Giving is part of the life of every community. Until recently that meant a basket passing down the rows, envelopes of cash, or a bank transfer with a reference number no one remembers. Digital donations change that equation — and in recent years they have become the standard in Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian churches too.
Why digital donations are growing
People carry less and less cash. Younger believers often do not rely on it at all. If your community only accepts donations in cash or by bank transfer, you are losing the part of your people who would gladly give — but simply have no way to.
At the same time, the emphasis on transparency is growing. Believers want to know what their gift goes towards. Digital systems make this easier — every donation is recorded, the purpose is clearly defined, and overviews are available to leadership at any time.
How digital donations work in Believer
In Believer, digital donations are a built-in part of the app — not a third-party add-on. Believers can give straight from the mobile app or via a QR code that the community generates and places, for example, in the church bulletin, on the screen, or on the website.
Payment goes through a secure payment gateway — by card, Google Pay or Apple Pay. Community leadership sees an overview of donations in real time: who gave, how much, and for what purpose. The donor can remain anonymous if they wish.
Believer charges 2% of each donation as a transaction fee — with no extra monthly charges. That is significantly less than most alternative solutions.
Donation purposes: transparency that builds trust
One of the most practical features is the ability to define donation purposes. When giving, the donor chooses what they want to support — missions, renovation, a social fund, operations... Leadership then sees how much was raised for each purpose and can report it easily.
This transparency is especially crucial for communities trying to build the trust of new members or working towards larger financial goals (building, reconstruction, mission projects).
Anonymous donations: for those who want to stay hidden
Not everyone wants leadership to know how much they contribute. Believer supports anonymous donations — the payment goes through, the gift is recorded, but the donor's identity stays hidden. For leadership it is a number in the overview; for the donor it is the privacy they deserve.
How to start: three steps
1. Activate the donations module in your community settings in Believer. 2. Set up donation purposes and generate a QR code. 3. Share the QR code with your people — in the app, on the screen, in the bulletin, or on the website.
The whole setup takes less than an hour. The first donations can then arrive the very same day.
GDPR and security
All data is stored on servers in the EU (Microsoft Azure, Frankfurt). Believer is fully GDPR-compliant — donors' personal data is not shared with third parties. Payments are processed by a certified payment gateway with the highest level of security (PCI DSS).
Digital donations are not just about convenience. They are about letting your community grow — financially and as a community — in a way that fits the times we live in. If you would like to know more or need help setting it up, get in touch at info@believer.eu.
