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 appropriate instruments could make all of the distinction.

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 What makes it even more durable is managing every part manually or with outdated techniques.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

The excellent news? With the appropriate instruments, you may streamline every part from merchandise listings to fee processing, making the expertise seamless for each organizers and bidders. And these instruments aren’t only for nonprofits—companies, faculties, and people operating charity occasions and even industrial auctions can profit.

My prime 8 finest public sale software program suggestions for 2025

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

I’ve used these instruments to simplify fundraising occasions, however they’re not only for nonprofits—companies use them for asset liquidation, faculties for charity drives, and people for property gross sales. Irrespective of the business, the appropriate 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 appropriate one. That’s why I’ve compiled an inventory of the 8 finest public sale software program instruments for 2025 that can assist you select the right match to your wants.

What I search for in the perfect public sale software program

When testing the perfect public sale software program, I give attention to 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 structure that permits customers to shortly navigate and take part in auctions with out feeling overwhelmed. For auctioneers, ease of use in managing heaps, bids, and participant info is important. For bidders, the method of inserting bids needs to be easy, with clear directions on the right way to take part in auctions, view gadgets, and observe bid statuses.
• Actual-time bidding performance: The very best public sale software program ought to assist real-time bidding, permitting individuals to put bids immediately and see updates on their present standing within the public sale. I check if the system updates bid quantities stay, guaranteeing there is not any lag or delay, particularly throughout fast-paced or timed auctions. Moreover, the software ought to notify customers instantly after they’ve been outbid or after they’ve gained an merchandise.
• Customizable public sale codecs: I verify whether or not the software program affords flexibility in configuring numerous public sale varieties, akin to stay auctions, silent auctions, reverse auctions, and sealed bids. The power to set particular parameters for every public sale kind, akin to bid increments, reserve costs, and public sale period, is essential for adapting to totally different public sale eventualities. The extra customizable the software program, the higher it could actually cater to various public sale occasions and codecs.
• Cost integration and safety: Seamless fee processing is critical for public sale platforms. I make sure the software program integrates with a number of fee gateways, akin to bank cards, PayPal, and financial institution transfers whereas offering safe transactions. Encryption and PCI compliance are essential to guard delicate monetary info. I additionally assess whether or not the system can robotically set off bill technology, fee 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 record gadgets, add descriptions, set reserve costs, and categorize heaps. The system ought to assist batch processing for big auctions, enabling auctioneers to deal with a number of gadgets without delay. Moreover, instruments for including photographs, movies, and detailed descriptions assist appeal to extra bids and supply higher visibility of the heaps.
• Cellular accessibility: With rising demand for mobile-friendly platforms, I consider how properly the public sale software program performs on cellular units. The very best 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 observe public sale progress on the go. Cellular accessibility enhances consumer 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 adjustments. For auctioneers, it’s essential to have detailed logs of all bids positioned throughout the public sale and notifications of key occasions, akin to when a reserve value is met or a bid surpasses a threshold. Automated notifications through e mail, SMS, or in-app alerts needs to be customizable and despatched in actual time.
• Analytics and reporting instruments: A top-tier public sale software program ought to present strong 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 be capable of export knowledge for post-auction evaluation, which helps with planning future auctions and refining methods. Insights into purchaser conduct, profitable bid tendencies, and lot demand can supply precious 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 forms of auctions). I additionally search for options like digital signatures for authorized agreements, public sale phrases and situations, and automated receipt technology for profitable bidders.

The record beneath comprises real consumer opinions 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 through built-in software program

This knowledge has been pulled from G2 in 2025. Some opinions 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 gadget, 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 finest go well with their viewers.

One other characteristic that I discovered significantly valuable was OneCause’s built-in communication instruments. The power to ship reminders, updates, and thank-you messages through each e mail and textual content can hold supporters engaged earlier than, throughout, and after an occasion. This streamlined method to communication helps keep a robust reference to donors and attendees.

Moreover, the reporting and analytics instruments inside OneCause offered precious 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 had been considerably restricted in sure areas, which meant that I needed to make some tedious adjustments manually, one after the other. This might decelerate sure elements of occasion administration.

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

One other concern I encountered concerned bugs with the Save and Subsequent characteristic. When reviewing packages, I seen that the system would continuously unpackage related gadgets, 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 troublesome 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 gradual course of might 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 adjustments needed to be made one after the other, which felt a bit tedious. Moreover, extra design choices for the occasion web site can be a welcome enchancment.”

– OneCause Assessment, Wendy R.

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

One other characteristic 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 stand up to hurry and begin contributing inside hours. 

