Why we don't take a percentage of the tithe
- Pricing
- Offerings
In short
- Brado charges a monthly plan based on church size and 0% on donations.
- The payment processor's fee belongs to the processor; it is passed on at cost, with no margin from us.
- Ask any provider: how much do you keep from each gift, on top of the processor's fee?
Brado charges a flat monthly plan, chosen by church size, and keeps no percentage of donations. Not of the tithe, not of offerings, not of campaigns. It is not a marketing trick: it is a decision about how we want to earn money, and it is worth explaining.
The money belongs to the church
A tithe is given to God, through a community, for a purpose. When a platform keeps a slice of every gift, it earns more the more people give, even if the product does not improve. We prefer that our income depends on the church finding Brado useful enough to pay for it every month.
Incentives we do not want
If we earned a percentage, we would always have a reason to push the church to ask for more, to build giving campaigns or to make online giving the centre of everything. We do not want that temptation. With a flat price, our interest is different: that the office saves time, that the treasury closes the books without pain, and that the Word stays at the centre.
What we charge
The plans are on the Pricing page, in euros, with no lock-in on monthly plans. VAT depends on the country and is confirmed in the proposal. Grow costs €29 a month up to 250 members and Build (Recommended) €69 a month up to 1,000 members and 3 campuses. The Network plan, for several churches, is on request. There is also a Founder price of €24 a month. In every plan, Brado’s commission on donations is 0%. To see how it works for your church, book a demo.
A worked example
Imagine, hypothetically, a platform that keeps 5% of each donation. A church receiving €3,000 a month in online donations would pay €150 a month on that percentage alone, before the payment processor’s fee. On Brado’s Build plan the price is €69 a month, and the church can grow its giving without paying more for it. The numbers are an example, not a description of any competitor: they show your church how to do the sum with the real figures.
What about the payment processor’s fee?
The payment processor, the company that handles the payment, charges its own fee. That fee is not ours, and Brado passes it on at cost, with no margin. The exact amount depends on the method (card, MB WAY, direct debit) and should be confirmed in the processor’s terms. Our principle is to show the fee visibly, so nobody has to discover it on a statement.
What this costs us
We will be honest: a flat price has downsides too. For a large church with many donations, a flat plan is usually cheaper than a percentage. For a very small church, the fixed monthly cost can weigh more than a percentage on a few donations. The part that makes us work is the middle: convincing mid-sized churches that the plan is worth it for what Brado does beyond donations. That is the right challenge.
Questions to ask any provider
- How much do you keep from each gift, on top of the processor’s fee?
- Is that figure written in the contract and on the pricing page?
- What happens when the church grows: does the price rise with members or with donations?
- Can I export donor and donation data if I leave?
- Who keeps my donors’ data?
The checklist for choosing software has these questions and a few more. And if you have doubts about receipts and cash rules, read the guide on cash limits and donation receipts.
In short
The tithe reaches the church. Brado lives on monthly plans that are public and predictable.