# Page 4 | GiveSmart Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 4 - Is GiveSmart the right Event Management solution for you? Explore 203 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/130794/GiveSmart/reviews --- GiveSmart 4.5 (203) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/130794/GiveSmart/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 4 - Reviews of GiveSmart ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 76-100 of 203 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use MO Michelle O. Development Representative Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Advancing our Advancement" August 28, 2019 4.0 Pros With the GiveSmart software we are able to provide instantaneous reports, detailed information and trends to our committees and boards. The analysis helps us plan for future events and activities while also relieving our staff of some of the tedious reporting that used to take days to complete. Cons Sometimes the closing of an event or checkout of guests who have paid after an event or didn't make a payment can be confusing and tricky for both our staff and the guest. Review Source SR Shannon R. Director of Advancement Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Product and Results" August 14, 2019 5.0 Pros The software allowed us in real time to see purchases and where we were compared to goal. We were able to adjust tactics during our event to ensure we reached full potential. Without the software we wouldn't have known where our efforts needed to be focused. Cons Having to enter in multiple items for something like our t-shirt sales, was laborious. Reason for choosing GiveSmart Because it seemed the most user-friendly, easy interface and much more cost efficient for our organization, allowing us to direct more of the proceeds towards our financial aid support. Review Source AC Amy C. Director of Special Events Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Givesmart for fundraising" July 20, 2023 4.0 Pros Givesmart's platform looks great on the user end. it had all the functionalities I was use to and the price was better. Once I got used to the back end, I was able to set up my site easily Cons There is a strong learning curve (at least for me) and I felt it was not as user friendly as other platforms. Some things were not very intuitive and took a lot of trial and error to figure out. Learning the system was time consuming and many features are still not available. Reason for choosing GiveSmart similar platform to OneCause which is what I was most familiar with Switched from [OneCause](https://www.capterra.com/p/145329/Fundraising-Software/) price and customer experience with OneCause Review Source MD Mary D. Assistant Executive Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Gesture helped to organize our large event planning and provided great customer service." October 27, 2017 4.0 I have recommended this product to quite a few non profits for the ease of use and the fact that it combines several event planning tasks into one platform. Pros The software allowed us to get rid of excel sheets and a separate ticketing vendor. We like the auction capabilities and simplicity of use. We like that Gesture makes enhancements and improvements based on user feedback. We like the ability to use the helpdesk chat function when we have a question. We like the dashboard and reports. Unrelated to software , but a nice customer service perk is that you have a rep designated to you. Cons A few improvements can be made (as with any software) and when I suggest them, they are escalated. I have been very pleased over the years and plan to continue to use Gesture. Review Source MH Morgan H. Campaign Development Manager Philanthropy Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Worked Great For In-Person & Virtual Events" October 13, 2020 5.0 We love using Givesmart. We have used them for both virtual and in-person events and they have been so easy to work with. They are able to help us customize their product to our events and make it seamless for the volunteer/donor. Pros \-Trainings -One on one support - Ability to customize Cons \-Challenge when using a bid number system when money is going to certain volunteers - hard to import volunteer information Review Source SW Seth W. Benefit Auctioneer Specialist Fund-Raising Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great software for Online Benefit Auctions" September 15, 2020 5.0 They have a great costumer support team as well as on site team. Have had nothing but good experiences with their software and team. Pros I like that you can have multiple photos per auction item as well as items can be in more than one Category! These are GREAT features that separate their product from others. Cons The price is a bit too high for a lot of my clients, especially if its for a one off event. Alternatives considered [Qtego](https://www.capterra.com/p/207552/Qtego/)[Auctria](https://www.capterra.com/p/112910/Auctria/)[Greater Giving](https://www.capterra.com/p/127257/Event-Software/)[OneCause](https://www.capterra.com/p/145329/Fundraising-Software/) Reason for choosing GiveSmart Due to their sales team, support team, and ability for items to be in more than one category and have several photos. Review Source TS Tracy S. Kindervelt Past President Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "GiveSmart for Nonprofits" August 28, 2019 5.0 Our organization uses GiveSmart for silent auction bidding, live auction bidding, event registrations, text-to-donate, and more. It has benefited our nonprofit in many ways; ease of use, reaching more supporters, and great record keeping. It is so easy! Pros GiveSmart is easy to use and has increased our fundraising by thousands of dollars. The staff is very accessible and make using the product easy. Cons We have had a few issues with event managers and workers, but nothing that wasn't worked through successfully. Reason for choosing GiveSmart It was used by a member and we approached them and never turned