Handbid vs. OneCause vs. GiveSmart: Platform Comparison

If you’re considering investing in fundraising or auction software, it’s likely that you’ll come across OneCause and GiveSmart as you search for options online.

Below, we’ll discuss some of the similarities and differences that you should know if you’re considering these two platforms. Then, we’ll introduce our standout auction and mobile bidding software, Handbid, and explain why it’s better than either option. Let’s dive in!

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Features Comparison

First, here’s a quick overview of some of the most important features fundraisers look for in an auction solution and what Handbid, OneCause, and GiveSmart have to offer:

Key Factors to Consider When Comparing Handbid vs. OneCause vs. GiveSmart

Now, let’s dive deeper into that side-by-side comparison. Besides the basics, what else should you consider when evaluating your options?

Social Fundraising Features

Most organizations host a variety of fundraisers, and they want to keep their campaigns and events as centralized as possible. OneCause, GiveSmart, and Handbid all offer built-in social fundraising features like peer-to-peer tools—but with key differences.

• OneCause: OneCause emphasizes that its peer-to-peer solution is more robust than GiveSmart’s. So, if peer-to-peer fundraising is a priority for you, it’s possible that OneCause may be a better solution for you compared to GiveSmart.
• GiveSmart: GiveSmart’s peer-to-peer solution is separate from its mobile bidding and auction tools, so the features may not be as integrated.
• Handbid: Handbid's peer-to-peer functionality is integrated with our mobile bidding features and the other parts of our platform, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing multiple solutions or switching back and forth between them.

Hidden Fees

Understandably, nonprofits often have strict budgets for fundraising software and are naturally drawn toward lower price tags. However, it’s important to keep in mind that in many cases, platforms that charge more upfront also offer customer support and products that are more effective at helping you drive donation revenue, which can more than make up for the additional costs.

At Handbid, we value transparent pricing, which is why we also have zero hidden fees. We’re not certain this is the case with GiveSmart or OneCause:

• OneCause does not publish pricing information on its website, so you have to request a demo to receive a custom quote. Additionally, it offers separate plans for online fundraising, auctions and events, and peer-to-peer, which may increase the cost.
• GiveSmart also requires you to request a demo to receive any pricing information. It offers plans for fundraising and event management, donor CRM, and the full suite.
• Handbid proudly offers transparent pricing starting at $1,999 for nonprofits, with single and multi-event packages available. We also have low credit card processing fees of only 3.5% + 0.30.

Regardless of which fundraising platform you choose, be sure to ask them about their fee structures to get a complete picture of any potentially unanticipated costs.

Company Ownership

Your auction software provider is often just as important as the platform itself. Since both OneCause and GiveSmart have changed hands in recent years, company ownership is something you should consider.

While we can only speculate, it’s likely that the rapid growth, change, and merging of different technology platforms and customer bases could be a disadvantage for users of both GiveSmart and OneCause. Here’s what we know:

• OneCause started as a founder-led company but was recently bought by Bonterra, a massive fundraising software conglomerate that also owns Network for Good, EveryAction, CyberGrants, and more. At this point, it’s unclear what the platform’s future will look like under the new ownership.
• GiveSmart, originally an Atlanta-based company, merged with New York-based 501 Auctions and Chicago-based Gesture to become a large conglomerate owned by Community Brands in 2019. They later added MobileCause, another private-equity-backed corporation, to shore up their peer-to-peer and online giving product offerings.
• Handbid, on the other hand, has been family-owned and operated since 2011, and our founders remain actively involved in the business. Our company was started by fundraisers, for fundraisers, and that won’t change, even as we expand our auction offerings to commercial sectors.

Mobile App Availability

Both OneCause and GiveSmart are designed specifically as web-based platforms that are only accessible through desktop or mobile web browsers. They do not offer mobile apps for organizations and their donors to use during fundraisers.

As we’ve written about previously in our post on running online charity auctions, this has significant implications for fundraiser participation and donation revenue. Specifically, websites are more difficult to navigate from mobile devices. They’re also far less engaging than mobile apps, which can be harmful when your goal is to maximize participation and engagement.

Mobile apps are simply more user-friendly and engaging, and this could not be more important when it comes to mobile fundraising. Having a native mobile app for both iOS and Android is one of the key factors that separates our platform, Handbid, from most other fundraising solutions.

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Why Handbid Beats OneCause and GiveSmart

When you boil it down, there are three key aspects of our company and platform that differentiate us from OneCause and GiveSmart:

1. Handbid is Powered By Real Fundraisers

Prior to starting Handbid, our founders, Jeff and Kari Porter, ran an annual fundraising event and golf tournament for their nonprofit organization, the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado (PWSACO) and the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research.

