Online charity auctions guide: 13+ best auction providers

Online auctions are a fundraising staple for a reason, offering supporters the excitement of bidding on amazing items from the comfort of their homes while also supporting a worthy cause. The convenience, competition, and purpose can drive impressive ROI for your organization.

But successful online charity auctions have many moving parts, from rallying your team and building your guest list to marketing your event and planning logistics. That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll explore every aspect of running an auction online and the best technology options to power your next event.

Nonprofit online auction FAQs

What are online charity auctions?

Online charity auctions are virtual fundraising events where guests remotely bid on items to support a charitable organization or cause. Supporters place bids on the items they’re interested in from your auction website, often using their mobile devices.

Much like in-person auctions, you can have an auctioneer present these items on a livestream to drum up excitement and facilitate bidding. You can also handle your online auction similarly to a silent auction, where bidders browse and bid on items at their own pace.

How do virtual auctions work?

Virtual auctions work similarly to in-person auctions. Setting goals, collecting auction items, creating an event marketing plan, building an event program (that includes your virtual auction), and promoting the auction are all essential steps. The difference? All interactions, programming, and transactions occur online.

What are the benefits of taking your auction online?

Online auctions are extremely flexible, providing you with key benefits like:

• Cost savings: You won’t have to worry about most of the costs associated with in-person events, such as venue rentals, catering, and decorations. This reduces overhead expenses, resulting in more funds for your mission.
• Improved accessibility: In-person auctions are usually limited by their geographic location. If a supporter doesn’t live in the area, it won’t be convenient for them to attend. An online auction allows supporters to attend and bid on items from anywhere.
• Increased participation: Virtual auctions reach larger audiences since you’re not limited to a certain number of tickets at a specific location. Online auctions also require a lower time commitment, since supporters can simply check on the items they’re interested in on their own schedule, making participation easier.
• Greater visibility: Thanks to the expanded accessibility, your online charity auction provides a great opportunity to connect with new donors across the country and show them the value of your nonprofit’s mission.
• Eco-friendliness: Typically, online fundraisers are more environmentally friendly than in-person ones. You won’t need to worry about wasting decorations, food, or paper to ensure your event goes smoothly.

Best of all, these events are also highly flexible and adaptable to your mission, community, and goals.

What are the types of online charity auctions?

The core types of nonprofit online auctions are:

• Online silent auctions: These are your traditional online auctions. Guests sign in for the event, browse your item catalog, and bid on items throughout your auction. This might be a typical 2- or 3-hour event, or an extended timeframe that keeps bidding open for multiple days to drive more revenue.
• Live online auctions: In a live auction, an auctioneer presents items and calls out amounts while guests bid by raising paddles. You can take these events online by livestreaming your auctioneer and leveraging mobile bidding software.
• Hybrid auction events: Get the best of both worlds by hosting an in-person event alongside your online charity auction. Livestream speeches, entertainment, and announcements as bidders use their mobile devices to place bids, no matter where they are.

Evaluate your past fundraising events and supporter preferences to decide which type is the best fit for you. If your charity auction site is flexible enough, you can also incorporate activities like virtual paddle raises to give guests the full event experience.

What do you need to host virtual auctions?

Like any auction, you’ll need a catalog of auction items, a way to facilitate bids, promotion strategies, and a plan for following up afterward. However, fundraising technology will also play an integral role — we’ll review the key parts of a virtual auction toolkit later. 

What are the best platforms for hosting online charity auctions?

The best platforms for hosting auctions include Bonterra OneCause, ClickBid, and more. OneCause is the leading virtual auction platform that offers livestreaming, mobile bidding, online checkout, and real-time donation tracking. Its event fundraising solution creates an interactive experience for supporters anytime, anywhere, helping nonprofits increase participation and raise more online. 

For more insight into the top online charity auction providers, check out our list below.

How to do an online auction: 6 steps

Like any other fundraising event, nonprofit online auctions can be broken down into a series of steps and best practices. After laying out your guidelines and goals, tackle the following:

1. Upgrade your nonprofit online auction toolkit

If you’ve already hosted one or more virtual events, take some time to review your toolkit and fill any gaps. Consider how past events went and where you experienced hiccups or challenging workflows, then find solutions to address them. If you’re new to online events, start by investing in the right software.

