Cheddar Up
Cheddar Up is a Denver-based SaaS platform that enables volunteer-led groups — PTAs, scout troops, sports boosters, HOAs, schools, and nonprofits — to collect payments, forms, waivers, sign-ups, event tickets, and merchandise orders through a unified, no-code online platform with mobile and POS support.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Cheddar Up does
Cheddar Up is a Denver, Colorado-based cloud SaaS platform that enables volunteer-led groups — including PTAs/PTOs, Girl Scout troops and councils, youth sports teams and booster clubs, band/music/dance programs, HOAs, schools, and small nonprofits — to collect payments, forms, waivers, sign-ups, event registrations, merchandise orders, and donations in a unified online interface. The platform is built around a no-code drag-and-drop collection page builder that combines payment processing (powered by Stripe, with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and eCheck support), custom form fields, mobile ticketing with QR code scanning, peer-to-peer fundraising with leaderboards, group landing pages, and branded communications. Mobile apps for iOS and Android, a Bluetooth card reader, and a Tap-on-Mobile feature extend the platform into in-person point-of-sale use cases, while Zapier-mediated and embedded integrations (MoneyMinder, QuickBooks, Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Google Workspace, Pintura, Unsplash) enable workflow connectivity.
The business operates a freemium model with a free Basic tier, Pro at $15/month (annual) and Team at $35/month (annual) paid tiers, and custom-priced Partner Plans for chapter-based organizations and direct sales companies. Revenue is generated from subscription fees, per-transaction convenience fees (defaulted to the payer but retained by Cheddar Up at 3.59%-3.95% plus $0.59-$0.95 per credit card transaction, with eCheck and instant-withdrawal fees as ancillary streams), and hardware sales. Distribution combines product-led self-serve sign-up, a community-led motion leveraging Girl Scout council, PTA, and HOA partnerships, a structured Partner and Affiliate program for white-label and co-branded deployment, and twice-weekly live Learning Sessions for conversion. The company is bootstrapped, founder-led (CEO Nichole Montoya, Co-Founder Molly DiCarlo), operates with 1-10 employees, has facilitated over $1 billion in cumulative payments across 100,000+ groups and 4.8M+ payers, and remains private with no public ticker or disclosed institutional venture rounds beyond early 500 Startups accelerator participation and a $1.2M round in 2017.
Cheddar Up firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cheddar Up
- Legal name
- Cheddar Up, Inc.
- Website
- https://cheddarup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cheddar Up is a Denver-based SaaS platform that enables volunteer-led groups — PTAs, scout troops, sports boosters, HOAs, schools, and nonprofits — to collect payments, forms, waivers, sign-ups, event tickets, and merchandise orders through a unified, no-code online platform with mobile and POS support.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cheddar Up industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Group Payments and Fundraising Software
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Conference & Trade Show Registration Platforms (THAHAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Meeting & Event Program Technology (Registration, Apps, Badging) (THACAFAB), Event Email/SMS/Marketing Automation & Nurture (THAHAGAI), Lead Distribution, CRM/MarTech Integration & Sync (THAHAGAM)
Keywords
Where Cheddar Up is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cheddar Up business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans (Freemium + Premium Upsell): The platform offers a Free plan with basic features and three paid tiers (Pro at $15/month billed annually, Team at $35/month billed annually, and Partner at custom pricing). The free plan provides sufficient functionality for small groups, with paid tiers unlocking advanced features like unlimited items, waivers, shipping, taxes, eCheck payments, ticketing, and integrations.
- Payment Processing Fees (Transaction Fee): Cheddar Up charges a convenience fee on each payment transaction processed. By default, this fee is passed to the payer, allowing organizers to collect free. Fees vary by plan: Basic plan 3.95% + $0.95 per transaction; Pro/Team plans 3.59% + $0.59 per transaction. eCheck fees range from $1.95 (Team) to $0.95 (Team) per transaction.
- Instant Withdrawal Fees: Instant bank transfers (arriving in as little as 20 minutes) carry a small fee, charged only when the organizer opts for expedited transfer rather than the standard free 1-3 business day withdrawal.
