Side by side
Handbid vs Swell Fundraising
Both stand on fundraising event software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Paid AndroidAPIiPhone+1
Handbid covers varied auction formats, event fundraising workflows, bidding, and integrations. Organizations should obtain a quote and account for separately quoted onsite staff and payment processing fees.
Visit Handbid
Paid AndroidiPhoneWeb
Choose Swell if your eligible organization needs event management and online fundraising campaigns together, especially with ticket-linked peer fundraising or live event displays. Look elsewhere if you need a published subscription price or your organization cannot confirm 501(c)(3) eligibility.
Visit Swell FundraisingThe facts
| Handbid | Swell Fundraising | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not published | Not published |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, iPhone, Web | Android, iPhone, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | See the plans |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | handbid.com | swellfundraising.com |
| On fundraising event software | #22 of 31 | #26 of 31 |
Handbid: what it does well
- Supports eight auction formats.
- Includes ticketing, donations, and peer-to-peer fundraising.
- Guests can bid in a browser or mobile app.
- Card data is not stored or processed on Handbid servers.
- Each license includes phone support during the event.
What to know first
- License pricing is quoted after a conversation.
- Onsite staff is quoted separately.
- Handbid's own SOC 2 Type II certification is planned for 2027.
- Payment processing fees apply.
Swell Fundraising: what it does well
- Create up to five event or campaign websites per license.
- Ticket purchases can create personal fundraising pages for guests.
- Show fundraising totals and leaderboards live during events.
- Mobile apps support check-in, sales, donations, and pledges.
- Bloomerang syncs event data and attendee records with constituent records.
What to know first
- Client organizations must confirm they are 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Subscription plans have 12-month terms and renew automatically.
- Base License and other subscription plan prices are provided during sales and onboarding.
Alternatives to Handbid Alternatives to Swell Fundraising The whole list