Here at goDonate, we’ve just released our latest Online Donations Insights Report – and it confirms what many of us already suspected: mobile giving for charities is dominating, and charities that provide an optimised donation journey are seeing the results.
If your charity is looking to increase online donations, attract more regular givers, and improve donor conversion rates, here’s what the data is telling us — and how you can act on it.
Mobile Giving Is Now the Main Way Donors Give
We analysed over £25 million in UK charity income processed through our online donation platform in the last year — and the shift to mobile couldn’t be clearer:
- 61% of regular donations were made via mobile
- 40% of one-off donations also came from mobile users
- 60% of one-off mobile donations used a digital wallet
- 17% of regular donations used a digital wallet
This means most supporters are choosing to give from their phone — and they expect the same speed and ease they get from other digital experiences. If your charity donation platform isn’t designed for mobile-first giving, you’re likely missing out.
Digital Wallets Are Driving Faster, Easier Donations
We’re seeing a rapid rise in the use of digital wallets for charity donations — with Apple Pay now more popular than PayPal among mobile users. In fact, 30% of all mobile one-off donations made on goDonate used Apple Pay in 2024.
For charities, supporting digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal is no longer optional. It’s essential for reducing drop-off and increasing donor conversion rates — especially among younger supporters and those giving on mobile.
Why a Frictionless, Optimised Donation Journey Matters
If you’re asking how to increase online donations, one of the first things to look at is the experience itself. Are you offering:
- Fast page load times on mobile?
- A clean, distraction-free form layout?
- Support for digital wallets and card payments?
- Simple, intuitive flows that encourage repeat giving?
Our platform is designed to support all of the above. goDonate is a white-labelled online donation platform fully integrated with your website, CRM and brand — giving your donors a smooth experience while giving your team the tools to test, customise and optimise campaigns.
In-Memory Giving Remains a High-Value Area
Our data also showed that in-memory donations continue to play a key role in online giving. These gifts made up 26% of all single personal donations, with an average value of £78.88 — significantly higher than most other types of donation.
We recommend treating in-memory donations separately in your reporting and stewardship. These donors are often emotionally invested and can become long-term supporters if their journey is handled with care.
Key Takeaways for Charity Fundraising Teams
If your charity wants to improve your online donation experience and see better results, here’s where to focus:
- Prioritise a mobile-first donation journey
- Support digital wallets for fundraising
- Use a platform that helps you increase donor conversion rates
- Personalise and track high-value gifts like in-memory donations
“People want to give in the moment — usually from their phone,” says our Founder & CEO, Vicky Reeves. “Make the experience quick, easy and trustworthy, and your donation income will reflect it.”
People want to give in the moment — usually from their phone
Vicky Reeves – CEO, goDonate
Let’s Improve Your Online Donation Experience
We help charities across the UK – including NSPCC, Battersea, Help for Heroes and Marie Curie – deliver seamless digital giving journeys that increase online donations, boost regular giving, and make every donation count.
If you’re looking for the best donation platform in the UK to grow your digital fundraising, we’d love to talk.
Mobile giving refers to donations made via smartphones and mobile devices. It is growing rapidly because most supporters prefer giving quickly from their phones, and mobile payment tools such as digital wallets make the experience fast and convenient.
Recent data shows that a majority of regular donations (around 61%) and a large share of one off donations (about 40%) are made on mobile devices, making mobile the dominant donation channel.
Digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal are driving faster, easier giving. A significant share of mobile giving uses these wallets, especially for one off gifts, reducing friction and boosting conversions.
Charities should build mobile first donation journeys by ensuring fast load speeds, clean forms, minimal steps, and support for major digital wallets to reduce drop offs and increase conversion rates.
A frictionless mobile experience, including clean layouts and digital payment options, tends to increase donor conversion and attract more regular givers by meeting supporter expectations for simplicity and speed.
In memory gifts, often made online, represent a sizeable share of single donations and are typically higher in value. Treating them as a distinct category can help charities steward these emotionally invested supporters more effectively.
Younger audiences are especially likely to use mobile devices and digital wallets for donations, making mobile optimisation a key strategy for engaging these donor segments.
Focus on mobile first donation journeys, support for digital wallets, and personalised donor experiences. These elements help charities capture more donations and build long term supporter relationships.