Best Payment Solutions for Charities and Community Organisations in 2026

Choosing the right payment solution can save your charity thousands of pounds in fees, reduce administrative burden, and improve the experience for your beneficiaries and supporters. This guide compares the best payment solutions for UK charities and community organisations in 2026, helping you find the right fit for your needs.

TL;DR

• Plinth (via Stripe Connect) is the best all-in-one option for community organisations needing payments integrated with bookings, room hire, and events — with automatic reconciliation.
• Stripe offers flexible payment infrastructure with nonprofit discounts. GoCardless excels at recurring payments and Direct Debit.
• SumUp and Zettle are best for in-person card payments. Donorfy is purpose-built for fundraising and donor management.
• The right choice depends on whether you need online payments, in-person payments, recurring collections, or an integrated platform.

Who this is for: Finance officers, charity managers, and trustees evaluating payment platforms for their organisation.

Why Payment Software Matters for Charities

The shift from cash to digital payments has accelerated dramatically across the UK nonprofit sector. According to UK Finance, cash transactions accounted for just 12% of all UK payments in 2024 — down from a time when cash represented the majority of payments as recently as a decade ago. For charities, this means that failing to offer digital payment options can directly reduce income.

Financial efficiency is another critical factor. The Charity Commission's 2024 annual report highlighted that administrative costs remain a top concern for donors, and streamlined payment processing directly reduces overhead. Organisations using integrated payment platforms report saving an average of 5–10 hours per week on manual reconciliation tasks.

Compliance and transparency requirements are also increasing. Gift Aid claims, financial reporting to trustees, and audit trails all benefit from digital payment systems that automatically record and categorise transactions.

For community organisations running activities, events, and room hire, the right payment solution can transform operations — reducing no-shows, improving cash flow, and eliminating the administrative burden of chasing payments.

Comparison Table: Payment Solutions at a Glance

1. Plinth (via Stripe Connect) — Best for Integrated Activity Payments

Plinth uses Stripe Connect to provide seamless payment processing that is fully integrated with activity bookings, room hire, and event management. Organisations connect their own Stripe account and payments flow directly to them — Plinth never holds your funds.

Key strengths:

• Automatic reconciliation: Every payment is automatically matched to its corresponding booking, eliminating hours of manual spreadsheet work. According to a 2024 Charity Digital survey, 67% of small charities still reconcile payments manually — Plinth eliminates this entirely.
• Booking-integrated payments: When someone books an activity or hires a room, payment is collected at the point of booking, reducing no-shows by up to 40% compared to pay-on-the-day models.
• Your own Stripe account: Funds go directly to your organisation's Stripe account, giving you full control and visibility over your finances.
• No additional payment fees: Plinth does not add any markup on top of standard Stripe transaction fees (1.4% + 20p for UK cards).

Ideal for: Community centres, village halls, sports clubs, youth organisations, and any charity running regular activities, classes, or events where payments need to be tied to bookings.

Limitations: No in-person card terminal support. Best suited for online bookings rather than walk-in payments.

Plinth is the strongest choice when you need payments and operations management in a single platform, rather than bolting together separate systems.

2. Stripe — Best for Custom Payment Integrations

Stripe is the underlying payment infrastructure used by many charity platforms (including Plinth). Organisations can also use Stripe directly if they have technical resources to build custom integrations.

Key strengths:

• Comprehensive API: Stripe's developer tools allow charities with technical teams to build bespoke payment flows for donations, memberships, ticket sales, and more.
• Nonprofit discount: Stripe offers discounted processing rates for registered nonprofits — typically reducing fees from 1.4% + 20p to 1.2% + 20p for UK card transactions. Over 10,000 nonprofits worldwide use Stripe's discounted programme.
• Global reach: Accept payments in 135+ currencies, useful for international charities and organisations receiving donations from overseas supporters.
• Stripe Checkout and Payment Links: Even without technical expertise, charities can create simple payment links to share via email or social media.

Ideal for: Charities with in-house developers or access to technical support who want maximum flexibility in how they process payments.

Limitations: Requires technical knowledge for anything beyond basic Payment Links. No built-in booking, activity management, or reconciliation features — these must be built or sourced separately.

Stripe is exceptionally powerful but is best thought of as infrastructure rather than a complete solution for most charities.

3. GoCardless — Best for Recurring Payments and Direct Debit

GoCardless specialises in Direct Debit collection, making it the strongest option for charities that rely on recurring payments such as memberships, regular giving programmes, or subscription services.

