KindLink

Overview

KindLink brings donor and supporter records, donation history, volunteer records and beneficiary records into one system. Alongside those records, organizations can run online fundraising, peer-to-peer pages, one-off and recurring donations, events, memberships, ticketing and online sales. That range makes it a plausible central system for groups with varied fundraising activity; a charity seeking only a basic donation page may not need the broader administration tools.

Project dashboards and geolocated impact updates are included in Free, giving even eligible organizations a way to present project activity. Website donation forms and automated Gift Aid submission to HMRC start at Premium. KindLink says it takes no percentage of donations, but payment processing fees still apply.

Key features

Fundraising and records

The platform combines campaign pages and team fundraising with event registration, sponsor tracking and social sharing. Its CRM holds supporter and donor records alongside donation histories, volunteer and beneficiary records, which can help organizations keep fundraising and constituent information together rather than maintaining separate lists.

Payments, Gift Aid and security

An embedded donation flow lets organizations take donations through their websites, and KindLink integrates with HMRC for Gift Aid. Premium adds automated Gift Aid submission. Expert expands payment options with UK Direct Debit, collection in more than 135 currencies, Apple Pay, Google Pay, iDEAL, Sofort and bank transfer. The breadth is useful for organizations with varied donor payment preferences, but it is a substantial upgrade from Free or Premium.

UK card processing is 1.4% + 15p; UK Direct Debit is 1.25%, capped at £4. KindLink states that it is GDPR compliant and PCI DSS compliant, and that Stripe, rather than KindLink, holds payment card data. It also says it is a certified HMRC Gift Aid software vendor, registered with the ICO and holds a Cyber Essentials certificate.

Contactless fundraising

The contactless fundraising app is available exclusively on Google Play. Charities receiving funds through it need an Expert subscription, so it is not a route to contactless giving on the free tier; the Android-only availability also limits its reach.

Pricing

The permanent Free plan is free and is available to registered charities, nonprofits and CICs after charity-number verification. It includes unlimited supporter and donor records, unlimited beneficiary records, unlimited transaction history and a 0% platform fee. That makes it a strong starting point for eligible organizations prioritizing record-keeping, but it does not include website donation forms, automated Gift Aid submission or the higher-tier payment options.

Premium costs 25.00 GBP per month, billed monthly, with cancellation any time; its annual option is £20 /month, billed annually as £240. It includes everything in Free, plus website donation forms, automated Gift Aid submission to HMRC, events and memberships, multi-user access, live chat, webinars, personal onboarding and email support with a 24-hour response. Premium fits organizations ready to take donations through their own websites and needing collaboration and support, while keeping the monthly option flexible.

Expert costs 45.00 GBP per month, billed monthly, and can be cancelled any time; the annual option is £36 /month, billed annually as £432. It includes everything in Premium, plus UK Direct Debit, 135+ currencies, Apple Pay and Google Pay, contactless fundraising and a dedicated account manager. It is the relevant tier for charities that need those payment methods or the contactless app, but those features come with a marked step up in subscription cost.

KindLink also offers a 14-day trial. The Free plan is a permanent plan, not a trial, and requires eligibility verification.

Platforms

KindLink is available on the web and Android. The contactless app is Google Play-only, which matters for organizations whose staff or fundraising volunteers use other mobile platforms.

Who it's for

KindLink is best suited to registered charities, nonprofits and CICs that want donor, volunteer and beneficiary records alongside multiple fundraising methods. Free is particularly useful for eligible organizations that need a central record system and project reporting without a subscription. Premium is a better fit when website forms, automated Gift Aid and multi-user access matter; Expert makes sense when Direct Debit, international currency collection or contactless fundraising is essential. Organizations outside the eligibility criteria for Free, or those needing only a simple donation channel, should weigh whether the paid tiers justify the broader platform.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free keeps supporter, donor, beneficiary and transaction records unlimited, with no platform fee, for verified eligible organizations.
• Pros: Fundraising, CRM records and project impact dashboards sit in one platform, with events, memberships and peer-to-peer tools for varied campaigns.
• Pros: KindLink states that it takes no percentage of donations, and publishes UK processing rates for cards and Direct Debit.
• Cons: Website donation forms and automated Gift Aid require Premium, while contactless fundraising and several payment methods require Expert.
• Cons: Contactless fundraising is confined to Google Play and requires Expert for charities receiving funds.
• Cons: The Free plan is restricted to registered charities, nonprofits and CICs that pass charity-number verification.

Alternatives

For broader options in this fundraising format, see Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Software.

GivenGain is a free platform with no subscription or setup fees for charities, events or corporate partners; choose it if avoiding a subscription is the priority. Funraise has a free plan for organizations raising under $1 million annually, with premium plans sold through sales; it is worth considering if that free-plan threshold fits. Raised is free to use with no setup fees or monthly subscriptions, but its listed plan applies card processing fees and a 5% platform fee to credit card donations, unlike KindLink's stated 0% platform fee.

RallyUp offers a free plan with no platform fee and donor tipping, so it may suit organizations prioritizing those terms. 99Pledges is a free option for U.S. organizations, with no contracts or subscriptions and a per-transaction fee of 3.49% + $0.49. BetterWorld offers a free plan with a 0% platform fee and a Flex option with a 2.2-5% platform fee; either may be worth comparing if platform-fee structure is central to the decision.

Bonfire offers an Essentials plan at 8.25 USD per month when paid yearly, with an online store and inventory and point-of-sale tools. Enthuse has a Mass Participation plan at £0.00/month with a 0% platform fee, a payment provider fee of 1.9% + 30p and a Gift Aid fee of 5%; it is worth comparing if those published fees suit your fundraising mix.

Verdict

KindLink is a strong choice for eligible charities that want fundraising and constituent records in one system, especially if its permanent Free plan covers their needs. Choose Premium for website donations and automated Gift Aid; choose Expert only when its expanded payment methods or contactless app justify the higher subscription. Look elsewhere if your organization cannot qualify for Free or needs contactless fundraising beyond Android.