Text-to-Give vs. Text-to-Donate: The Key Differences

The main difference between text-to-donate and text-to-give is how the donation is handled. Text-to-give adds the donation amount directly to the donor's mobile phone bill and pays it through their wireless carrier, whereas text-to-donate directs donors to a mobile-friendly donation page where they are able to complete the transaction with a credit/debit card or bank account. Text-to-donate gives churches and nonprofits more options, higher donation limits, and better integration with donor management systems. It makes it a better choice for long-term donor engagement.

What is Text-to-Give?

Text-to-give is a way for people to donate using their phones. They are able to do it by sending a certain keyword to a short phone number (shortcode), which is going to charge their phone bill with the donation amount. Its goal is to make giving easier by making it quick, easy, and available to everyone, especially for giving on the spot at events or worship services. The text-to-give method makes it easier for donors to join and gets more people involved by using modern ways of communicating.

How does Text-to-Give work?

Text-to-give works by asking contributors to text a key phrase (like "GIVE") to a pre-specified shortcode (like 12345). The donor gets a confirmation text message after sending the message, and the donation amount is charged directly to their phone carrier account. It is going to show up on their next phone bill. It is made to be easy to use and get results right away, which makes it perfect for live events, urgent calls for help, or quick donations.

How do Parishes use Text-to-Give?

Parishes use text-to-give to collect tithes, offerings, and donations during services, special events, and capital campaigns. The method is often used by churches and nonprofits to reach donors on their phones, making it easier for people to give and give in real time. It's especially helpful in places of worship where people are unlikely to have cash on them or potentially want to give money electronically for ease of use and keeping records.

What are the Best Text-to-Give Platforms?

The best text-to-give platforms are listed below.

• ParishSOFT: ParishSOFT has an integrated text-to-give feature that lets churchgoers quickly give with their phones. All donations are automatically recorded in the church's database. ParishSOFT is one of the best text-to-give platforms. It facilitates real-time donor tracking, recurring donations, and keyword customization for efficient stewardship.
• Tithe.ly: Tithe.ly is a complete platform for giving that includes text-to-give. Churches are able to set their own keywords, have receipts sent automatically, and connect to church management systems. It's easy to use and supports multiple giving campaigns at the same time.
• Pushpay: Text-to-give is a feature of Pushpay that lets churches and nonprofits accept quick mobile donations through a safe platform. It gives information about donors, lets them give on a regular basis, and works well with other church engagement tools.

What are the Benefits of Text-to-Give?

The benefits of text-to-give are listed below.

• Simple and Quick to Use: Donors are able to give right away by sending a text message, which makes the process easy and quick. It gets rid of the need for forms, checks, and donations made in person.
• Makes it Easy to Donate More: Mobile technology lets people give from anywhere at any time. The ease of use often leads to more engagement and giving on the spot.
• Great for Services and Live Events: Text-to-give is great for church services and fundraising events because it lets people give right then and there. It makes participation better in real time.
• Donors of All Ages are Reached: Mobile giving is especially popular with young people who are good with technology and like to use their phones to do things quickly. Meeting people where they are helps get more donors.
• Easy to Set Up and Cheap: Many platforms are commonly used by churches and nonprofits on a budget because they are easy to set up quickly and don't cost a lot of money.
• Instant Confirmation and Tracking: Donors get a confirmation message right away, and organizations are able to maintain track of donations as they come in. It makes things clearer and makes the government work better.
• Keeps Donors Interested: One of the benefits of text-to-give is that it keeps donors interested. The speed and ease of use help donors keep up their regular giving habits, especially when used with follow-ups and updates. It helps keep donors for a long time.

Is Text-to-Give better than Text-to-Donate?

No, text-to-give is not better than text-to-donate. Both have their good points, depending on the needs of the organization. Text-to-give is great for quick, impulsive donations because it directly charges the donor's phone bill. However, it usually has limits on how much is able to be donated and collects less information. Text-to-donate, on the other hand, sends users to a safe donation page where they are able to give larger gifts, make donations over and over, and keep better track of their information. Text-to-donate gives churches and nonprofits that want to build relationships and be good stewards of money more freedom and information.

What is Text-to-Donate?

Text-to-donate is a way to raise money where people text a keyword to a shortcode to start a donation. They are then taken to a mobile-friendly donation page where they are able to use a credit or debit card or bank account to complete their gift. The goal of text-to-donate is to give people a safe and flexible way to give money online while letting charities collect useful donor data, encourage people to give again and again, and keep track of how well their campaigns are doing.

