Monday, August 27, 2018
Hey Fletch … We are looking at beginning to allow online giving. We are looking at three different providers: pushpay.com, gyve.io and tithe.ly. We are evaluating each platform and like what we see. Any red flags that you’ve heard about on these three?
DRF—There are plenty of providers for processing online donations. You have picked three substantial ones. Of those three, Pushpay got started first. I know many people who like their full suite of apps and online help that encourage online giving. Tithe.ly is a few years old and has some competitive pricing to offer. Gyve.io is the newest. They have a unique approach in a “giving ladder” that encourages people to increase their contribution level. Brad Leeper, president of Generis, knows much more about these three. Let me ask Brad to respond.
Brad—Features among the apps tend to evolve quickly. Round-up giving is a newer feature for example. Transaction costs vary as well and have to be calculated with any fees to determine a true transaction cost. Some platforms have a lower transaction fee as giving totals hit thresholds. Like many services, consider asking and pressing to make sure that the initial transaction cost you hear is indeed the best you can get.
The three options you’ve mentioned are options with which I am familiar. I know many of the leaders in these apps with all, to the best of my knowledge, being people of character, integrity and looking out for the best interests of the church.
Push Pay is the best known having been around for many years as an early entrant into the digital world. The app is quite easy to use. Recently I have had clients tell me the customer service has become even better. The primary feedback I hear on Push Pay is that their model includes a monthly fee in addition to the transaction fees. Many of my larger church clients are good with the monthly fee because of the success of giving through the app. PushPay seems to be more frequently used in larger churches. Smaller churches tend to be less comfortable with their monthly fee. PushPay tends to work and listen to your situation and finds a way to navigate the fee question.
Tithe.ly is a newer model and becoming quite popular within mid-sized to smaller churches who prefer to not have the monthly fee. Tithe.ly provides a customized giving app for the church and often has a new client up and running within a few hours. Tithe.ly also offers a church app for a reasonable monthly fee. There is no contract here so you can cancel anytime.
Gyve.io is a newer platform developed from a large, multisite church. They use their round-up feature as a way to increase benevolence giving. They also incorporate a giving coaching integration into the app. The app can serve as a teaching tool for givers, helping to reinforce the message of biblical discipleship, generosity and disciplines. I am intrigued with the concept of an app reinforcing giving and faith-development.
No matter your choice, installing the app and normalizing giving through the app has more to do with you than the tool. I see churches take an okay app and do far better in giving than a stellar app that is installed and not properly utilized. Let me know if I can work with you to know how best to get your app choice installed in such a way that your church is exceptionally well served in their giving channel preferences.
