How fees work
Understanding GiveLink's transparent fee structure — what gets charged, who pays it, and where the money goes.
Every donation processed through GiveLink involves two fees: a GiveLink platform fee and a Stripe payment processing fee. This page explains both fees in plain English so your organization and your donors always know exactly where their money goes.
The two fees
GiveLink platform fee
GiveLink charges a small platform fee on each donation to keep the service running. The rate depends on your plan:
| Plan | Platform fee |
|---|---|
| Starter | 1% of the donation |
| Pro | 2% of the donation |
This fee is GiveLink's revenue. It covers the cost of building and maintaining the platform, customer support, and all the features your organization uses.
Stripe payment processing fee
Stripe processes the actual payment (card charge, bank transfer, etc.) and charges a fee for that service. Stripe's fees vary by payment method:
| Payment method | Stripe fee |
|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction |
| ACH bank transfer | 0.8%, capped at $5.00 |
If your organization has been approved for Stripe's nonprofit rate, the card fee may be lower (typically 2.2% + $0.30). Contact GiveLink support to update your rate once it is confirmed with Stripe.
How the fees are deducted — destination charges
GiveLink uses Stripe Connect destination charges, which means:
- When a donor submits a donation, Stripe charges the donor's card or bank account.
- Stripe deducts the combined fee (GiveLink platform fee + Stripe processing fee) as a single
application_fee_amount. - The remaining amount is transferred directly to your organization's connected bank account.
Your organization never sees the fees as a separate line item on your bank statement — the net amount arrives directly.
Example: A $100 card donation on the Starter plan (1% GiveLink fee, 2.2% + $0.30 Stripe nonprofit rate):
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Donor gives | $100.00 |
| Stripe processing fee | $2.50 (2.2% of $100 + $0.30 fixed) |
| GiveLink platform fee | $1.00 (1% of $100) |
| Your organization receives | ~$96.50 |
The exact net amount may vary slightly by a cent or two due to rounding. GiveLink reconciles the fee math against Stripe's actual ledger after each payment to ensure accuracy.
What donors see
By default, donors see the donation amount they entered. The fee comes out of that amount before it reaches your organization.
If your organization has enabled the donor cover-fees option, donors can choose to add a small amount to their donation so your organization receives the full intended gift. See Donor fee coverage for details.
Tax deductibility
Donations may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law when the donor itemizes deductions and your organization is a qualified 501(c)(3) organization. GiveLink does not provide tax or legal advice — donors should retain their receipt and consult a tax professional.
Related pages
Last updated on 4/30/2026