How to Choose the Best Nonprofit Raffle Software for Your Organization

Choosing nonprofit raffle software can look simple at first.

You need a page. Supporters need a way to buy tickets. Someone needs to draw a winner. So why not choose the cheapest platform, create the raffle, and start promoting it? Because the software you choose can affect nearly every part of the fundraiser, from how easily supporters purchase tickets to how much administrative work falls on your staff and volunteers.There is another issue that matters even more: raffles are regulated fundraising activities.

A platform can offer an impressive list of features and still be a poor fit for your organization, your raffle type, or the state where you intend to operate. The best nonprofit raffle software is therefore not necessarily the platform with the longest feature list or the lowest advertised price. It is the platform that fits your organization's legal requirements, fundraising model, supporters, staff capacity, and financial goals.

This guide explains how to evaluate those factors before choosing a raffle platform.

Quick Answer: What Should Nonprofits Look for in Raffle Software?

The best nonprofit raffle software should make it easy for your organization to create and manage a campaign while providing supporters with a simple way to participate. At minimum, nonprofits should evaluate:

• Raffle types supported
• State compliance considerations
• Setup and onboarding
• Payment processing
• Ticket purchasing experience
• Mobile usability
• Campaign customization
• Reporting and financial transparency
• Winner selection and raffle administration
• Staff and volunteer workload
• Platform and transaction fees
• Customer support
• Ability to scale into larger or recurring campaigns

The right platform should reduce administrative work rather than simply moving traditional raffle tasks onto a computer.

Why Is Choosing Raffle Software More Complicated Than It Looks?

The nonprofit fundraising software market has grown considerably. Raffles may now appear inside auction platforms, event-management systems, general fundraising platforms, school fundraising software, donation platforms, and dedicated raffle systems. Those products are not necessarily interchangeable. A platform designed primarily for auctions may technically offer a raffle feature. A donation platform may allow organizations to create fundraising campaigns but provide limited raffle administration. A dedicated raffle platform may focus heavily on ticketing but offer fewer general fundraising tools.

Pricing structures also vary dramatically. Current providers advertise models ranging from $0 platform fees supported by donor tips or supporter fees to annual subscriptions, fixed event fees, payment-processing charges, and percentage-based fees.

That makes one question particularly important:

What are you actually trying to accomplish?

Start there rather than with a list of software companies.

Step 1: Determine What Type of Raffle You Want to Run

Before comparing platforms, define the fundraiser. Are you conducting:

• A traditional prize raffle?
• A cash raffle?
• A 50/50 raffle?
• A recurring raffle?
• An event-based raffle?
• An online raffle?
• A hybrid online and in-person raffle?
• A school or booster-club raffle?

These distinctions matter because not every platform supports every raffle structure. They matter legally as well. States can distinguish between raffles, lotteries, charitable gaming, games of chance, electronic raffles, and 50/50 raffles. Some states permit certain activities online while restricting others. A feature appearing inside fundraising software does not mean your organization is legally permitted to use that feature. Compliance should determine the technology you use, not the other way around. Before choosing software, determine what your organization is legally permitted to conduct.

Step 2: Check Whether the Platform Fits Your State's Raffle Laws

This should be one of the first questions nonprofits ask. Raffle laws in the United States are primarily state-based, and the rules can vary significantly. Depending on the jurisdiction, your organization may encounter requirements involving:

• Nonprofit eligibility
• Minimum organizational age
• Charitable gaming registration
• Raffle licenses
• Local permits
• Prize limitations
• Ticket requirements
• Geographic sales restrictions
• Online ticket sales
• Electronic payments
• Credit or debit cards
• Drawing procedures
• Use of proceeds
• Recordkeeping
• Reporting

Some states have modernized their laws to expressly address online ticket sales or electronic payments. Others still operate under statutes written primarily around traditional charitable gaming. That is why a platform saying it "supports online raffles" is not enough. Ask the vendor:

How does your platform account for differences in state raffle laws?

Then independently verify the requirements that apply to your organization. RaffleGives maintains a growing Raffle Laws by State resource specifically to help nonprofits begin that research.

Step 3: Evaluate How Easy the Platform Is to Set Up

Nonprofits frequently operate with small teams. The person managing a raffle may also be handling donor communications, sponsorships, events, social media, grant applications, board reporting, and several other responsibilities. Software that requires extensive training or vendor intervention creates another project for that person to manage. Look closely at onboarding. Can your team:

1.  
2. Create an organizational account?
3. Provide required nonprofit information?
4. Connect payment processing?
5. Build the raffle?
6. Add campaign branding and details?
7. Configure ticket options?
8. Submit or activate the campaign?
9. Manage it without technical assistance?
10.  

