 6 recommendations for your nonprofit.

Quick Pick – The Best Donor Management Software for Nonprofits

Product	Starting Price	Best For	Key Feature
WP Charitable	Free (Lite)	Full control + zero platform fees	Easy donor management in WordPress
Bloomerang	$40/month	Donor retention	Rich donor profiles with giving patterns and capacity insights
Donorbox	Free with transaction fees	Small organizations that need a fast setup and checkout experience	Start collecting donations in minutes with zero technical configuration
DonorPerfect	Contact for quote	Comprehensive donor lifecycle management	Customizable fields for detailed donor tracking
GiveWP	Free (Lite)	Established nonprofits needing a built-in CRM	Built-in donor database with complete WordPress integration
Little Green Light	$45/month	Small teams managing complex donor databases	360-degree view of your supporter relationships
Keela	$144/month	Data-driven AI insights	AI-powered donor behavior analysis
Virtuous	Contact for quote	Automated donor communications	Marketing automation integrated with CRM
GiveButter	Free (Plus at $29/month)	Grassroots organizations on tight budgets	Free platform with unlimited donation forms
goDonate	Contact for quote	Large, UK-based nonprofits	Supports over 50,000 donations per hour

Why Use Donor Management Software?

Donor management software can completely change how your nonprofit operates. It’s the difference between spending hours digging through spreadsheets and having instant access to organized, actionable donor information.

If you’re worried you’ll forget to thank a major donor or lose track of who gave last year, then you’ll almost certainly benefit from a good donor management system.

Here’s a look at what this software can do for you:

• Saves time: Many donor management systems can automatically send things like thank-you emails and receipts, which means you’re doing way less manual work. This gives you more time to focus on the actual fundraising efforts that truly move your mission forward.
• Increases donations: With the right reports and analytics, you can spot important trends and identify the perfect time to follow up with a supporter. I’ve seen many organizations significantly increase their donations just by timing their appeals better.
• Improves relationships: By creating a complete donor history, the right system can help you personalize your outreach and make every person feel valued. Rather than sending a generic email, you can acknowledge their past donations and build stronger, more meaningful relationships.
• Reduces errors: You won’t have to worry about lost data or forgotten follow-ups, as many processes are automated.
• Provides insights: A good donor management system will show you which campaigns are working well and which donors might be ready to give more to your cause. This is how you turn raw data into a smart, winning fundraising strategy.

Overall, the right system doesn’t just store information – it helps you use that information to raise more money.

How I Test and Review Donor Management Software

I’ve seen too many nonprofit organizations struggle simply because they chose the wrong software.

Some teams picked a system that was far too complex for their needs, while others chose platforms that couldn’t possibly grow with them, forcing a painful migration later.

That’s exactly why I don’t just read feature lists when I’m reviewing these tools. Instead, I set up real test campaigns, process small test donations, and see how the software handles day-to-day nonprofit work.

Here are the key areas I focused on while testing the donor management systems listed in this roundup:

• Setup and ease of use. I time how long it takes to get from signing up for an account to publishing your first donation form. For example, systems like Donorbox really impressed me because I could get my forms live in minutes, while other platforms required hours of confusing configuration and technical setup.
• Donor tracking capabilities. I rigorously test how well each platform stores and organizes donor information, which is essential for any great customer relationship management (CRM) app. The best tools don’t just record gifts – they analyze the data and show you key giving patterns and overall engagement levels.
• Automation features. This is a critical one. I set up automated thank-you emails, recurring donation reminders, and follow-up sequences. This can help you build real donor relationships at scale.
• Reporting and insights. I create test campaigns and then evaluate the data that each platform provides. I ask myself, ‘Can I easily see which appeals actually worked?’ and ‘Am I getting truly actionable insights, or am I just looking at raw, confusing numbers?’
• Integration options. Since no single tool does everything, I test how well each system connects with essential services like your email marketing provider, your accounting software, and other key nonprofit tools. If the integrations are poor, they create more work for you, rather than less.

