Only account users with Admin or Mobile Access roles can use the Givebutter mobile app. All other users (including team members, auction bidders, and donors) must log in via a browser.
Install and log in ➕
First, you'll need to download the app for iOS via the App Store or Android via Google Play. Upon opening the app, you'll be prompted to log into your Givebutter account. If you're having trouble logging in, ensure you've been granted a Mobile Access role by an account admin and try our troubleshooting steps.
You may be asked to authenticate using 2FA (two-factor authentication) for additional security. Email verifications are sent to the email address for the logged-in Givebutter account. You'll also have an option for verification via text message. 2FA is only required once per user or device.
After logging in, you'll be prompted to select the account you wish to log into. You'll also be prompted to select which campaign you're working on. If you skip this, you'll see a generic Select campaign screen until you make a selection.
Toggling accounts: If you are an admin on multiple Givebutter accounts, you can switch between them on the app without logging out! Click the account name you're currently logged in under (located at the top of the screen on the menu page), and a dropdown menu will appear, where you can select a different Givebutter account.
Mobile app access 🔒
What you see in the Givebutter mobile app may vary depending on the level of access permission you've been granted by an admin. If something appears to be missing in the app, it’s likely due to your assigned mobile access permissions. Learn more about mobile app user permissions →
| Full | Limited |
View campaign totals and goal progress 📈 | ✅ | ✅ |
Process donations (Tap to Pay, card reader, cash, or check) for new/existing contacts 🤑 | ✅ | ✅ |
View transaction details 🔎 | ✅ | ✖️ |
Receive donation notifications 📣 | ✅ | ✖️ |
View and edit contacts 👤 | ✅ | ✖️ |
View auction items and bidding activity 🎁 | ✅ | ✖️ |
View auction item sale totals 💰 | ✅ | ✅ |
Sell tickets 🎫 | ✅ | ✅ |
Scan tickets and check guests in 🤳 | ✅ | ✅ |
Set up payment processing ⚙️
We recommend setting up and familiarizing yourself with the payment options ahead of your event so you’re not adjusting settings the day of!
Before accepting donations or selling tickets in person, you’ll need to choose how you want to collect payments. Givebutter offers two ways to process online payments with the mobile app:
Card reader – Accept credit or debit cards via swipe, tap, or chip.
Tap to Pay – Accept contactless credit or debit cards (with the contactless symbol) and NFC-based digital wallets like Apple Pay directly on a supported mobile device.
You can also record cash or check payments in the app. However, online payment methods are typically faster for donors and automatically sync with your account for easier tracking and reconciliation.
Tap to Pay 📱
Tap to Pay is supported on:
✅ iPhone XS or later (iOS 16.7 or later in the US)
✅ Android devices and tablets (Android 11 or later, with enabled NFC reader)
Tap to Pay is not supported on:
❌ iPad – please use a card reader to process payments instead
❌ Any device without an NFC reader
❌ Devices running iOS beta releases
Tap to Pay allows you to collect secure donations from credit or debit cards (with a contactless symbol) and NFC-based digital wallets (such as Apple Pay) on mobile devices without purchasing a card reader.
Ensure a Primary Address is set on your Givebutter account under Account > About > Address. You'll be prompted to add one before you can begin. This cannot be done on the app – this must be added on the mobile or desktop site.
Ensure that the following options are enabled on your device:
NFC reader
Location Services
In the Givebutter app, click on the menu icon in the lower right corner, and click on the toggle that says Enable Tap to Pay.
Why does Tap to Pay require your Apple ID? Apple requires your device to be signed in to authenticate your device. Your Apple ID is not used to process payments, funds do not go to your Apple account, and donor information is not shared with Apple. All payments are processed through Givebutter as usual.
To complete a payment with Tap to Pay, click on Tap to Pay on iPhone or Tap to Pay on Android in the checkout flow. If you see an option for credit or debit card instead, you've either already connected a card reader or Tap to Pay is not supported on your device. (You cannot use Tap to Pay and a card reader simultaneously.)
If you are using an iPhone, your screen will include an area that says Hold Here to Pay. Tap the donor's card or NFC-supported device against your screen.
If you are using an Android device, tap the donor's card or NFC-supported device against the back of your Android device.
When the payment is processed, a thank-you message will appear. A receipt will be automatically emailed to the donor.
Bluetooth card reader 💳
If you prefer using a physical card reader, we also offer the option to connect a Bluetooth card reader to accept in-person credit and debit card payments via tap, chip, or swipe.
