How to choose online payment gateway for NGOs

(Last Updated On: April 19, 2023)

Choosing an online payment gateway for NGOs (non-Government organisations) is easy; you just need to know who to trust with your money.

So, we came up with a short guide to help you choose the right online payment gateway for your NGO.

India has over three million NGOs, which happens to be more than double the number of schools and hundreds of times the number of government hospitals.

Since the onset of online payment gateways taking over the internet, it has proved both a blessing and a curse for NGOs to collect donations. While collecting payments online has proved easier in terms of providing different modes of payment, it has also become harder for small-wing NGOs to acquire the trust factor from payment gateways.

Choosing online payment gateways for NGOs to collect donations

If you are part of an NGO, then collecting donations online from trusted donors, fundraisers and the public, require one main requirement; trust.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind when choosing a payment gateway for NGOs:

1. Transaction fees

You shouldn’t have to pay a hefty price to collect donations online. Read online to know how much online payment gateways in India are charging. Look for payment aggregators that do Check how much your payment gateways charge for each transaction. Read the terms and conditions, and do not agree to pay more than you need to when using the platform.

2. Secure Payment gateway

How safe is your chosen payment gateway? Read reviews on external platforms like Quora, Reddit and other payment forums. Choose a popular, established payment gateway, and it doesn’t hurt to know what the larger organisations are using.

3. Processing time

If your NGO is collecting donations for an event, you will need to receive payouts quicker. The standard payout time for payment gateways is T+3 days.

4. International payments

When choosing an online payment gateway for NGO, make sure your preferred processor can facilitate international donations. NGOs have beneficiaries all over the globe, and once you nail the fundraising game, you will receive international contributions from well-wishers.

5. Payment method

Donors prefer a platform with multiple payment modes. For instance, UPI helps them contribute small amounts to your NGO website in just 2 steps. Donors who wish to make larger donations can do so using the NEFT feature on the site.

6. Transfer limit

How much money can you receive at once from your payment gateway – if you are looking to raise funds from grant agencies, chances are the amount could be a big amount. So when you choose an online payment gateway for your NGO, you need to make sure they do not have a cap on the amount that is allowed to be transferred.

How Instamojo helps NGOs collect online payments

Instamojo has long been in the payment gateway business for over 7 years. Instamojo has primarily facilitated an online payment gateway for small businesses, but over the past few years, we have enabled a number of developmental organizations to collect donations and raise funds online.

We have worked with a number of NGOs including Amnesty International, Milaap, smallchange.org and CRY.

Here is why you can use Instamojo to collect your donations for your NGO:

1. Safe and secure online payments with PCI-DSS compliance.
2. Zero setup fee. You can sign up on Instamojo for free, and start collecting payments in just 2 minutes!
3. Use Instamojo’s quick payment links and embed them to your website so that your donors can easily submit their contributions.

How iGiver uses Instamojo to collect donations

iGiver, an NGO that helps orphanages, collects donations online on their website by integrating the Instamojo payment gateway. The organisation catalogues its list of fundraising programs on the online store and allow customers to donate with any payment method of their choice.

Online donation FAQs

1. What is the best way to collect donations online?

The best way to collect donations online is by integrating the Instamojo payment gateway to your NGO’s website. You can reach out to our support team for more details. If you don’t have a website, the best way is to use a payment link or Smart Page. 

2. Can I accept donations on my NGO’s website?

Yes, If your business has a website, you can collect payments with a payment gateway integration on your website.

3. Can I use Instamojo for donation purposes?

Yes, you can use Instamojo for donation purposes. We have enabled a number of developmental organizations and NGOs including Amnesty International, Milaap, smallchange.org, and CRY to collect donations and raise funds online.

4. How can I add a donations payment gateway to our not-for-profit organization website in India?

Sign up on Instamojo and complete your setup. Create a payment request and add the payment link to your app/site. Get donations credited into your registered bank account in T+3 Bank working days.

5. How do I collect donations online without a website?

If your NGO does not have a website, you can accept payments from donors online with a payment link or Smart link. As the name suggests, this is a link that you create and share online. Donors can click on the link and they will be redirected to a payment gateway where they can make a secure donation to your account. You can also collect their details and send them a bill.

6. How can I make a donation link?

For donation links, you can use Instamojo payment links and ask for donations from multiple individuals at once. You can instantly collect donations via Quick Links or Smart links. To know more about Instamojo payment links, read this blog.  

There are many hurdles to cross as an NGO in the online space: How do you build trust and what factors would you consider before starting? Read this blog to find out more about collecting donations online.

If you have an NGO and are looking for more than just a payment gateway, then get in touch with us. Leave us your email in the comments and we can feature your story on our blog too.

Let’s build better communities together!

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