Silent auction software helps nonprofits plan, manage, and close out fundraising auctions—replacing paper bid sheets and manual checkout with mobile bidding, real-time reporting, and streamlined payment processing. Choosing the right platform can meaningfully increase what you raise: in fact, Family Promise of Gallatin Valley used effective auction software to raise $175,202—117% of their $150,000 goal—while the Eau Claire County Humane Association doubled its gala auction funds year over year.
This guide compares 16 top silent auction software options across features, pricing, and ideal use cases, so your organization can make a confident, well-informed decision.
Quick picks: Best silent auction software at a glance
1. Bloomerang Fundraising
Ideal for: Nonprofits that want a unified platform combining auction management, donor CRM, and online fundraising in one system.
Overview
Bloomerang Fundraising is a modern auction platform that takes the stress out of the auction-planning experience. Say goodbye to paper bid sheets, long checkout lines, and payment reconciliation issues—Bloomerang Fundraising prioritizes efficiency and facilitates positive experiences for auction planners, volunteers, and donors alike.
Most helpful features
- Mobile bidding, including app and web-based options.
- Attendee engagement features, including the ability to create a watch list for their favorite items or opt into notifications to alert them when someone has outbid them.
- Guest management features, such as ticketing options to register individuals or groups, the ability to assign guests to specific tables, and a drag-and-drop editor to help strategize table layout.
- Ability to accept donations during event registration to drive greater support for your cause.
- In-app purchases for additional revenue streams like merchandise or raffle tickets.
- Simplified checkout process that allows guests to pay for auction items won, donations, and other purchases in a single transaction.
- Reporting features to review all event-related data in a customizable dashboard.
- Direct integration with Bloomerang’s donor database to track all attendee and donor information easily and follow up with supporters to foster long-term relationships.
Price
For pricing, go to Bloomerang’s Pricing.
2. OneCause
Ideal for: Nonprofits running multiple fundraising formats who want a flexible, all-in-one event platform.
Overview
OneCause’s silent auction software streamlines the attendee experience. It’s a flexible, user-friendly, all-in-one event platform.
Most helpful features
- Express check-in with QR codes
- Scoreboards and slideshows to help drive participation
- Customizable online sponsorship packages
Price
Packages include Professional, Enterprise, and Nationals (multi-chapter fundraising) options. Visit the OneCause website for more information.
3. Handbid
Ideal for: Teams that need a quick, user-friendly auction setup without extensive technical configuration.
Overview
Handbid offers software for auction and event managers to plan more impressive auctions that drive giving. This solution mitigates common auction issues, from long wait times to lack of engagement.
Most helpful features
- Ability to capture guests’ credit card information before the event begins
- Push notifications to encourage bidding
- Ability to livestream via the Handbid app and event website
Price
Pricing starts at $1,396, with single and multi-event packages available.
4. SchoolAuction.net
Ideal for: PTAs, parent organizations, and schools raising funds through auction events.
Overview
SchoolAuction.net is an auction platform for schools looking to raise money through auctions.
Most helpful features
- Templates for kickstarting multiple fundraising campaign types, including crowdfunding, memberships, and more
- Mobile bidding and email/text outbid notifications
- Text-to-give functionality
Price
The smallest plan is $79 per event. Head to the SchoolAuction.net website for more pricing information.
5. ClickBid
Ideal for: Organizations hosting hybrid (in-person + online) charity auctions.
Overview
ClickBid is a user-friendly charity auction platform. Organizations can use this solution to plan in-person or online auctions, collect recurring donations, plan raise-the-paddle events, and more.
Most helpful features
- Custom landing pages to engage donors and increase event registrations
- Access to a dedicated event advisor to help plan your auction
- Accessible mobile bidding software that allows supporters to bid from any location
Price
Pricing starts at $795 annually.
6. Snowball Fundraising
Ideal for: Faith-based organizations and community groups running unlimited auctions.
Overview
Snowball Fundraising empowers event planners with fundraising auction software that allows them to plan unlimited auctions. Additional functionality, such as outbound text messaging and CRM tools, helps cultivate long-lasting donor relationships.
Most helpful features
- Customizable event pages with options to add up to five photos per auction item
- Text-to-bid functionality
- Automated emails updating supporters on whether they won the items they bid on
Price
Plans that include auction functionality start at $849 per year.
7. Silent Auction Pro
Ideal for: Events that want to add gamification and competition to boost attendee engagement.