Also ask whether changes require contacting the vendor. Modern fundraising software should increasingly be self-service. That does not mean customer support is unimportant. It means ordinary campaign administration should not require support.

RaffleGives Expert Tip

Ask the person who will actually manage the raffle to participate in the software evaluation.

A platform can look impressive during a sales presentation while being frustrating for the staff member or volunteer responsible for using it every day. The best test is not "Does this software have a lot of features?" It is: "Can our team actually use these features without creating more work?"

Step 4: Test the Supporter Experience Yourself

Organizations naturally evaluate software from the administrator's perspective. Your supporters experience something completely different. They see the campaign page and checkout process. That experience matters. Open a live example on your phone and pretend you are a supporter who has never heard of the platform. Ask yourself:

• Is the cause immediately clear?
• Is the raffle easy to understand?
• Can I see what I could win?
• Can I understand the ticket options?
• Is purchasing straightforward?
• Are fees clearly disclosed?
• Does the page feel trustworthy?
• Does it work well on mobile?
• How many steps are required to complete the transaction?
• Do I receive confirmation?

This is particularly important because unexpected costs and complicated checkout processes are well-established causes of online cart abandonment generally. Baymard Institute's long-running checkout research has consistently identified additional costs and checkout friction among the reasons consumers abandon purchases. For nonprofits, every unnecessary step creates another opportunity for an interested supporter to leave.

Step 5: Understand How Payments Work

"Accepts online payments" is not enough information. Ask how money actually moves. You should understand:

Who processes the payment?

Many fundraising platforms integrate with payment processors such as Stripe, PayPal, Square, or specialized providers.

Whose merchant account is being used?

Determine whether payments settle directly into your organization's account or pass through another party.

When does your nonprofit receive its money?

Understand payout schedules.

What payment methods can supporters use?

Credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, and other methods may be available, but legal raffle payment methods can vary by state.

What fees apply?

Payment-processing fees and software fees are not necessarily the same thing. A platform advertised as having a 0% platform fee may still involve processing fees, supporter charges, voluntary tips, subscriptions, or other costs. This is why nonprofits should compare the entire transaction, not a single percentage on a pricing page.

Step 6: Calculate the Real Cost of the Platform

Raffle software pricing can be surprisingly difficult to compare. Current platforms use several models.

No single model is automatically best. A $500 fixed fee could be expensive for a $2,000 fundraiser and inexpensive for a $50,000 fundraiser. An 8% platform fee costs nothing if the campaign sells no tickets, but grows as revenue increases.

A "free" platform may cost the nonprofit nothing directly while asking supporters to fund the platform. An annual subscription may make sense for an organization running many campaigns but not for one conducting a single raffle. The correct question is:

What will our organization and our supporters actually pay if this raffle reaches its goal?

We will explore this issue in more detail in our companion guide on what "free" nonprofit raffle websites actually cost.

Step 7: Look at Reporting and Financial Transparency

Fundraising does not end when someone purchases a ticket. Your organization needs records. A useful raffle platform should make it easy to understand:

• Gross ticket sales
• Number of transactions
• Ticket quantities
• Purchaser information
• Payment status
• Fees
• Net proceeds
• Refunds when applicable
• Campaign performance
• Drawing information
• Winner records

Finance teams and nonprofit boards may need this information later. If your organization has to reconstruct the fundraiser using spreadsheets, payment-processor exports, emails, and handwritten records, the software has not eliminated enough administrative work. Reporting should be part of the evaluation before launch.

Step 8: Ask How Winner Selection Works

This sounds obvious, but it is surprisingly easy to overlook while comparing campaign pages and marketing features.

How does the raffle end?

Does the platform provide a drawing function?

Is the drawing automated or initiated by the organization?

How are winning entries recorded?

Can your organization document the result?

Are supporters notified?

Does the drawing process align with the rules applicable to your raffle?

Some current raffle platforms promote built-in drawing functionality while others require organizations to handle winner selection separately. That difference can matter considerably for staff workload.

