# GivJoy fees and the fee calculator

- Canonical pages: https://givjoy.io/fees and the calculator at https://givjoy.io/pricing#calculator
- This file: https://givjoy.io/fees.md
- Last updated: November 12, 2026
- Public status: In development. The GivJoy fee rates are planned; final details at launch. Every processing figure in this file is illustrative, not a promise of any nonprofit's Stripe price.

GivJoy is a donation platform for US nonprofits, in development, expected January 2027.

Free 0%, Starter 1%, Pro 2% of online gifts, plus Stripe processing, no monthly fee.

Gifts go straight to the nonprofit's own Stripe account.

GivJoy's fee: Free 0%, Starter 1%, Pro 2% of each online gift. Card processing is separate, and donors can choose to cover both.

- Try the fee calculator: https://givjoy.io/pricing#calculator

## Where every dollar goes

One $100.00 card gift on each plan, without fee coverage, at the example card rate of 2.9% plus 30 cents. Nobody is asked for a tip.

| Plan | Nonprofit receives | Card processing | GivJoy fee | Tip | With fees covered, the donor pays |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| Free (0%) | $96.80 | $3.20 | $0.00 | $0 | $103.30 |
| Starter (1%) | $95.80 | $3.20 | $1.00 | $0 | $104.33 |
| Pro (2%) | $94.80 | $3.20 | $2.00 | $0 | $105.36 |

With the fees covered, at the example card rate, the nonprofit receives $100.00 on every plan.

## The short answer

Every online charge is made of three amounts:

1. **The gift**, the amount the donor chose.
2. **GivJoy's fee**, a share of the gift: 0% on Free, 1% on Starter, 2% on Pro.
3. **Stripe's processing fee**, which every plan pays. GivJoy works out coverage from the nonprofit's rate; the real figure comes from Stripe after the payment.

Donors can choose to cover the fees. Fee coverage is optional and itemized before payment.

## What the calculator takes

The fee calculator is [on Pricing](https://givjoy.io/pricing#calculator).

| Input | Choices | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Gift amount | $1.00 to $100,000.00 in this illustrative calculator | $50.00 |
| Plan | Free (0%), Starter (1%), Pro (2%) | Starter |
| Donor covers fees | Ticked or unticked | Ticked, as at a real checkout |
| Payment method | Not a choice in the calculator; it assumes a card | Card at 2.9% plus 30 cents |

It shows what the donor pays, the fee coverage added, the card processing, GivJoy's fee and what the nonprofit receives. The numbers update as soon as an input changes.

## The rules

1. **GivJoy's fee** is the plan's percentage of the gift, rounded to the nearest cent with half a cent rounding up, once per payment.
2. **Processing** is the method's percentage of the amount charged, rounded the same way, plus the method's fixed fee. Bank debit's percentage is capped at $5.00.
3. **Coverage unticked:** the donor pays the gift. Processing and GivJoy's fee come out of it.
4. **Coverage ticked:** the donor pays the smallest whole-cent total that leaves the nonprofit at least the full gift after both fees. GivJoy finds it by trying totals one cent at a time, so the result is exact. A leftover cent from rounding stays with the nonprofit.
5. **Coverage carries no GivJoy fee** and never counts toward Raised or a campaign goal.
6. **Actual processing costs can vary.** If Stripe's actual fee is lower, the difference stays with the nonprofit. If it's higher, the nonprofit receives a little less. A donor is never charged again to make up the difference.
7. **A quote holds for 15 minutes.** The amounts a donor sees at checkout are saved and can't be repriced during that time, even if the plan or rate changes. After that, the donor sees and confirms any new total before paying.
8. **Event checkout** figures GivJoy's fee and coverage once for the whole payment: ticket prices after any ticket code, plus any added gift.

## Payment-method assumptions

| Method | Gifts | Tickets and event add-on gifts | Rate assumed without a discounted rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cards | Yes | Yes | 2.9% plus 30 cents |
| Apple Pay and Google Pay | Yes, where the device supports them | Yes, where the device supports them | The card rate |
| US bank debit | Yes, one-time and monthly | Never | 0.8%, capped at $5.00 |

These are Stripe's standard rates, used as examples. At setup, GivJoy asks whether the nonprofit has a discounted Stripe rate, such as Stripe's nonprofit discount, and uses the rate it reports instead. A bank payment takes several business days to clear and shows as Pending until then; nothing counts as raised before it clears.

