Online fundraising has become an essential part of how nonprofits, creators, communities, and social initiatives raise support, and WordPress donation plugins make it easy to collect contributions directly from your website. Whether you’re running a nonprofit organization, a personal cause, a membership community, or a charity campaign, accepting donations through WordPress gives you full control over branding, payments, and donor relationships.
While it’s possible to embed third-party donation buttons, dedicated donation plugins offer far more flexibility. They allow you to create custom donation forms, run fundraising campaigns, accept recurring donations, track donor data, and integrate securely with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe. In 2026, these plugins will be more user-friendly, secure, and feature-rich than ever before.
In this updated guide, we’ll explore the best WordPress donation plugins for 2026, explain what each one does best, and help you choose the right solution based on your fundraising goals, technical needs, and budget.
Why Use a WordPress Donation Plugin?
Using a WordPress donation plugin allows you to accept contributions directly on your website without relying entirely on third-party platforms. This gives you full control over your branding, donor experience, and fundraising strategy, while keeping all donation activity centralized within your WordPress dashboard.
Donation plugins simplify the entire process of collecting funds. They let you create customizable donation forms, accept one-time or recurring contributions, and integrate securely with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe. Many plugins also include donor management tools, allowing you to track contributions, generate reports, and communicate with supporters more effectively.
Another major advantage is flexibility. Whether you’re running a nonprofit campaign, funding a community project, or collecting donations alongside content or products, donation plugins adapt to different use cases. They also improve trust by offering secure payments and transparent donation workflows.
In short, a WordPress donation plugin helps you build a reliable, scalable fundraising system that grows with your mission while keeping costs and complexity under control.
What to Look for in a WordPress Donation Plugin
Choosing the right donation plugin is critical to running a successful fundraising campaign. While many plugins allow you to collect payments, the best WordPress donation plugins go beyond basic transactions and support long-term donor relationships.
Payment gateway support should be your first consideration. Look for plugins that integrate with trusted gateways such as PayPal and Stripe, and ideally support multiple payment methods, including credit cards, digital wallets, and recurring billing.
Flexible donation options are equally important. A good plugin should allow one-time donations, recurring contributions, custom amounts, and preset donation levels so donors can give in the way that suits them best.
Ease of use and customization also matter. Donation forms should be easy to create, visually customizable, and mobile-friendly to ensure a smooth donor experience across devices.
Donor management and reporting features help you track contributions, manage donor data, and measure campaign performance. Some plugins also support donor receipts, tax summaries, and email notifications.
Finally, consider security, compliance, and ongoing support. The plugin should follow best security practices, support GDPR compliance, and receive regular updates to stay compatible with WordPress and payment providers.
Best WordPress Donation Plugins
Here are some popular WordPress donation plugins that you can consider:
1. WooCommerce Donations
WooCommerce Donations allows you to accept donations through your WooCommerce store, either as standalone products or alongside regular purchases. This makes it easy to combine fundraising with e-commerce.
It works well for stores that want to offer optional donations at checkout or sell donation-based products.
Key Features
- Donation products in WooCommerce
- Optional donations at checkout
- Compatible with WooCommerce payment gateways
- Flexible pricing options
Best For: WooCommerce stores that want to accept donations alongside products or services.
2. GiveWP
GiveWP is the most comprehensive and widely used WordPress donation plugin, built specifically for nonprofits, charities, and fundraising organizations. It provides advanced tools for creating professional donation forms, managing donors, and running full-scale fundraising campaigns.
GiveWP supports both one-time and recurring donations and integrates seamlessly with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe. Its reporting and donor management features make it easy to track performance and build long-term relationships with supporters.
Key Features
- Customizable donation forms
- One-time and recurring donations
- PayPal and Stripe integration
- Donor management and reporting
- Campaign goals and progress tracking
Best For: Nonprofits, charities, and organizations running structured fundraising campaigns.
3. Charitable
Charitable is a lightweight yet powerful donation plugin that gives you full control over your fundraising without charging platform fees. It’s developer-friendly and flexible, making it a strong alternative to heavier donation solutions.
The core plugin is free and supports basic fundraising campaigns, while premium extensions add recurring donations, payment gateways, and advanced features.
Key Features
- No platform fees
- Simple campaign creation
- PayPal and Stripe support (via extensions)
- Donor and campaign management
- Developer-friendly architecture
Best For: Nonprofits and site owners who want flexibility without recurring platform costs.
4. WPForms (Donation Forms)
WPForms is primarily a form builder, but it’s also an excellent solution for collecting donations through simple, customizable forms. With payment add-ons, you can quickly create donation forms without learning a new system.
It’s ideal for sites that don’t need complex fundraising features but want an easy way to accept contributions.
Key Features
- Drag-and-drop form builder
- PayPal and Stripe payments
- Custom donation amounts
- Email notifications and confirmations
- Spam protection
Best For: Small organizations, churches, and individuals looking for simple donation forms.
5. PayPal Donations
PayPal Donations is a simple and free plugin that allows you to add PayPal donation buttons to your WordPress site. While it lacks advanced features, it’s quick to set up and widely trusted.
This plugin is best for basic donation needs where simplicity is more important than customization.
Key Features
- PayPal donation buttons
- Easy setup
- No recurring fees
- Secure PayPal payments
Best For: Individuals and small causes needing a basic PayPal donation option.
6. Donorbox
Donorbox is a hosted donation platform that integrates smoothly with WordPress. It offers modern donation forms, recurring giving options, and strong donor management tools.
