If you’re a UK charity collecting donations through your WordPress website, adding a Gift Aid feature is a no-brainer. Claiming Gift Aid can increase the value of every eligible donation by 25%, turning your existing donor base into a more powerful fundraising engine without asking them to give more. The tricky part? Finding a WordPress Gift Aid plugin that works well, is HMRC-compliant, and doesn’t create a headache to set up.
At Cude Design, we’ve helped many charities create donation-ready websites that are SEO-optimised, mobile-friendly, and easy to manage. This guide cuts through the noise and gives you a full breakdown of the best WordPress Gift Aid plugins available, how Gift Aid works, and how we support charitable organisations in the UK.
Gift Aid WordPress Plugins: The Quick List
We’ll go into each one in detail, but here’s a quick peek:
GiveWP is a powerful donation plugin built for WordPress, offering a complete fundraising platform with Gift Aid integration. It includes recurring donations, custom forms, reporting tools, and the ability to enable Gift Aid declarations with a single checkbox.
WPCharitable makes it easy to accept donations directly through your WordPress site while supporting Gift Aid claims on eligible donations. It’s lightweight, GDPR-compliant, and includes flexible donation forms that work with one-off or recurring contributions.
This plugin adds Gift Aid functionality to the WooCommerce checkout, enabling UK charities to claim tax relief on orders designated as donations. It includes a Gift Aid checkbox and stores declaration data for export and HMRC reporting.
Gift Aid for WooCommerce integrates directly with your WooCommerce store, adding a Gift Aid section to relevant products or donations. It’s ideal for charities using WooCommerce to sell donation products or manage fundraising campaigns.
What Are Gift Aid Donations and How Do They Work?
Gift Aid is a UK government initiative that enables charities to claim an additional 25p for every £1 donated by UK taxpayers, at no extra cost to the donor. To be eligible, donors must make a Gift Aid declaration confirming that they are UK taxpayers and understand the conditions.
To collect Gift Aid donations online via WordPress, you’ll need:
- A donation form with a Gift Aid checkbox
- The ability to collect Gift Aid declarations and store donor data
- A way to export Gift Aid data in a compliant format for submission to HMRC
Gift Aid Declaration
A Gift Aid declaration is a statement provided by the donor that confirms they are a UK taxpayer and gives permission to the charity to claim Gift Aid on their donation. This can be a checkbox on a donation form or a tick box during checkout, depending on the plugin used.
Donation Forms
The donation form is where the donor enters their name, email address, donation amount, and selects whether to opt in for Gift Aid. A good plugin should let you customise the form, add custom amounts, and clearly display the Gift Aid option.
Recurring Donations
Not all plugins handle recurring donations well. If you run monthly campaigns or subscriptions, ensure the plugin allows you to claim Gift Aid on each instalment and records the Gift Aid status accordingly.
Exporting for HMRC
Your WordPress Gift Aid plugin must include an export tool. It should allow you to export donation data including date range, donor name, address, and Gift Aid status to a CSV file. This makes it simple to submit to HMRC.
GiveWP
GiveWP is one of the most well-known WordPress fundraising plugins. It’s packed with features, including built-in support for Gift Aid with the right add-on.
Key Features
- Fully customisable donation forms with Gift Aid checkbox
- Ability to set default value and custom title
- Supports recurring donations with Gift Aid tracking
- CSV export tool for Gift Aid claims
- Form builder with drag-and-drop functionality
- Accept donations directly via Stripe, PayPal, or other gateways
- Add-ons available for enhanced functionality
- Compatible with most themes
Gift Aid Features
The Gift Aid add-on includes:
- A Gift Aid section on the form
- Store and manage donor Gift Aid declarations
- Export donations in bulk based on date range or Gift Aid status
- Enable Gift Aid on all donation forms automatically
If you’re using GiveWP, you can enable Gift Aid under the plugin’s general settings. Once set up, a Gift Aid checkbox appears on the donation page, allowing users to opt in and maximise their donation.
Summary
GiveWP is ideal for charities that want full control, require advanced reporting, and anticipate high donation volumes. The user experience is smooth and the export tool is very reliable. It’s a strong candidate if you’re serious about online fundraising.
WPCharitable
WPCharitable is a lightweight fundraising plugin made for WordPress. It’s clean, simple, and surprisingly powerful for its size.
