SchoolAuction.net
Auction software
Fundraising software
Nonprofit software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
Take the quiz to check if SchoolAuction.net and its alternatives fit your requirements.
Pay-as-you-go
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
-
What is SchoolAuction.net
SchoolAuction.net is a web-based fundraising and auction management platform used by schools and nonprofit groups to run silent auctions, online auctions, and related fundraising events. It supports item procurement and cataloging, bidder registration, bidding, checkout, and donor/participant communications. The product is commonly used for school auctions and similar community fundraising events where organizers need integrated auction workflows and payment processing.
Auction-focused event workflows
The product centers on auction operations such as item entry, bid tracking, and checkout, which aligns with school and nonprofit auction use cases. This focus can reduce reliance on spreadsheets and manual reconciliation. It is designed for organizers running recurring annual auctions and similar fundraising events.
Online and in-person support
SchoolAuction.net supports online bidding and can be used alongside in-person event activities, which helps organizations run hybrid-style auctions. This is useful for groups that want to extend bidding beyond a single event night. It also supports common auction constructs such as packages, categories, and donor attribution.
Fundraising administration features
Beyond bidding, the platform includes fundraising administration capabilities such as donor tracking and participant communications. These features help connect auction results to fundraising records and acknowledgements. For school groups, this can streamline coordination across volunteers and committees.
Primarily auction-centric scope
Organizations seeking a broader, all-in-one fundraising suite (e.g., year-round giving, peer-to-peer, and advanced donor management) may find the product more event/auction oriented. Teams may need additional systems for ongoing donor cultivation and CRM workflows. This can increase integration or data export needs.
Integration depth may vary
Compared with platforms that emphasize extensive native integrations and open APIs, integration options may be more limited or require workarounds depending on the organization’s stack. This can affect how easily data syncs with accounting, CRM, or email marketing tools. Buyers typically need to validate export formats and integration capabilities during evaluation.
Reporting and customization constraints
Event teams with complex reporting requirements (e.g., highly customized dashboards, multi-entity rollups, or advanced segmentation) may encounter limitations. Customization of bidder/donor experiences and forms may not match the flexibility of more configurable platforms. Organizations should confirm available templates, branding controls, and report granularity.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price (Non‑Profit / Corporate) | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Acorn | $79 / event (Non‑Profit) · $199 / event (Corporate) | Pay-as-you-grow single-event option; full-service event software. Credit-card processing: 3% + $0.30 per transaction; 3% performance fee (platform). Free trial available. Available to US organizations with a business or non-profit tax ID. |
| Essentials | $1,000 / year (Non‑Profit) · $2,000 / year (Corporate) | Traditional tools for annual galas/online auctions. Credit-card processing: 3% + $0.30 per transaction; No performance fee. Free trial available. |
| Plus | $1,500 / year (Non‑Profit) · $2,500 / year (Corporate) | Unlimited event sites; mobile bidding; athons/peer-to-peer; text-to-give; talent contests; option to connect your existing credit-card processor via supported gateways. No performance fee. Free trial available. |
| Professional | $2,000 / year (Non‑Profit) · $3,000 / year (Corporate) | Adds Virtual Live Auctions and Hybrid (simultaneous paddle + virtual) tools; personal webinars and phone support; option to use your own processor; No performance fee. Free trial available. |
