I Examined the 8 Finest Public sale Software program That Made Bidding Simpler

Having labored in numerous nonprofits for over 4 years, I’ve seen firsthand the complexities of establishing fundraisers, from managing donations to dealing with last-minute bidder requests. I perceive the behind-the-scenes effort it takes to tug off a profitable public sale and why having the suitable instruments could make all of the distinction.

Organizing an public sale is difficult sufficient. What makes it even more durable is managing all the pieces manually or with outdated techniques. With out the greatest public sale software program, you danger errors, inefficiencies, and annoyed donors who might hesitate to take part once more.

The excellent news? With the suitable instruments, you’ll be able to streamline all the pieces from merchandise listings to cost processing, making the expertise seamless for each organizers and bidders. And these instruments aren’t only for nonprofits—companies, colleges, and people operating charity occasions and even industrial auctions can profit.

My prime 8 greatest public sale software program suggestions for 2025

Public sale software program helps me handle and streamline all the public sale course of, from itemizing objects and monitoring bids to processing funds and conserving bidders engaged.

I’ve used these instruments to simplify fundraising occasions, however they’re not only for nonprofits—companies use them for asset liquidation, colleges for charity drives, and people for property gross sales. Irrespective of the business, the suitable public sale software program makes organizing and operating auctions simpler and extra environment friendly.

With so many choices, I understand how overwhelming it may be to search out the suitable one. That’s why I’ve compiled an inventory of the 8 greatest public sale software program instruments for 2025 that will help you select the right match on your wants.

What I search for in the very best public sale software program

When testing the very best public sale software program, I concentrate on the next key options to make sure it meets the wants of auctioneers, patrons, and sellers:

• Person-friendly interface: I consider how intuitive the software program is for each auctioneers and bidders. The platform ought to have a clear, organized format that permits customers to rapidly navigate and take part in auctions with out feeling overwhelmed. For auctioneers, ease of use in managing heaps, bids, and participant data is crucial. For bidders, the method of inserting bids must be easy, with clear directions on take part in auctions, view objects, and monitor bid statuses.
• Actual-time bidding performance: The most effective public sale software program ought to help real-time bidding, permitting members to put bids immediately and see updates on their present standing within the public sale. I check if the system updates bid quantities dwell, guaranteeing there is not any lag or delay, particularly throughout fast-paced or timed auctions. Moreover, the instrument ought to notify customers instantly once they’ve been outbid or once they’ve gained an merchandise.
• Customizable public sale codecs: I test whether or not the software program presents flexibility in configuring numerous public sale sorts, akin to dwell auctions, silent auctions, reverse auctions, and sealed bids. The flexibility to set particular parameters for every public sale sort, akin to bid increments, reserve costs, and public sale length, is essential for adapting to completely different public sale situations. The extra customizable the software program, the higher it may possibly cater to various public sale occasions and codecs.
• Cost integration and safety: Seamless cost processing is important for public sale platforms. I make sure the software program integrates with a number of cost gateways, akin to bank cards, PayPal, and financial institution transfers whereas offering safe transactions. Encryption and PCI compliance are vital to guard delicate monetary data. I additionally assess whether or not the system can routinely set off bill technology, cost reminders, and affirmation after the public sale ends.
• Lot administration instruments: Efficient lot administration is essential to operating a profitable public sale. I search for options that enable auctioneers to simply listing objects, add descriptions, set reserve costs, and categorize heaps. The system ought to help batch processing for big auctions, enabling auctioneers to deal with a number of objects without delay. Moreover, instruments for including pictures, movies, and detailed descriptions assist entice extra bids and supply higher visibility of the heaps.
• Cell accessibility: With growing demand for mobile-friendly platforms, I consider how nicely the public sale software program performs on cellular gadgets. The most effective public sale platforms ought to supply absolutely responsive web sites or devoted cellular apps for bidders and sellers to entry public sale listings, place bids, and monitor public sale progress on the go. Cell accessibility enhances person engagement and permits auctions to succeed in a wider viewers.
• Bidding historical past and notifications: I assess whether or not the software program permits bidders to trace their bidding historical past and obtain notifications of bid standing modifications. For auctioneers, it’s essential to have detailed logs of all bids positioned in the course of the public sale and notifications of key occasions, akin to when a reserve worth is met or a bid surpasses a threshold. Automated notifications by way of e-mail, SMS, or in-app alerts must be customizable and despatched in actual time.
• Analytics and reporting instruments: A top-tier public sale software program ought to present sturdy analytics and reporting options to assist auctioneers consider public sale efficiency. I search for instruments that generate studies on bidding exercise, income generated, prime bidders, and merchandise efficiency. Auctioneers ought to have the ability to export information for post-auction evaluation, which helps with planning future auctions and refining methods. Insights into purchaser conduct, profitable bid developments, and lot demand can supply priceless suggestions.
• Compliance and authorized options: Public sale platforms should adhere to authorized and regulatory necessities, particularly in areas with strict legal guidelines governing auctions and gross sales. I make sure the software program complies with related native and worldwide legal guidelines, akin to client safety, tax rules, and on-line playing legal guidelines (for sure varieties of auctions). I additionally search for options like digital signatures for authorized agreements, public sale phrases and circumstances, and computerized receipt technology for profitable bidders.

