Compare

Peak, next to the usual way.

No competitor is named here. “The usual way” is how school and club fundraising usually works: a rep, a percentage, and a check at the end. “NW Peak” is what we do, and every line of it is already in writing on this site.

Platform fee

NW Peak

One flat 6%, printed on the homepage and on every checkout.

The usual way

15 to 30 percent, often with card processing inside it. Found out after signing.

Who holds the money

NW Peak

Your program’s own Stripe account. We never hold it.

The usual way

The vendor’s account, paid out on their schedule.

Who owns the donor list

NW Peak

Your program. Export it any time.

The usual way

Varies. Often the vendor keeps the relationship.

Donors covering fees

NW Peak

Offered at every checkout. About 8 in 10 do, so most gifts arrive whole.

The usual way

Sometimes. The fee is usually invisible to the donor.

Recurring giving

NW Peak

Built in: monthly calendars, gameday tiers, sustainers who manage themselves.

The usual way

Limited or absent. Most campaigns end in two weeks.

Events and auctions

NW Peak

Tickets, tables, sponsors and phone bidding, same login, same 6%.

The usual way

A separate vendor, a separate fee.

Employer matching

NW Peak

Included. 158 employers pre-loaded. No fee on the match.

The usual way

A paid add-on, if offered at all.

Who runs the campaign

NW Peak

A written playbook for every campaign, and a founder who has run them.

The usual way

A rep during the campaign, then gone until next year.

What you pay up front

NW Peak

Nothing. No license, no setup fee, no minimum.

The usual way

Varies. Some charge a license, some a per-athlete minimum.

Ads and data

NW Peak

No ads, ever. Data never sold.

The usual way

Varies. Read the privacy policy closely.

	NW Peak	The usual way
Platform fee	One flat 6%, printed on the homepage and on every checkout.	15 to 30 percent, often with card processing inside it. Found out after signing.
Who holds the money	Your program’s own Stripe account. We never hold it.	The vendor’s account, paid out on their schedule.
Who owns the donor list	Your program. Export it any time.	Varies. Often the vendor keeps the relationship.
Donors covering fees	Offered at every checkout. About 8 in 10 do, so most gifts arrive whole.	Sometimes. The fee is usually invisible to the donor.
Recurring giving	Built in: monthly calendars, gameday tiers, sustainers who manage themselves.	Limited or absent. Most campaigns end in two weeks.
Events and auctions	Tickets, tables, sponsors and phone bidding, same login, same 6%.	A separate vendor, a separate fee.
Employer matching	Included. 158 employers pre-loaded. No fee on the match.	A paid add-on, if offered at all.
Who runs the campaign	A written playbook for every campaign, and a founder who has run them.	A rep during the campaign, then gone until next year.
What you pay up front	Nothing. No license, no setup fee, no minimum.	Varies. Some charge a license, some a per-athlete minimum.
Ads and data	No ads, ever. Data never sold.	Varies. Read the privacy policy closely.

The 15 to 30 percent range is the published or quoted range across the percentage platforms we have been compared against by programs; it is a category description, not a quote from any single company. Our numbers are on the pricing section and in our terms.

The same $100 gift

Our worst case beats their best case.

NW PeakThe usual way

A donor gives$100.00$100.00

Platform fee−$6.00−$15.00 to −$30.00

Card processing−$3.20usually inside the fee

Your program receives, nobody covers$90.80$70.00 to $85.00

When the donor covers the fees (8 in 10 do)$100.00rarely offered

Card processing is Stripe's published rate, 2.9% plus 30 cents, passed through at cost. We make nothing on it, and we print it so the treasurer can check the math.

Where the money goes

Your money never touches our hands.

A donor gives

on your program’s page.

Stripe processes it

with fraud screening on every gift.

It settles to your account

your program’s own Stripe account, your bank.

Your board sees everything

every gift, fee and payout.

The full list of what protects it is on Trust & Security.

Bring your goal and your roster count.

Fifteen minutes with Branden. No script. You leave with the math for your program.

Show me the numbers →