Kindest Events

Kindest Events is event ticketing software for nonprofits, bringing registration, donations, donor data, ticketing, and check-in into one place. Organizations can create branded event pages with images, schedules, content, event details, and included items. Ticket types can carry prices, descriptions, fair market values, and capacity limits; exclusive or invite-only options can be hidden. Staff can manage attendee information and bid, table, or seat assignments, then check guests in by name, email, or ticket code. Attendee details can be edited at the door, with live check-in counts available. The Totalizer displays incoming donations and donor names live on every plan. For auctions, winning bids can be displayed at live events, but not online auctions. Integrations listed include Salesforce, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Chariot, Double the Donation, Google Ads, Bloomerang, and Stripe. Kindest supports in-person events on Android, iOS, and web. Kickstart is free; Growth is $1,800 a year. Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, and plan-dependent platform fees can reach 5%.

Kindest Events combines event registration, ticketing, donations, attendee management, and check-in for nonprofit events. Review the per-transaction and platform fees when considering a plan.

Kindest Events suits small and growing nonprofits managing in-person fundraising events. It may fit organizations that need ticketing, attendee assignment and check-in, and donation displays in one system.

Kindest Events is built for small and growing nonprofits running in-person fundraisers. It combines branded registration, ticket sales, guest logistics, donations, and check-in in one cloud platform. Choose it when live fundraising visibility and nonprofit-specific attendee controls matter more than minimizing transaction costs or supporting online auctions.

Overview

Organizations can create event pages with their own images, branding, schedules, event details, and included items. Ticket types support descriptions, prices, fair market values, capacity limits, and hidden options for invite-only or exclusive access. Registration, invitations, attendance reporting, and check-in cover the practical workflow from sign-up to arrival.

The fundraising layer is a genuine differentiator. The Totalizer displays incoming donations and donor names live and is included on every plan, making donation progress visible during an event rather than leaving it in back-office reports. Kindest is focused on in-person events; organizations needing online event formats should look elsewhere. Live-auction winning bids can be displayed, but online-auction winning bids cannot.

Key features

• Attendee management: Assign bids, tables, and seats, collect attendee information, and import or export attendee lists. These tools suit gala seating and guest administration, although they are event-focused rather than a broad donor CRM.
• Check-in: Staff can find guests by name, email, or ticket code, edit attendee details at the door, and monitor live check-in counts. That combination is useful when last-minute changes are common.
• Fundraising and integrations: Totalizer works across all plans. Integrations include Salesforce, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Chariot, Double the Donation, Google Ads, Bloomerang, and Stripe, though connected services may add their own charges.
• Payments and security: Stripe processes payments at 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, while Kindest applies a plan-dependent platform fee of up to 5%. Kindest says card data remains with third-party processors and describes physical, electronic, and managerial safeguards. Unless requested otherwise in writing, account personal information may be retained for up to 90 days after termination, subject to legal exceptions.

Pricing

Kickstart is free. It includes three admin seats and carries a 5% platform fee, waived for the first $50,000 of the first year. Core integrations may involve third-party fees, and support is by email. This is a sensible starting point for a small nonprofit validating its event workflow, but the fee becomes material as paid registrations and donations grow.

Growth costs $1,800 per year, billed annually. It includes Kickstart features, lowers the platform fee to 3.75%, and adds 12 hours of one-to-one sessions, allocated at one hour per month. Paid subscribers can receive email, live chat, and screenshare support; Growth also includes private Slack support. SMS usage rates may apply. The annual fee makes Growth easier to justify for organizations that need guided setup or expect enough volume for the lower percentage to offset the subscription.

Both plans still incur Stripe's processing charge, so the advertised plan price is not the full cost of a paid transaction. Review expected volume and any integration or SMS charges before committing.

Platforms

Kindest Events runs on Android, iOS, and the web. Its supported event format is in-person, matching the platform's check-in and seating emphasis.

Who it's for

Small and growing nonprofits that need ticketing, invitations, attendee assignments, donation displays, and door check-in together are the clearest fit. It is less suitable for online auctions, virtual-first events, or organizations seeking the lowest possible fee on high-volume transactions.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Live donation totals and donor names are included on every plan, supporting visible fundraising during events.
• Bid, table, seat, capacity, and guest-list controls address common nonprofit gala requirements.
• Growth combines a lower platform percentage with scheduled one-to-one guidance and private Slack support.
• Broad nonprofit-oriented integrations can connect event activity with fundraising and marketing systems.

Cons

• The 5% Kickstart platform fee, plus Stripe processing, can outweigh the free subscription as volume rises.
• Growth requires an annual $1,800 payment, which may not suit occasional events.
• Online-auction winning bids are not displayed.
• Only three admin seats are included in Kickstart.

Alternatives

For a general-purpose marketplace with free event publishing and free tickets without ticketing fees, consider Eventbrite. Humanitix is another freemium option, with free events carrying no ticket fee and a paid-ticket plan priced per ticket. RunSignup fits organizers wanting free events with no processing fee on a $0 cart. Choose Zoho Backstage when a free tier's explicit limits of 100 attendees, 300 RSVP invites, three sessions, three speakers, and one event day are acceptable. RegFox offers a $0 monthly plan with a $0.99 plus 1% paid-registration charge and a $4.99 per-registrant cap. Zeffy is a free alternative with donation forms, event ticketing, peer-to-peer campaigns, donor management, and email tools. Cvent suits organizations wanting a paid, modular registration suite with a free trial for its registration product. Tessitura is a paid option for organizations prepared to request custom pricing.

For more options, browse Nonprofit Event Management Software.

Verdict

Kindest Events is a strong choice for a nonprofit running an in-person fundraiser that wants registration, seating, check-in, and live donation visibility in one system. The main reasons to look elsewhere are the cumulative platform and Stripe fees, the annual Growth commitment, and the inability to show winning bids for online auctions.