My goal in all this is simple: I want to find the tools that genuinely help nonprofits like yours raise more money with far less stress.

Why Use WordPress for Donor Management?

Deciding how to track your supporters usually comes down to two choices: using a dedicated SaaS (Software as a Service) platform or a WordPress plugin.

SaaS platforms are hosted on someone else’s servers and often charge a monthly fee plus a percentage of every donation you receive. This can get expensive as your organization grows.

By contrast, using a WordPress donation plugin gives you complete ownership of your data and the relationships you have with your donors. Because the software lives on your own website, you also don’t need to worry about platform fees. This means WordPress is often the most cost-effective long-term solution for nonprofits.

To get started with WordPress donor management, you’ll need a few basic things:

• A Domain Name: This is your website’s address on the internet, such as yournonprofit.org. Wherever possible, I recommend using a .org extension because it’s the global standard in the nonprofit sector.
• Web Hosting: This is where your website’s files and donor database live. I recommend using Bluehost because it’s beginner-friendly and affordable for growing nonprofits. For other recommendations, see our pick of the best WordPress hosting.
• An SSL Certificate: You’ll need this to process payments safely. Most good hosting providers now include a free SSL certificate to encrypt your donors’ sensitive information.
• A Donation Plugin: As you’ll see in our reviews below, plugins like WP Charitable allow you to create forms, manage a donor database, and send receipts without leaving your WordPress dashboard.

1. WP Charitable – Overall Best Donor Management Software for Nonprofits

WP Charitable Pros	✅ Free core plugin lets you launch a professional fundraising site with zero upfront cost ✅ Drag-and-drop campaign builder to create high-converting donation pages ✅ Modern payment support, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, creates a friction-free checkout experience ✅ Automated email notifications and receipts ✅ Zero platform transaction fees mean 100% of your donors’ contributions go directly to your cause (minus standard bank fees)
WP Charitable Cons	❌ Advanced features like peer-to-peer and recurring donations require paid extensions ❌ Limited reporting capabilities for detailed donor analytics, compared to some alternatives
Pricing	Free (Core plugin) / Premium starts at $69/year
Best For	Small to medium-sized nonprofits that want a simple, WordPress-native solution to manage donation campaigns without monthly fees

WP Charitable is our top recommendation because it offers the most powerful and flexible fundraising tools while remaining incredibly easy to use. Because it’s a WordPress plugin, it integrates directly into your WordPress website and gives you full control over your donation data and forms.

We use WP Charitable to run the Balkhi Foundation website, and we love how easy it is to use. For more details, see our full WP Charitable review.

Plus, unlike many other platforms that charge ‘success fees,’ WP Charitable doesn’t charge any platform transaction fees. This means more of your donors’ money goes directly toward your mission.

You also don’t have to worry about a third-party service changing its terms or losing access to your database, because everything is stored securely on your own server.

My Experience

I wanted to see if WP Charitable truly delivered on its promise of being simple, especially for smaller organizations. I know the nonprofit space on WordPress can often feel overwhelming with complex solutions that require a ton of setup.

After installing the free core plugin from the WordPress repository, I had a test campaign up and running within minutes using their professionally designed campaign templates.

These templates let you create high-converting donation pages immediately, ensuring your campaign looks professional without spending precious funds on a designer.

WP Charitable’s visual campaign builder is another standout feature. Its drag-and-drop interface lets you add donation buttons, progress bars / fundraising thermometers, and social sharing links with a live preview.

Beyond the design, the backend donor management tools are excellent.

Unlike other plugins that only record transactions, WP Charitable provides a dedicated donor management area where you can view a complete giving history for every supporter.

You can easily search, filter, and export your donor lists, making it easy to track your most frequent contributors.

