What is a church giving platform?
A church giving platform is software that lets congregants donate money during or outside services, usually via QR code or mobile browser, without downloading an app or creating an account. Givr by MRVL is the UK's church giving platform built specifically for Gift Aid, automatically capturing donor declarations and submitting claims to HMRC Charities Online.
How church giving platforms work
Church giving platforms remove friction from donations. A congregant scans a QR code displayed on a screen or printed sheet, their phone browser opens to a giving page, they enter an amount and their details, and the donation is complete in seconds. No app installation. No account signup. No card reader hardware needed. For churches, it means instant payment settlement, donor records, and (with Givr) automated Gift Aid. As of 2026, most UK churches still rely on collection plates or offline bank transfers, leaving an estimated £560 million in unclaimed Gift Aid on the table annually.
Why Gift Aid matters for churches
Gift Aid is a UK tax relief scheme: when a church receives a donation from a UK taxpayer, the church can claim an extra 25% from HMRC, no cost to the donor. A £100 gift becomes £125 to the church. Yet most churches never claim it because the process is manual, time-consuming, and error-prone. Givr captures Gift Aid declarations automatically when the donor gives, then submits the claim to HMRC on the church's behalf. Gather tier (£25/month or £245/year) includes Gift Aid automation and HMRC submission; Grow tier adds white-label branding and API access for larger networks.
Key features of Givr
Givr handles the full giving workflow. QR code giving works on any phone with a browser. Stripe Connect Express handles payment processing; churches need no FCA licence because Stripe is FCA-authorised. The donor dashboard shows who gave, how much, and Gift Aid status. Fund management lets churches track money by category (e.g. general fund, building project, relief appeal). Recurring giving via GoCardless (Gather tier) turns one-off gifts into sustainable monthly support. The GASDS small-donation scheme support helps churches minimise paperwork on donations under £250. White-label custom domains (Grow tier) let multi-church networks brand the experience as their own.
Givr vs other giving platforms
Most church giving platforms are US imports (like Tithe.ly) designed around US tax law, not Gift Aid. They lack HMRC integration or Gift Aid automation, forcing UK church treasurers to do manual paperwork anyway. Givr is purpose-built for UK churches and Gift Aid. You own your payment processor via Stripe Connect, not a walled platform. Platform fees scale: Free tier is 1% (with a £5,000/month volume cap), Gather is 0.5%, Grow is 0.35%. On top, Givr takes a 2% Gift Aid performance fee only on the amount you successfully claim from HMRC, invoiced when the money arrives.
Getting started with Givr
Church treasurers or finance leaders sign up at no cost on the Free tier and connect a Stripe account (2-3 minutes via Stripe Connect Express). Within minutes, a QR code is ready to print or display. Congregants scan, give, and declare Gift Aid if eligible. Givr stores donor records and, on Gather tier, automatically prepares and submits Gift Aid claims to HMRC Charities Online monthly. No spreadsheets. No HMRC portal logins. The entire process integrates into church life, whether you're in the pew or at home giving online.
Start collecting Gift Aid-eligible donations in minutes with Givr.
Frequently asked questions
Do congregants need to download an app to give?
No. They scan a QR code and give in their phone's browser. Givr works on any smartphone with internet, no app download or account creation required.
Is Givr only for Gift Aid?
No. Gift Aid is the standout feature, but Givr works for any UK church donation. Free tier (1% fee, no Gift Aid submission) is perfect for churches not yet ready for automation. Gather tier adds Gift Aid, recurring giving, and HMRC submission.
How much Gift Aid can a church claim?
Givr claims 25% of every eligible donation from the donor amount. A congregation giving £10,000 per year could unlock an extra £2,500 in Gift Aid. Givr's 2% performance fee on claimed amounts still leaves significant net gain.
What happens if my church doesn't have a Stripe account?
Givr uses Stripe Connect Express, which guides you through account setup in minutes during onboarding. No FCA licence or separate merchant application needed.
Can Givr handle recurring giving?
Yes, on Gather tier and above via GoCardless. Congregants set up monthly or weekly standing orders, and Givr tracks them alongside one-off gifts for Gift Aid purposes.
Is there a cap on how much a church can use Givr?
Free tier caps at £5,000/month volume. Gather and Grow tiers have no volume limit, scaling only by transaction fee (0.5% and 0.35% respectively, plus 2% Gift Aid performance fee).