## Worked example: a $50.00 card gift on Starter, fees covered

1. GivJoy's fee: 1% of $50.00 is **$0.50**.
2. Try a total of $52.32. Processing is 2.9% of $52.32, which is $1.517, rounded to $1.52, plus $0.30: **$1.82**. Then $52.32 minus $1.82 minus $0.50 leaves exactly $50.00.
3. Try one cent less, $52.31. Processing is still $1.82, which leaves $49.99. That is short, so **$52.32** is the smallest total that works.
4. The donor pays **$52.32**: the $50.00 gift plus **$2.32** coverage. GivJoy receives $0.50, Stripe about $1.82, and the nonprofit about $50.00.

If Stripe's actual fee turns out to be $1.70, the donor still paid $52.32 and the nonprofit nets $50.12.

## The same $50.00 gift, case by case

| Case | Gift | GivJoy fee | Coverage | Donor pays | Processing | Nonprofit receives |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| Card, Free, covered | $50.00 | $0.00 | $1.80 | $51.80 | $1.80 | $50.00 |
| Card, Free, not covered | $50.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 |
| Card, Starter, covered | $50.00 | $0.50 | $2.32 | $52.32 | $1.82 | $50.00 |
| Card, Starter, not covered | $50.00 | $0.50 | $0.00 | $50.00 | $1.75 | $47.75 |
| Card, Pro, covered | $50.00 | $1.00 | $2.83 | $52.83 | $1.83 | $50.00 |
| Card, Pro, not covered | $50.00 | $1.00 | $0.00 | $50.00 | $1.75 | $47.25 |
| Card at a reported 2.2% plus 30 cents, Starter, covered | $50.00 | $0.50 | $1.94 | $51.94 | $1.44 | $50.00 |

The 2.2% row only shows how a reported rate changes the math; it is not a promise of anyone's Stripe price.

## Bank debit: a $1,000.00 gift on Starter

| Case | Gift | GivJoy fee | Coverage | Donor pays | Processing | Instant bank check | Nonprofit receives |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| Covered, no new instant check | $1,000.00 | $10.00 | $15.00 | $1,015.00 | $5.00 (capped) | $0.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Not covered, no new instant check | $1,000.00 | $10.00 | $0.00 | $1,000.00 | $5.00 (capped) | $0.00 | $985.00 |
| Covered, first payment with a new instant check | $1,000.00 | $10.00 | $16.50 | $1,016.50 | $5.00 (capped) | $1.50 | $1,000.00 |
| Not covered, first payment with a new instant check | $1,000.00 | $10.00 | $0.00 | $1,000.00 | $5.00 (capped) | $1.50 | $983.50 |

- Stripe charges $1.50 for each instant bank check that succeeds.
- Fee coverage includes it on the first payment only. Test deposits and reuse without a new instant check add nothing.

## Three gift sizes on every plan, by card

| Gift | Plan | GivJoy fee | Not covered: nonprofit receives | Covered: donor pays | Covered: nonprofit receives |
|---|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| $25.00 | Free (0%) | $0.00 | $23.97 | $26.06 | $25.00 |
| $25.00 | Starter (1%) | $0.25 | $23.72 | $26.31 | $25.00 |
| $25.00 | Pro (2%) | $0.50 | $23.47 | $26.57 | $25.00 |
| $100.00 | Free (0%) | $0.00 | $96.80 | $103.30 | $100.00 |
| $100.00 | Starter (1%) | $1.00 | $95.80 | $104.33 | $100.00 |
| $100.00 | Pro (2%) | $2.00 | $94.80 | $105.36 | $100.00 |
| $1,000.00 | Free (0%) | $0.00 | $970.70 | $1,030.17 | $1,000.00 |
| $1,000.00 | Starter (1%) | $10.00 | $960.70 | $1,040.47 | $1,000.00 |
| $1,000.00 | Pro (2%) | $20.00 | $950.70 | $1,050.77 | $1,000.00 |

## Tickets with an added gift

Two $45.00 tickets and a $20.00 gift on Starter, paid by card with coverage ticked: GivJoy's fee is 1% of $110.00, which is $1.10. The total is **$114.73**: processing is $3.63, and $114.73 minus $3.63 minus $1.10 leaves $110.00.

## A year at $50,000.00 raised online

An illustration, not a quote. Assumptions: $50,000.00 arrives as 1,000 card gifts of $50.00 each, every card at Stripe's standard 2.9% plus 30 cents, and no donor covers the fees.