Because it’s a hosted solution, Donorbox handles much of the technical complexity while still allowing customization on your site.
Key Features
- Modern, responsive donation forms
- Recurring and one-time donations
- Stripe and PayPal support
- Donor management and receipts
- Embeddable WordPress forms
Best For: Organizations that want powerful features with minimal setup and maintenance.
7. WP Crowdfunding
WP Crowdfunding focuses on campaign-based fundraising rather than simple donations. It allows you to create crowdfunding-style campaigns with goals, deadlines, and contributor tracking.
It integrates with WooCommerce, making it suitable for reward-based fundraising as well.
Key Features
- Campaign-based fundraising
- Donation goals and progress bars
- WooCommerce integration
- Contributor tracking
- Front-end campaign management
Best For: Crowdfunding projects, startups, and community-driven campaigns.
8. Seamless Donations
Seamless Donations is a free, PayPal-focused donation plugin designed for nonprofits. It allows donors to give quickly without creating accounts or navigating complex forms.
While limited compared to premium plugins, it’s a solid option for basic donation needs.
Key Features
- PayPal donations
- Simple donation forms
- Donor tracking
- No transaction fees (plugin-side)
Best For: Nonprofits that want a free, PayPal-only donation solution.
9. Formidable Forms (Donations)
Formidable Forms is an advanced form builder that supports complex donation logic, calculations, and conditional workflows. It’s ideal for sites that need custom donation scenarios.
With payment integrations, you can build highly flexible donation forms tailored to specific campaigns.
Key Features
- Advanced form logic
- Calculated donation amounts
- PayPal and Stripe integration
- Custom workflows and automation
- Detailed reporting
Best For: Organizations with complex donation requirements or custom workflows.
10. GiveWP Payment Gateway Add-ons
While GiveWP is already powerful, its payment gateway add-ons deserve special mention. These extensions expand GiveWP’s functionality by supporting multiple gateways and donation methods.
They allow donors to choose how they want to contribute, improving conversion rates.
Key Features
- Multiple payment gateway options
- Improved donor flexibility
- Secure transactions
- Seamless GiveWP integration
Best For: Organizations using GiveWP that want maximum payment flexibility.
Which WordPress Donation Plugin Should You Choose?
The best donation plugin depends on how you plan to raise funds, the level of control you need, and how complex your fundraising campaigns are.
If you’re running a nonprofit or charity that relies heavily on structured fundraising, GiveWP is the most complete solution. It offers powerful donation forms, recurring giving, donor management, and detailed reporting, all designed specifically for fundraising.
For organizations that want a lightweight, flexible option without platform fees, Charitable is a strong alternative. It’s ideal for developers and site owners who want more control without ongoing costs.
If you only need simple donation forms and already use a form builder, WPForms or Formidable Forms are excellent choices. They’re easy to set up and work well for one-time or custom donation scenarios.
WooCommerce store owners should consider WooCommerce Donations, which integrates seamlessly with product purchases and checkout flows. For quick and basic donations, PayPal Donations or Seamless Donations offer simple, trusted solutions.
Finally, if you want modern donation forms with minimal setup and strong recurring donation features, Donorbox provides a polished, hosted experience.
Choosing the right plugin comes down to your fundraising goals, technical needs, and how you want donors to interact with your site.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right WordPress donation plugin is essential for building a reliable and effective fundraising system. In 2026, donation plugins have evolved beyond simple payment buttons, offering tools for recurring giving, donor management, campaign tracking, and secure payment processing. The right solution not only helps you collect donations but also builds trust and long-term relationships with your supporters.
Plugins like GiveWP and Charitable are ideal for nonprofits and organizations running structured fundraising campaigns, while WPForms, Formidable Forms, and PayPal Donations work well for simpler donation needs. WooCommerce-based sites can seamlessly collect contributions using WooCommerce Donations, and hosted solutions like Donorbox offer powerful features with minimal setup.
Ultimately, the best donation plugin is one that aligns with your goals, budget, and technical comfort. By choosing a well-supported and secure plugin, you can create a smooth donation experience that encourages generosity and supports your mission well into the future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is a WordPress donation plugin?
A WordPress donation plugin allows website owners to collect donations directly on their site using secure payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe. These plugins help create donation forms, manage donors, and track fundraising campaigns.
2. Which is the best WordPress donation plugin in 2026?
GiveWP is considered the best overall WordPress donation plugin in 2026 due to its advanced fundraising features, donor management tools, and flexible payment integrations. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs.
3. Can I accept recurring donations with WordPress donation plugins?
Yes, many donation plugins, such as GiveWP, Charitable (with extensions), and Donorbo,x support recurring donations, allowing donors to contribute monthly or yearly.
4. Are WordPress donation plugins secure?
Reputable donation plugins follow security best practices and integrate with trusted payment gateways. Security also depends on using SSL, keeping plugins updated, and choosing well-maintained solutions.
5. Do donation plugins charge transaction fees?
Most WordPress donation plugins do not charge platform fees, but payment gateways like PayPal or Stripe may apply transaction fees. Some hosted platforms may charge additional service fees.
6. Can I use donation plugins without PayPal?
Yes, many plugins support Stripe and other gateways. GiveWP, Donorbox, and form-based solutions allow you to collect donations without relying solely on PayPal.
7. Are WordPress donation plugins suitable for nonprofits?
Yes, WordPress donation plugins are widely used by nonprofits, charities, churches, and community organizations because they offer flexibility, control, and cost-effective fundraising tools.
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