Step 9: Determine How Much Manual Administration Remains

This is one of the most valuable questions you can ask a software provider: "What will our team still have to do manually?" Every platform automates something. Very few automate everything. Consider the full raffle lifecycle. Before launch, your team may need to:

• Verify organizational information
• Create the campaign
• Upload graphics
• Establish rules
• Set ticket packages
• Configure payments

During the campaign:

• Monitor sales
• Promote the fundraiser
• Answer supporter questions
• Manage offline purchases
• Update campaign information

Afterward:

• Close ticket sales
• Conduct the drawing
• Contact the winner
• Reconcile payments
• Export records
• Complete required reporting

Good software should remove as many repetitive administrative steps as reasonably possible. The goal is not merely to digitize the raffle. The goal is to reduce the work required to operate it.

Step 10: Decide Whether You Need Online and In-Person Sales

Not every nonprofit fundraiser happens entirely online. Schools, sports organizations, charities, and event-based nonprofits may want to sell tickets:

• Before the event online
• At an event from mobile devices
• Through volunteers
• Using QR codes
• Through social campaigns
• Through email
• In person

If your fundraising model is hybrid, ask how the platform handles those different channels. Most importantly, determine whether online and offline entries ultimately become part of the same properly managed drawing pool. A platform that works beautifully for an online-only campaign may not be the right platform for an organization whose supporters predominantly purchase at physical events.

Step 11: Look Beyond the First Raffle

Your first campaign might be small. Your fifth may not be. Suppose a local nonprofit conducts a successful $10,000 raffle and decides to run another campaign three months later. Then a sponsor becomes involved. Then another event wants to use the raffle. Eventually, what began as an experiment becomes a recurring fundraising channel. Can the software support that growth? Evaluate whether the platform can handle:

• Larger ticket volume
• Multiple campaigns
• Recurring fundraising
• Different raffle configurations
• New administrators
• Larger supporter databases
• Better reporting needs
• Expanded marketing
• Additional geographic markets where legally permitted

Switching platforms after building a successful program can create unnecessary disruption. You do not need enterprise software on day one, but you should understand what happens if the fundraiser works.

Step 12: Evaluate Customer Support Before You Need It

Fundraising deadlines are unforgiving. If a campaign launches Friday and something goes wrong Saturday morning before a major event, waiting until Monday may not be acceptable. Ask:

• Is support human or automated?
• What are the support hours?
• Is support included?
• Is phone support available?
• Is live chat available?
• How quickly are urgent issues handled?
• Is there an onboarding team?
• Is there a knowledge base?
• Who helps with payment problems?

You may never need urgent support. But knowing what happens if you do is part of responsible vendor selection.

What Questions Should You Ask a Raffle Software Vendor?

Before choosing a provider, schedule a demonstration or test the platform and ask direct questions.

What Are the Biggest Raffle Software Red Flags?

Unclear Pricing

You should be able to understand who pays, what they pay, and when they pay it.

"Legal Everywhere" Claims

Raffle laws vary substantially by state. Be cautious of broad statements suggesting that one raffle structure is automatically legal everywhere.

Poor Mobile Experience

Supporters increasingly encounter fundraising links through phones, social media, text messages, email, and QR codes. A poor mobile checkout can undermine the entire campaign.

Difficult Data Access

Your nonprofit should be able to obtain useful records from its own fundraiser.

Too Much Manual Work

Software should save staff and volunteer time. If it simply creates a prettier ticket page while leaving most administration untouched, evaluate whether the cost is justified.

Features Without Context

A platform offering online ticket sales, credit cards, or cash prizes does not establish whether those features are legal for your organization. Again, software capability and legal authority are different things.

Should You Choose General Fundraising Software or Dedicated Raffle Software?

It depends on your strategy. A general fundraising platform can be valuable when your organization wants donations, auctions, peer-to-peer fundraising, events, ticketing, and raffles inside one ecosystem. Several current fundraising platforms specifically position raffles alongside broader fundraising functionality.

A raffle-focused platform may be preferable when raffles are an important fundraising channel and your organization wants functionality designed specifically around raffle creation, ticket sales, drawing administration, and related workflows. Neither approach is universally better. Ask:

Is a raffle an occasional feature of our fundraising program, or do we want raffles to become a meaningful fundraising channel?

The answer can change what "best software" means.

How Does RaffleGives Approach Nonprofit Raffle Software?