The listing under incorporates real person evaluations from our greatest public sale software program class web page. To qualify for inclusion within the class, a product should:

• Create public sale listings, bid sheets, on-line auctions, or public sale catalogs
• Present options to handle stock and pricing
• Produce studies on purchases, donations, income, and remaining stock
• Handle funds natively or by way of built-in software program

This information has been pulled from G2 in 2025. Some evaluations have been edited for readability.

Regardless of having no prior expertise with OneCause, I navigated the system effortlessly. The interface was well-designed and allowed me to arrange an occasion web page with ease. Customizing it with particular branding and monitoring registrations was a seamless course of. Whether or not I accessed the platform from a desktop or cellular system, the method of buying tickets and making donations was extremely easy.

One of many standout options of OneCause is its versatility in fundraising choices. I appreciated the flexibility to promote tickets and incorporate sponsorships, auctions, and different donation alternatives into the occasion. This flexibility ensures that campaigners can maximize fundraising efforts in ways in which greatest go well with their viewers.

One other function that I discovered notably valuable was OneCause’s built-in communication instruments. The flexibility to ship reminders, updates, and thank-you messages by way of each e-mail and textual content can hold supporters engaged earlier than, throughout, and after an occasion. This streamlined strategy to communication helps preserve a robust reference to donors and attendees.

Moreover, the reporting and analytics instruments inside OneCause offered priceless insights. Whereas testing, I noticed that producing detailed studies and monitoring key metrics was tremendous simple. This makes it simple for public sale groups to evaluate efficiency and pinpoint areas for enchancment. Accessing this degree of information is essential for refining methods and optimizing fundraising efforts.

Batching choices have been considerably restricted in sure areas, which meant that I needed to make some tedious modifications manually, separately. This might decelerate sure features of occasion administration.

I additionally wished for extra design customization choices for the occasion web site. Whereas the out there templates have been purposeful, having extra artistic management over the format and aesthetics would have made the expertise even higher.

One other subject I encountered concerned bugs with the Save and Subsequent function. When reviewing packages, I observed that the system would continuously unpackage related objects, requiring me to manually reconfigure them. 

I noticed that the platform had some restrictions concerning textual content and e-mail communications. There have been limitations on what may very well be despatched, in addition to character constraints that made it tough to craft messages precisely as meant. It will be nice to have extra flexibility on this space, particularly with the flexibility to create customized mailing lists for extra focused communication.

What I dislike about OneCause:

• The restricted batching choices led to some tedious guide changes. This sluggish course of may hinder effectivity, particularly throughout bigger occasions with many updates.
• I discovered the design customization choices for the occasion web site to be too restrictive. Having extra artistic management over layouts and aesthetics would have enhanced the general expertise.

What G2 customers dislike about OneCause:

“It will be nice to have extra batching choices in sure areas, as some modifications needed to be made separately, which felt a bit tedious. Moreover, extra design choices for the occasion web site could be a welcome enchancment.”