back. Review Source HF Hailley F. Event Specialist Events Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Easy to use for the most part!" April 23, 2019 5.0 Pros I train on-site staff with GiveSmart weekly, and the software is usually very easy for them to pick up and use, which makes my life a lot easier! There are lots of reports available for the client as well. Cons There are some needed features that myself and my colleagues have requested, such as: ability to check in 2 guests at once, easier way to add credit card to guests that are already checked it, etc. Hopefully these features will be rolled out soon. Review Source Beonca C. Event Coordinator Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Wonderful company to work with! " November 6, 2017 5.0 Pros The user interface was a great experience for our bidders while the backend of the platform was simple and easy for our staff to navigate and use. The Gesture staff was awesome! They were always there to answer any questions every step of the way. Cons While the current photo process is very simple, I would like to see an automatic pairing of photos with items when doing a mass upload of items into the system instead of adding each individually. Review Source MR Melissa R. Golf Classic Chair Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Grateful for support but...." October 14, 2020 4.0 Great customer support! \[SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN\] was amazing, so patient and kind when I showed my lack of technical finesse. Was a great guide thru the process. Really appreciate her support! Pros It is easy to use the basics of the program. The support I received was great on the things I did not know. Cons It is limited in what you can do. Wish Donations, Sponsorship and Tickets had a separate tab. Confusing where they are put. Do not like offering FREE ticket item to help gather information AND keep head count but then get charged a fee from Give Smart. Review Source BS Ben S. Director of Institutional Giving Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Such an upgrade from doing an auction on paper. Can't believe we waited so long to make the switch." May 22, 2018 4.0 Ease of use and real time results. Also having GiveSmart employees at the event. Pros Having used this 3 years now, I appreciate being able to access previous years' info and descriptions. The reporting functionality is fantastic and I love being able to see results in real time. Cons 1\. I wish we could have several screens for the same item. Silent Auction packages are sometimes made up of a few items and it would be nice to showcase those items visually on more than one available page. 2. Similarly, the automated process of creating table tents/placards for your project is not ideal. The available space for an image is too small, as is font size. You don't want people squinting at your package descriptions. Review Source RB Rebecca B. Assistant Head of School Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Very Helpful" October 19, 2020 5.0 Great experience. Pros Give Smart is easy to use and has a great support staff to help you through the entirety of your event and use of the software. Cons We only use it once a year, so I wish it cost less for one time users. Alternatives considered [OneCause](https://www.capterra.com/p/145329/Fundraising-Software/) Reason for choosing GiveSmart Price for what we needed and used. Review Source CT Chris T. Sr. Business Analyst Fund-Raising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great way to improve your auction" August 12, 2019 4.0 Overall, this software has helped us organize our dinner auction better, have a faster checkout and engage our guests earlier. Pros Easy to use. Downloadable reports. Mobile friendly Cons Entering items and descriptions are very time consuming. IT would be nice to figure out a faster and better way to do this Switched from [Auction Software](https://www.capterra.com/p/136964/Auction-Software/) We wanted a web version Review Source RS Rebecca S. Events/Marketing Manager Civic & Social Organization Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great option for Virtual Silent Auctions!" October 21, 2020 5.0 The setup was nice and easy! The video tutorials were a huge help. Pros GiveSmart made it was to switch to an online Silent Auction. It it easy to set up and very user-friendly. We like being able to manually close out the Auction and add shipping costs to the Bid Winner's account. The Ads allow us to share our Sponsors logos. Our Users seem to really enjoy this online auction! Cons I wish you could edit individual letters before sending out. We typically have donors donate multiple items and it would be nice to have all their items listed in the Thank You letter instead of one letter per item. Reason for choosing GiveSmart GiveSmart seemed to be the best option for our organization. We are statewide, but have a small staff, so needed something easy and be able to share a Silent Auction with our audience. Review Source JC Jennifer C. Campaign Manager Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "GiveSmart Auction Management" October 19, 2020 5.0 Pros GiveSmart is an easy way to integrate fully functional auction and bidding management software in any organization. Our team was able to get up to speed quickly with the help of the GiveSmart team, and their support was fantastic. Cons I'd love for there to be additional tools integrated for communicating with registered users. Auto-generated messages during registration that we have the ability to customize. Reason for choosing GiveSmart The training and user resources made this product our top choice! Review Source JS Judi S. Director of Special Events Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The technology allows us to run great auctions and easy registration." May 14, 2018 5.0 Pros It makes every aspect of running the inside logistics so much easier. Auctions raise more money, texting keeps all communications flowing and ultimately drives