Charity Auctions Today
Charity Auctions Today is a bootstrapped SaaS platform that provides no-app, browser-based mobile bidding, silent and live auction software, raffles, and gala event tools for nonprofits, schools, churches, hospitals, and community organizations. Founded in 2007, it has served 50,000+ organizations across 250,000+ events and $1B+ in fundraising under a performance-based pricing model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersWillowbrook, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Charity Auctions Today does
Charity Auctions Today, operating under the legal name CharityAuctions, is a privately held, bootstrapped SaaS platform founded in 2007 and headquartered in Willowbrook, United States. The company provides online, mobile, and silent auction software for nonprofit organizations, schools, and other fundraising entities, with a unified platform covering live, hybrid, and virtual auctions, raffles and prize draws, gala ticketing and check-in, table management, fund-a-need/paddle raise tools, and post-event analytics. Its core technical differentiator is browser-based, no-app mobile bidding accessible via QR code on any smartphone, with real-time outbid alerts, a live bid leaderboard, and one-tap checkout through Apple Pay and Google Pay, eliminating the app-download friction that constrains native-app competitors. Supporting capabilities include an AI item description generator that writes listings from uploaded photos, CSV bulk import, and a real-time analytics dashboard tracking bidders, winners, payments, donors, and items.
The business model is performance-based: organizations can sign up free with no credit card, access the full platform immediately, and pay only after their auction succeeds. There is no upfront software cost and no long-term contract; free expert support is delivered by phone, chat, and email. Go-to-market is product-led growth via direct self-serve registration on charityauctions.com, supplemented by a free 15-minute consultation overlay for mid-market organizations, content marketing through the 10X Charity Auction Playbook (4,200+ downloads per week), SEO comparison pages against named competitors, and peer validation through 2,400+ verified G2 reviews at a 4.8–4.9 rating. The company serves 50,000+ organizations across 250,000+ events, has facilitated $1B+ in cumulative fundraising, hosts 1M+ active bidders, and operates globally through its direct digital channel with no resellers or third-party distributors. Founder Tom Kelly has led the company throughout its 17-year history under private, non-VC-backed ownership.
Charity Auctions Today firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Charity Auctions Today
- Legal name
- CharityAuctions
- Website
- https://charityauctionstoday.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Charity Auctions Today is a bootstrapped SaaS platform that provides no-app, browser-based mobile bidding, silent and live auction software, raffles, and gala event tools for nonprofits, schools, churches, hospitals, and community organizations. Founded in 2007, it has served 50,000+ organizations across 250,000+ events and $1B+ in fundraising under a performance-based pricing model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Charity Auctions Today industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Fundraising Software
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Charity Auctions Today is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Willowbrook
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Charity Auctions Today business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Performance-Based Transaction Fee: Platform charges a fee only after the auction succeeds and funds are raised. No upfront software cost, no subscription required to get started. Pricing is tied directly to event performance, aligning company growth with customer success.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free to Start - Full Platform Access |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Pay After You Raise - Performance-Based |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Charity Auctions Today product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Charity Auctions Today provides a browser-based, no-app-required online and mobile auction platform that enables nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations to run silent, live, and hybrid charity auctions. The platform combines mobile bidding via QR code, AI-generated item descriptions, instant checkout with Apple Pay/Google Pay, raffle tools, gala ticketing, table management, and real-time analytics into a single unified system.
Product overview
CharityAuctions is a single unified charity auction software platform built for nonprofits, schools, and fundraising organizations. The platform combines auction management (silent, live, and hybrid), mobile bidding, raffle/draw functionality, live event/gala tools, checkout/payments, and real-time analytics into one integrated system. All features are included in the core platform with no add-on modules—organizations access the full platform at signup. The product emphasizes no-app-required mobile bidding, AI-powered item description generation, and performance-based pricing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CharityAuctions Platform Unified charity auction software platform for nonprofits, schools, and fundraising organizations to run online, live, and hybrid auctions. Includes no-app mobile bidding via QR code, AI-generated item descriptions, instant checkout with Apple Pay/Google Pay, raffle and prize draw tools, gala ticketing with table management, paddle raise/fund-a-need tools, and a real-time analytics dashboard. All features are included in the core platform with no add-on modules.
Quantifiable outcome
- 43% average revenue increase vs paper bid sheets
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Charity Auctions Today
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments11 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Charity Auctions Today technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature9 records
Charity Auctions Today partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Charity Auctions Today competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Classy: Classy is a broader nonprofit fundraising platform (donations, peer-to-peer, events) that overlaps with CharityAuctions at the fundraising-event layer but is not a pure auction competitor.
- Funraise: Funraise is a nonprofit fundraising CRM and donation platform that includes event and auction-adjacent functionality, serving the same buyer (nonprofit development teams) as CharityAuctions.
Direct peers
- OneCause: OneCause is a leading direct competitor in online, mobile, and silent auction software for nonprofits and schools. CharityAuctions explicitly runs comparison pages against OneCause for the same buyer and use case.
- Handbid: Handbid is a mobile-focused silent and live auction platform for nonprofits and galas, directly overlapping with CharityAuctions' core mobile-bidding product.
- ClickBid: ClickBid is an online and mobile auction platform for nonprofits and schools with similar feature coverage to CharityAuctions, including silent auctions and ticketing.
- GalaBid: GalaBid offers mobile bidding and event-night tools for fundraising galas and auctions, overlapping with CharityAuctions' live events/galas module.
- Auctria: Auctria is an online auction management platform for nonprofits and charities, offering event websites, bidding, and reporting comparable to CharityAuctions' core offering.
- 32Auctions: 32Auctions is a lower-priced online auction platform targeting schools, churches, and small nonprofits, directly competing in the same entry-tier segment as CharityAuctions.
- BiddingOwl: BiddingOwl provides online auction software for schools, churches, and nonprofits — the exact same primary verticals CharityAuctions serves, with overlapping auction and raffle functionality.
- GiveSmart: GiveSmart is a direct competitor offering online auctions, mobile bidding, and event fundraising tools for nonprofits. CharityAuctions targets GiveSmart head-on with dedicated comparison content.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Charity Auctions Today social profiles
Digital presenceCharity Auctions Today financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Charity Auctions Today leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Charity Auctions Today funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Charity Auctions Today 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 Charity Auctions Today
What does Charity Auctions Today do?
Charity Auctions Today provides a browser-based, no-app-required online and mobile auction platform that enables nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations to run silent, live, and hybrid charity auctions. The platform combines mobile bidding via QR code, AI-generated item descriptions, instant checkout with Apple Pay/Google Pay, raffle tools, gala ticketing, table management, and real-time analytics into a single unified system.
Is Charity Auctions Today a public or private company?
Charity Auctions Today is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Charity Auctions Today founded?
Charity Auctions Today was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Charity Auctions Today based?
Charity Auctions Today is headquartered in Willowbrook, United States, in the North America region.
How does Charity Auctions Today make money?
One revenue line is on record: performance-Based Transaction Fee.
Who are Charity Auctions Today's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Classy and Funraise. Direct peers are OneCause, Handbid, ClickBid, GalaBid, Auctria, 32Auctions, BiddingOwl and GiveSmart.
Does Charity Auctions Today have an API?
No public API is recorded for Charity Auctions Today.
What industry is Charity Auctions Today in?
Charity Auctions Today's product category is Nonprofit Fundraising Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAAAC, Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 8134 and its SIC code is 7990.