To save time on administration, I also enabled WP Charitable’s automated email features. WP Charitable sent PDF donation receipts to my test donors automatically, saving me time and effort.

In my experience, WP Charitable is the best choice for WordPress users who want a fast, integrated system that simplifies both the donor’s experience and the organization’s backend management.

Why I Recommend WP Charitable: This plugin is the most comprehensive fundraising solution for WordPress because it balances powerful features with a focus on maximizing your revenue.

The platform doesn’t charge any platform transaction fees on its premium plans, so 100% of every donation goes directly to your cause (minus standard bank processing fees).

WP Charitable also provides access to a library of conversion-optimized fundraising templates that are mobile-responsive and proven to increase donation completion rates.

2. Bloomerang – Best for Donor Retention

Bloomerang Pros	✅ Actionable donor profiles with Generosity and Engagement scores ✅ Intuitive interface makes donor management easy ✅ Real-time analytics to track campaigns ✅ Offers insights into donor engagement and retention strategies ✅ Integrates directly with Mailchimp for actionable engagement insights
Bloomerang Cons	❌ The mobile app lacks full functionality compared to the desktop version ❌ Initial setup can be time-consuming for large databases ❌ Higher costs
Pricing	Starts at $40/month (billed annually)
Best For	Nonprofits focused on building long-term relationships and improving donor retention

Bloomerang stands out as a full-fledged CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, which means it acts as a centralized ‘memory bank’ for your nonprofit. While basic tools simply process payments, a CRM tracks every touchpoint, from email opens to event attendance. This gives you a 360-degree view of each supporter.

In this way, Bloomerang can help you build long-term relationships with every single supporter you have.

My Experience

I tested Bloomerang on a demo site, specifically focusing on its donor retention features. I found that the platform absolutely delivered on its promise of turning donor data into insights you can actually use.

When I pulled up a donor’s profile, it wasn’t just a basic list of gifts. The system actively displayed Generosity and Engagement scores that immediately told me whether this person was likely to give again or could potentially increase their donation amount this year. This is a huge time saver.

Bloomerang also integrates with Mailchimp, so you can get engagement insights to create targeted campaigns. This connection between donor behavior and email marketing felt completely seamless during my testing, which is exactly what nonprofits need.

After exploring the main dashboard, I found the real-time reporting especially valuable for tracking fundraising performance. These powerful analytics help your organization spot trends and adjust your overall strategy quickly before your campaign loses momentum.

Overall, Bloomerang is an excellent fit for nonprofits that want to focus on nurturing deep, lasting donor relationships rather than just managing transactions.

Why I Recommend Bloomerang: This platform absolutely excels at turning raw donor data into solid retention strategies. It provides clear, immediate insights that help you build lasting supporter relationships without the guesswork.

3. Donorbox – Best Donor Management Software for Quick Setup and International Reach

Donorbox Pros	✅ Simple setup process gets you collecting donations fast ✅ Clean, mobile-optimized donation forms ✅ Peer-to-peer fundraising built in ✅ Detailed donor history for relationship tracking ✅ Supports multiple currencies and languages for global donors ✅ Connects with over 2,000 apps through Zapier
Donorbox Cons	❌ Limited branding options on free forms ❌ Advanced analytics require third-party tools ❌ Zapier integrations may add extra costs
Pricing	Free (with 2.95%-3.95% transaction fees) or $150/month (Pro plan with lower fees)
Best For	Small nonprofits that need to start fundraising immediately with minimal setup time

Donorbox is a versatile fundraising solution that makes donation management simple for organizations of all sizes. It’s excellent at supporting international donors.

In my opinion, Donorbox really stands out for removing technical barriers so you can start collecting donations quickly and efficiently.

My Experience

I approached testing Donorbox from the perspective of a small nonprofit that needs to start collecting donations right now with minimal technical fuss.

To start, I got Donorbox’s WordPress plugin up and running without any complicated configuration steps at all.

