10+ Best Mobile Bidding Software Options for Better Events

In 2024, more than a third of nonprofit auction guests placed their bids using mobile devices, and 58% said that being able to preview auction items online is important to them. To align with your guests’ expanding expectations, you need a solution that powers mobile bidding: the ability to browse auction items, place bids, receive updates, and check out from a phone or tablet.

The best auction software makes mobile bidding effortless. When the process is seamless, participation grows – and so does your revenue. To improve your next auction with mobile bidding software, here’s what you need to know:

• How Does Mobile Bidding Work?
• Why Use Mobile Bidding Software?
• Are There Free Mobile Bidding Apps?
• Top Mobile Bidding Software Providers

We’ll answer all of these questions and review the best mobile bidding software solutions in this guide. Let’s dive in!

How Does Mobile Bidding Work?

Mobile bidding platforms enable your event guests to participate directly from their phones or other mobile devices. 

Your nonprofit adds its auction items, descriptions, and settings to an online catalog. Guests can then browse your items and bid from anywhere with a simple tap. Most solutions even notify participants when they’re outbid, encouraging competitive bidding and ultimately more proceeds for your cause.

Why Use Mobile Bidding Software?

Don’t underestimate the impact of dedicated mobile bidding software on your event. By switching from traditional paper bids to a mobile-first experience, you’ll unlock powerful benefits that boost engagement and fundraising results:

• Greater convenience and increased mobility for guests
• Revenue-driving outbid notifications
• Auction countdown timers to keep energy high
• More control over your auction during the event
• Remote bidding for guests who can’t attend in person
• Shorter registration and checkout lines at your venue
• Easy auction close and checkout

These benefits don’t just make your auction easier to run. They create a modern, engaging donor experience that today’s supporters expect.

According to our 2025 State of Nonprofit Auctions Report, mobile bidding has become more than just a “nice-to-have.” Today’s donors, especially younger generations, expect the best auction experience.

Just take a look at the age distribution of auction guests who say mobile outbid notifications are important to their experience:

• 65% of Gen Z and Millennial donors
• 43% of Gen X
• 24% of Boomers and above

No matter the audience, auction donors want bidding to be easy – and mobile bidding makes that possible.

Are There Free Mobile Bidding Apps?

As you research software options, you may come across so-called “free” mobile bidding apps. While many providers offer free solutions, there’s a hidden cost you need to be aware of.

Often, your donors end up paying the price for free software. Most of these providers shift transaction fees to your event guests and encourage them to tip the platform (sometimes 10% or more!). This puts unnecessary pressure on your donors and causes them to spend extra money without increasing their impact.

These “free” tools also tend to offer limited functionality, fewer customization options, and minimal support — all of which can lead to a frustrating experience for your guests. Investing in a full-featured solution will deliver a much better ROI.

Top Mobile Bidding Software Providers

Now that you know what to look for, let’s explore our top picks for mobile bidding software.

1. OneCause

The OneCause Fundraising Platform is the perfect fit for nonprofits ready to elevate their events with mobile bidding. With powerful features built to streamline planning, engage guests, and strengthen donor relationships, OneCause makes it easy to create unforgettable auction experiences that guests will talk about long after bidding closes.

OneCause is much more than a standalone mobile bidding tool or add-on feature to a general fundraising platform. Our mobile bidding software is part of a fully integrated fundraising platform that combines intuitive auction tools with donor management, communication, and reporting capabilities. It’s everything you need to simplify event management, drive participation, and raise more for your mission — all in one place.

Top OneCause Fundraising Platform Features

The OneCause Fundraising Platform includes all the features you need to maximize auction revenue, including:

• Mobile bidding tools that encourage larger donations with competitive bidding, max bids, outbid notifications, donation appeals, and more.
• Event management to seamlessly manage silent, live, and online auction events.
• Auction item procurement so your team can bundle multiple items into packages, log item locations, automatically assign package numbers, customize starting bids and raises, and more.
• Event registration and ticket sales features help you save time with QR code check-in and delight attendees with instantaneous item payment, checkout, and item pick-up choices.
• Donation tracking and donor management so your nonprofit can view donor activity at an individual event or across all events, review all donor contributions and purchases, and create post-event donor receipts with a personal touch.
• Sponsorship management helps you meet sponsor needs, provide recognition by contribution level, and conveniently track all paid and in-kind sponsorships.
• Reporting features, including real-time analytics and post-event reporting, to help you fine-tune your next event.
• Time-saving AI tools that auto-generate auction item descriptions and automatically suggest items guests may like based on their bidding activity.

Why This Mobile Bidding Software is #1

OneCause is dedicated to providing nonprofits with the inspiration, tools, and support they need to grow their fundraising. From your first touchpoint to beyond the final giving tally, we help you think beyond a single donor transaction to secure long-term supporter engagement.

Our team has over 17 years of experience helping nonprofits grow their results and increase their fundraising year-round, and we’re constantly innovating. We’ve established ourselves as a leader in fundraising software by helping over 14,000 organizations host over 90,000 fundraisers and raise over $8 billion.

Nonprofits trust us specifically because of our mobile bidding expertise and innovative features. Just listen to what The Coalition for Children, Youth, and Families has to say about our solution:

Plus, our commitment to nonprofits extends beyond industry-leading software. We also provide insights from the latest research, best-in-class resources, and live event support to help you become a more effective fundraiser.

Pricing

OneCause offers various packages for auction and event software. Book a demo to get a custom quote and discover how we can help you raise more.