Overview
Silent Auction Pro’s platform facilitates auction planning with mobile bidding, event management, and ticketing capabilities. Plus, marketing and communication features help spread your message and event information to a broader audience, driving registrations.
Most helpful features
- Gamification features to add excitement to your event
- Customizable event promotion landing pages
- Ability to sell multiple ticket types, including admissions, raffle tickets, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and more
Price
Plans start at $899 per year.
8. Charity Auctions Today
Ideal for: Small nonprofits that need an affordable entry point into digital auction fundraising.
Overview
Charity Auctions Today helps simplify event fundraising with solutions for attendee management and long-term supporter engagement.
Most helpful features
- Mobile bidding
- Fast guest check out with credit card pre-registration
- Outbid notifications
Price
The free plan includes 5% platform fees and 3% + $0.30 processing fees. Visit the website for more details.
9. Auctria
Ideal for: Organizations focused on building event awareness with a branded web presence.
Overview
Auctria makes it easy to run fundraising events, whether in-person or online. You can raise event awareness with a branded website, leverage social media to spread the word, and incorporate images and videos to tell your organization’s story.
Most helpful features
- Ability to sell tickets to individuals, couples, and full tables
- Sell sponsorships on your event website
- Generate printed materials for your auction as needed, such as an item catalog
Price
Auctria offers a free plan; paid options start at $350 annually.
10. Givebutter
Ideal for: Digital-first fundraising organizations that prioritize payment security and transparency looking for a low-cost option.
Overview
Givebutter’s auction functionality provides seamless planning capabilities to make auctions more enjoyable for planners and attendees.
Most helpful features
- Trust & Safety team that reviews payouts for fraud and runs multiple safety checks
- Real-time auction updates to enable participants to see new bids and items as they go live
- Create custom item categories to help bidders find items faster
Price
When you enable the option for donors to add tips, Givebutter charges no platform fees. However, the platform charges 2.9% + $0.30 processing fees.
11. Greater Giving
Ideal for: Nonprofits managing multiple live and online fundraising events throughout the year.
Overview
Greater Giving equips nonprofits with software for live and online fundraising events, including silent auctions. The platform also enables year-round donation collection.
Most helpful features
- Event sponsor management, tracking, and promotion via your event website
- Option to livestream your event
- Ability to track, display, and announce fundraising results in real-time
Price
Visit the Greater Giving website for information about their packages.
12. BiddingOwl
Ideal for: Nonprofits that want a fully branded, personalized auction website with a custom URL.
Overview
BiddingOwl’s auction software facilitates in-person and virtual bidding, admission ticket sales, simple donations, and more.
Most helpful features
- Ability to create a personalized event website with a custom URL
- A secure payment processor that integrates with Stripe and PayPal
- Automatic bidder notifications
Price
BiddingOwl offers the ability to pass fees onto supporters. Visit the website for more information about their pricing structure.
13. ReadySetAuction
Ideal for: Nonprofits, schools, faith groups, and workplace giving campaigns that want competitive leaderboard-driven fundraising.
Overview
ReadySetAuction offers cloud-based auction software to run events smoothly. This software is built for nonprofits, schools and universities, faith-based groups, sports teams, workplace giving campaigns, and more.
Most helpful features
- Options to email and print donor receipts
- Ability to track tickets sold and RSVPs
- Donor leaderboard
Price
Pricing starts at $1,099 per year for the Essentials plan.
14. GiveSmart
Ideal for: Mid-to-large nonprofits prioritizing personalized, data-driven donor communication alongside auction management.
Overview
GiveSmart’s silent auction platform helps organizations exceed their fundraising goals with mobile bidding and event planning functionality.
Most helpful features
- Personalized text communications with donors
- Interactive live auction display with a leaderboard
- Simplified self-checkout payment process
Price
Learn about GiveSmart’s pricing plans on their website.
Supporting tools for a successful auction
While silent auction platforms handle bidding and item management, pairing them with specialized supporting tools helps maximize total revenue and streamline attendee communication.
Matching gift software
Integrating a corporate matching gift search tool into an auction campaign allows donors to instantly check if their employers will match their winning bids or outright donations.
- Double the Donation: Integrates with leading auction platforms to provide an automated matching gift database that covers tens of thousands of companies and simplifies match request submissions.
