"Highly recommended payment provider for charities!"

We started using Charity Checkout as our payment provider just over a year ago and it has been brilliant. It's very difficult, as a small charity, to be in a positon to take direct debits and payments via our website without significant investment, and I was looking for a third party platform that was as straightforward as possible.

The set-up is very simple (and the Charity Checkout team are always on hand for any queries) and the branding is easily personalised and looks like our own. I particualrly like that once transactions have been completed, donors are directed back to our own website, rather than a third party platform.

There are, of course, fees involved, but the benefits that we get from using Charity Checkout as our payment provider are worth it. I would highly recommend to any charity.

"Thoroughly Reccomend"

We have been using Charity Checkout at our NGO since last year and we've found them to be really responsive, flexible and perfect for what we needed in terms of online fundraising. I'd definitely recommend them and specifically Ali who has been our main point contact, walking us through the set up process and always available to help with any queries.

"Excellent service"

Excellent service. Very straightforward. James was amazing and very patient with me as I am a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to technology.
Overall review: Amazing

"AVOID - they are nasty when you want to leave them"

Charity Checkout were ok whilst getting us to sign up - then it all went downhill. There rarely communicate between departments so if there is a problem it just does not get sorted. They have still not paid our gift aid over after 12 months (they chase us for the CHV1 so we resend it, then they mislay it again). But now they tell us they had it all along but HMRC linked it to the wrong charity (HMRC have denied this). There are better and cheaper products elsewhere so we decided to part company becaue there admin is so bad. I guess all the 5 * reviews are for charities still with Charity Checkout who have not had an issue.

We tried to cancel and this is where they show their true colours - they are nasty, argumentative and sent an email stating "If we do not hear from you within 24 hours, your account will be passed to ACS Advanced Collection Systems, our debt recovery agency" despite the fact we contacted them several times confirming we wanted to cancel, they were still demanding payment. We sent them another CHV1 in the summer with a letter stating we were not renewing the following month and they have "lost" both. Apparently they have changed the rules and letters now don't count - to leave you have to find the cancel button on the admin part of the website - it is hidden away, on an odd page, right at the bottom in small font - really trying to not be found.

I am still waiting for a reply to my complaint and question about gift aid - they haven't bothered to reply - yet they are still sending out final debt collection letters.

Charities have a duty to protect the money given to them - therefore we would recommend you avoid Charity Checkout. We have wasted a huge amount of volunteer time trying to sort out the mess they have created and talking over the same problems with them time and time again - rather than looking for a resolution most of the time they look for an argument. That volunteer time shuld have been spent on much more important duties.

Updated after the Charity Checkout Response on 20th Dec - We cancelled the contract in writing in Aug 2017 but CC chose to ignore this request stating they had changed the T&Cs since inception. They then collected £550 by direct debit 4 weeks later in September 2017. They refused to refund the money and it was later reclaimed by my bank - although we received a large amount of debt collection letters from CC in autumn 2017, who turned very nasty to force us to repay, We received our last debt letter after the review was posted so this is very current and very much ongoing. Charity Checkout are refusing to provide information they hold on us (i.e. a copy of the gift aid form they submitted to HMRC) until we promise to take down this Trustpilot review - we have requested the paperwork as so we can see what has happened throughout the year and to verify the signatures on the CVH1 Form (we had serious issues hence why we cancelled).

This does not relate to 2016 - we have verified this through Trust Pilot and have provided copies of all of the paperwork to prove it is current and ongoing.

Update 27th April 2018

Quote from Charity Checkout in their response dated 27/4/18
"We have provided all the information you have requested and this was not conditional on you withdrawing the review. This review was written over a year since our organisation was last paid for the services we provided to your organisation."

Our Reply
This whole problem arose after you collected the annual payment from our bank account in September 2017 which was AFTER we told you we wanted to cancel the account. The review was not written a year after our last payment was made - it was written a few weeks after our last payment was taken - and you DID NOT refund the money - we had to approach our bank to reclaim the money. Charity Checkout refused to do the refund.
We have provided copy bank statement and other correspondence to Trust Pilot confirming you took a payment in 09/17 - weeks before the review was posted - which is why they allowed the review to stay.
If you review the file, nearly 8 months later, at least do it properly.
We have had an uphill struggle with you during the last few months of 2017 when you refused to provide the information we requested - we appreciate you have emailed up to try to resolve the situation but until you provide the information we have requested over and over again there is no resolution. Resolution is not us taking down this review - it is Charity Checkout providing the information we have requested and have waited 8 months for.

"My experience of Charity Checkout has …"

My experience of Charity Checkout has been amazing over the last 2 years. Its been an excellent fund raising platform. Nothing is too much trouble for the team. For example Laura Elkin was great in helping a funder to sort out her bank account details on line.

"Very friendly"

Very friendly, efficient and helpful staff. Excellent service.My account was set up very quickly and they walked me through the website step by step. I would highly recommend Charity Checkout to anyone :)

"Great service"

I have been really pleased with the help and support I have received from Charity Checkout. We have used them to build our website by using their template and donations platform. The template is easy to tailor to our needs, and the site is easy to navigate. They also host the site which is an added bonus. Most importantly now it is completed I am able to make any updates myself. Gabrielle is always available should I have any problems but the wordpress format is fairly straightforward.

Thank you for everything. A great service, throughly recommended.

Rachel
Marigold Chain charity

"Thank you for the skilful help to set up AdWords"

Gabrielle Clark was most responsive, cheerful and skilful.

Well done Charity CheckOut !

"First-rate organisation"

We have worked with Charity Checkout for over a year now. They have always been very attentive to our needs and helped us significantly increase our donor base.

"Great service, very helpful with set-up."

Great service, very helpful with set-up.