How does Text-to-Donate work?

Text-to-donate works by allowing donors to send a specific keyword (such as "GIVE") to a shortcode provided by the organization. The donor then gets a reply with a link to a donation form, which they fill out with their payment information. Donations are processed safely with the text-to-donate method, which usually includes options for recurring donations and collecting donor information.

How do Parishes use Text-to-Donate?

Parishes use text-to-donate to collect tithes, offerings, and donations during services, fundraising campaigns, and special events. A simple keyword and shortcode are shown on screens or printed materials. It's widely used by nonprofits like schools, religious groups, and humanitarian causes because it's flexible, easily scaled up, and allows for gathering information from donors. It's helpful for churches because it lets them connect donors to detailed giving portals, which give donors more options and long-term engagement tools than text-to-give.

What are the Best Text-to-Donate Platforms?

The best text-to-donate platforms are listed below.

• Tithe.ly: Tithe.ly’s text-to-donate service works well with church giving tools and lets donors make recurring gifts, customize forms, and be easily managed. It helps churches by giving them real-time reports and mobile tools that are easy to use.
• GiveLively: GiveLively is a free platform for nonprofits that lets people text to donate and is linked to donors' own giving pages. It has advanced features like tracking campaigns, custom URLs, and the ability to connect to CRMs.
• Kindrid: Kindrid lets churches offer text-to-donate options with relevant keywords, safe donation processing, and thorough reporting. It works with church management systems to help donors get involved and keep track of money.

What are the Benefits of Text-to-Donate?

The benefits of text-to-donate are listed below.

• Convenient and Rapid: The process is simplified and efficient, as donors are required to send a text message and follow a link in order to donate. It lowers barriers and gets more people to participate.
• Works Great for Live Appeals and Events: Nonprofits and churches are able to use it to record real-time giving during services, events, or live streams. It makes fundraising more immediate and exciting.
• Mobile-Friendly to Get More Donors: It works perfectly on smartphones, making it perfect for tech-savvy and mobile-first audiences. It makes it easier to reach supporters who are younger or farther away.
• Makes People More Likely to Give Right Away: Donors are able to act right away after hearing an appeal or sermon, which lowers the chance that they are to neglect or put off giving. It makes response rates go up.
• Easy to Set Up: One of the benefits of text-to-donate is its easy set up. The majority of platforms provide a simple setup process with links and keywords that are easily changed. Churches don't need complicated tech support to be up and running in minutes.
• Sends Instant Receipts: Donors get confirmation and receipts via email or text message, which builds trust and makes sure everything is clear. It meets the needs for tax paperwork.
• Increases Donor Engagement: The process makes it easier for donors to interact and follow up. Donor information helps churches keep in touch with people and encourage them to give again.

Is Text-to-Donate better than Text-to-Give?

Yes, text-to-donate is better than text-to-give for churches and nonprofits that want more options, donor information, and ways for people to give regularly. Text-to-donate sends users to a secure giving page where they are able to enter payment information, choose to have gifts sent to them automatically, and give their contact information. Text-to-give charges donations directly to the donor's phone bill, but there are limits and no information about the donor is stored. It makes text-to-donate better for long-term stewardship, keeping track of campaigns, and getting to know donors better.

What are the Key Differences between Text-to-Give and Text-to-Donate?

The table below shows the main differences between text-to-give and text-to-donate are listed below.

How to choose between Text-to-Give and Text-to-Donate?

To choose the best between text-to-gove and text-to-donate, consider the goals, the preferences of donors, and the technical needs. Use text-to-give if opting to make quick, one-time donations that don't require much setup and don't mind giving out limited donor information. Text-to-donate is the way to go if opting to give different amounts of money, remember donors, keep track of them more accurately, and make the fundraising strategy work better with it. "Donor engagement," "recurring support," "campaign tracking," and "mobile giving preferences" are some important phrases to keep in mind.

Why choose ParishSOFT as Text-to-Give Platforms?

Choose ParishSOFT as text-to-give platforms because as part of Ministry Brands, it is a leading provider of faith-based software and provides safe, church-focused solutions with strong text-to-give features. Their giving tools make it easy for parishioners to give by text, set up recurring donations, and get instant confirmations. It makes it easier to keep track of donations, talk to donors, and report on finances because it works with ParishSOFT Giving and ParishSOFT Church Management. These tools give churches the power to get more people to give, be more open, and build stronger relationships with donors.