- HEP Data: Offers employer search databases and verification tools to help nonprofits identify match-eligible supporters during event registration and checkout.
Email and marketing automation
Dedicated marketing platforms enable organizations to send targeted promotional campaigns, tease big-ticket auction items before the event, and deliver post-auction thank-you messaging.
- Mailchimp: Provides easy drag-and-drop email design, audience segmentation, and automated workflows to nurture donor relationships.
- Constant Contact: Offers mobile-optimized nonprofit email templates, marketing automation, and list management to build buzz leading up to event day.
Features to look for in silent auction software
As you can see, most of the top auction platforms share many of the same features. When looking for the right tool for your organization, prioritize solutions that offer these essential features:
- Mobile bidding, including the ability to create watch lists for top items and receive outbid notifications
- Guest management, including multiple ticketing format options and seating assignments
- Mid-auction donation appeals to gather additional support throughout your events
- In-app purchases for additional items like raffle tickets or merchandise
- Simplified checkout with in-app purchases and receipts
- Reporting tools to track registrations, purchases, donations, and other key metrics
Many organizations find it helpful to leverage a unified giving platform that offers auction management, online fundraising, and relationship management tools in one system. Consider your organization’s overall digital and event fundraising needs to explore whether switching to a robust unified solution will help drive greater fundraising results.
Silent auction software FAQs
What is silent auction software?
Silent auction software is a digital platform that manages the end-to-end process of running a nonprofit auction, including item management, attendee registration, mobile bidding, checkout, and post-event reporting. It replaces manual paper bid sheets and long checkout lines with automated, smartphone-based tools.
What features should nonprofits look for in silent auction software?
Nonprofits should prioritize: mobile bidding with watch lists and outbid alerts, guest management and table seating tools, mid-auction donation appeals, in-app purchases for additional revenue, single-transaction checkout, and robust reporting dashboards. Integration with a donor CRM is a significant added advantage.
How much does silent auction software cost?
Pricing varies widely. Free or low-cost entry points include Charity Auctions Today (free plan with platform and processing fees) and Auctria (free plan; paid from $350/year). Mid-range options include SchoolAuction.net ($79/event), ClickBid ($795/year), and Snowball Fundraising ($849/year). Enterprise-level tools like Accelevents start at $7,500 per event. Most platforms also charge payment processing fees of approximately 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
How do I choose the best silent auction platform for my nonprofit?
Set a total budget (including processing and support fees), identify your event format (live, virtual, or hybrid), demo your top two or three options with your team, assess vendor support quality, and confirm integrations with your existing CRM and marketing tools.
Does Bloomerang Fundraising support mobile bidding and streamlined checkout?
Yes. Bloomerang Fundraising offers both app-based and web-based mobile bidding with real-time outbid notifications. Its checkout process bundles auction wins, donations, and in-app purchases into a single transaction, with all data syncing directly to the Bloomerang donor database.
What is the best silent auction software for schools?
SchoolAuction.net is purpose-built for school fundraising, with campaign templates, mobile bidding with outbid notifications, and text-to-give functionality. Plans start at $79 per event, making it accessible to PTAs and parent organizations with limited budgets.
Are there free silent auction software options?
Yes. Charity Auctions Today offers a free plan (with 5% platform fees plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing fees). Auctria also offers a free plan for basic events. Givebutter charges no platform fees when donors opt to add a tip, though standard payment processing fees of 2.9% + $0.30 still apply.
Can silent auction software work for virtual or hybrid events?
Yes. Several platforms on this list are built for virtual and hybrid formats, including ClickBid, Handbid (which supports in-app livestreaming), Greater Giving, and Bloomerang Fundraising. When evaluating platforms for virtual events, confirm that mobile bidding, real-time notifications, and online checkout all function without requiring attendees to be physically present.
Wrapping up
Silent auction planning doesn’t have to be complicated. With the help of a robust auction software platform on your side, you can keep your event organized, engage with attendees, and pave the way for long-term support.
Looking for more tips to run your best auction yet? Start with these additional silent auction planning resources:
- 40+ unforgettable live auction items that sell well. Explore our list of top auction items that will sell well whether you’re hosting a live or silent auction.
- How to run a silent auction: 10 simple steps for success. Ensure you’ve covered all your bases with our guide to running a silent auction successfully.
- 34 nonprofit donation page best practices (that work fast). Update your online donation form ahead of your silent auction event with these best practices.