– OneCause Evaluation, Wendy R.

Once I was testing Givebutter, I used to be instantly impressed by the truth that I may create dummy occasions to check all out there options. It turned out to be a superb option to discover Givebutter’s full potential.

One other function I admired was the fast volunteer coaching. Givebutter organized all of the assets in a central place, which makes it extremely simple for volunteers to rise up to hurry and begin contributing inside hours. 

I additionally appreciated the silent public sale setup, which allowed me to effortlessly regulate elements like begin/finish occasions, pricing, and incremental bid will increase. The platform’s flexibility ensures that groups can tailor the public sale to their wants and optimize fundraising efforts.

I noticed that whereas Givebutter suits nicely with the use case of smaller organizations, it could not be perfect for bigger organizations that require a extra intensive API connection or a richer set of integrations. In case you’re in search of a extremely customizable and scalable system, this is probably not the most suitable choice.

Constructing segments and lists felt considerably clunky to me, and determining the suitable filters and logic wasn’t at all times intuitive. Excluding sure standards proved to be more difficult than anticipated. A extra user-friendly segmentation instrument would drastically improve this function.

Presently, exporting studies feels cumbersome, and customization choices for the homepage and occasion order are fairly restricted. Due to this, some groups want to keep away from directing customers to the Givebutter homepage.

What I dislike about Givebutter:

• Whereas Givebutter works nicely for smaller organizations, it could not meet the wants of bigger ones. The platform lacks a extra intensive API connection and richer integrations, limiting scalability for greater operations.
• I discovered the method of constructing segments and lists to be clunky and unintuitive. The challenges with filtering and excluding standards make this function much less environment friendly than it may very well be.

What G2 customers dislike about Givebutter:

“It will be perfect to register bidders on their behalf so they’re within the system earlier than the occasion. A few of our company should not tech-savvy, so doing extra for them would make the method smoother. Since they’re used to paper-based bidding, there was a little bit of a studying curve, and we’re unsure if we obtained extra bids in comparison with the paper system. Moreover, having the ability to add objects in bulk as an alternative of separately could be a useful function.”

– Givebutter Evaluation, Brent H.

A function that stood out to me virtually instantly was Handbid’s glorious on-line coaching and help documentation. These offered clear directions and made onboarding easy for me as a newbie. 

I had entry to the web site and the cellular app. This added comfort allowed me to check the instrument on the go. I used to be simply in a position to arrange and interact with auctions. This ensures a seamless expertise for public sale groups, attendees, and distant supporters alike.

I additionally observed that Handbid permits members to begin bidding early, which signifies that even those who can’t bodily attend an occasion can nonetheless contribute and really feel engaged within the fundraising course of.

The system may be very user-friendly, and every time I wanted help, buyer help was available.

That stated, there are a few areas the place enhancements may improve the person expertise.

One limitation is that Handbid doesn’t sync with accounting techniques. From my private expertise, I do know that organizations typically deploy separate platforms for CRM and accounting. Not having the ability to join techniques creates quite a lot of work like manually transferring information, which might make it actually robust for small groups that handle massive occasions. 

One other problem I encountered was with importing horizontal footage. The method was cumbersome—we needed to first export pictures to PowerPoint, crop them, take a screenshot, after which add them into Handbid. This additional step was time-consuming, and an improved picture add operate would make the expertise a lot smoother.

What I dislike about Handbid:

• One main downside is Handbid’s lack of integration with accounting techniques. With out syncing capabilities, it turns into difficult to switch information manually, which might be particularly burdensome for small groups dealing with giant occasions.
• I discovered importing horizontal pictures to be a cumbersome course of. The necessity to export, crop, and screenshot pictures earlier than importing added pointless time to the occasion setup.

What G2 customers dislike about Handbid:

“I want the platform did not have such strict dimensions for importing graphics for the objects. It will be a lot simpler if there was extra flexibility.”