Once paired with your mobile device, the reader wirelessly connects to the Givebutter app and can be selected as your payment method when completing a donation or ticket purchase. How to use a Givebutter card reader for in-person donations →
Selling tickets 🎟️
All mobile app users can sell tickets directly from the mobile app, reducing hassle for guests who haven't yet purchased a ticket. If an attendee doesn't have a contact profile in your Givebutter account yet, a new one will be created upon purchase. You can also check guests in and add a donation as part of the ticket purchase process!
Tickets (including prices, names, and descriptions) are managed from your Givebutter dashboard on a desktop or mobile browser. You cannot edit or add new ticket options via the app.
Ensure the correct campaign is selected, and click the blue + button at the bottom of your screen. You can also select the ticket icon at the bottom of the screen, and click Sell tickets at the top of the screen.
Click the ticket icon at the top of the screen, and select the desired quantities of each ticket type. The total will appear at the bottom of the screen. Click Next to proceed.
You can select an existing contact as the ticket owner, or click the + icon in the upper right to add a new contact, including first and last name (required), email (required for purchasing tickets) and phone (optional). Click Continue once the relevant contact is selected or created.
The information entered for the first ticket will be used as the contact details for this transaction. If the ticket information is the same for multiple tickets, you can click Copy Previous to duplicate the information entered.
On the Payment details screen, you'll see the total amount due, with a summary breakdown of ticket costs and fees. Configurable options include:
Cover fees – If disabled, processing fees will be deducted from the transaction total.
Show as anonymous – Their name won't be shown in the public feed.
Check in – Automatically check in all ticket upon purchase.
Add a donation – Optionally add a donation to this purchase.
Internal note – Add a private internal note.
In addition to the 2.9% + 30 cents transaction fee, there is a 3% platform fee on all tickets sold via the app, even if tips are turned on for the campaign. Donors can choose to cover this fee in the checkout screen on your mobile device.
Select the desired payment method:
Tap to Pay – Selecting this option will launch Tap to pay.
Credit or debit card – For use with a card reader. Will display if Tap to Pay has not been enabled.
Cash – No processing fees apply to cash transactions.
Check – No processing fees apply to check transactions.
If you select cash or check, you agree to accept the payment in person. Givebutter will track the purchase and generate the tickets, but these funds will not be included in your Givebutter payouts.
Once the payment is confirmed, the donor will receive an emailed receipt that includes their tickets. If they haven't already been checked in, these guests can be checked in like any other ticket holder.
Checking in tickets 🤳
All mobile app users can check in guests in two ways, giving your team flexibility at the door. The fastest method is to scan the QR code on a guest’s ticket using your device’s camera. Once scanned, the ticket is automatically marked as checked in, making this ideal for quickly moving through a line.
If scanning isn’t possible, for example, if a guest can’t access their QR code or didn't bring their ticket, you can manually check them in. From there, you can scroll or use the search bar to locate the guest by name, email address, or ticket code. This method is especially helpful when managing large events or resolving check-in issues on the spot.
Scanning QR codes 📷
The built-in ticket scanner uses your mobile device's camera to scan the QR code on a donor's ticket. When you use the ticket scanner for the first time, the app may request permission to use your mobile device's camera. Once permission is granted, you can use the ticket scanner – you won't be asked again.
Ensure that the correct campaign is selected, and click the ticket icon at the bottom of the screen. Select Scan tickets at the top of the screen.
You can click the flashlight and sound icons in the lower right corner to enable/disable sound confirmation, as well as your flashlight if you're scanning tickets in the dark. Point the camera at the QR code on a ticket. The ticket will automatically be checked in!
If you are unable to scan a QR code on a presented ticket, for example in the event of damage, you can click Manually search tickets at the bottom of the screen and check the guest in manually instead.
Manual check in ✏️
If you cannot scan a QR code, a guest did not bring their ticket, or you prefer to check in tickets manually, you can search for attendees using the app's Tickets page.
Click on the ticket icon at the bottom of the screen to access the Tickets page.
Scroll or use the search bar to locate the ticket you want to check in. You can sort your ticket list by "not checked in" tickets by clicking the filter at the top of the list. You can also search by:
Ticket holder name
Ticket holder email address
Ticket short-code (ie. A0001)
Click on the ticket you'd like to check in.
Ticket holder and contact/donor information sometimes differ, for example, if a contact purchases a ticket for someone else. You must search for the ticket holder's information, not the billing information entered at checkout.
Accept donations 💰
Using a card reader or tap to pay, you can accept in-person donations! Quick Donation transactions are charged the standard 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction rate, plus a 3% platform fee. These fees are combined and appear on the Quick Donation checkout page.
Ensure that the relevant campaign is selected at the top of the screen, and click the blue + button at the bottom of your screen.
Enter the donation amount as a whole number (decimals are not currently supported) or select from the pre-populated amounts.
