Nonprofit guide
Free registration software for nonprofits: 7 options compared
"Free" means different things. Some tools are free with monthly limits, some add a fee or ask families for a contribution at checkout, and some are free to nonprofits but still charge card processing fees. Here are seven options nonprofits use for registration, what's actually free in each, and who each one fits.
BackPR wrote this list and is one of the seven options. They're listed alphabetically. Facts about the other tools come from their own public pages, checked October 10 and 11, 2026, with sources on each comparison page. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with each company.
At a glance
What's free in each option
| Option | What's free | Limits and costs | Card processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| BackPR | All features, for registered nonprofits: no subscription and no BackPR fees. | Free only for registered nonprofits; other organizations get pricing by quote. Card processing isn't covered. | Stripe's standard rates, published on stripe.com/pricing. You choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. |
| brightwheel | A free plan for 1 staff member and fewer than 20 students, with limited features. | Premium pricing is by quote. No published nonprofit pricing. | brightwheel charges card and bank-transfer fees, quoted per program. Programs choose whether families pay them. |
| Cognito Forms | An Individual plan: 1 user and 100 entries a month, with Cognito Forms branding. | On the free plan, Cognito charges the organization an extra 2% per card payment, which the organization can pass on to payers. Cognito Forms doesn't run recurring payments on any plan. | Cognito Pay: 2.9% + 30¢ per card payment, plus 2% on the free plan. |
| Google Forms | Free with a Google account. | No payment or signature question types, so payments and e-signatures need another tool. | Not applicable: Google Forms doesn't collect payments. |
| Homeroom | No subscription for schools and PTOs. | Families pay Homeroom's service fee on top of the class price. Private schools, districts and other nonprofits should contact Homeroom for pricing. | Schools and PTOs pay no fee. Homeroom says class providers build a 3% card fee into their prices. |
| Jotform | A Starter plan: 5 forms in total, plus 100 submissions and 10 payments a month, with Jotform branding. | Forms are disabled when a monthly limit is reached. Paid plans are 50% off for approved nonprofits. | Your payment processor's standard rates. Jotform adds no transaction fee. |
| Zeffy | Everything, for nonprofits only, including card processing. | Checkout asks payers for an optional contribution to Zeffy. It's built mainly for fundraising; its help center says installment plans, waitlists and waivers aren't built in. | Covered by Zeffy. |
Who each one fits
Built for different jobs
BackPR
Built for: Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools, PTAs and churches.
How BackPR is free for nonprofitsbrightwheel
Built for: Childcare centers and preschools, plus camps and after-school programs.
BackPR vs brightwheelCognito Forms
Built for: Online forms with calculations, payments and workflows.
BackPR vs Cognito FormsHomeroom
Built for: School programs: enrichment classes, extended care, camps and leagues at schools and PTOs.
BackPR vs HomeroomZeffy
Built for: Nonprofit fundraising: donations, event tickets, memberships, raffles and online stores.
BackPR vs ZeffyHow to choose
Four questions before you pick
- Count your real volume: how many registrations and payments a month at your busiest time, not your average.
- Ask who pays card processing, and whether anything is added to what families pay at checkout.
- Check what you need beyond a form: payment plans, waitlists, e-signed waivers, sibling discounts, check-in and pickup.
- Look at what happens when you grow: limits that disable forms, or a jump to a paid plan.
For a full vendor checklist, see how to choose registration software, and figure out card costs with the credit card fee calculator.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is there registration software that's completely free for nonprofits?
Zeffy comes closest: it's free to nonprofits, card processing included, and asks payers for an optional contribution, but it's built mainly for fundraising. BackPR has no subscription and no BackPR fees for registered nonprofits; card payments run at Stripe's standard rates, which you can absorb or pass on.
Can we use Google Forms for program registration?
For sign-ups, yes. Google Forms is free, but it has no payment or signature question types, so you'd need separate tools for payments and e-signed waivers.
What do free form tools usually limit?
Monthly submissions or payments, the number of forms or users, and branding. Jotform's free plan allows 10 payments a month; Cognito Forms' free plan allows 100 entries a month and charges the organization an extra 2% per card payment.
Who wrote this comparison?
BackPR, which is one of the options. Facts about the other tools come from their own public pages; each name in the table links to a comparison page with its sources. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with each company.
Open registration
with BackPR
Free for nonprofits. No long-term contract. We set you up and import your data at no cost.