- Hardware Sales (Card Reader): Cheddar Up sells Bluetooth card readers designed for use with its mobile POS app. Users purchase the reader separately to enable in-person card acceptance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Forever — basic collection for small groups |
| Subscription | Annual | Pro — advanced features for registrations and selling |
| Subscription | Annual | Team — lowest fees, group website, and integrations |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Partner — custom solutions for multi-tiered organizations |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Cheddar Up product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cheddar Up is a cloud-based SaaS platform that lets volunteer-led groups (PTAs, scout troops, sports teams, HOAs, nonprofits, direct sales organizations) collect payments, forms, sign-ups, waivers, and ticket orders from community members. Organizers build unlimited branded collection pages with a drag-and-drop builder, share via link or QR code, and receive funds via Stripe-powered processing with mobile app support and an optional Bluetooth card reader for in-person events.
Product overview
Cheddar Up is a comprehensive group payments and information collection platform offering a unified solution with both free and premium tiers (Pro at $15/month, Team at $35/month, and custom Partner plans). The platform's core offering centers on the main Cheddar Up Platform for collecting payments, forms, and sign-ups, complemented by hardware (Card Reader) and mobile apps for iOS/Android. Key product modules include: Event Management with Mobile Ticketing, Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, Group Gifting, Online & In-Person Sales, Dues & Fees Collection, and Online Fundraisers. Information collection features encompass Questions & Forms, Sign Ups, and Online Waiver Forms. Sharing and communication tools include QR Codes, Message Center, Custom Branding, and Group Page for branded landing pages. Tracking and management features include Payment Tracking, Withdrawals & Transfers, User Management, Report Center, and an Integrations Marketplace powered by Zapier and built-in embedded integrations. The platform processes over $1 billion in payments across 100,000+ groups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cheddar Up Platform Cloud-based SaaS platform for volunteer-led groups to collect payments, forms, sign-ups, waivers, and ticket orders from their communities via branded collection pages and Stripe-powered processing.
- Cheddar Up Mobile Apps Free iOS and Android apps enabling organizers to create and manage collections, view real-time updates, accept in-person card and contactless payments, and scan QR-code tickets for event check-in.
- Cheddar Up Bluetooth Card Reader Hardware card reader sold separately to enable in-person card acceptance via the Cheddar Up mobile POS app; supports tap, dip, or swipe, with Apple Pay and Google Pay contactless NFC supported through Tap on Mobile when the reader is not used.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $1 billion in payments processed through the platform
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Cheddar Up
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Cheddar Up technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration26 records
Feature10 records
Cheddar Up partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Girl Scouts of Northern CaliforniacoreGirl Scouts of Northern California partnered with Cheddar Up to provide troops and service units with a platform to collect dues, run cookie booth sales, and manage event payments. The council exercises oversight and internal financial control while troops use the platform for day-to-day collections.
- Girl Scouts of North East OhiocoreGSNEO uses Cheddar Up as the primary payment and collection platform for troops across the council. The partnership provides Girl Scout councils with financial oversight while enabling troop-level adoption.
- Stella & DotcoreDirect sales company Stella & Dot integrated Cheddar Up to help independent Stylists sell samples and manage inventory. The platform enables consultants to process sales easily while home office maintains financial oversight.
- CabicoreDirect sales company Cabi partnered with Cheddar Up to provide consultants with an easy way to sell samples and manage inventory, with home office oversight.
- Noonday CollectioncoreNoonday Collection, a direct sales jewelry company, partnered with Cheddar Up to enable advisors to sell products and manage inventory through the platform.
- MoneyMindercoreMoneyMinder, the world's #1 accounting and bookkeeping tool for volunteer-run nonprofits, has an embedded integration with Cheddar Up. Transactions are automatically imported and categorized in MoneyMinder from Cheddar Up collections.
- MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)minorMOPS International partnered with Cheddar Up to allow chapter groups to collect membership fees and event payments easily. Individual MOPS groups use the platform for registration and dues collection.
- StripecoreStripe is Cheddar Up's embedded payment processing partner, powering all credit card transactions. All financial data is sent directly to Stripe's PCI-compliant servers via TLS encryption. Stripe also provides Stripe Link for faster checkout. Apple Pay and Google Pay are integrated through Stripe.
- ZapiercoreCheddar Up integrates with thousands of applications via Zapier, enabling automated workflows between Cheddar Up and tools like Gmail, Constant Contact, Mailchimp, QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, Xero, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, Microsoft Excel, Salesforce, HubSpot, Facebook, and more.
