4aGoodCause supports both Authorize.net and Stripe as payment processors. You can connect your 4aGoodCause fundraising pages to either provider to process online payments from your donors for online donations, event registrations, and more. 

Please use the guide below to help you choose which provider might be the best fit for your organization.

If you are not signed up with either of these providers we can help you acquire an account. 

Stripe

About 

Stripe is a third-party payment processor. Similar to PayPal or Square, it’s a software tool that websites can connect to process online payments.  Stripe is an all-in-one provider. This means it handles both parts of a payment transaction, the authorization of the card and the settlement of the funds into your bank account. Stripe will deposit your funds in two business days following the transaction date. Stripe fees are taken out of each transaction before deposit.  Stripe offers solutions for recurring payments,  fraud protection, and integrations with many third-party tools.  Stripe is a platform built for developers (like 4aGoodCause) to build solutions for payment processing. 

Pricing

Stripe is an affordable payment processor for smaller nonprofits that process a low volume of online credit card donations. 

Stripe does offer a discounted nonprofit price but your nonprofit must be a 501c3 charity and process 80% of its revenue from donations to be eligible for the discount. Revenue such as membership fees or ticket sales do not qualify.  

Discounted pricing:

  • 2.2% + 30¢ for most cards 
  • 3.5% for American Express

Regular pricing (if you do not qualify for the discount):

  • 2.9% + 30¢ for all cards

Payment methods supported by 4aGoodCause through Stripe

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Discover
  • American Express
  • JCB
  • Diner's Club
  • Many international credit cards
  • PayPal

Pros

  • Fast, easy setup
  • Easy-to-use dashboard
  • Data portability (easier to get card info if you need to switch)

Cons

  • Primarily for online processing only
  • No virtual terminal for in-person processing
  • Harder accounting (Fees taken out of each transaction)
  • Account stability issues
  • Higher rate for Amex
  • Not all nonprofits qualify for discount

Best for

  • Nonprofits that want to get set up and process payments quickly

How to sign up

Sign up online at Stripe.com

Authorize.net

About 

Authorize.net is a payment gateway. A payment gateway is a service that allows accepting credit cards over the Internet. A payment gateway does for a website what a swipe terminal does for a physical store like a Wal-Mart: it encrypts the credit card data and sends it out securely over the payment network. Authorize.net does not handle the deposits of funds from credit cards into your bank account. For this, Authorize.net relies on a separate account, a merchant account.  A merchant account is an account at an Acquiring Bank and is used to fund you for your credit card transactions.

Your merchant account will deposit your funds 1-3 business days following the transaction date. It will deposit 100% of your donation and take its fees out once a month. 

Authorize.net is a full-featured gateway that offers solutions for recurring payments,  fraud protection, ACH payments, and in-person processing (virtual terminal and mobile app). Authorize.net is a well-established company that helps small businesses and nonprofits process payments easily and reliably.

Pricing

Merchant accounts and the Authorize.net payment gateway are sold through many banks, merchant companies, and resellers so the pricing can vary. While Authorize.net sells an all-in-one solution of a merchant account plus gateway from its website, this is typically not the best pricing. You can typically get a better price by going through a reseller. 4aGoodCause is a reseller as are many of the merchant account providers we partner with.  

While we believe our merchant account partner offers the best rates and service available if you want to use 4aGoodCause with your merchant account provider we can typically still work with you. Contact us for compatibility details.

Should you need to acquire a merchant account and Authorize.net through 4aGoodCause here is our pricing. 

Authorize.net 

  • $10/month and $0.10 per transaction
  • Optional Echeck Processing at $10/month or 0.75% per transaction

Merchant account

  • 2.49% + $0.30 per transaction (discounted pricing for 501c3 nonprofits)
  • $15/month

Payment methods supported by 4aGoodcause through Authorize.net

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Discover
  • American Express
  • JCB
  • Diner's Club
  • E-check (ACH)
  • PayPal

Pros

  • Great customer support
  • Advanced security and fraud protection
  • Account portability (gateway supported by most all merchant providers)
  • Easier accounting (Fees taken out once a month, not on each transaction)
  • Discounted pricing for all 501c3 nonprofits

Cons

  • Data portability (harder to get card info if you need to switch)

Best for

  • Nonprofits that want to process ACH payments
  • Nonprofits that need to process in-person payments in addition to online 
  • Nonprofits that want dedicated customer support
  • Nonprofits that want more advanced security

How to sign up

Contact support to sign up

 

Still have questions? Contact us at support@4agoodcause.com to help you choose the payment provider that works best for your nonprofit.