Here are some of the most important tools you’ll need to plan and host a virtual auction:

• Online charity auction software: Rather than piecing together a virtual auction using separate tools, dedicated auction software can serve as the central hub for your event. Look for a mobile bidding and auction management platform that makes it easy for attendees to engage with the event and place bids from any device.
• Livestreaming tools: Live video feeds enable direct engagement with bidders. Platforms like Zoom can work for small-scale virtual gatherings, but keep in mind that requiring donors to navigate between multiple platforms can harm their experience and your fundraising results. Larger events will benefit from a more immersive, branded livestreaming experience that’s seamlessly built into your auction software.
• Marketing solutions: Marketing is key to getting guests registered and excited about your virtual auction, and there are many tools you can use to streamline promotion. However, using comprehensive fundraising software is generally your best bet. An integrated system that supports your marketing efforts and seamlessly collects registrant data makes everyone’s job easier before, during, and after your auction.
• A database or CRM: Your nonprofit’s database will be essential for planning, hosting, and following up after virtual fundraising events. Use donor data to research your audience during the planning process, and then ensure all new engagement data is automatically reported throughout the event. Ideally, your auction software should integrate with your database to simplify data reporting.

Look no further than Bonterra’s nonprofit suite to find all of the above functionalities. From event management to CRM software, Bonterra has everything you need to thrive.

2. Procure and manage auction items

You’ll need a variety of auction items that appeal to different segments of your audience. While there’s no secret formula to procuring the perfect auction items for your event, you can follow several best practices:

• Consider your target audience. What will supporters be interested in? How much can they generally afford to bid? What shared interests or lifestyle factors bring them together to support your mission?
• Review your past auctions’ performance. Data from previous events will be invaluable for guiding your procurement process. What types of items were popular? Which items only received a few bids?
• Get creative with item ideas. Your offerings should be unique and interesting to draw as much attention and competition as possible. Get creative with your procurement team to find prizes that will really catch your donors’ attention!

To secure high-quality auction items, request in-kind donations from major donors and sponsors. Or, branch out by securing consignment items, such as travel packages, from vendors.

3. Set up your online auction site

Your online fundraising site will serve as your fundraising headquarters and your “virtual venue.” Once you’ve chosen nonprofit online auction software, start building your site. Make sure to include:

• Custom pages. Create unlimited custom fundraising and informational pages specific to your event and mission.
• An organized item catalog. Track, manage, and package your auction items in an intuitive online catalog.
• High-quality visuals. Bring your event to life online with graphics that communicate your theme and mission.
• Fundraising drivers. Highlight your auction catalog, donation appeals, and fixed-priced items (raffles, parties, merchandise) on your site.
• Social media integrations. Maximize your reach and communicate your cause on social channels to grab even more attention.

The best software will make it easy to organize your auction items and add photos, descriptions, and starting bids to your event website. For example, OneCause supports tagging and item categories that help guests find what they’re interested in quickly. Our solution also includes built-in gamification elements, like “You’re Winning!” badges and invitations to be the first bidder on an item:

4. Market your online charity auction

Marketing is crucial for any type of auction, but for online auctions, digital promotions are especially important. We recommend taking a multichannel approach to marketing your auction. Use channels like social media, your website, and email to spread the word. 

As you promote the event, remember that it may be some donors’ first online auction. Be clear about what to expect, and ensure that supporters know how to sign up, join the event, and bid online. Emphasize that guests will have all the same opportunities they would at an in-person auction. To give them a taste of what to expect, let guests view select auction items ahead of time.

5. Start bidding early to build excitement

By opening your nonprofit’s online auction before the actual event day, you’ll give attendees more time to browse the items at their leisure and decide what they’d like to bid on. Pre-bidding can jumpstart your fundraising, build momentum and anticipation, and extend the life of your auction. 

Follow these top tips to set your team up for success:

• Set parameters. Clearly define the exact date and time at which silent auction pre-bidding will become available on your online auction site.
• Prepare an email blast. Amp up the excitement for pre-bidding with an email communication before the online auction is published. Include the URL of your mobile-friendly catalog so they can start bidding from their smartphones right away.
• Communicate the benefits. Let your guests know they can get a leg up on the competition. Pre-bidding allows your attendees to walk into an event with bids already on the table.
• Don’t show all your cards. You don’t need to release all your items for pre-bidding — remember, you’re trying to build suspense. Only offer a few key items that supporters can bid on early to get a head start on the action.

The key to successful pre-bidding is timing. Offer your supporters enough time to secure an advantage, but not so much that guests get bored. Ideally, a virtual auction should remain open for no longer than 10 days.

6. Monitor the auction and engage with virtual guests

Once the auction officially starts, monitor engagement to ensure the event runs smoothly. This is where your software comes in handy. The right auction solution will help you facilitate higher bids with mobile bidding, outbid notifications, and gamification features.

