Is your fundraising tech turning donors away?

Online giving is now the preferred method for most donors. In fact, around 75% of donors report they would prefer to give online. But if your donation process is hard to use or outdated, you might be losing support without realizing it.

Another research shows that as many as 88% of people who click a donation link never complete the donation. That’s a major drop-off that can hurt your fundraising goals.

If your fundraising tech is slow to load, difficult to use, or not designed for mobile devices, it could be costing you. In this article, we’ll cover key stats on donor drop-off, signs your tech is outdated, what modern tools offer, and quick ways to keep donors engaged.

Data on donor drop-off caused by poor UX

Today’s donors expect a smooth, secure, and quick online experience. When your donation process feels clunky, confusing, or slow, people walk away—and the data proves it:

• Most potential donors don’t complete the process. Studies show that 50% to 70% of visitors who click a “Donate” button never finish their gift. Another analysis found that 60% of donors drop off before completing the donation.
• This isn’t just a nonprofit issue. Online form abandonment is widespread. 81% of users have started filling out an online form and then abandoned it. Why? About 27% said the form took too long, while 29% left due to security concerns.
• Even small issues can cost you. More than 67% of people who hit a glitch or error during the process will never return to finish the form. That means one broken field or unclear step could lose a donor for good.
• Mobile performance matters, too. The average conversion rate on nonprofit donation pages is 11% for desktop users, but only 8% for mobile users. If your page isn’t designed for smartphones, you’re likely losing donors who give up mid-process.

This means bad user experience directly affects your revenue. If your tech isn’t working for your supporters, it’s working against your mission.

Signs your platform is outdated

You may have strong outreach and solid programs, but if your fundraising platform is outdated, you could be losing donors without even realizing it. Here are some key signs that it’s time to upgrade your tech:

1. It’s not mobile-friendly

Nearly 45% of online donations come from mobile devices. If your donation pages are hard to use on a phone or tablet, many donors will simply give up.

Mobile users expect a smooth, fast experience. An older system that isn’t responsive will cost you support from donors who want to give on the go.

2. Your conversion rates are low

If fewer than 17% of visitors to your donation page complete their gift, your platform may be causing friction.

Look at your metrics and feedback. If donors say the form is confusing or slow, it’s a clear sign that the user experience is falling short.

3. Your team relies on manual work

If you’re still exporting spreadsheets or copying donor data between tools, your system isn’t working efficiently. Outdated platforms often lack integration, creating silos that waste time and hide valuable insights.

Research shows that organizations can lose up to 30% of their time to these kinds of inefficiencies.

4. Giving options are limited

Modern donors want flexibility. If your system only accepts credit cards through a desktop form and doesn’t support digital wallets, text-to-give, or mobile-friendly options, it’s not meeting today’s expectations.

Donors are more likely to leave if they don’t see their preferred payment method.

5. It lacks security or looks unprofessional

Trust matters. If your donation form doesn’t display clear signs of security, such as SSL certificates or trust badges, about 12% of users may abandon their donation before completing it.

And if your donation process redirects to an off-brand third-party site, you risk losing even more. One in six donors drops off when sent to an external payment page.

If you’re seeing any of these issues, it may be time to upgrade.

What modern fundraising tech looks like

The best fundraising tech is built with donors in mind, designed to make giving simple, secure, and enjoyable. Here’s what to look for in current fundraising technology:

1. Mobile-first functionality

Modern tools are built for phones first, not just adapted for them. They use responsive layouts that work on all screen sizes, with fast load times and easy navigation.

Donors can complete their gifts with digital wallets or one-tap payments, making it simple to give from anywhere.

2. Branded, on-site donation pages

The entire donation process should reflect your nonprofit’s look and feel.

Today’s platforms let you host forms on your own domain, using your colors, logo, and voice. This builds trust. Donors are more confident when they don’t feel like they’re being redirected to a third-party website.

3. Built-in trust and security features

Modern donation tech displays clear security signals like SSL encryption, PCI-compliant processing, and trust badges, right on the page. These tools protect donor data and show visitors that it’s safe to give.

Security is no longer optional; it’s part of how you earn confidence.

4. Clean, intuitive design

Cluttered pages and too many steps turn people away. Updated platforms use simple forms, clear calls to action, and just a few steps to complete a gift.

They often include templates with features such as suggested donation amounts, visuals, and progress bars to guide donors and enhance the experience.

If your platform doesn’t check these boxes, it might be time for a change.

Quick wins: donation form checklist

You don’t need to overhaul your whole platform to improve results. Small updates to your donation form can make a big difference. Use this checklist to tighten the user experience and reduce donor drop-off:

• Offer flexible payment options. Let donors choose how they give, like credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or even text-to-give. Make sure the form works smoothly on both desktop and mobile.
• Keep it on one page. Use a single-page layout with minimal steps. Extra clicks or “Next” buttons increase the chance of abandonment.
• Ask only for what you need. Cut any unnecessary fields. Skip phone numbers or mailing addresses unless absolutely required.
• Use suggested donation amounts. Add preset gift options like $25, $50, or $100, while still allowing custom amounts. This removes guesswork and encourages larger gifts.
• Match your brand. Use your logo, colors, and fonts. Keep the form on your domain, not a generic third-party page. Avoid extra links that distract donors.
• Display security signals. Use SSL encryption and display a lock icon or a short message confirming the donation is secure. Add a short privacy note to build trust.

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Your nonprofit shouldn't lose donations because of outdated tools. BetterWorld gives nonprofits access to modern, mobile-friendly fundraising tech at no cost.

There are no subscription fees or revenue cuts, and most donors even cover processing fees, so you keep nearly 100% of each gift.

With BetterWorld, you get branded donation pages, secure payment processing, and tools for auctions, events, and peer-to-peer campaigns all in one place. It’s fast to set up, easy to use, and built to grow your impact.

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