If you’re reading this, you’re probably searching for a simple way to accept donations from your church members. But - easy isn’t always the right path. My name is Sandra, a SteepleMate founder, and I’m here to help you make the best decision for your church. Let’s dig in.
Venmo: A Payment Tool, Not a Donation Platform
Venmo, owned by PayPal, is a widely used peer-to-peer payment app. But just because it’s convenient doesn’t mean it’s built for churches.
The Problem with Using Venmo for Church Giving
✔️ Venmo is great for quick personal payments - splitting a dinner bill, reimbursing a friend, or paying for services.
🚫 Venmo is NOT built for nonprofit giving - and using it incorrectly could put your church at risk.
Cons of Using Venmo for Church Donations
- No CHMS Integration
- Every single donation must be manually entered into your church’s system to generate donor statements.
- Even for “just a few” gifts, this adds up quickly—and before you know it, you may need another finance admin just to keep up.
Difficult Tracking for Donor Records
- Many Venmo users don’t use their real names, making it a nightmare to track who gave what.
- Finance teams waste hours matching anonymous usernames to real donors.
IRS & Tax Complications
- If over $600 is received in a Venmo account, the IRS requires it to be reported as income—potentially creating issues for churches.
- If donations are sent to a pastor’s personal Venmo, they are not tax-deductible for the giver, and the pastor may be taxed on those funds.
- Church planters beware: If you accept donations in a personal Venmo account, you cannot legally issue charitable tax receipts to donors.
Potential Account Freezes & Violations
- Venmo is not designed for nonprofit fundraising. If your church violates Venmo’s policies, your account could be restricted or shut down.
- Some churches have reported funds being locked up or accounts being disabled without warning.
What Church Finance Admins Are Saying About Venmo
We spoke with real church finance admins who have used Venmo. Here’s what they had to say:
“We had it for two years and JUST closed it down this week! 🙌🏽 Tracking giving was a nightmare—most people don’t use their actual names. We also had trouble transferring funds and dealing with customer service.”
“Don’t use Venmo. Use a proper giving system that keeps everything above board and generates correct tax receipts. We switched to SteepleMate, and the processing fees are the lowest we’ve found (1.99%).”
“It’s hard to distinguish between gifts and payments. Venmo may assume donations are for services and issue givers a 1099, creating unnecessary tax headaches.”
What’s a Better Alternative? SteepleMate.
If you want a donation platform designed for churches, SteepleMate is the solution.
Why Churches Love SteepleMate Giving
✔️ Donor-Friendly QR Codes - Instantly generate a QR code for any contribution category (e.g., Tithes, Missions) and even pre-fill a recommended amount for quick giving.
✔️ Event & Registration Payments - Accept payments for church events, t-shirts, books, and more with a simple online registration form.
✔️ Recurring Giving & Donor Self-Service - Donors can set up recurring gifts, track giving history, and download contribution statements anytime.
✔️ Lowest Processing Fees (1.99%) - Donors can even choose to cover the transaction fees, helping the church keep more of each donation.
✔️ Full Church Management System - SteepleMate seamlessly integrates giving with your CHMS and QuickBooks Online (certified by Intuit).
Let Us Handle the Hard Stuff, So You Can Focus on the Heart Stuff
Venmo may seem like a quick fix, but the risks outweigh the convenience. Your church deserves a secure, compliant, and hassle-free way to manage giving.
SteepleMate is built for churches, by people who understand church needs - so you can focus on ministry, not financial headaches.
Want to see how SteepleMate can work for your church? Let’s chat!