– Handbid Evaluation, Verified Person in Main/Secondary Schooling

I discovered GiveSmart to be a extremely versatile platform for managing numerous features of fundraising occasions. With it, I may seamlessly arrange auctions, raffles, contests, sign-ups, cost processing, and day-of-event coordination—all inside a single platform. This all-in-one answer is a boon for occasion managers. 

One of many standout options was the flexibility to share our GiveSmart hyperlink with attendees relatively than manually dealing with funds and tickets. This specific function can considerably scale back logistical challenges and enhance the general attendee expertise, permitting for a smoother and extra participating occasion.

I additionally appreciated the dashboard options, which made monitoring occasion progress extra intuitive. From monitoring ticket gross sales to overseeing donation totals, the dashboard offered real-time insights into each facet of the occasion.

One other facet that stood out to me was the volunteer administration. The platform makes it simple to recruit, monitor, and talk with volunteers. They might additionally join particular duties and log their hours straight throughout the platform. 

That stated, establishing GiveSmart initially took a while. The intensive vary of options felt a bit intimidating the primary few occasions I created campaigns. Whereas the platform presents many instruments, determining one of the simplest ways to make use of them took some trial and error.

One other space the place I noticed room for enchancment was occasion webpage customization. Whereas GiveSmart permits customers to create a devoted webpage for his or her occasion, I discovered the customization choices to be fairly restricted. The function serves its objective, however I want it provided extra flexibility to tailor the design and format to raised match branding and occasion themes

What I dislike about GiveSmart:

• Establishing GiveSmart initially took extra time than anticipated. The intensive function set might be overwhelming, requiring some trial and error to determine the very best strategy for marketing campaign creation.
• The customization choices for occasion internet pages have been considerably restricted. Though the function is purposeful, I felt that extra flexibility in design and format would higher mirror occasion branding and themes.

What G2 customers dislike about GiveSmart:

“Types can solely be embedded, and there isn’t sufficient integration with platforms like WordPress, which limits its flexibility.”

– GiveSmart Evaluation, Rose G.

I lately examined Occasion.Offers, and I used to be impressed with its clear design and ease of use. The platform makes it extremely easy for individuals to have interaction, providing a number of sturdy options whereas sustaining zero latency in digital settings. 

One in every of te largest highlights was the distinctive help from the Occasion.Offers group. From the second I started inputting objects into the occasion web site their group was at all times out there to help. This degree of responsiveness ensured easy testing and, in a real-world situation, would support occasion setup and execution.

Establishing tickets was fast and intuitive. Visitors, too, discover it extraordinarily user-friendly when making ticket purchases. The check-in and checkout professionalcess is seamless. Since visitor’s data is already saved of their accounts, they will simply full their funds with a single click on. This effectivity eliminates the standard end-of-event chaos typically related to gathering funds.

That stated, I discovered the reporting capabilities missing in comparison with different software program. Whereas there are workarounds, akin to exporting information, the platform may benefit from enhanced built-in reporting instruments to supply deeper insights and analytics.

The real-time show function was extremely efficient for showcasing occasion updates, however I wanted for extra customization choices to raised align it with an occasion’s branding—akin to the flexibility to alter the background colour or make pictures extra outstanding. 

What I dislike about Occasion.Offers:

• I discovered the reporting capabilities missing in comparison with different platforms. Whereas workarounds like information exports exist, the shortage of built-in, detailed reporting instruments makes it tougher to realize deeper insights.
• The true-time show function was efficient however lacked customization choices. I wanted for extra flexibility to tailor the function to raised match the occasion’s branding, akin to background colour modifications or picture prominence.

What G2 customers dislike about Occasion.Offers:

“The platform is just not very user-friendly for extra complicated Gala-type occasions. We needed to provide you with workarounds so as to add menu choices and different particulars. The studies are additionally not user-friendly; when exporting, extra ticket choices are exhausting to search out, and you may’t run them by date. Moreover, there’s no choice to “bundle” public sale objects collectively, making it extra time-consuming when organizing public sale objects later.”

– Occasion.Offers Evaluation, Daybreak D.

Throughout my testing, Givergy has confirmed to be a strong instrument for occasion administration. From the get-go, the onboarding expertise was easy and detailed. The setup was intuitive, guaranteeing I may rapidly familiarize myself with the platform and check it.