I additionally appreciated the silent public sale setup, which allowed me to effortlessly modify parts like begin/finish instances, 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 properly with the use case of smaller organizations, it could not be perfect for bigger organizations that require a extra in depth API connection or a richer set of integrations. In case you’re in search of a extremely customizable and scalable system, this might not be the most suitable choice.

Constructing segments and lists felt considerably clunky to me, and determining the appropriate filters and logic wasn’t all the time intuitive. Excluding sure standards proved to be tougher than anticipated. A extra user-friendly segmentation software would significantly improve this characteristic.

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

What I dislike about Givebutter:

• Whereas Givebutter works properly for smaller organizations, it could not meet the wants of bigger ones. The platform lacks a extra in depth API connection and richer integrations, limiting scalability for larger operations.
• I discovered the method of constructing segments and lists to be clunky and unintuitive. The challenges with filtering and excluding standards make this characteristic 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 aren’t 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 undecided if we received extra bids in comparison with the paper system. Moreover, having the ability to add gadgets in bulk as an alternative of one after the other can be a useful characteristic.”

– Givebutter Assessment, Brent H.

A characteristic that stood out to me nearly instantly was Handbid’s glorious on-line coaching and assist 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 software on the go. I used to be simply capable of arrange and interact with auctions. This ensures a seamless expertise for public sale groups, attendees, and distant supporters alike.

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

The system could be very user-friendly, and each time I wanted help, buyer assist was available.

That stated, there are a few areas the place enhancements might improve the consumer expertise.

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

One other problem I encountered was with importing horizontal photos. The method was cumbersome—we needed to first export photographs to PowerPoint, crop them, take a screenshot, after which add them into Handbid. This additional step was time-consuming, and an improved picture add perform 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 knowledge manually, which might be particularly burdensome for small groups dealing with massive occasions.
• I discovered importing horizontal photographs to be a cumbersome course of. The necessity to export, crop, and screenshot photographs 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 gadgets. It will be a lot simpler if there was extra flexibility.”

– Handbid Assessment, Verified Person in Major/Secondary Training

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

One of many standout options was the flexibility to share our GiveSmart hyperlink with attendees somewhat than manually dealing with funds and tickets. This specific characteristic can considerably cut 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, observe, and talk with volunteers. They might additionally join particular duties and log their hours instantly throughout the platform. 

That stated, establishing GiveSmart initially took a while. The in depth vary of options felt a bit intimidating the primary few instances I created campaigns. Whereas the platform affords 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 characteristic serves its objective, however I want it supplied extra flexibility to tailor the design and structure to raised match branding and occasion themes

What I dislike about GiveSmart:

• Organising GiveSmart initially took extra time than anticipated. The in depth characteristic set might be overwhelming, requiring some trial and error to determine the perfect method for marketing campaign creation.
• The customization choices for occasion net pages had been considerably restricted. Though the characteristic is purposeful, I felt that extra flexibility in design and structure 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 Assessment, Rose G.

I not too long ago 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 strong options whereas sustaining zero latency in digital settings. 

One among te largest highlights was the distinctive assist from the Occasion.Offers group. From the second I started inputting gadgets into the occasion web site their group was all the time obtainable to help. This degree of responsiveness ensured clean testing and, in a real-world situation, would support occasion setup and execution.

Organising 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 info 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 usually 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 knowledge, the platform may gain advantage from enhanced built-in reporting instruments to offer deeper insights and analytics.

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

What I dislike about Occasion.Offers:

• I discovered the reporting capabilities missing in comparison with different platforms. Whereas workarounds like knowledge exports exist, the dearth of built-in, detailed reporting instruments makes it more durable to realize deeper insights.
• The true-time show characteristic was efficient however lacked customization choices. I needed for extra flexibility to tailor the characteristic to raised match the occasion’s branding, akin to background coloration adjustments or picture prominence.

What G2 customers dislike about Occasion.Offers:

“The platform shouldn’t be 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, further ticket choices are laborious to search out, and you’ll’t run them by date. Moreover, there’s no choice to “package deal” public sale gadgets collectively, making it extra time-consuming when organizing public sale gadgets later.”

– Occasion.Offers Assessment, Daybreak D.

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

The neighborhood boards had been significantly useful. They supplied solutions to most of my questions and steering on the right way to arrange numerous occasion options. These boards had been an amazing useful resource for troubleshooting and discovering tricks to take advantage of the software.

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. 

Nevertheless, there have been a number of elements the place Givergy didn’t fairly meet expectations. One limitation I encountered was the integration with different platforms, which at instances felt considerably restrictive. Whereas it labored properly in lots of areas, the flexibility to seamlessly join with different instruments wasn’t as strong as I had hoped, which might trigger some frustrations in the event you’re trying to sync knowledge throughout a number of techniques.

