Free silent auction software
Free silent auction software you own for life
Stop renting a platform that takes a cut of every lot. Kevin builds your charity a commission-free silent auction website you own forever, so 100% of every bid goes to your cause.
In short
- Kevin builds you a silent auction platform your charity owns for life, not a one-night rental.
- 0% commission and direct Stripe payments, so every pound goes straight to your cause.
- Full mobile bidding with start, reserve and buy-now prices, proxy bidding and automatic winner charging.
- You set your own reserves, so inflated third-party mark-ups never siphon off your donors’ budgets.
- Reuse the same site for future appeals at no extra cost.
Why is most silent auction software not really free?
Most silent auction software is not free at all. The typical silent auction company rents you their platform for a single night, keeps control of your donor data, and takes a percentage of everything you raise. They also set reserve prices on their own consignment lots far above true value, so your charity only sees the money raised above those reserves, often a small slice of each lot.
Kevin does it the other way round. Instead of renting you software for one night, he builds your charity a professional silent auction website on WordPress and WooCommerce that you keep for good. No commission, no forced lots and no inflated reserves. You own the platform, the donor data, and every pound raised.
Side by side
A rented platform vs a site you own
| What matters | Traditional silent auction company | The Charity Auctioneer method |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | Commission on every item | 0% commission, you keep 100% |
| Platform | Rented for one night | Owned by your charity for life |
| Lots | Geared to their consignment items | Sourced in-house, you keep the margin |
| Reserves | High reserves, low profit for you | You set the price for maximum profit |
| After the event | The site is deleted | Keep it and reuse it for free |
| Payments | Routed through them as middleman | Direct Stripe, funds go straight to you |
What the software does
Everything your silent auction needs, built in
It is a full mobile-bidding silent auction, run from your guests’ phones and controlled by you. No apps to download, no per-lot fees, and nothing deleted when the night ends. Here is what it does out of the box.
Flexible pricing per lot
Set a start price, a reserve and an optional buy-now price for every item, so guests can bid or buy outright. No inflated reserves, just transparent pricing that works for your charity.
Manual or automatic bidding
Guests bid themselves, or enter a maximum and let proxy bidding raise their bid only when needed. Bidding stays smooth, fair and competitive.
Bid confirmation
Ask guests to confirm each bid before it goes live. This cuts out curious clicks and reminds bidders of their commitment if they win.
Verified card registration
Guests register and add a valid card through Stripe before they can bid, so every bidder is genuine and able to pay.
Instant winner checkout
When the auction ends the system creates a pending order and sends each winner a direct checkout link, instead of chasing vague emails.
Automatic card charging
With Stripe connected, winning cards can be charged the moment the auction closes, which dramatically reduces unpaid bids.
Smart notifications
Bidders are told when they are outbid, when the auction is about to close and when they have won, which drives more competitive bidding.
Yours to keep
Built on WordPress and WooCommerce and owned by your charity, so you can reuse the same site for future appeals at no extra cost.
How do inflated reserves quietly cost you thousands?
Inflated reserves cost you thousands because they spend your donors’ budgets before your real fundraising even begins. Picture a guest, call him Dave, who arrives ready to give £2,000. He spots a villa in the silent auction brochure with a £2,000 reserve, when its true cost is closer to £995. He bids, feels good, and is now emotionally spent.
When the live auction and pledge come round, Dave is out. He has already given his £2,000. And if he wins that villa, the silent auction company keeps most of the difference while your charity is left with a few pounds. Multiply that across a room and the cost is enormous.
Owning your platform removes the middleman entirely. You source lots in-house, set honest reserves, and keep every pound above cost. Kevin also works the room on the night, driving last-minute bids and keeping guests engaged for the live auction and pledge drive too.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is the silent auction software really free?
There is no commission and no per-lot fee, so your charity keeps 100% of every bid. Kevin builds the platform for you as part of working together, and you own it afterwards, so there is no ongoing licence cost to a software company.
Do I own the platform after the event?
Yes. The site is built on WordPress and WooCommerce and belongs to your charity for life. You can keep it and reuse it for future appeals at no extra cost, rather than losing access the moment the night ends.
How do guests pay for winning lots?
Payments run through your own Stripe account, so funds go straight to your charity with no middleman. Winners receive a direct checkout link, and cards can be charged automatically when the auction closes to reduce unpaid bids.
Do guests need to download an app to bid?
No. The whole silent auction runs in a normal web browser on your guests’ phones. They register, add a card and bid from wherever they are sitting.
Do I have to use your auction lots?
No. Unlike a consignment model, you source lots in-house and keep the full margin. Kevin helps you choose items and set honest reserves, so more of every bid reaches your cause.
Can I run a live auction and pledge on the same night?
Yes, and most events do. The silent auction warms the room up, while the live auction and pledge drive are usually where the biggest totals are made. Kevin runs all three so they work together.
Let’s talk
See the software in action
Ask for a free, no-obligation demo and see how easy it is to run your own commission-free silent auction.