Within minutes of completing the setup, I’d created a donation form that perfectly matched my site’s design.

Unlike some other platforms that limit your currency options, Donorbox accepts donations from international supporters in their local currencies. This removes a major barrier, especially for organizations with a global reach or a diverse, international donor base.

In addition, the peer-to-peer fundraising feature proved even more useful than I initially expected. Supporters can easily create personalized fundraising pages and share them with their networks, increasing your organization’s reach organically with minimal effort.

The basic donor management tools should be enough for smaller campaigns, although larger organizations might need to connect Donorbox to an external CRM for deeper analytics.

Finally, the Zapier integration is great because it lets you connect to thousands of other tools to automate your campaign management.

Overall, Donorbox is a great fit for nonprofits that want to start accepting donations quickly without a high upfront cost or long setup time.

Why I Recommend Donorbox: This tool successfully removes all the technical barriers to donation collection. Plus, I love that it supports international donors so effectively.

4. DonorPerfect – Best for Comprehensive Campaign Management

DonorPerfect Pros	✅ Customizable fields let you record detailed donor history ✅ Automatic thank-you letters save hours of manual work ✅ Integrated payment processing for recurring donations ✅ Event management features help coordinate fundraisers ✅ Advanced reporting tools track campaign performance clearly ✅ Mobile app gives you donor access anywhere
DonorPerfect Cons	❌ User interface feels outdated compared to some newer platforms ❌ The reporting feature is less intuitive to navigate ❌ Data migration from other systems may take significant effort
Pricing	Contact DonorPerfect for a personalized quote
Best For	Nonprofits that need a scalable solution to manage the entire donor relationship from first contact through repeat giving

DonorPerfect stands out as a complete donor management system that truly handles every single aspect of your nonprofit operations.

It’s specifically designed for organizations that want one unified platform to manage donors, events, and fundraising campaigns all in one centralized place.

My Experience

During testing, I was impressed that DonorPerfect actively tracks every single touchpoint with supporters, from their very first gift through to ongoing volunteer work and event attendance.

Plus, its customizable fields gave me complete control over donor data. This meant I could easily track volunteer hours alongside donation history, which is something that most basic donation tools simply can’t handle.

Going further, the automatic thank-you letters alone saved me hours of manual work during my testing. I was able to spend that time creating personalized templates that felt genuine rather than generic.

Compared to some of the newer platforms I’ve tested, DonorPerfect’s main desktop interface does feel a little dated. However, I found that the mobile app works surprisingly well for quickly checking donor information when you’re on the go at an event or heading into a meeting.

After using DonorPerfect to handle complex, comprehensive donor tracking, I can clearly see why so many larger nonprofits choose this system. It successfully manages complicated data relationships that simpler tools may struggle to handle.

Why I Recommend DonorPerfect: This system works really well for nonprofits that manage multiple campaigns, fundraising appeals, and large-scale events. In particular, the customizable fields help you track detailed, complex donor relationships very effectively.

5. GiveWP – Best Donor Management Software for WordPress-Native Control

GiveWP Pros	✅ Everything lives in your WordPress dashboard ✅ Full ownership of donor data ✅ Customizable donation forms match your brand ✅ Recurring donations with flexible schedules ✅ Works directly with PayPal and Stripe ✅ Extensive add-on library for extra features
GiveWP Cons	❌ Advanced features locked behind paid addons ❌ Limited offline donation recording ❌ Requires WordPress knowledge for setup
Pricing	Free (Lite), Premium starts at $149/year
Best For	Nonprofits that want complete control over their donor data and fundraising pages without relying on external platforms

While many WordPress plugins focus on simple donation collection, GiveWP acts as a powerful ‘mini-CRM’ directly inside your WordPress blog or website.

It’s designed for established nonprofits that have outgrown basic forms and now want detailed data on donor behavior.

In particular, one of GiveWP’s best features is its built-in reporting. This provides visual charts and granular filters to help you understand exactly which campaigns are driving your growth.