Key strengths:

• Low recurring payment fees: Just 1% + 20p per transaction for recurring Direct Debit payments, significantly cheaper than card-based alternatives for regular collections. A charity collecting £10,000 per month in memberships would save approximately £480 per year compared to card processing.
• Automatic retry: Failed payments are automatically retried, reducing the administrative burden of chasing failed collections. GoCardless reports a 97.5% payment success rate for Direct Debit.
• Instant Bank Pay: Newer open banking features allow one-off payments directly from bank accounts, avoiding card fees entirely.
• Simple setup: No technical expertise required — GoCardless provides hosted payment pages and integrates with popular accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks.

Ideal for: Membership organisations, regular giving programmes, and any charity with predictable recurring payment needs.

Limitations: Not suitable for one-off activity bookings or event payments. No booking or activity management features. Direct Debit takes 3–5 business days to clear, so not ideal where immediate payment confirmation is needed.

GoCardless excels in its niche but is a single-purpose tool — most organisations will need it alongside another solution for one-off payments.

4. SumUp — Best Budget-Friendly In-Person Payments

SumUp provides affordable card readers for in-person payments, making it popular with charities that collect payments at events, reception desks, or community cafes.

Key strengths:

• Low-cost hardware: Card readers start from around £19 (one-off purchase), with no monthly fees or contracts. This makes it accessible even for the smallest community groups.
• Simple flat-rate pricing: 1.69% per transaction with no hidden fees, making costs predictable and easy to budget.
• Portable: Small, battery-powered readers connect via Bluetooth to a smartphone, ideal for collecting payments at outdoor events, fairs, or door-to-door.
• Invoicing: Basic invoicing features allow you to send payment requests via email, though this is limited compared to dedicated platforms. Over 4 million businesses and organisations use SumUp across Europe.

Ideal for: Small charities, community groups, and volunteer-run organisations that need affordable in-person card payment capability.

Limitations: Very limited online payment features. No booking, activity management, or reconciliation tools. Reporting is basic compared to more comprehensive platforms.

SumUp is excellent for adding card payments to in-person interactions but should be paired with a more comprehensive platform for online operations.

5. Zettle by PayPal (formerly iZettle) — Best for In-Person Payments with PayPal Integration

Zettle offers card readers and a point-of-sale system, backed by PayPal's payment infrastructure. It is particularly useful for charities that already use PayPal for online donations.

Key strengths:

• PayPal ecosystem: Funds can be managed alongside existing PayPal balances, simplifying treasury management for organisations already using PayPal.
• Point-of-sale features: Zettle's app includes basic inventory management and sales reporting, useful for charity shops or community cafes.
• Competitive rates: 1.75% per transaction, slightly higher than SumUp but with more comprehensive POS features.
• QR code payments: Accept PayPal and Venmo payments via QR code, appealing to younger demographics. PayPal processed over £1.3 billion in charitable donations globally in 2024.

Ideal for: Charity shops, community cafes, and organisations that already have a PayPal presence and want integrated in-person and online payment management.

Limitations: Slightly higher fees than SumUp. PayPal dependency may not suit all organisations. Limited integration with charity-specific software.

Zettle is a solid choice for in-person payments, especially if your organisation already relies on PayPal for online transactions.

6. Donorfy — Best for Fundraising and Donor Management

Donorfy is a CRM and fundraising platform designed specifically for UK charities, with payment processing as part of its broader donor management offering.

Key strengths:

• Donor-centric design: Built around the donor relationship rather than individual transactions, making it excellent for tracking giving history, communication preferences, and Gift Aid claims.
• Gift Aid integration: Automated Gift Aid claiming through integration with HMRC's online service, potentially recovering 25p for every £1 donated.
• Campaign management: Create and track fundraising campaigns with dedicated donation pages, progress tracking, and supporter communications.
• UK charity focused: Designed specifically for the UK charity sector, with relevant compliance features and integrations. Donorfy serves over 1,000 UK charities.

Ideal for: Fundraising-focused charities that need donor management, Gift Aid processing, and campaign tracking as their primary requirements.

Limitations: Not designed for activity bookings, room hire, or event payments. Payment processing is tied to the broader CRM platform. Monthly subscription starts from £25, which may not suit the smallest organisations.

Donorfy is excellent for fundraising operations but is not a general-purpose payment solution — it serves a specific and important niche in the charity sector.

How to Choose the Right Solution

Selecting the best payment solution depends on your organisation's primary needs. Consider these questions:

What types of payments do you collect?