2. Accelevents

Accelevents provides event management software for all types of organizations, including associations, businesses, nonprofits, and more. The platform includes a mobile bidding app with text-to-give capabilities and outbid notifications.

Features

• Upload items with descriptions and images
• Set starting bids, bid increments, and buy-now prices
• Facilitate real-time bidding on both desktop and mobile devices
• Collect and process online and onsite bid payments

Pricing

Accelevevents offers various software packages, starting at $7,000 for a single event.

3. MobilBid

MobilBid is a Canadian software provider that offers solutions to help nonprofits add efficiency to their events without sacrificing an enjoyable experience for their attendees. Its mobile bidding software is highly customizable and free to start using, but your fees may rack up later.

Features

• Intuitive auction event setup tools
• Automatic messaging and customizable messaging templates
• Max bid and auto bid features
• SMS and email outbid alerts
• Express mobile payment and invoicing

Pricing

MobilBid charges a 5.5% fee based on silent auction revenue. Their fee may range from $220 to $2,500 per event.

4. MaestroAuction

MaestroAuction by Maestrosoft helps nonprofits plan, host, and manage online auctions. It’s marketed as a comprehensive solution, but users say that the interface is dated and clunky, making it difficult for users and guests alike.

Features

• Auction inventory tracking
• Attendee management and tracking
• Table purchases and seating management
• Automated data quality checks
• Marketing material templates, including letters, bid forms, and more

Pricing

To get a quote for MaestroAuction, request a consultation with their team. You can expect to pay for both their software and training.

5. ClickBid

ClickBid is a hands-on mobile bidding platform with tools to address nonprofit auction needs from the ground up. While some users say they’re working on modernizing the software, many users find the manual features and landing pages outdated.

Features

• Custom landing pages
• Event ticket sales
• Mass messaging
• Live video event streaming
• AI-powered Auction GPT

Pricing

ClickBid currently offers three plans, starting from $795 annually and going up to $2,295 annually, with 3.5% credit card fees.

6. Silent Auction Pro

Silent Auction Pro supports both mobile bidding and paper bidding, along with text-to-give and other aspects of event management. This software focuses heavily on auction events but also includes some general giving features.

Features

• Online auction catalog for mobile bidding
• Fixed price and buy-it-now items
• Display sheets with QR codes
• Sponsor highlights
• Bidding games such as 50/50 and Heads or Tails

Pricing

Mobile bidding packages start at $749 annually + 2% of event proceeds. However, many essential features are only available with the Pro plan, starting at $899 annually + 2% of event proceeds.

7. GiveSmart

GiveSmart is a mobile bidding platform that supports live and silent auctions, with other fundraising features available for an additional subscription fee. While this software has the basic functionality you need, it lacks key capabilities like AI-powered features.

Features

• Automated bidding with real-time notifications
• Interactive auction display with leaderboards and live chat
• Receipts for item donors and winning bidders

Pricing

Contact the GiveSmart team to learn about their pricing options and plans.

8. Bloomerang Fundraising

Bloomerang Fundraising, previously known as Qgiv, started as a solution focused on donation forms and peer-to-peer fundraising, but it also includes mobile bidding. The software is broken down into modules for fundraising, CRM, and volunteer management.

Features

• Mobile bidding via an app or website
• QR code ticket check-in
• Live auction activity feed and widget

Pricing

On its own, the Fundraising solution (which includes events and auctions) starts at $40/month. However, you must purchase it in a bundle with Bloomerang CRM, which starts at $125/month.

9. Givebutter

If you search for free mobile bidding apps, you’ll likely run into Givebutter, a full-suite fundraising platform you can start using at no cost. Givebutter offers basic auction software, but the free plan’s features are limited.

Features

• Automated bidding based on a selected max bid
• Free QR code bid sheets for in-person auctions
• Self-service registration and check-out

Pricing

Givebutter’s software is “free” as long as you turn on optional donor tipping. You must prompt donors to cover transaction fees and give them the option to tip the platform. Otherwise, you pay a 3% platform fee plus standard processing fees.

10. Winspire

While Winspire doesn’t offer standard mobile bidding technology, it can help you generate significantly more bidding revenue for your online and hybrid auctions. This provider offers hundreds of travel and experience packages that you can sell at your auction for no upfront cost.

Features

• 200+ experience packages you can offer at your auction
• Custom travel experiences curated to your unique donor base
• Only pay for the packages you sell at the event

Pricing

You can offer Winspire packages at your event for no upfront cost. Once a bidder wins the item, you’ll pay the listed “Nonprofit Cost” (which varies for each experience) and keep all the funds you earned above that.

Host More Successful Auctions with Mobile Bidding Software

Investing in mobile bidding is one of the best ways to boost your event’s revenue potential and streamline the planning. Use this guide to evaluate your options, and remember that the team at OneCause is always here to help.

If you’d like to learn more about auction fundraising software, check out these guides:

• OneCause Nonprofit Auction & Mobile Bidding Software. Explore the #1 mobile bidding platform in more detail. Find features, benefits, testimonials, and more here.
• 20+ Best Silent Auction Software Solutions to Grow Revenue. Your silent auction can benefit from more than just mobile bidding software. Learn more about premier silent auction software solutions here.
• Online Charity Auctions Guide & 13+ Best Auction Providers. Online charity auctions allow you to reach more supporters and boost fundraising. Read our guide for tips and top providers.