Per gift, processing is 2.9% of $50.00, which is $1.45, plus $0.30: $1.75. Across 1,000 gifts that is $1,750.00.

| Without fee coverage | Free | Starter | Pro |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
| Gifts | $50,000.00 | $50,000.00 | $50,000.00 |
| GivJoy fees | $0.00 | $500.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Card processing (illustrative) | $1,750.00 | $1,750.00 | $1,750.00 |
| Total fees | $1,750.00 | $2,250.00 | $2,750.00 |
| Fees the nonprofit bears | $1,750.00 | $2,250.00 | $2,750.00 |
| Nonprofit receives | $48,250.00 | $47,750.00 | $47,250.00 |

If every donor keeps Help cover fees ticked, the same 1,000 gifts look like this:

| With fee coverage on every gift | Free | Starter | Pro |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
| Coverage donors add | $1,800.00 | $2,320.00 | $2,830.00 |
| Donors pay in total | $51,800.00 | $52,320.00 | $52,830.00 |
| GivJoy fees | $0.00 | $500.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Card processing (illustrative) | $1,800.00 | $1,820.00 | $1,830.00 |
| Fees the nonprofit bears | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Nonprofit receives | $50,000.00 | $50,000.00 | $50,000.00 |

What the three totals mean:

- **Total fees** are GivJoy's fees plus processing.
- **Fees the nonprofit bears** are total fees minus the coverage donors added.
- **Nonprofit receives** is the net: what is left of the money collected after both fees. Coverage goes to the nonprofit with the gift but never counts as raised.

What changes the answer, with GivJoy's fees staying $0.00, $500.00 or $1,000.00 on the same $50,000.00:

| Same $50,000.00, different mix, no coverage | Processing (illustrative) | Total fees: Free | Starter | Pro |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 1,000 card gifts of $50.00 | $1,750.00 | $1,750.00 | $2,250.00 | $2,750.00 |
| 500 card gifts of $100.00 | $1,600.00 | $1,600.00 | $2,100.00 | $2,600.00 |
| 50 bank debit gifts of $1,000.00 | $250.00 | $250.00 | $750.00 | $1,250.00 |

- **Gift count:** the 30-cent fixed fee is charged per payment, so fewer, larger gifts cost less to process.
- **Payment mix:** bank debit costs much less than cards for large gifts because of its $5.00 cap. A new instant bank check adds $1.50.
- **Fee coverage:** moves processing and GivJoy's fee from the nonprofit to the donors who choose to cover them.
- **The nonprofit's own rate:** a discounted Stripe rate lowers processing on every plan.

## No GivJoy fee on

- Cash and check gifts staff record.
- Gifts imported from another system.
- Payments that fail.
- Fee coverage a donor adds.
- Test payments (they carry a simulated fee that is never GivJoy revenue).
- The future value of a monthly gift. Each monthly charge is its own payment, with its own fee once it's paid.

## Refunds and disputes

A refund returns the gift and its coverage in the same proportion. GivJoy and Stripe keep their fees when you refund a gift, so both stay a cost to the nonprofit, and neither is ever taken out of what the donor gets back.

Taking the $52.32 covered gift above:

| Step | Donor gets back | Of which gift | Of which coverage | Left on the gift |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| Refund $20.00 of the gift | $20.93 | $20.00 | $0.93 | $30.00 gift, $1.39 coverage |
| Refund the rest | $31.39 | $30.00 | $1.39 | Nothing |

GivJoy keeps its $0.50 and Stripe its $1.82 throughout. After the full refund, the nonprofit has paid back $52.32 against the $50.00 it netted, so the refunded gift cost it $2.32. A bank payment is refunded in full only. If a donor disputes a charge with their bank and the dispute is lost, the disputed amount and Stripe's dispute fee come out of your account, and GivJoy keeps its fee.

## Plan changes

- A new rate applies to new checkouts only. Every gift already made keeps the fee it was made with.
- No donor's monthly charge goes up because of a plan change. If the rate rises, the nonprofit absorbs the difference.
- If a lower fee means a donor who covers fees pays less, they get a notice with their new total.
- Moving from Starter (1%) to Pro (2%) adds $10.00 in GivJoy fees for every $1,000.00 in future online gifts.

## AI help on each plan

Each plan has one shared limit on AI help, set high enough that only misuse or a runaway loop reaches it. Nonprofits never see a meter or a count, and the numbers aren't published.

## Test payments

Test payments in Stripe test mode carry a simulated fee that is never GivJoy revenue. GivJoy's testing runs on test payments. Live payments wait for the required checks.

## Where the money goes

Every payment is a charge on the nonprofit's own Stripe account. The nonprofit is the merchant, Stripe pays it out to the nonprofit's bank, and donors' money never passes through GivJoy's own Stripe balance. GivJoy's fee is taken from the same charge. When money reaches the bank depends on the nonprofit's Stripe account. Final payout and refund terms are published in GivJoy's agreement with each nonprofit before GivJoy takes real gifts. Until live giving opens, every payment is a Stripe test payment, and every receipt says TEST PAYMENT: not valid for a tax deduction.

## Related

- Plans and what each includes: https://givjoy.io/pricing.md
- Overview for AI agents: https://givjoy.io/agents.md