Google Checkout- FREE!

For those involved in any way with their church's finances...

When we planted our church, I was fairly opposed to allowing people to give online. I really wanted giving (even though we don't pass a plate) to be a part of worship, an intentional act of giving to God as part of an overall gathering focused on worshiping that God.

I pretty quickly realized that ideal was dependent on everyone remembering to bring that vestige of Old Economy finance- the Checkbook. Most people don't carry one, have trouble remembering to write a check before coming, often forget to put it in the box during the worship gathering...

Reluctantly, I gave in to Paypal... and immediately began hating the 3% + fees they took off the top. Argh.

Here's a better option that I'm really going to explore for our community: Google Checkout

from their website:

Google Checkout for Non-Profits is a fast, convenient donation process that helps you attract more donors and increase online giving to your organization – and you can use it to process donations by charging credit or debit cards for free until 2009.  

Increase donations to your organization
With a streamlined checkout process and a single login, it's easy for your supporters to make an online donation and do it again and again.

 

 

Process online donations for free
Get free donation processing until 2009 and pay no monthly, setup or gateway fees.

 

And even after 2008, it's still cheaper than Paypal!

 

Free credit card processing until 2009
You can process all of your Checkout donations for free until 2009. And there are no monthly, setup or gateway fees.                                                   
 

 

Low fees in 2009 and beyond
                  Our standard processing fees for Google Checkout are a low 2% + $0.20 per transaction.

 

Check it out





And does anyone else have other ideas for online giving? (and no... we are NOT open to having an ATM in the lobby)

Comments

[Brian]

We use and I would highly recommend eGive: www.egive-usa.com. eGive was started by a banking guy for his church and it has spread from there. The fees are very minor (less than Google checkout I believe). You can set up regular, automatic giving. It doesn't use credit cards but your checking account (something I consider a plus).