Fast online load times, clear asks and easy to complete forms should be a top priority for charities’ digital strategies, with new figures showing nearly two in every three regular gifts are now made by donors using their mobile, while digital wallets continue to gain in popularity.
According to the findings of goDonate‘s annual charity data analysis, covering income at many of the UK’s leading charities, mobile accounted for 61% of monthly donations as well as 40% of single donations in 2024.
In addition, the analysis shows an eye-opening 60% of one-off donations on mobile devices were made using a digital wallet, with the rest completed via credit or debit cards.
The report also shows nearly 1 in 5 (17%) regular donations were made using digital wallets.
goDonate is a white-labelled online donation platform that is fully branded and integrated with a charity’s website, and optimised for desktop and mobile devices. It increases donations through its frictionless donation experience – including digital wallets – optimised user experience and back-end tools for creating campaigns, customisations, A/B testing, integration with CRM, and more.
The Online Donations Insights Report was compiled from an analysis of anonymised donations data, focusing on £25m of UK charity income handled by goDonate in the past 12 months across many charities including NSPCC, Help for Heroes, Marie Curie and Battersea.
The report also found that Apple Pay transactions now account for 30% of all one-off donations made via mobile. This means Apple’s digital wallet has become more popular than PayPal.
Meanwhile, 2024 was another year of growth for one-off donations and overall online income. Single donations made online grew by 8% overall compared to 2023, continuing an upward trend.
In addition, in-memory donations continue to be high, accounting for 26% of total single personal donation income. At £78.88, the average in-memory donation is significantly higher than other personal donations.
The report recommends that charities should capture data to treat these gifts separately, recognising the need to steward donors differently by reflecting the more emotive element of donating in someone’s memory. Analysis shows these donors tend to be particularly loyal to charities, becoming long-term supporters over time.
The findings of the study underline the power of frictionless experiences and payment innovations in donor journeys.
goDonate founder and chief executive Vicky Reeves said: “Like most consumers, donors spend a lot of time on their phones. They are often in a rush too, and want to donate ‘there and then’ if they can.
“For them, convenient donor journeys are key – but they also want a satisfying experience and an efficient way to pay. That’s why we’re seeing the seemingly unstoppable rise of mobile donations, with digital wallets now considered a good alternative to paying by card.
“The takeaway for charities is that if you want more regular gifts, focus on the mobile experience and use of digital wallets in donor journeys. Make them seamless with fast load times, clear asks, easy-to-fill forms – and be sure to include digital wallets.
“Our goDonate platform is fully optimised for mobile giving. It supports all major digital wallets and seamless payment experiences, which means charities can capture every possible donation.”
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