My Experience

I found that GiveWP excels most when you need to understand the data behind your donations. It acts as a built-in CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system that tracks the entire lifecycle of a donor, so you can see their lifetime value and giving frequency over time.

While many tools provide a basic list of transactions, GiveWP offers visual, real-time charts that let you filter data by campaign, payment method, or date range.

This level of granular reporting is essential for larger organizations that need to make data-driven decisions about which fundraising appeals are actually working.

After setting up multiple campaign types, I was also really impressed by how customizable everything was. I created forms that matched my WordPress theme and branding perfectly, without having to write a single line of code.

GiveWP is also uniquely suited for organizations that handle ‘In Honor Of’ or ‘In Memory Of’ gifts. It features a robust Tributes add-on that transforms donations into collaborative acts of remembrance or celebration.

When a donor chooses to give in honor of someone, the system triggers an automated workflow designed to notify the family or the honoree.

You can configure the system to send customizable eCards immediately upon donation, allowing the donor to include a personal message. This is particularly valuable for memorial gifts, as it provides instant comfort to grieving families, letting them know a gift has been made in their loved one’s name.

Why I Recommend GiveWP: This plugin gives you complete data ownership and control, right within WordPress. It also offers extensive form customization without relying on external dependencies.

6. Little Green Light – Best for Small to Medium-Sized Nonprofits

Little Green Light Pros	✅ Rich set of features specifically designed for donor relationship management ✅ Intuitive interface makes it easy for non-technical staff to use ✅ Strong reporting and analytics tools help measure fundraising success ✅ Efficient data entry processes minimize administrative workload ✅ Seamless integration with third-party tools like Constant Contact, Mailchimp and QuickBooks ✅ Comprehensive donor management system with customizable fields and event tracking
Little Green Light Cons	❌ Not optimized for very large organizations with complex needs ❌ Limited number of built-in integrations, which may require third-party apps ❌ No free version, although a 30 day free trial is available for testing
Pricing	Starts at $45/month for up to 2,500 constituents
Best For	Small to medium-sized nonprofits that need a straightforward, all-in-one donor management system without overwhelming complexity

Little Green Light successfully bridges the gap between those basic spreadsheets we all dread and the overly complex enterprise systems that are just too complicated for a small team.

It’s specifically designed for small to medium-sized nonprofits that need powerful features without the technical headaches that often come with them.

My Experience

During my testing, I approached Little Green Light from the perspective of a small, two-person development office. The clean interface immediately stood out to me as something that wouldn’t require extensive, expensive staff training, which is a massive bonus.

Unlike some more complicated platforms I’ve worked with, the data entry process does a great job at reducing your workload. I could quickly add new donor information, track ongoing pledges, and set up communication workflows without getting completely lost in complex menus.

After setting up a few sample donor profiles, the reporting tools delivered exactly what a small nonprofit truly needs. The clear analytics helped me quickly measure fundraising success without overwhelming me with a ton of unnecessary data points.

The bottom line is that this tool eliminates all the painful training that usually comes with rolling out donor management systems. For busy nonprofit staff, saving that time translates directly into more energy for the actual fundraising work that matters.

Why I Recommend Little Green Light: This software successfully reduces the learning curve for small nonprofit teams. It includes all the essential donor management tools you actually need.

​​Other Donor Management Tools I Tested

If you’re still exploring your options, here are a few other donor management tools that are worth mentioning.

These aren’t my top picks, but they can make sense in certain situations.

7. Keela – Best for AI-Powered Fundraising Insights

Keela combines smart AI technology with powerful CRM capabilities to help nonprofits make data-driven decisions.

This platform genuinely stands out by actively removing the guesswork from fundraising through intelligent automation and powerful predictive analytics.