Features
- Create unlimited campaigns and donation forms
- Gift Aid checkbox support on donation forms
- Custom amounts and default values available
- Export CSV reports for Gift Aid and donor information
- Accept donations via PayPal or Stripe
- GDPR-compliant data collection
- Add-ons for recurring donations and more
Gift Aid Features
With WPCharitable, enabling Gift Aid is as simple as ticking a box in your settings page. You can:
- Add a Gift Aid section to each form
- Include a checkbox for donors to opt in
- Export donor data to CSV files for HMRC submission
- Store Gift Aid declarations
If you’re using the premium version, you can also enable recurring donations and get more control over formatting, fields, and Gift Aid compatibility with other plugins.
Summary
WPCharitable is ideal for small to mid-sized charities or those just getting started with online fundraising. It works seamlessly out of the box and is easily managed in the WordPress admin area.
Power Plugins – Gift Aid for WooCommerce
If you run an online shop using WooCommerce, this plugin integrates Gift Aid directly into your checkout process.
Features
- Adds a Gift Aid checkbox to WooCommerce checkout
- Stores Gift Aid declarations as part of order metadata
- Integrates with variable products and donation products
- Customisable Gift Aid section
- CSV export tool for HMRC compliance
- Minimal impact on page load time
- Compatible with most themes and other plugins
Gift Aid Features
This plugin is particularly useful for charities that sell products as part of their fundraising. You can:
- Tag a product as a donation product
- Enable Gift Aid on selected product IDs
- Include a Gift Aid section and checkbox at checkout
- Export all orders with Gift Aid opt-ins as a CSV file
- Add support for multiple custom titles and messages
You can also use custom CSS or CSS variables to tweak the display if needed.
Summary
If your website uses WooCommerce to accept donations or sell merchandise, this plugin is a must-have. It’s lightweight, easy to set up, and highly effective.
Gift Aid for WooCommerce – WP Hive
Another strong plugin for WooCommerce, this one focuses on compatibility and ease of use.
Features
- Add Gift Aid checkbox to checkout
- Supports variable products and donation products
- Collect and store Gift Aid declarations
- Export CSV file of Gift Aid donations
- Minimal setup required
Summary
This plugin does what it says on the tin. It’s a simple way to add Gift Aid functionality to WooCommerce, with no frills but solid performance. Use this if you don’t need all the bells and whistles of GiveWP or Charitable.
What is the Difference Between WPCharitable and GiveWP?
Both GiveWP and WPCharitable are excellent fundraising plugins, but they serve slightly different purposes.
| Feature | GiveWP | WPCharitable |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Forms | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring Donations | Yes (add-on) | Yes (add-on) |
| Gift Aid Support | Yes (add-on) | Yes |
| Export to CSV | Yes | Yes |
| WooCommerce Integration | Limited | Not native |
| Cost | Freemium + premium add-ons | Freemium + cheaper upgrades |
| Best For | Large charities, detailed data | Smaller orgs, simple use |
In short, GiveWP offers more advanced features, while WPCharitable is easier to set up and more budget-friendly. If you’re running high-volume fundraising with detailed reporting requirements, consider GiveWP. If you’re after something simple and effective, WPCharitable may be the better choice.
How We Support Charities and NGOs
At Cude Design, we’ve worked with numerous charity organisations to design and build websites that encourage donations, make fundraising easier, and enable Gift Aid without fuss.
Here’s what we offer:
- Complete WordPress websites with donation functionality
- Integration with GiveWP or WPCharitable
- SEO setup to help your fundraising pages rank on Google
- Ongoing support and updates
- WordPress hosting for charity sites
- WooCommerce support for selling merchandise
- Gravity Forms integration for custom donation forms
Our charity web design service includes everything from page structure to performance optimisation. You’ll get a site that’s fast, user-friendly, and ready to accept donations from day one.
We also ensure your donation forms include all the necessary fields for Gift Aid declarations, making it easy to claim Gift Aid and keep your records compliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the WordPress plugin for fundraising?
There are several WordPress plugins made specifically for fundraising. The two most popular are GiveWP and WPCharitable. Both offer donation form builders, Gift Aid support, and the ability to manage recurring donations. If you use WooCommerce, the Power Plugins Gift Aid extension is also a great option. Each plugin lets you collect donations, encourage donors to opt in to Gift Aid, and export data for HMRC.
Is GiveWP free?
Yes, GiveWP offers a free version with core features like donation forms and Stripe/PayPal integrations. However, to enable Gift Aid and get access to recurring donations or advanced exports, you’ll need to purchase the relevant add-ons.
How do I add donations to WordPress?
You can add donations using plugins such as GiveWP, WPCharitable, or Gravity Forms, along with the appropriate payment gateways. These tools allow you to create donation forms, accept donations directly, and include a Gift Aid section. Gravity Forms is a good option if you need full form customisation and want to embed forms across your site.
