JustGiving vs Facebook: What the Data Actually Says
Most charity teams running virtual challenges treat this as a debate. JustGiving or Facebook? Which one should you be using?
There’s a more useful question: how do you use each platform where it’s strongest?
We pulled performance data from UK campaigns run through GivePanel. Here’s what we found.
Why JustGiving raises more
JustGiving fundraisers raised an average of £275.60 each. Facebook fundraisers raised £147.23. That’s an 87% difference, around £128 per active fundraiser.
Run the maths on a campaign with 100 active fundraisers and it becomes hard to ignore. Facebook gets you around £14,700. JustGiving gets you over £27,500. Same number of people. Very different outcomes. That gap should shape how you build your registration flows.
But Facebook still wins on activation
Before you write Facebook off, the conversion picture is more nuanced.
JustGiving’s conversion rate across campaigns was 60.09%. Facebook’s was 55.89%. Four percentage points might not sound like much, but in high-volume campaigns it’s the difference between hundreds more Active Fundraisers actually creating a page.
Where Facebook genuinely outperforms is activation. More supporters take that first step on Facebook because the experience is native and familiar. The challenge is that activation doesn’t automatically translate into fundraising momentum.
Think of it this way: Facebook is your net, JustGiving is your engine.
How to use both platforms well
The goal isn’t to pick a winner. It’s to use each platform where it earns its place.
Lead with JustGiving. Make it the default option on your registration forms. Be upfront about why — fundraisers who use JustGiving consistently raise more, and your supporters deserve to know that.
Keep Facebook accessible, not prominent. There’s a real cohort of supporters who’ll only fundraise on Facebook, whether out of habit, preference, or because they already have an existing page. Don’t lose them. Just don’t make it the path of least resistance.
Tailor your stewardship to each platform. Facebook fundraisers are more likely to stall before that first donation comes in. Build your automated email journeys with that in mind — immediate, specific activation nudges in the first 48 hours. For JustGiving fundraisers, the priority shifts to momentum: the encouragement and tips that help them push past their target.
Seasonal patterns are worth tracking
The data also showed something interesting around timing. In August, JustGiving hit an 88.73% conversion rate, well above its average. Facebook’s conversion dipped during the same period.
Your own historical data will tell a clearer story than any benchmark. If you can identify the months where JustGiving consistently outperforms for your charity, there’s a strong case for running JustGiving-exclusive campaigns in those windows.
Getting the registration experience right
None of this matters if your registration flow gets in the way.
Generic forms that try to cater for every option at once often create confusion, and confusion creates drop-off. If you’re running campaigns through GivePanel, you can build distinct, embedded registration forms tailored to each activation channel. A streamlined JustGiving registration form removes friction at the moment it matters most, when a supporter decides whether to actually start fundraising.
The short version
JustGiving raises significantly more per fundraiser. Facebook activates supporters more readily. Both have a role in a well-run virtual challenge, and the campaigns that do this best are the ones that lean into each platform’s strengths rather than treating it as all-or-nothing.
Want to see how this works in practice? Book a demo at givepanel.com/demo to see how GivePanel’s registration forms and automated email journeys help you manage both platforms in one place.
Already a GivePanel customer? Log in to your dashboards to benchmark your own JustGiving and Facebook performance against these numbers.