Written by A recent report from Warbox has revealed a troubling truth about charity websites – they’re falling short when it comes to user experience. Featured in Charity Times, the findings revealed that the charity sector ranks among the worst for online experiences – with an average website performance score of just 78 (anything between 50-89 needs improvement according to Google).
Visitors are abandoning charity websites that are slow to load or difficult to navigate – and that’s a problem for digital fundraising. Today’s donors expect a smooth, speedy and optimised online donation experience. If they don’t get it, they simply click away.
At goDonate, this news doesn’t come as a complete surprise. We speak to prospective clients – Heads of Fundraising and Individual Giving – all the time, who tell us they’re frustrated with their organisation’s online donor journey. It’s too slow, clunky or confusing – and conversion rates are paying the price.
Why is this happening?
Many fundraising teams already know the pain of trying to drive results through a clunky donation journey. Visitors today – whether they’re donors or online shoppers – expect fast, intuitive, mobile-friendly websites. If they don’t get that, they won’t hang around. The Warbox data echoes this: users are abandoning slower sites in favour of those that offer smoother UX. A delay of just a few seconds or a confusing interface is often all it takes to lose a potential gift.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Proving that charity donation platforms can be both powerful and user-friendly.
As a UK-based online donation platform built specifically for the needs of UK charities and with extensive experience in the sector, we understand the pressures facing fundraising teams – and what today’s donors expect.
At goDonate, we’ve always focused on creating donation journeys that donors actually enjoy using. That means optimising for speed, simplicity and mobile experience as standard – no unnecessary clicks, no fiddly forms, and no waiting around for pages to load.
Our clients regularly achieve conversion rates above the sector average, because we design from the donor’s point of view. That includes:
- Hosted donation pages that load fast and work flawlessly across devices
- Mobile-first design – journeys are built for giving on the go, not just for desktop
- High-converting donation flows – optimised for simplicity, clarity and ease of use
- Support for digital wallets – including Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
- Smart forms – responsive to donor input so users only see the fields they need
The result? Conversion rates above the sector average, improved donor satisfaction, and a platform that works hard behind the scenes so fundraisers can focus on strategy – not tech troubleshooting.
It’s also why so many charities trust goDonate to power their giving platforms – from household names like NSPCC, Macmillan and Royal British Legion, to forward-thinking smaller charities who want to improve performance without a massive digital overhaul.
A platform built for fundraisers, not just developers
We’re not just about providing the tech – we’re here to support you too. We know that many fundraising teams aren’t necessarily overly technical, and shouldn’t have to be. So we take a collaborative, jargon-free approach, working closely with you to keep things simple and effective.
As a team rooted in the UK charity landscape, we’re always focused on what works here – including best practices shaped by the likes of Marie Curie, Help for Heroes and Battersea and other brilliant organisations we’re proud to work with.
If your charity wants a better online donation experience, we’re here to help
The Warbox report makes it clear: poor website performance means lost income and disengaged donors. But with the right partner, it’s possible to turn things around.
Whether you’re looking for a more optimised online giving experience, want to boost digital fundraising success, or simply need a donation platform that just works, goDonate offers a proven path forward.
Let’s make giving online feel effortless – for every supporter