To boost engagement, consider:

• Livestreaming: Livestreams are an engaging alternative to in-person events. With the right recipe of virtual storytelling, energy, mission moments, and fun, livestreaming entertainment for your online event can be very effective.
• Sending guests notifications: Virtual auction software enables you to instantly notify participants of changes or announcements. Beyond standard outbid notifications (which should be automatic), you can share fundraising updates, promote additional offerings like raffle prizes, or highlight specific items that need more love.

You can also get creative with engagement tactics, whether you’re hosting a fully online charity auction or a hybrid event. The more you can do to get guests back to bidding on their mobile devices, the better.

Choosing online charity auction software

Dedicated auction software is essential for successful nonprofit online auctions. With the right solution, hosting an auction will be smoother than ever before, as you’ll have access to purpose-built capabilities and automation features designed to make your life simpler.

To choose the right software for your upcoming virtual auction, follow these steps:

1. Set a budget. Start by requesting a budget from your nonprofit’s financial staff. This will help you narrow down your search based on cost. Keep in mind that robust software is a long-term investment that will provide value far beyond this particular auction event.
2. Decide on must-have features. Establish which features are must-haves and which would simply be nice to have. Aside from mobile bidding and event management, you may also want to consider marketing capabilities, CRM integrations, and more. 
3. Research top providers. With your budget and list of requirements ready, begin researching top online charity auction software providers. Check out our recommendations below and review third-party websites such as Capterra and G2 as a jumping-off point for your research.
4. Choose your software. Once you have a list of providers that meet your budgetary and feature requirements, request demos, ask questions, and choose the provider that best fits your needs.

Don’t be afraid to contact providers to book free consultations. In these sessions, their tech experts will provide more information about how their software works and whether it’s a good fit for your organization. Additionally, take a look at their testimonials page and online reviews to discover how their clients feel about their services.

Top charity auction sites and providers for nonprofits

Ready to upgrade your toolkit? Explore our list of top online charity auction providers to cover all your bases. 

#1 online auction site for charity: Bonterra OneCause

As the leading auction software provider on the market, Bonterra OneCause provides everything you need to plan and manage your events from beginning to end. We have 18+ years of experience helping more than 14,000 nonprofits reach their fundraising goals. Collectively, we’ve helped nonprofits raise over $8 billion for their causes.

Our solution’s top features include:

• Item management. Streamline the auction item procurement process by generating solicitation letters for corporate sponsors and major donors. After soliciting an item, track each item’s status, log locations, and bundle items into packages.
• Attendee engagement tools. OneCause provides various gamification and attendee engagement tools to keep guests invested throughout your online auction. With live scoreboards listing top bidders, fundraising thermometers that track progress in real time, live chats to facilitate guest interaction, and more, you’re sure to keep guests engaged in your mission.
• Sponsor management. Create customizable online sponsorship packages, encourage engagement with the sponsor’s brand, and track impressions to demonstrate each sponsorship’s success and ROI.
• Marketing and communications. Drive traffic to your event website so guests can purchase tickets, browse auction items, and set up their bidder profile. With OneCause, you can connect with supporters through custom and pre-set text messages in one seamless platform.
• Reporting and analytics. Track key metrics to gauge fundraising progress, item popularity, top bidders, and more. With robust reporting and analytics features, you can make data-driven decisions to improve future auctions and fundraising events.
• AI features. Save up to 8 hours of staff time with AI-generated item descriptions, and maximize auction revenue with smart recommendations for bidders. OneCause leverages the latest technology to help you host your most successful auctions yet.

OneCause is built for flexibility. It makes the auction planning and management process easier for you and gives attendees more opportunities to engage with your nonprofit’s cause. Explore the full range of OneCause auction software features or book a demo to learn more about how our solution can add value to your auctions.

Other Charity Online Auction Sites

ClickBid

ClickBid is a simplified platform for online charity auctions with features like self-checkout, real-time updates, and countdown clocks. Users say Clickbid is an affordable option that works well for small events. However, some users have also noted that many of ClickBid’s features are rigid, and the platform isn’t as intuitive or customizable as some organizations need.

Silent Auction Pro

Marketed as a cost-effective online auction site for charity, Silent Auction Pro offers solutions for both mobile and paper bidding. Its features include online auction catalogs, outbid text and email notifications, and virtual ticket sales. However, some users say that the interface feels outdated.