Keela Pros	✅ AI tools identify likely donors and suggest optimal outreach times ✅ CRM, email marketing, and donation tools work together seamlessly ✅ User-friendly interface simplifies complex management tasks ✅ Efficient donor relationship management tools for retention and engagement ✅ Scalable solution that grows with your organization
Keela Cons	❌ Advanced features require an understanding of AI tools ❌ Some users experience difficulties with real-time syncing across platforms
Pricing	Starts at $144/month for up to 1000 contacts
Best For	Nonprofits ready to use data-driven insights to make smarter fundraising decisions and automate donor engagement

Why I Recommend Keela: This platform perfectly combines smart AI tools with practical donor management features. It truly helps you make better, more effective fundraising decisions based on real data, every single time.

8. Virtuous – Best Donor for Automation and Relationship Building

Virtuous is a dynamic platform that combines CRM, marketing, and fundraising tools to build meaningful donor relationships and drive engagement.

The platform truly stands out because it combines comprehensive donor management with built-in marketing automation, all within a single, unified system.

Virtuous Pros	✅ Beginner-friendly interface for managing donors ✅ Powerful automation handles repetitive tasks for you ✅ Syncs effortlessly with tools you likely already use ✅ Shifts the focus from simple transactions to real relationships ✅ Built to scale, so you won’t have to switch software as your nonprofit grows
Virtuous Cons	❌ Limited real-time collaboration features for team-based tasks ❌ Limited ability to customize dashboards without technical support
Pricing	Contact for a quote
Best For	Nonprofits wanting to combine relationship tracking with automated donor communications in one platform

Why I Recommend Virtuous: This platform beautifully combines donor management with marketing automation. It truly helps nonprofits build stronger relationships and improve engagement without time-consuming manual work.

9. GiveButter – Best for Grassroots Organizations

GiveButter provides an accessible, cost-effective fundraising solution with a strong focus on community engagement and seamless social media integration for nonprofits.

What really sets this platform apart is the fact that you can access powerful fundraising tools without monthly subscription fees.

GiveButter Pros	✅ Generous free plan with unlimited donation forms ✅ Built-in event ticketing and management features ✅ Easy social media integration for increased reach ✅ User-friendly design makes setup straightforward
GiveButter Cons	❌ Performance issues with large-scale campaigns ❌ Limited reporting customization options ❌ Transaction volume handling may vary
Pricing	Free (Core features)
Best For	Small grassroots nonprofits that need comprehensive tools without monthly fees

Why I Recommend GiveButter: This platform gives small nonprofits access to truly comprehensive fundraising tools for free. Plus, the social sharing features actively help your campaigns reach wider audiences naturally and effectively.

10. goDonate – Best for High-Volume Fundraising

goDonate is a specialized donation platform built specifically to handle large-scale fundraising campaigns for UK-based nonprofits.

If your organization manages national appeals or expects significant traffic spikes during televised events, this platform can process thousands of transactions without performance delays.

goDonate Pros	✅ Can handle over 50,000 donations per hour during major campaigns ✅ Fully optimized for the UK market with built-in support for Gift Aid ✅ Creates branded donation forms that match your organization’s identity ✅ Offers personalized, dynamic donation pages to boost engagement ✅ Accepts both one-time and monthly recurring donations ✅ Reduces donor friction with fast, one-click payment options ✅ Supports multiple payment methods, including PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay
goDonate Cons	❌ May require technical expertise to fully personalize donation pages ❌ Limited focus on peer-to-peer fundraising features
Pricing	Contact goDonate for a personalized quote
Best For	Large nonprofits and organizations running major fundraising appeals that need to process thousands of donations quickly and reliably

Why I Recommend goDonate: This tool works best for established, UK-based nonprofits that regularly run major campaigns. It consistently handles high donation volumes that would likely crash or seriously slow down other platforms.

Overall, goDonate is the right choice for organizations that need industrial-strength donation processing and simply can’t afford technical failures during their most important appeals.