Add a contact for the donation. You can Search by phone, email, or name if they have donated previously or have already purchased a ticket. Alternatively, you can click the + button in the upper-right corner to create a new contact.
If you create a new contact, an email address is necessary to send the donor an automated receipt.
On the payment details screen, you'll see a summary of the transaction to be processed, including any applicable processing fees, which can be toggled on or off. Processing fees are 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction, plus a 3% platform fee. This is editable regardless of the fee options chosen in the campaign settings.
Toggling On: The fee amount will be added to the donation amount, and the donor will be charged for the donation + processing fee.
Toggling Off: The donor will only be charged the donation amount, and the fee will be deducted from the funds donated once processed.
If the donor would prefer to submit this transaction anonymously and not appear on the public campaign supporter feed, toggle the option for Show as anonymous to the "on" position.
Select the desired payment method, and click Pay when you're ready to process the transaction. (Please note that fees will be removed for cash and check payments, as these are offline payment methods, and are not processed online by Givebutter.)
If you have a card reader, you can accept credit or debit card payments via chip, contactless, or swipe. If you are using tap to pay, you can accept the payment via contactless card payment or digital wallet options.
Creating contacts 📖
You'll need to create new contacts if you are collecting in-person donations from people who haven't donated to your Givebutter account before. You can create new contacts when you enter a new donation or from the Contacts page.
Click the Contacts icon in the menu at the bottom of the screen.
Click the + icon in the upper-right corner of the page.
Enter the contact's first and last name, email, and phone number. (An email address must be entered to send the donor an automated receipt.)
Click Save at the bottom of the page to create the contact.
FAQ 🤔
How do I download the Givebutter app? Is the app free?
For iOS, you can find the Givebutter App in the App Store. For Android, you can find the Givebutter App in Google Play. The app is free to download in both formats.
What are the fees for processing payments on the app?
There is a credit card processing fee for each transaction of 2.95% + 30 cents. All transactions processed through the app have a 3% platform fee. Tip settings do not remove the platform fees for transactions processed through the app.
I'm having trouble logging into the app.
In the app store, see if you can update the app, or delete and reinstall it – a new version may be available that allows you to log in. There was previously a limitation where you couldn't log in without any active campaigns, but the new version will allow you to log in.
Is Tap to Pay secure?
Yes! All payments, including Tap to Pay payments, are securely backed by our payment processor, Stripe. Tap to Pay transactions are processed in a way that does not include sensitive personal information, such as names, card numbers, security codes, and expiration dates. You can also check out the Tap to Pay FAQ in Stripe's documentation.
Tap to Pay isn't appearing on my Givebutter app as an option.
You may not be using a supported device. Tap to Pay requires iPhone XS or later (iOS 16.0 or later) or an Android device or tablet (Android 11 or later, with an enabled NFC reader). Tap to Pay is not supported on iPad or any device without an NFC reader. If you have an older iPhone (iPhone X or earlier) or Android device, Tap to Pay will not appear as an option.
What is "Manage Apple ID," and why is it linked in my app settings?
Your Apple ID is used to access Apple services and enable Tap to Pay. If you're on an iPhone, you already have an Apple ID set up. If the Tap to Pay on iPhone is toggled on, you don't need to take additional action. (Funds are never sent to your Apple ID. They will still be sent to your Givebutter account like all other transactions.)
How do I know if a card supports contactless payment or Tap to Pay?
Most cards now support contactless payment. If a card supports contactless payment or Tap to Pay, a contactless indicator symbol will be present on the front or back of the card. If a card does not support contactless payment, you'll need to process the payment using a card reader (via chip or swipe) instead. If a card should support contactless payment but isn't working, there may be an issue with the card's contactless technology.
My donation amounts or other campaign settings didn't update on the app after changing them on my desktop or mobile browser.
Campaign settings may be cached for your current app session. To reset the cache, completely quit and reopen the app.
Will donations entered in the app appear on my campaign page?
Yes! Any transactions added via Quick Donation will appear in your campaign's Supporter Feed and Live Display if you're using it.
What features are not yet available on the app?
Crediting a team or team member – you can credit donations manually via the desktop or mobile browser.
Tips are not currently supported on the app.
Team members cannot use the app to manage their team member profiles. This must be done on the mobile or desktop browser.
You cannot enter card details manually.
You cannot edit or delete contacts or ticket types from the app. You must do this on a mobile or desktop browser.
You cannot add or manage pledges on the app.
Why can't I sign into the app? Do I need to be an admin?
You are likely a team member, auction bidder, or donor. Only Givebutter account users (admins or editors) can log in on the Givebutter app. (You do not need to be an admin, as editors can use the app too!)