RaffleGives was built specifically around nonprofit raffle fundraising rather than adding raffles as a secondary feature to unrelated software. Our goal is straightforward:

Make it easier for eligible nonprofits to launch, manage, and grow compliant raffle fundraising where their jurisdiction permits it.

The current RaffleGives platform is designed around a self-service process. Organizations can begin through Get Started Free, establish their nonprofit profile, provide the required organizational information, connect Stripe, build their raffle, configure the campaign, and submit it for RaffleGives review. There is no monthly software subscription. RaffleGives charges an 8% platform fee based on gross ticket sales, which means the organization does not pay an upfront platform fee before knowing whether its fundraiser will generate revenue.

That model will not automatically be the right fit for every nonprofit or every state. And that is exactly the point of this guide. Organizations should compare the entire fundraising model rather than selecting software based on one feature or headline price. For nonprofits interested in making raffles a scalable fundraising channel, the important combination is:

Compliance + simplicity + supporter experience + automation + transparent economics.

How Should Your Nonprofit Make the Final Decision?

Narrow your selection to two or three platforms. Then score them.

Do not simply total the number of features. Weight the features based on what your organization actually needs. A nonprofit with three employees, 40 volunteers, and a statewide supporter base has different requirements from a school booster club conducting one annual fundraiser. The best software is the software that fits your operating reality.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nonprofit Raffle Software

What is nonprofit raffle software?

Nonprofit raffle software is technology designed to help charitable organizations create and administer fundraising raffles. Depending on the platform, features can include campaign pages, ticket sales, payment processing, participant records, reporting, winner selection, and fundraising management.

What is the best raffle software for nonprofits?

There is no single platform that is best for every organization. The right choice depends on the raffle type, applicable state laws, fundraising goals, staff capacity, supporter experience, pricing, payment processing, reporting, and administrative requirements.

Can nonprofits sell raffle tickets online?

In some jurisdictions, yes. However, raffle laws vary by state and online ticket sales may be expressly permitted, restricted, or subject to additional requirements. Organizations should verify current state and local rules before accepting online raffle purchases.

Is raffle software free for nonprofits?

Some platforms advertise no platform fee or no upfront cost, while others use subscriptions, fixed fees, supporter charges, tips, transaction fees, or percentage-based pricing. Nonprofits should calculate the entire cost of the fundraiser rather than relying on the word "free."

Does raffle software make a raffle legal?

No. Software can provide the technology to operate a fundraiser, but it does not create legal authority to conduct a raffle. The nonprofit remains responsible for understanding the laws and requirements applicable to its campaign.

Should raffle software include payment processing?

For online fundraising, integrated payment processing can substantially simplify ticket purchases and reconciliation. Organizations should understand which processor is used, which payment methods are available, how quickly funds settle, and whether those payment methods are permitted for raffles in their jurisdiction.

Should raffle software have a built-in winner drawing?

A built-in drawing system can reduce administrative work and create a clearer record of the raffle outcome. Whether it is necessary depends on the organization's raffle structure and applicable legal requirements.

Can schools and booster clubs use raffle software?

Potentially. Many schools, PTAs, PTOs, booster clubs, and education foundations use raffles for fundraising, but eligibility and online-sales rules vary by state and sometimes by school district. Organizations should verify applicable requirements first.

What should a nonprofit ask during a raffle software demo?

Ask about legal compatibility, supported raffle types, setup, payment processing, supporter fees, platform fees, mobile checkout, reporting, drawing procedures, data exports, customer support, recurring campaigns, and what work must still be performed manually.

Related Reading

Nonprofit Raffle Software

10 Features Every Nonprofit Raffle Software Platform Should Have

Raffle Laws by State

School Raffle Platform

Online 50/50 Raffles

How to Build a 30-Day Marketing Plan for an Online 50/50 Raffle

Choose Software That Makes Fundraising Easier

A raffle should create excitement around your mission, not another administrative burden for your team. Start by determining what kind of raffle your organization can legally conduct. Then evaluate software based on how easily your team can operate it, how easily supporters can participate, how payments and reporting work, and what the campaign will actually cost.

If RaffleGives fits those requirements, you can explore our nonprofit raffle platform and see how the self-service process works.

Learn more at RaffleGives.

Follow RaffleGives for nonprofit fundraising strategies, raffle-law updates, compliance resources, and digital fundraising insights:

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This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Raffle and charitable-gaming laws vary by jurisdiction and can change. Organizations should verify current state and local requirements and consult qualified legal counsel when appropriate.