Cash App for nonprofits: How to set it up (the right way)

Cash App is one of the fastest-growing digital wallets in the U.S., especially among younger generations. With over 57 million monthly users and a frictionless mobile experience, it’s quickly becoming a go-to option for spontaneous, social, and on-the-go giving.

Nonprofits are catching on. And with Givebutter, you can tap into this growing donor base without extra setup or separate accounts—just one seamless, secure donation flow with full donor tracking.

In this guide, you’ll learn how Cash App works for nonprofits, what to watch out for, and how Givebutter makes it easier than ever to incorporate Cash App into your fundraising strategy.

Key takeaways

• Cash App is extremely popular with younger donors, especially Gen Z and Millennials, and offers a fast, familiar mobile giving experience.
• Givebutter is one of the first fundraising platforms to add Cash App Pay as a fully integrated, secure donation method on any Givebutter campaign, right alongside other options like Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, and more. 
• Nonprofits don’t need a separate Cash App account to fundraise with Givebutter. Cash App Pay automatically appears as a payment option on all donation forms, fundraising pages, and events. 
• While Cash App is a widely used digital wallet app, it lacks key nonprofit features like tax receipts, recurring gifts, and CRM integration.
• Givebutter fills every gap, offering donation forms with Cash App Pay, receipt automation, donor tracking, recurring giving options, engagement tools, and real-time reporting, all in one place.

How does Cash App work for nonprofits?

Cash App is a mobile payment app that lets people send and receive money instantly. While it wasn’t initially designed for nonprofit fundraising, many grassroots groups and small organizations use it to collect donations on the go.

In the past, nonprofits set up a $cashtag or business account and shared a link or QR code to collect gifts separately from their other fundraising tools. Today, platforms like Givebutter make it easy (and more secure) to fundraise with Cash App in the same place that you’re already collecting tickets, auction bids, and online gifts. 

Keep reading, and we’ll show you how to get started.

How to set up Cash App for nonprofits

You’ve got two options: set up Cash App the old way with a few limitations, or use Givebutter to do it the right way—fully integrated, fully secure, and no extra account needed.

Recommended way: Use Givebutter to fundraise with Cash App

Skip the manual setup and use a fundraising platform that does the work for you—no more juggling different accounts, less fees, and way more benefits.

With Givebutter, you get:

• Cash App as a built-in payment option—no Cash App nonprofit account required
• Full donor tracking and tax-compliant receipts
• Automatic recurring giving and CRM tools
• Secure checkout with other convenient payment methods like Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal, and more
• One place for events, forms, and campaigns

The best part? You don’t even need a Cash App account to get started.

💡 Pro tip: You can also enable scan-to-donate and text-to-donate to give your supporters more mobile-friendly ways to contribute, even at events or on social media.

Old way: Use Cash App directly

If you’re not ready to jump into a full fundraising platform but donors are asking to give via Cash App, you can go the DIY route. While it’s quick to set up, there are some important tradeoffs to consider (see pros and cons below).

Here’s how to set it up:

• Download Cash App, sign up, and switch to a business account (avoid using a personal account for fundraising) 
• Customize your profile with your organization's name, logo, and $cashtag
• Link your nonprofit’s bank account
• Start sharing your donation link and QR code with supporters

📝 Keep in mind: Cash App doesn’t provide tax-compliant receipts, donor data, or CRM integration. You’ll need to track everything manually and follow up with donors yourself.

Cash App fees for nonprofits

If you use Cash App directly, business accounts include a 2.6% + $0.15 processing fee on each payment. Personal accounts have no fees for standard bank transfers, but they aren’t recommended for nonprofits due to restrictions and a lack of verification.

If you use Givebutter, you don’t need a Cash App account at all. Givebutter uses a transparent tip-or-fee model, so you don’t pay platform fees. And since 95% of donors opt to cover standard processing fees, your nonprofit keeps more of every donation.

Pros and cons of Cash App for nonprofits 

Cash App has major appeal for modern donors, especially Gen Z and Millennials, who expect fast, mobile-first ways to give. But it wasn’t designed with nonprofits in mind, which can create extra work and missed opportunities.

What makes Cash App great for donors:

✅ Familiar to donors: Especially younger generations

✅ Fast and user-friendly: Ideal for spontaneous or social media-based giving

✅ Easy to set up: Start collecting with just a $cashtag

✅ Reduces drop-off: 16% higher donation success rate than credit cards on mobile

What’s missing for nonprofits:

❌ No recurring gift options: Can’t set up or manage monthly giving

❌ No tax receipts or CRM integration: Recordkeeping is fully manual

❌ No donor data: No access to donors’ contact information for continued stewardship

❌ Not built for nonprofits: No nonprofit verification or built-in fundraising tools

🏆 How to get the best of both worlds: Fundraising on Givebutter keeps everything donors love about Cash App and solves every con listed above—with built-in receipts, donor data, recurring giving, and fundraising tools automatically included.

Should my nonprofit use Cash App?

With over 57 million monthly users, nearly 70% under age 35, Cash App is fast, free, and donor-friendly, making it appealing to nonprofits and supporters. 

Cash App can work well for your organization, especially if you use it through a fundraising platform to support the donation process.

With Givebutter, you get to enjoy all of the benefits of Cash App for nonprofits without any of the drawbacks:

• A mobile-first payment method your supporters already love‍
• Plus the donor data, tax-compliant receipts, CRM tools, and automation your nonprofit needs to build trust, save time, and grow—without lifting a finger

It’s everything you wish Cash App could do, baked right into your fundraising platform.

Make Cash App fundraising seamless with Givebutter

Cash App is one of the most popular ways to send and spend money today—especially for younger, mobile-first supporters. Now, it’s available on Givebutter as a fully integrated payment option on every form, page, and event—no extra setup, no separate account, and no missing features.

While Cash App alone comes with limitations for nonprofits, Givebutter fills every gap—offering automated donation receipts, recurring giving, donor tracking, and everything else you need to grow and engage your community.

Whether you're looking to meet donors where they are or offer more flexible ways to give, Givebutter makes it easy to incorporate Cash App into your fundraising—right out of the box.

Sign up for Givebutter and add Cash App to your fundraising toolkit today.