The group boards have been notably useful. They provided solutions to most of my questions and steerage on arrange numerous occasion options. These boards have been an amazing useful resource for troubleshooting and discovering tricks to benefit from the instrument.

One of many standout options for me was how simple Givergy made the registration course of. Most volunteers discover it easy to navigate, which makes managing the occasion for public sale groups that rather more environment friendly. 

Nonetheless, there have been a number of features the place Givergy didn’t fairly meet expectations. One limitation I encountered was the integration with different platforms, which at occasions felt considerably restrictive. Whereas it labored nicely in lots of areas, the flexibility to seamlessly join with different instruments wasn’t as sturdy as I had hoped, which may trigger some frustrations if you happen to’re trying to sync information throughout a number of techniques.

One other draw back I observed was the shortage of a operating tally for dwell public sale bids. It is a essential function for any occasion that features a dwell public sale, because it helps hold members engaged and knowledgeable. With out this functionality, it turned a bit tough to trace bids in real-time, which may very well be a major downside for bigger fundraising occasions or auctions.

Lastly, the ticketing system could be a bit tough, particularly for bigger occasions like galas. It really works nicely for smaller, extra intimate gatherings, however for giant occasions with many company, it could require some additional effort to make sure easy ticket administration. 

What I dislike about Givergy:

• I discovered Givergy’s integration with different platforms to be considerably restrictive. Whereas it labored nicely in lots of instances, the shortage of seamless connectivity with different instruments made syncing information throughout techniques a bit irritating.
• The absence of a operating tally for dwell public sale bids was a major downside. This function is crucial for conserving members engaged, and its absence made monitoring bids in actual time-challenging for me.

What G2 customers dislike about Givergy:

“Givergy ticketing might be difficult for big gala-style occasions, however their group is great at offering assets and directions on use the system successfully.”

– Givergy Evaluation, Sarah E.

I examined RallyUp, and I need to say that my expertise was largely constructive. One of many standout options for me was the seamless means of gathering all the required data to create a web based occasion. The platform made it simple to compile all the pieces into a transparent and concise setup, eliminating most of the typical friction I’ve encountered with related instruments.

I additionally actually appreciated the flexibleness of utilizing my personal title for the occasion, which may also help to instill belief and readability with donors. It is a superb option to validate the trigger and what public sale groups are elevating funds for.

I observed that RallyUp really excels at offering a number of cost choices, permitting groups to just accept quite a lot of cost sorts. The personalised ID for every transaction and the straightforward cost integration are additionally standout options that make the entire cost course of easy and environment friendly.

One other main benefit of RallyUp is its customizability. The platform presents a variety of choices to tailor the occasion to particular wants, nevertheless it would not overwhelm with pointless complexity. I used to be in a position to choose from numerous fundraiser sorts with out feeling slowed down by too many selections or difficult settings. 

Nonetheless, not all the pieces was excellent. I did discover that some bidders have been initially confused in regards to the checkout course of. They didn’t at all times understand that they’d to take a look at for his or her bids to take impact, which precipitated a little bit of confusion. 

One other minor subject I bumped into was the template limitations of the location. Though the design was easy, it took me a short time to get comfy with the format. The customization choices for the template may have been extra versatile, however as soon as I obtained the dangle of it, the method turned smoother

What I dislike about RallyUp:

• Some bidders have been confused in regards to the checkout course of, not realizing they’d to take a look at for his or her bids to take impact. This created pointless confusion, which I consider may very well be averted with clearer directions.
• The platform’s template limitations have been a minor subject. Whereas the design was easy, the shortage of flexibility in customization choices made it difficult to completely tailor the format to my preferences initially.

What G2 customers dislike about RallyUp:

“It’s tough to search out details about payout dates and when they are going to happen. Since we’re utilizing the free model, this is perhaps higher in a paid model, however a tracker displaying when the test is distributed, or clear dates out there by the company profile could be actually useful.”

– RallyUp Evaluation, Sarah Okay.

BiddingOwl.com is a strong platform for managing and selling auctions. Its key options made the expertise each environment friendly and fulfilling.

