Let people give without cash or typing card details
A donation QR code lets a supporter give in seconds — scan, confirm the amount, done — whether you collect through PayPal, a bank transfer or a mobile payment app. It replaces the cash bucket for a world where few people carry notes.
The thing that makes or breaks a donation code isn't the payment plumbing, it's trust at the moment of scanning. A stranger asked to send money to a code they can't verify hesitates. How you label the code, and whether you let people choose the amount, decides how many actually complete the gift.
Open amount or a suggested figure
Leave the amount open and the donor decides — best for general collection where any gift is welcome and you don't want to cap generosity. Preset a fixed amount and you speed up giving for a specific ask, like a set ticket or a sponsored item, but you risk anchoring people lower than they'd have chosen.
For open collection, encode the code without an amount so the donor types their own. A blend works too: suggest figures in the text beside the code while leaving the code itself open.
- Open amount: donor chooses, best for general giving.
- Fixed amount: fast for a specific, defined ask.
- Suggest figures in text, keep the code open, to get both.
Earning trust at the collection point
People won't scan a bare code taped to a bucket. Print the code with your charity's name, logo and, where relevant, registration number right beside it, so the donor sees who they are giving to before the payment screen even loads. On the payment screen itself, your verified account name should match the printed name.
A mismatch between the poster and the name that appears after scanning is the fastest way to make a cautious donor cancel.
Receipts and record-keeping
Donors, especially larger ones, often want a receipt for tax or their own records. The payment app sends its own confirmation, but that isn't a charity receipt. Add a line beside the code telling donors how to request one, or point a second link to a short form that captures their email. Don't promise automatic tax receipts from the scan itself unless your payment setup genuinely issues them.
Choosing the payment method behind it
Match the code to how your supporters actually pay. PayPal suits international and online-comfortable donors; a bank-transfer code suits regions where that's the norm; a local mobile-payment code fits places where everyone uses one app. Pick the one your specific audience already trusts, because an unfamiliar payment screen after scanning loses the donation just as surely as a broken code.
How to set up a donation code
- Pick the right payment rail. Choose PayPal, bank transfer or a local mobile app based on what your donors already use and trust.
- Decide open or fixed amount. Leave it open for general giving, or preset a figure for a specific ask, and suggest amounts in the text.
- Print with your identity. Show the charity name, logo and registration number next to the code so donors know who they're giving to.
- Match the account name. Ensure the name on the payment screen matches the poster. The common mistake is a mismatch that makes cautious donors cancel.
Technical details
- Maximum characters: 2953
- Recommended error correction: Q (quartile) recommended for donation codes on posters and collection tins that get handled and weathered, so a scuffed code still opens the payment screen.
- This page assumes a PayPal.me donation link; a bank-transfer (EPC) code has a much lower limit (331 characters) and a mobile-app code such as UPI encodes a payment address instead.
- The code opens a payment request only — it grants no access to your account, so displaying it publicly is safe as long as no one physically covers it with their own.
Frequently asked questions
- Can donors choose how much to give?
- Yes, if you encode the code without a set amount, which is best for general collection. The donor enters their own figure on the payment screen. Preset an amount only for a specific, defined ask, and note suggested figures in the printed text rather than locking them into the code.
- How do I make people trust a donation code?
- Print your charity's name, logo and registration number right beside the code, and make sure the account name on the payment screen matches. Donors hesitate at a bare code because they can't see who receives the money, so showing your identity before and after the scan is what converts.
- Will donors get a tax receipt from scanning?
- Not automatically. The payment app sends a transaction confirmation, which isn't a charity tax receipt. Add a note or a second link telling donors how to request one, and only promise automatic receipts if your payment setup genuinely issues them. Overstating this erodes trust fast.
- Which payment method should the code use?
- Whichever your donors already use. PayPal fits international and online givers, a bank-transfer code fits regions where that's standard, and a local mobile-payment app fits places where everyone has it. An unfamiliar payment screen after scanning loses the gift as surely as a broken code.
- Is a QR donation code secure to display in public?
- The code only opens a payment screen; it holds no account access. The real risk is someone covering your code with their own sticker, so check displayed codes regularly, laminate them, and print your verified name beside them so donors can spot a swap.
- Can I use one code for a whole event?
- Yes. A single open-amount code on posters, tables and the stage lets everyone give at their own moment. Keep the printed identity consistent everywhere so the same trusted name and logo appear wherever a supporter happens to scan.