Top Auction Item Providers

Winspire

If you’re looking to round out your auction items with travel packages, Winspire is the provider for you. Their team of fundraising advisors and travel specialists is dedicated to bringing exciting travel opportunities to the nonprofit sector, and your auction can benefit!

Winspire offers more than 200 unique experiences, making it easy to select experiences that fit your budget and your donors’ preferences. They’ll support your winning bidders in every aspect of the booking and travel process, ensuring they have a great time on their trip. Plus, Winspire operates on a consignment model, meaning you only pay for the packages you successfully auction above a certain value threshold.

Auction Packages

Auction Packages is another provider of diverse travel packages sure to dazzle your donors. They’ve served nonprofits for over 14 years, providing over 250 travel packages for various charity auction events. With destinations from Chile to Madrid to Marrakesh, donors will make once-in-a-lifetime memories while supporting your cause.

When you work with Auction Packages, you’ll look through their list of packages for those best suited for your fundraising goals. Then, you’ll reserve them, offer them at your online charity auction, and report on what sold so winning bidders can redeem their packages.

Inspirato

The global luxury travel market is worth an estimated $1.5 trillion, and it’s only projected to increase in the years to come. This indicates a strong interest in luxury travel — and Inspirato will help you provide that to your auction’s guests.

This auction item provider specializes in luxury accommodations, with multimillion-dollar lodgings and hotel and resort partners spanning the globe. They are determined to make your donors’ stays as comfortable and pleasant as possible, offering on-site concierge services and daily housekeeping. Plus, donors who purchase their travel packages will receive a complimentary Inspirato Travel membership, allowing them to book unlimited travel at members-only rates.

CharityAce

CharityAce provides travel packages hand-selected by top providers across the industry, perfectly crafted to inspire your donors to support your mission. They’re trusted by over 1,000 nonprofits and are sure to offer packages that bring in high bids.

This auction package provider makes the process easy for you by providing marketing materials that you can use to generate increased interest in your online charity auction. CharityAce’s fundraising experts can even customize packages to fit your donors’ needs. And, if travel and experiences aren’t what your donors value, they also offer non-experience items such as memorabilia and jewelry.

Top Auctioneers for Online Charity Auctions

Alpert Enterprises

If your event needs an auctioneer, Alpert Enterprises will help set your auction apart from others by putting on a great show that generates tremendous revenue for your organization. This company is dedicated to working with you to bring creativity and success to your next online charity auction.

Alpert Enterprises specializes in live auctioneering. For virtual events, they’re partnered with premier AV/Technology companies and mobile bidding companies to deliver a flawless online auction experience to guests. They’re well-versed in strategies to keep donors engaged throughout your event, such as fundraising games.

The Gala Team

The Gala Team prides itself on its ability to help nonprofits reach their fundraising goals and support their causes through auctions. Their staff members take a holistic approach to the success of your event, focusing on sharing your mission passionately and recognizing important supporters and bidders.

If you’re considering hosting an online auction as part of a larger virtual fundraising gala, this team has plenty of services to fill your needs. They provide dedicated auctioneers who will engage your audience, present items, and conduct paddle raises; Masters of Ceremonies who will streamline the event experience and keep guests entertained; and other key staff members who will ensure your virtual gala goes off without a hitch.

Best Online Charity Auction Planners

Boundless

Boundless is an impact agency that organizes transformative events for nonprofits, including online charity auctions. They’ve served over 75 missions and raised over $100 million in funds for their nonprofit clients.

This agency’s three-phase approach includes strategic project management, giving platform setup, and an event day logistics team. It starts with a strategic brainstorming session, designed to help unlock your event’s full potential. They also offer experience-focused enhancements for your online charity auction, such as design assets, video production, and post-event services.

Murad Auctions

Murad Auctions is dedicated to taking fundraising events to the next level through its fundraising consulting and auctioneer services. They’ll engineer your live auction, bring new ideas and procedures to your nonprofit, increase efficiency, and educate you on new technology and creative ways to increase auction revenue.

With this agency’s services, you’ll keep guests excited to bid and donate in support of your mission. They’ll handle livestreaming your online charity auction, including live bidding and real-time remote bidding capabilities. Plus, they’ll train your staff members to be confident in handling any future online auctions, including managing live streams, software, auction platforms, and bidding.

Raise more with the best nonprofit online auction software

Online charity auctions are the perfect way to engage a wider audience with a stellar experience that inspires them to give. With the right software and top providers, you’ll be well-equipped to host an impactful event that generates the revenue your nonprofit needs to further its mission.

To learn more about the best online charity auction software, contact our team today and discover how OneCause can power your next event.