Donorbox
 | |
Screenshot  A screenshot of a 2018 fundraiser | |
Website type | Online fundraising |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Alexandria, Virginia , United States |
| Founder | Charles Zhang |
| Website | donorbox |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Launched | 2014 |
Donorbox is an American fundraising software company founded by Charles Zhang in 2014 and currently headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. It provides tools through which individuals and nonprofit organizations can accept online donations. The platform also supports in-person cashless giving through self-service kiosks.[1][2]
History
[edit]Donorbox was established by Charles Zhang in 2014, initially launching as a free WordPress plug-in incorporating PayPal and Stripe functionality.[3][4]
Donorbox states that its forms use SSL/TLS encryption and that the platform maintains PCI DSS Level 1 compliance. The company also reports completing SOC 2 Type I and Type II audits.[5][6] Donorbox also operates a vulnerability disclosure program through the cybersecurity platform Intigriti.[7]
By May 2018, Donorbox supported donations through Apple Pay, alongside credit cards, bank transfers, and PayPal.[8]
In January 2022, NonProfit PRO reported Donorbox’s announcement that transactions conducted through the platform had reached $1 billion.[9]
Donorbox received the Tech for Good award at the 2025 Global Digital Revolution Awards.[10] In December of that year, the company joined the Fundraising Effectiveness Project as a fundraising-data provider.[11]
In June 2026, Kiosk Marketplace reported Donorbox’s announcement that more than 100,000 organizations in 96 countries used the platform and that those organizations had raised more than $4 billion through it.[1]
In August 2026, Donorbox was listed at No. 2,950 on the 2026 Inc. 5000, with 105% three-year revenue growth; local coverage identified it as one of five Alexandria-area companies newly appearing on that year’s list.[12][13]
Platform
[edit]Online fundraising
[edit]Donorbox provides hosted and embeddable donation forms, recurring-donation functions, crowdfunding tools, event ticketing, and donor-management software.[1] A 2026 G2 guide described its CRM functions as supporting donor histories, reporting, recurring giving, and online fundraising workflows.[14]
In-person fundraising
[edit]Donorbox also offers a tablet-based kiosk system that allows organizations to accept cashless donations at physical locations and events. The company deploys the kiosk system for use in churches, museums, schools, shelters, and at fundraising events.[2]
Reception
[edit]Donorbox has been discussed in published fundraising guides. Freedom of the Press described the platform as a simple way to process and manage online donations, while Beverly Browning’s Fundraising for Dummies recommended it to newer organizations seeking to accept donations.[15][16]
Content moderation
[edit]In 2017, Fast Company reported that Radix Journal, which was operated by the white-nationalist National Policy Institute, had used Donorbox before changing providers. Zhang told the publication that he opposed the organizations’ views but had continued providing service because he did not consider them to have met the platform’s threshold for removal.[3]
In December 2018, BuzzFeed News reported that Donorbox suspended a fundraising account associated with far-right activist Tommy Robinson after he used it to raise money for a teenager accused of assaulting a Syrian refugee.[17][18] By April 2019, the publication reported that Robinson was again using the platform. BuzzFeed News also reported that Donorbox had removed language prohibiting hate and intolerance from its terms during this period.[19] Donorbox later amended its terms to prohibit the promotion of unlawful violence based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, and other protected characteristics.[20][19]
British far-right activist James Goddard used Donorbox after Facebook and PayPal suspended his accounts.[21][22] In 2017, Zhang told Fast Company that Donorbox had removed accounts it considered to involve harassment or threats, including the Realist Report.[3]
In 2020, The Guardian reported on a Center for Media and Democracy investigation that found three organizations designated as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center still using Donorbox. Donorbox removed the Council of Conservative Citizens after being contacted by the investigators. The report also stated that some organizations had circumvented earlier restrictions by using alternate names and email addresses.[23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Dawes-Chatha, Sandra (October 28, 2022). "The Top 5 Fundraising Platforms to Use". MUO. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "Donorbox kiosks help driving fundraising success". Kiosk Marketplace. September 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Captain, Sean (May 9, 2017). "Activists Are Pushing Back Against Tech Platforms That Quietly Empower Hate Groups". Fast Company. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ↑ WPDean (May 5, 2017). "8 Best Non Profit WordPress Donation Plugins". WPDean. WordPress. Archived from the original on January 21, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ↑ "Donorbox Trust & Security | Keep Your Donor Data Safe and Secure". Donorbox. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ "How To Receive Donations Online". The Pioneer. August 19, 2020. Archived from the original on January 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Donorbox VDP - Bug Bounty Program - Intigriti". Intigriti - Bug Bounty & Agile Pentesting Platform. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ Peterson, Toby (May 15, 2018). "New Integration: Easily Accept Donations to Your Cause with Donorbox". Zapier. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Donorbox Reaches $1B in Transactions". NonProfit PRO. January 5, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ "2025 Awards". Digital Revolution Awards. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ "FEP Q3 2025 Data Demonstrates Fundraising Strength and Early Signs of Donor Stabilization | Association of Fundraising Professionals". afpglobal.org. December 18, 2025. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ Belmore, Ryan (August 11, 2026). "Alexandria's Inc. 5000 showing thins as top federal contractors drop off". The Alexandria Brief. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Company Profile No. 2,950 Donorbox". Inc.
- ↑ G, Disha (April 16, 2026). "10 Best CRM for Nonprofits on G2: My Go-to Picks". learn.g2.com. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
- ↑ Karpan, Andrew, ed. (2019). Freedom of the Press. Green Haven. pp. 156–157. ISBN 9781534506190.
- ↑ Browning, Beverly (2022). Fundraising for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 339–340. ISBN 9781119912767.
- ↑ Asher Mcshane (November 28, 2018). "'Syrian refugee' bullied in shocking video: Huge outpouring of support for Huddersfield schoolboy as well-wishers donate over £30,000 | London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ↑ 'Tommy Robinson Has Been Kicked Off A Crowdfunding Site For Raising Money For A Teenager Accused Of Assaulting A Syrian Refugee' in Buzzfeed December 1, 2018
- 1 2 "Tommy Robinson Is Now Reliant On This US Crowdfunding Platform". Buzzfeed.com. April 6, 2019. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ↑ "Donorbox Donation Platform - Terms and Conditions for Nonprofits". Donorbox. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ↑ 'James Goddard: Yellow vest organiser arrested in London' in The Independent (UK newspaper), January 12, 2019
- ↑ Walker, Peter (January 9, 2019). "Pro-Brexit activist said all Muslims should be removed from UK | Politics". The Guardian. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ↑ Wilson, Jason (April 28, 2020). "Amazon and other platforms allowing payments to far-right groups". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 7, 2026.
