A donation plugin's price has three parts
- The license - what you pay for the plugin itself (often a free but limited core).
- Add-ons - features locked behind paid extensions: recurring donations, PDF receipts, fee recovery, tributes, extra gateways.
- Platform fee - a percentage of every donation, on top of Stripe/PayPal's processing fee.
A plugin can advertise "free" and still cost hundreds a year once you add the features you actually need.
WordPress donation plugin pricing compared (2026)
| Plugin | Free tier | Paid plans | Recurring donations | Platform fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donor Merchant | Full plugin | Optional support ($29–149/mo) | Free | 0% |
| GiveWP | Core forms | $199–599/yr (add-ons now come only in plans) | Pro plan ($399/yr) | 2% on free Stripe one-time |
| Charitable | Core forms | $69–299 first year, $149–599 renewal | Plus plan ($99 first year) | 3% on free Stripe |
| Donorbox | Yes | Usage-based | Included | 2.95% on forms |
| WP Simple Pay Lite | Yes | $49.50+/yr | Paid tier | 0% |
Pricing verified October 2026 (WP Simple Pay July 2026); vendors change pricing - confirm current figures on each provider's site.
Why "free" plugins can cost the most
The trap is add-on stacking. A common GiveWP setup - recurring donations, PDF receipts, and fee recovery - needs the Pro plan at $399 a year; add tributes or designated funds and it is Elite at $599. Stay on the free plugin instead and every one-time Stripe gift carries a 2% platform fee. The sticker said free; the invoice didn't.
What you actually need (and shouldn't pay for)
Most organizations need one-time and recurring gifts, card + PayPal, automatic receipts, donor records with export, and fee recovery. Those are the exact features most often paywalled - and the ones Donor Merchant includes free. Compare the full breakdown against GiveWP and Charitable.