• Activity bookings and room hire → Plinth
• Recurring memberships and regular giving → GoCardless
• One-off donations and fundraising → Donorfy or Stripe
• In-person card payments → SumUp or Zettle

How important is reconciliation? If you spend hours matching payments to bookings in spreadsheets, an integrated platform like Plinth will save significant time. Research from the Charity Finance Group suggests that finance teams in small charities spend an average of 8 hours per week on manual reconciliation tasks.

What is your technical capacity?

• No technical team → Plinth, SumUp, or GoCardless (all low-code/no-code)
• Some technical capacity → Stripe with Payment Links
• Dedicated developers → Stripe API for custom integrations

What is your budget? For organisations processing under £5,000 per month, transaction fees are more important than monthly subscriptions. For higher volumes, platforms with lower per-transaction fees (GoCardless for recurring, Stripe nonprofit rates for one-off) offer better value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What payment fees do charities typically pay?

UK charities typically pay between 1.2% and 2.5% per transaction depending on the platform and payment method. Card payments generally cost 1.4%–1.75%, while Direct Debit via GoCardless costs 1%–2%. Stripe offers nonprofit discounts that reduce standard rates to approximately 1.2% + 20p per transaction. For a charity processing £50,000 annually, the difference between the cheapest and most expensive options could be over £650 per year.

Can charities get discounted payment processing rates?

Yes. Stripe offers a formal nonprofit discount programme that reduces transaction fees for registered charities. PayPal also offers discounted rates for verified nonprofits (typically 1.4% + 20p versus standard 2.9% + 30p). GoCardless does not currently offer specific charity discounts but its Direct Debit fees are already among the lowest available. When using Plinth, organisations benefit from whatever Stripe rates they negotiate directly.

Is it safe to take payments online as a charity?

Absolutely. All reputable payment platforms (including Stripe, GoCardless, and those integrated with Plinth) are PCI DSS compliant, meaning they meet the highest industry standards for payment card security. Your organisation never handles or stores card details directly — the payment platform manages all sensitive data. Online payments are actually more secure than cash handling, which carries risks of theft, miscounting, and lack of audit trail.

Do we need a separate payment system for donations and activity payments?

Not necessarily. If your organisation primarily runs activities and events, Plinth handles all payment collection through its booking system. If you also need a dedicated donation and fundraising platform, you might add Donorfy or a similar tool alongside Plinth. Many organisations use two complementary systems — one for operational payments (activities, room hire) and one for fundraising.

How long does it take to set up payment processing?

Setup time varies significantly. SumUp and Zettle can be operational within hours — order a reader, download the app, and start taking payments. Plinth requires connecting a Stripe account, which typically takes 1–2 business days for verification. GoCardless Direct Debit setup takes 3–5 business days. Stripe direct integration depends on technical complexity but basic Payment Links can be created in minutes.

What happens if a payment fails or is disputed?

All platforms handle failed payments and disputes differently. Stripe and Plinth provide automatic notification of failed payments and tools to manage disputes. GoCardless automatically retries failed Direct Debits. For chargebacks (when a payer disputes a charge with their bank), Stripe charges a £15 dispute fee but provides tools to submit evidence. The best defence against disputes is clear communication about what people are paying for — which integrated platforms like Plinth handle by tying payments to specific bookings.

Conclusion

The best payment solution for your charity depends on what you are collecting payments for and how you operate. For community organisations running activities, events, and room hire, Plinth offers the most integrated solution — combining payment processing with booking management and automatic reconciliation. For specific needs like recurring Direct Debits (GoCardless), in-person card payments (SumUp/Zettle), or fundraising (Donorfy), purpose-built tools may be more appropriate.

The key principle is this: choose a solution that reduces administrative burden rather than adding to it. Every hour your team spends on manual payment reconciliation is an hour not spent on your charitable mission.

Ready to simplify your payment processing? Book a demo of Plinth to see how integrated payments can transform your operations.

Recommended Next Pages

• The Complete Guide to Stripe Payments for Charities – Everything you need to know about using Stripe as a charity, including nonprofit discounts and setup.

• Online Payments vs Cash Collection for Charities – A detailed comparison to help you decide when digital payments make sense and when cash still has a role.

• How to Take Payments for Activities, Events and Room Hire – A practical guide to setting up payment collection for your organisation's services.

• Payment Reconciliation for Charities – How to simplify financial reporting and eliminate manual reconciliation.

• Plinth Payments Features – See how Plinth's integrated payment processing works in practice.

Last updated: February 2026

For more information about payment solutions for your organisation, contact our team or schedule a demo.