Guide for small nonprofits
The short answer
Compare what your organization pays, what donors see before they give, and where payments are processed. Look for clearly stated prices and a checkout that makes optional choices understandable.
Donors see the amount they choose to give and any optional processing contribution before paying. Your organization sees platform and processing fees in its records. These are different views of the same gift; check both when evaluating a donation platform.
Updated October 1, 2026
List the platform fee, payment processing and any subscription or add-on costs. Check which organization or donor pays each amount, and whether an optional donor contribution goes to your cause, covers an estimated cost, or funds the platform.
Preview checkout as a donor. Look for understandable labels, a clear total before payment, and an easy way to decline optional contributions. Ask how your organization can inspect the actual fees after a gift completes.
Use these questions to understand a provider's model. Different fee and payment arrangements can suit different organizations; compare the responsibilities alongside the headline price.
| What to review | What to look for | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Organization costs | Platform, processing and subscription fees stated separately | Where can our team review the actual deductions? |
| Optional donor contributions | The recipient, purpose and choice clearly explained | Can a donor decline, and what total will they pay? |
| What donors see | Their chosen amount and any optional contribution before paying. | Is the total clear before they confirm payment? |
| Payment ownership | A clear explanation of who processes gifts and controls the payment account | Where can we inspect payments, refunds and payouts? |
DonatoTomato charges a flat 1% platform fee per donation, including monthly gifts, with no monthly fee or setup fee. Stripe processing fees are additional. A monthly gift also carries Stripe's own fee for running the repeating charge, billed to your Stripe account. Your organization reviews platform and processing fees in its records. Donors are never asked to tip DonatoTomato. They see their chosen amount and any optional processing contribution before paying. The processing contribution is an estimate and may differ from the actual fee.
With DonatoTomato, donations land directly in your own Stripe account, so you are the merchant of record. Payouts follow your Stripe account's schedule after funds become available; bank gifts can take several business days to complete. DonatoTomato never holds your money.
Compare the platform fee, payment processing, subscriptions and paid add-ons. Identify what your organization pays, what donors can choose to add, and where your team can review actual fees.
Their chosen gift amount, any optional contribution and the total they will pay. Optional choices should explain their purpose and recipient. The organization reviews actual platform and processing deductions in its records.
No. The only optional add-on is an estimated processing contribution. Donors choose whether to add it; it is never pre-selected. The estimate may differ from the actual fee. There is no separate ask that funds DonatoTomato.
DonatoTomato charges a flat 1% platform fee per donation, including monthly gifts, with no monthly fee or setup fee. Stripe processing fees are additional. A monthly gift also carries Stripe's own fee for running the repeating charge, billed to your Stripe account. Review platform and processing fees in your organization records; Stripe's fee on monthly gifts appears in your Stripe dashboard. Donors see the amount they choose to give and any optional processing contribution before paying.
Yes. DonatoTomato supports US bank account gifts (ACH), both one-time and new monthly gifts. Email hello@donatotomato.com to enable bank gifts for your organization. We will help you confirm the required Stripe bank-email setting before switching them on. Existing recurring gifts are not automatically moved to a bank account.