revenue. Cons There's still some room to grow and some features that can be implemented that would be so helpful. Review Source KF Katie F. Marketing Director Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Would absolutely recommend" August 12, 2019 5.0 Great! Both customer support and the system itself has been really great to work with. Pros Ease of use, definitely. Reporting is easy, POS/refunds are a dream, and I really like how easy it is to set up every year. Cons I'd like to see more customization options! Like creating our own URL, an open API that feeds more readily into our booking software, more photos/colors/button looks. Our event is unique in that it's two parts and has a fitness component, but more customization would be great. Review Source KJ Kristin J. Director of Development Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "4 out of 5 stars" October 13, 2020 5.0 Pros I love the variable features based on the needs of your events. Cons The communication/messaging from the system is HORRIBLE. You can not use HTML code - and most people have no idea how to do source code or where to find it and there seems to be a character limit maybe? You cant update the subject lines either to get rid of the "NOTIFICATION" verbiage and thus the emails keep going to SPAM. The messaging/communication needs SERIOUS work. It is such a key part of communicating with donors/participants and this platform is basically unusable for us in that area. Review Source NP Nadine P. Events and Community Partnerships Manager Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "GiveSmart makes things easy!" August 15, 2019 5.0 GiveSmart is a very attentive, knowledgeable, and organized company that really has seemed to master the event registration process from start to finish. As a nonprofit event professional, it is so nice to feel completely at ease about the aspects of our events that GiveSmart is a part of. Pros What I like most about this software is the customization capabilities and just how easy it really is to use! Cons I can't think of something right off-hand that I dislike about the software. Review Source AF Angi F. Director of Development Fund-Raising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "GiveSmart for Auctions" March 14, 2024 5.0 They have superior customer service at GiveSmart. Pros We like the ease of use, features, and customer service. Cons There are less expensive options available that offer many of the same features. Review Source MC Monica C. Executive Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Software is easy to learn and use. My team felt good support. Dashboard is very motivating" October 30, 2017 5.0 Great tracking of donors and donations; an easy and effective platform to highlight sponsors of our event; a great summary of our night. Pros We love the dashboard. It's incredibly motivating to see our progress as the event unfolds. We also can compare last year's dashboard to this years and know where we need to step it up. The second best feature are the sponsor ads. We like how they are not only on the homepage but integrated through the software. Cons Limited design capability and limited selection on display board that we used for Fund the Need. We thought sponsors names would appear after they hit the donate button, but names kept coming alphabetically. Review Source AK Aimee K. Director of Community Relations & Business Solutions Consumer Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "GiveSmart for Dinner Auction" August 20, 2019 4.0 We have used GiveSmart for a couple annual dinner auctions and it has worked well as a bidding tool. Users seem to get the hang of it very quickly and it's easy for us to track the revenue generated from our event. Pros GiveSmart allows us to use their product for as many events as we need within a year. From our annual fundraising dinner, to art classes for 10 people, the product is flexible enough to meet our needs. Cons The costs associated with the product nearly prevented our board/leadership from approving the purchase. Reason for choosing GiveSmart We used GiveSmart last year and decided to keep it so we would have all of the event history in one place. Review Source BS Barbara S. IT Chair Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great experience with Gesture from start to finish. A few glitches but overall, great!" November 2, 2017 5.0 Pros Ease of use setting up the site with important information. Also, inputting registrants who pay with a check. Honestly, just about everything or we would not have used Gesture for a second time. Support was fantastic! Cons Online Help! Difficult to navigate when in a hurry, too many screens to go through, need to print help or have a download capability such as a User Manual especially for new people. This might seem trite but the blue "Help" button is in the way when trying to work with a list or read a screen. Keep it at the top and turn it blue. Some of the dashboard items are difficult to get the right reports out of. Review Source RK Rob K. Director of Development Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The good stuff..." October 13, 2020 5.0 I would recommend GiveSmart 100%. They are professional and have a great product. Pros I like the interface. It is professional and easy to use as an administrator and a user. Cons I think it's a little on the pricey side of things. Reason for choosing GiveSmart Professionalism Review Source MG Maggie G. Director of Alumnae Engagement Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Program!" September 24, 2019 4.0 GiveSmart is great for our needs, and we are happy with the final product that it provides our fundraising efforts. Pros The software provides many features that make it easy to pull and run reports. The layout is simple and easy to use from a customer standpoint. Cons Adding an admin user was difficult, and there are many ins and outs of the admin side that require some training and additional customer service support. Review Source Similar Products Featured