During that time, they came to deeply understand the challenges of running in-person auction events. Specifically, they battled:

• Long lines at check-in, check-out, and auction tables
• High likelihood of human data entry errors
• Guests’ frustration with sluggish auction administration

To address these issues, they built their own mobile bidding application, Handbid, drawing from Jeff’s decades of experience as a media and technology executive and Kari’s experience as a software engineer.

Those firsthand experiences have informed the development of Handbid’s software at every stage since our founding in 2011—resulting in a platform designed by fundraisers, for fundraisers, that’s grounded in the problems that organizations need to solve. The experiences of our founders and staff set us apart at both the product and customer support levels.

2. Handbid’s Native Mobile Bidding App Makes it Easy to Engage

By offering a mobile app, Handbid’s auction software comes with key advantages over OneCause and GiveSmart’s web-only solutions, including:

• Push notifications: OneCause and GiveSmart have to rely on communicating with auction participants via email and SMS, which pulls bidders out of the auction environment and disrupts their engagement. Handbid, on the other hand, keeps users in the app with timely outbid notifications.
• Greater ease of use: As we mentioned above, navigating web browsers on a phone is less seamless than navigating a mobile app, especially for older users who rely on their phone’s accessibility settings to improve usability. Unlike on a mobile web interface, an app offers increased font sizes and contrast settings.
• More engagement: Handbid leverages push notifications and gamification to keep donors coming back throughout your auction, ultimately driving more engagement and revenue. Static web pages are less capable of using notifications and gamification to drive participation.

The Handbid mobile app provides organizations with an unparalleled means of maximizing auction engagement.

For example, we understand that the purpose of an outbid notification is not just to tell the user they’ve been outbid — it’s to invoke an emotional response in the bidder that compels them to feel challenged and respond. The Handbid app does this by vibrating the phone, changing the screen color, and playing a sound, providing an experience that is both fun and motivating to keep “playing” and bidding. Take a look:

We also offer features such as:

• A countdown timer to generate a sense of urgency in bidders.
• A live thermometer to invoke the desire to be seen as generous.
• Leaderboards that tap into bidders’ competitive nature.
• Personalized alerts to end users that can be sent en masse from auction managers.
• Integrated live chat that managers can enable to allow guests to communicate with each other.

These are the types of features that simply cannot be replicated by platforms without mobile apps.

Note: Some organizations do not want to require donors to download an app to participate in their auction. That’s not a problem! Handbid’s auction pages are just as easy to use when accessed directly through the web. However, in our experience, many users prefer to download and participate through our app (which is why we have 4.8 stars and 27K reviews).

3. Handbid Offers Unparalleled Customization

Over the years, many organizations have told us they want the ability to customize their auction website to match their brand's look and feel.

As a result, we’ve built a robust set of tools for organizations to customize their fundraising event pages with colors, fonts, and images, enabling them to maintain brand consistency and impress their donor base.

Handbid users can customize everything, including:

• Logos, colors, and fonts
• Header and footer images
• Gradients
• Button colors
• Menu and event page labels

In addition, all of these design elements can be applied to your pages in the Handbid mobile app.

For organizations and companies that want a completely customized auction solution, Handbid’s technology can also be white-labeled to create a fully branded, custom auction experience under your own web domain. This is a unique, unparalleled option that’s shaped by our 20+ years of experience building custom software solutions.

FAQs About Handbid & Other OneCause Alternatives

What makes Handbid stand out from OneCause and GiveSmart?

Handbid’s native mobile bidding app, extensive customization options, and built-by-fundraisers technology make it the clear choice for auction organizers. Compared to OneCause and GiveSmart, Handbid offers more engaging auction features and more knowledgeable customer support. Plus, Handbid’s pricing is much more transparent.

Why should we choose OneCause alternatives like Handbid?

If you’re considering OneCause for your nonprofit’s auction, keep in mind that it doesn’t have a native mobile bidding app and was recently acquired by a much larger software company. The platform is likely to go through major changes in the next few years as a result, which might hinder your fundraising capabilities.

Is it easy to switch to Handbid from other platforms?

Our team will make it as easy as possible to switch from your current auction platform to Handbid. Conact us to learn more about migrating from your specific solution.

How much does Handbid cost compared to OneCause and GiveSmart?

Handbid’s nonprofit auction software starts at $1,999, whereas OneCause and GiveSmart do not publicly disclose pricing.

Discover If Handbid is the Right Solution for You

OneCause and GiveSmart are two of the top fundraising platforms on the market. However, for reasons we’ve discussed throughout this post, many organizations can benefit from using Handbid instead.

Particularly if you’re running in-person events with auctions and want to work with a company that has deep expertise in this area, we encourage you to reach out to us.