What Is the Best Donor Management Software?

Based on my testing, I believe WP Charitable is the best donor management software for most nonprofits.

I love that it provides a user-friendly, WordPress-based platform that expertly handles campaign creation, multiple payment gateways, and donor communication without ever overwhelming smaller teams.

If you’re already using WordPress, then WP Charitable is the simplest way to get complete ownership of your donor data.

However, choosing the ‘best’ option really depends on your exact needs. That said, there are two other donor management systems that I highly recommend:

• If you want to retain donors and boost engagement over the long term, then Bloomerang is truly ideal. Its actionable donor profiles and smart engagement scoring immediately tell you who to reach out to next.
• If you’re an established nonprofit that needs comprehensive features like full event management, advanced reporting, and reliable mobile access, DonorPerfect offers a full-featured, scalable solution that’s proven to handle complex operations.

Donor Management Software FAQs

Choosing the perfect donor management system is a major decision, so I’m not surprised if you still have some questions.

After testing all these different platforms myself, I’ve gathered the most common issues and concerns that people bring to me. My aim is to clear up any confusion so you can confidently pick the best tool to support your mission.

What is donor management software?
Donor management software helps your nonprofit track every single donation, effectively manage all your donor relationships, and automate communication tasks like sending timely thank-you emails and receipts.

Do I need donor management software for a small nonprofit?
In my experience, the answer is a definite yes. Even small organizations can benefit from having organized donor data, automated receipts, and the ability to track giving patterns over time.

Relying on spreadsheets might work for the first year, but as soon as you start getting repeat donors or run multiple campaigns, that data will become disorganized and start costing you time and potential donations.

By investing in a donor management system early, you can save your small team a ton of manual admin work, so you can focus on building those all-important donor relationships.

Can I use donor management software with WordPress?
Yes! I’m glad to say that platforms like WP Charitable and GiveWP integrate directly with WordPress.

This is a huge benefit because it keeps everything clean, giving you full control over your donation data and ensuring your forms seamlessly match your site’s design. In fact, I always recommend using a native plugin solution where possible because it simplifies your tech stack.

What’s the difference between a donation plugin and donor management software?
This is a great question I get all the time. Simply put, donation plugins focus mainly on collecting gifts and processing transactions right on your site.

Meanwhile, donor management software does much more. It tracks the full donor relationship, manages engagement history, and provides the powerful analytics you need to make smarter fundraising decisions.

I always advise people to start with a great donation plugin, but plan to upgrade to full donor management software as soon as they start growing, and need to understand why people are giving.

How much does donor management software cost?
The cost varies widely depending on the platform’s complexity and scale. You can find excellent free options like WP Charitable and GiveButter that cover the basics, especially if you’re a smaller team.

Alternatively, more comprehensive platforms like Bloomerang often start at around $125/month for basic CRM features.

Remember to also factor in any transaction fees, setup fees, and potential hidden costs as your donor list grows.

Which donor management platform is easiest for beginners?
Based on my testing, both WP Charitable and Donorbox offer incredibly simple setup processes that truly let you start collecting donations within minutes, even if you don’t have any technical expertise.

If you’re already using WordPress, then I’d suggest opting for WP Charitable since it integrates directly with WordPress.

More Resources for Nonprofit Organizations

Choosing the right donor management system is a great first step. However, if you’re serious about growing your nonprofit, then you’ll need an entire toolset where everything works together perfectly.

To help you take the next steps, here are some helpful WPBeginner guides I recommend to strengthen your overall fundraising strategy:

• How to Create a Nonprofit Website in WordPress
• Best WordPress Plugins for Nonprofits (Expert Pick)
• How to Build an Email List in WordPress
• WordPress Plugins That Will Quickly Help You Get More Traffic
• Nonprofit Marketing Statistics and Insights You Should Know

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Best Donor Management Software: I Tested 10, Recommend 6 first appeared on WPBeginner.

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