The public sale promotion instruments are extremely easy to make use of, making it simple to share occasions and enhance visibility. I notably appreciated the import and export performance for objects. It saved me quite a lot of time when including public sale objects or making modifications, as I may rapidly add or regulate a bulk listing of things.

One function I completely beloved was the flexibility to crop, edit, and add textual content to photographs straight throughout the platform. This allowed me to simply improve the photographs of public sale objects while not having any third-party software program. It’s an amazing time-saver and actually helped me enhance the presentation of the objects.

One other spotlight for me was the public sale administration instruments, which offered a powerful array of choices to streamline the public sale course of. From merchandise and donor administration to public sale catalog creation, all the pieces was designed to simplify the method. The automated bidding and cost processing options have been extremely useful, making it simple for each bidders and organizers to handle their bids and funds.

BiddingOwl.com can also be extremely mobile-compatible, which meant I may handle the public sale from my smartphone or pill with none points. This flexibility allowed me to remain related and on prime of all the pieces, even after I was away from my pc. 

Nonetheless, I did encounter a number of drawbacks throughout my expertise. Navigating the platform could be a little bit of a studying curve, particularly for these like me who’re new to public sale administration. It took me a bit of time to get comfy with all of the options and work out the very best methods to optimize them.

Moreover, there have been integration limitations. Whereas BiddingOwl.com helps some integrations, I discovered that it may benefit from increasing compatibility with extra exterior instruments, such as CRM techniques or e-mail advertising and marketing platforms.

Lastly, I observed that the platform primarily helps English, which may very well be a difficulty for customers who wish to goal worldwide audiences or want to work in different languages. The dearth of multilingual help may restrict its accessibility for some customers.

What I dislike about BiddingOwl.com:

• There was a little bit of a studying curve for me, particularly since I used to be new to public sale administration. It took a while to get comfy with the platform’s options and work out the very best methods to make use of them.
• I additionally observed some integration limitations. Whereas BiddingOwl.com helps a number of integrations, I believe it may benefit from increasing compatibility with extra exterior instruments, like CRM techniques or e-mail advertising and marketing platforms.

What G2 customers dislike about BiddingOwl.com:

“I want there was a option to filter out bidders who didn’t win any objects in the course of the end-of-auction processing. It will be a lot simpler if I didn’t should manually choose their invoices to exclude from printing.”

– BiddingOwl.com Evaluation, Susan M.

A few of the greatest free silent public sale software program choices embody SchoolAuction.web, Givebutter, and Auctria. These are excellent for small—to mid-sized fundraisers and nonprofits. Discover different free public sale software program.

Q. Are public sale websites secure?

Most respected public sale websites use safe cost strategies and information encryption to guard customers’ private data and transactions. Nonetheless, security can range relying on the platform. All the time test evaluations, guarantee safe cost gateways are in place, and be cautious of scams by verifying sellers and objects earlier than bidding.

Q. Which is the very best dwell public sale software program?

The most effective dwell public sale software program contains platforms like OneCause, which provide real-time bidding capabilities, video streaming, safe cost processing, and a easy bidding expertise.

Q. Which is the very best silent public sale software program?

Let’s increase the stakes!

In my work with non-profits, I’ve at all times strived to ship the very best outcomes, guaranteeing all the pieces is executed exactly and punctiliously. From organizing occasions to managing donations, I’m dedicated to perfection in each facet.

After testing a number of public sale software program instruments, it turned clear to me that these platforms are indispensable for operating an environment friendly and profitable public sale. I spotted that with out them, reaching the excessive requirements I set for myself and the organizations I work with could be a problem.

However it doesn’t matter what business you’re in, whether or not it’s non-profit, company, or another sector, work must be excellent to realize optimum outcomes. That is the place the suitable public sale software program is available in. It makes all of the distinction in optimizing workflows, growing bidder engagement, and in the end guaranteeing easy execution.

I hope this listing of public sale software program choices has helped you slender down the alternatives and discover the right match on your wants.

Use the greatest challenge administration instruments to make sure that each facet of your public sale runs easily.