- Apple Pay and Google PaycoreApple Pay and Google Pay are embedded as payment options at checkout, powered through Stripe integration. Available on every checkout when the payer uses a compatible device (iOS for Apple Pay, Android for Google Pay).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cheddar Up competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Givebutter: Givebutter is a free online fundraising and donor management platform for nonprofits, schools, teams, and community groups. It directly competes with Cheddar Up across online donations, event ticketing, peer-to-peer fundraising, and auctions for the same PTA/booster/nonprofit buyer.
- RallyUp: RallyUp is an online fundraising, event management, and auction platform tailored to schools, nonprofits, and community organizations. It overlaps with Cheddar Up's event ticketing, peer-to-peer, and online auction capabilities for group-based campaigns.
- 99Pledges: 99Pledges is a peer-to-peer fundraiser platform built for schools, sports teams, and booster clubs. It serves the same core PTA/booster/CYV treasurer persona and supports P2P pages, team leaderboards, and goal tracking akin to Cheddar Up's P2P fundraising module.
- Funraise: Funraise is a nonprofit fundraising platform offering donation forms, event management, peer-to-peer campaigns, and donor CRM. It competes with Cheddar Up on the nonprofit and donor-facing collection experience.
- Membermeister: Membermeister is a dues and payment collection platform for HOAs, condo associations, and community groups. It overlaps directly with Cheddar Up's HOA dues and recurring community fee collection use cases.
Emerging players
- WildApricot: WildApricot is membership management software for clubs, associations, and small nonprofits with built-in payment and event registration. It competes for the same volunteer-run community segments and supports dues collection and event signups similar to Cheddar Up.
- Bloomerang: Bloomerang is a donor management and fundraising CRM with online donation forms for nonprofits. It addresses the same nonprofit segment as Cheddar Up, with overlapping donation form/online giving capabilities and an adjacent email/social engagement product.
Broad incumbents
- Square (Block): Square offers payment processing, POS hardware, and online checkout tools used by small businesses and community groups. It overlaps with Cheddar Up on card-present acceptance and online payments but is a broad SMB commerce platform, not specialized in group collections.
- Venmo (PayPal): Venmo is the dominant P2P payments app, frequently used by groups as a low-friction way to collect money. It competes for the same payers as Cheddar Up but lacks forms, waivers, ticketing, and organizer-side controls.
Others
- Stripe: Stripe is Cheddar Up's underlying payments partner, and Stripe Checkout/Stripe Terminal/Stripe Payment Links offer a direct alternative path for developers and SMBs to accept payments. While not a direct competitor in the group-collector experience, it is the infrastructure backbone and potential alternative for sophisticated organizers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cheddar Up social profiles
Digital presenceCheddar Up compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Cheddar Up financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cheddar Up leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Cheddar Up funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cheddar Up M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cheddar Up
What does Cheddar Up do?
Cheddar Up is a cloud-based SaaS platform that lets volunteer-led groups (PTAs, scout troops, sports teams, HOAs, nonprofits, direct sales organizations) collect payments, forms, sign-ups, waivers, and ticket orders from community members. Organizers build unlimited branded collection pages with a drag-and-drop builder, share via link or QR code, and receive funds via Stripe-powered processing with mobile app support and an optional Bluetooth card reader for in-person events.
Is Cheddar Up a public or private company?
Cheddar Up is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Cheddar Up founded?
Cheddar Up was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cheddar Up based?
Cheddar Up is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cheddar Up make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription Plans (Freemium + Premium Upsell) is the primary driver. The others are payment Processing Fees (Transaction Fee), instant Withdrawal Fees and hardware Sales (Card Reader).
Who are Cheddar Up's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Givebutter, RallyUp, 99Pledges, Funraise and Membermeister. Emerging players are WildApricot and Bloomerang. Broad incumbents are Square (Block) and Venmo (PayPal). Stripe is listed as an others.
Does Cheddar Up have an API?
Yes. Cheddar Up offers API access for its Partner Plan, providing up to four pre-built UI components that encompass dozens of features required to embed the core functionality of group payments into partner platforms. API key is available to users on the Team plan. Developer documentation is at www.cheddarup.com/partners.
What industry is Cheddar Up in?
Cheddar Up's product category is Group Payments and Fundraising Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAFAB, Conference & Trade Show Registration Platforms, with a secondary code of THACAFAB, Meeting & Event Program Technology (Registration, Apps, Badging). Its NAICS code is 56192 and its SIC code is 7990.