One other draw back I seen was the dearth of a operating tally for stay public sale bids. It is a essential characteristic for any occasion that features a stay public sale, because it helps hold individuals engaged and knowledgeable. With out this functionality, it grew to become a bit troublesome to trace bids in real-time, which may very well be a big downside for bigger fundraising occasions or auctions.

Lastly, the ticketing system is usually a bit difficult, particularly for bigger occasions like galas. It really works properly for smaller, extra intimate gatherings, however for large occasions with many company, it could require some additional effort to make sure clean ticket administration. 

What I dislike about Givergy:

• I discovered Givergy’s integration with different platforms to be considerably restrictive. Whereas it labored properly in lots of circumstances, the dearth of seamless connectivity with different instruments made syncing knowledge throughout techniques a bit irritating.
• The absence of a operating tally for stay public sale bids was a big downside. This characteristic is important for maintaining individuals 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 superb at offering assets and directions on the right way to use the system successfully.”

– Givergy Assessment, 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 technique of gathering all the mandatory info to create a web based occasion. The platform made it simple to compile every part into a transparent and concise setup, eliminating lots 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 can assist to instill belief and readability with donors. It is a superb strategy to validate the trigger and what public sale groups are elevating funds for.

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

One other main benefit of RallyUp is its customizability. The platform affords a variety of choices to tailor the occasion to particular wants, however it does not overwhelm with pointless complexity. I used to be capable of choose from numerous fundraiser varieties with out feeling slowed down by too many decisions or difficult settings. 

Nevertheless, not every part was excellent. I did discover that some bidders had been initially confused concerning the checkout course of. They didn’t all the time notice that they’d to take a look at for his or her bids to take impact, which triggered a little bit of confusion. 

One other minor concern I bumped into was the template limitations of the location. Though the design was easy, it took me a short while to get comfy with the structure. The customization choices for the template might have been extra versatile, however as soon as I received the cling of it, the method grew to become smoother

What I dislike about RallyUp:

• Some bidders had been confused concerning 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 imagine may very well be averted with clearer directions.
• The platform’s template limitations had been a minor concern. Whereas the design was easy, the dearth of flexibility in customization choices made it difficult to completely tailor the structure to my preferences initially.

What G2 customers dislike about RallyUp:

“It’s troublesome 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 exhibiting when the verify is distributed, or clear dates obtainable by means of the company profile can be actually useful.”

– RallyUp Assessment, Sarah Okay.

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

The public sale promotion instruments are extremely easy to make use of, making it simple to share occasions and enhance visibility. I significantly appreciated the import and export performance for gadgets. It saved me lots of time when including public sale gadgets or making adjustments, as I might shortly add or modify a bulk record of things.

One characteristic I completely cherished was the flexibility to crop, edit, and add textual content to photographs instantly throughout the platform. This allowed me to simply improve the photographs of public sale gadgets without having any third-party software program. It’s an amazing time-saver and actually helped me enhance the presentation of the gadgets.

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

BiddingOwl.com can be extremely mobile-compatible, which meant I might handle the public sale from my smartphone or pill with none points. This flexibility allowed me to remain linked and on prime of every part, even once I was away from my pc. 

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

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

Lastly, I seen that the platform primarily helps English, which may very well be a problem for customers who need to goal worldwide audiences or desire to work in different languages. The shortage of multilingual assist might 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 perfect methods to make use of them.
• I additionally seen some integration limitations. Whereas BiddingOwl.com helps a number of integrations, I believe it may gain advantage from increasing compatibility with extra exterior instruments, like CRM techniques or e mail advertising platforms.

What G2 customers dislike about BiddingOwl.com:

“I want there was a strategy to filter out bidders who didn’t win any gadgets throughout 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 Assessment, Susan M.

Among the finest 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 protected?

Most respected public sale websites use safe fee strategies and knowledge encryption to guard customers’ private info and transactions. Nevertheless, security can range relying on the platform. All the time verify opinions, guarantee safe fee gateways are in place, and be cautious of scams by verifying sellers and gadgets earlier than bidding.

Q. Which is the perfect stay public sale software program?

The very best stay public sale software program consists of platforms like OneCause, which provide real-time bidding capabilities, video streaming, safe fee processing, and a clean bidding expertise.

Q. Which is the perfect silent public sale software program?

Let’s increase the stakes!

In my work with non-profits, I’ve all the time strived to ship the perfect outcomes, guaranteeing every part is executed exactly and thoroughly. 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 grew to become 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 can 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 appropriate public sale software program is available in. It makes all of the distinction in optimizing workflows, rising bidder engagement, and finally guaranteeing clean execution.

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

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