The 6 Best Fundraising Thermometer Plugins I Recommend (Tested!)

I helped a local animal shelter set up their first WordPress fundraising page last year.

You had set up the donation form correctly and the PayPal button was active. But they wanted the classic fundraising thermometer that would show progress toward their $5,000 goal.

“How hard could it be?” they asked.

It turned out to be quite confusing. Some fundraising plugins required coding, others required $300 upfront to automate it, while some tools seemed outdated and hadn’t been updated in years.

After testing WordPress donation options that actually work for beginners, I found 6 plugins that are worth your time.

Some take care of everything, from donations to exhibitions. Others simply show the thermometer and let you process payments as you wish.

In this guide I will show you which fundraising thermometer is right for your WordPress site.

Whether you’re running a church campaign, a charitable effort, or a personal cause, here’s a fundraising thermometer plugin that makes setup easy. Let us find the right fit for your fundraising goals.

Key insights

Before choosing a fundraising thermometer, you need to know the following:

• Some plugins take care of both donations and progress trackingwhile others just display the thermometer visually.
• There are free versions which are perfect for small campaigns. Paid upgrades only matter if you need advanced features.
• Automatic updates save timebut manual thermometers work well if you don’t receive donations daily.
• Most beginner-friendly options do not require any programming knowledge and install in less than 10 minutes.
• Adapt your choice to your actual needs. Remember that simple campaigns should not use complex enterprise solutions.

Additionally, if you want to jump straight to my list of the best donation goal counter plugins, use the table of contents below.

With that out of the way, let’s get started.

This is how I test fundraising thermometers for WordPress

I focus on what’s important for beginners, not fancy corporate features. This is what I look for in a good fundraising thermometer plugin.

• The simplicity of the setup comes first. Can you install the plugin and see a working thermometer in less than 10 minutes?
• Visual customization important because your thermometer should match the colors and branding of your website.
• Automatic updates save time. The best plugins track donations and update your progress bar without manual work.
• Mobile viewing is non-negotiable. More than half of your donors will see your thermometer on their cell phones.

I tested each plugin on a new WordPress site to see the real beginner experience.

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Best Fundraising Thermometer Plugins for WordPress

If you’re in a hurry, here’s what I found: Non-profit is best for beginners who want everything in one plugin. Formidable Forms is great for complex donation forms with calculations.

Donation thermometer Works great if you just need the visual display. And GiveWP dominates among nonprofits planning serious growth.

For a quick visual overview, check out my comparison table of the best donation goal counter plugins.

Plugin	Free version	Free thermometer?	Best for	Ease of use	Starting price
🥇 Non-profit	✅	✅	All-in-one fundraising	Very simple	Starting at $69/year
🥈 Impressive shapes	✅	❌	Complex donation forms	Moderate	Starting at $199.50/year
🥉 Donation thermometer	✅	✅	Display requirement only	Very simple	Free
4. GiveWP	✅	✅	Growing Nonprofits	Simply	$149/year
5. Dispenser box	✅	✅	Hosted platform solution	Simply	1.5% fee over $1,000/month
6. Ultimate	✅	✅	Visual customization	Simply	$59.99/year

1. Non-profit: Best fundraising thermometer for beginners

Evaluation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Over 10,000 organizations | Suitable for: Complete beginners who want an all-in-one solution

I recommended it Non-profit to three different clients this year, and all had working fundraising pages within an hour. This is rare with WordPress plugins that do so much.

My experience

Charitable became my go-to resource after watching a church administrator with no technical knowledge launch a mortgage campaign in 8 minutes.

The drag-and-drop campaign builder works like editing a WordPress post. You select one of the dozens of available templates sorted by cause, add your goal amount, and click publish.

What impressed me most was the automatic updates. When someone donates via Stripe or PayPal, the thermometer fills up immediately. This increases the trust and credibility of your charity campaign.

There is no manual number crunching or spreadsheets involved. Most importantly, the progress bar will be displayed automatically.

If you are a beginner and still trying things out, you don’t need to invest in Charitable right away.

The free version includes unlimited campaigns, donor management, and visually appealing progress bars. For a small nonprofit test fundraiser, this is all you need.

Additionally, Charitable does not charge any platform fees. You only pay standard Stripe or PayPal processing fees.

► Advantages

• With pre-designed templates, you can get started in minutes
• Progress bars are automatically updated with every donation
• No platform fees unlike GoFundMe or similar services

► Disadvantages

My verdict

If you’re new to WordPress fundraising and want a plugin that does it all, start with Charitable. The free version works for most small campaigns. Only upgrade if you need recurring donations or peer-to-peer fundraising.

For more information, see my updated Charitable review.

Prices: Available in free version. Pro from $69/year

Start here with Charitable

2. Formidable Forms: Best Fundraising Thermometer for Form Builder Users

Evaluation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Powerful form builder | Best for: Complex donation forms

Formidable Forms takes a completely different approach. It is an advanced form builder first and a fundraising tool second. This allows you to create complex donation forms without code.

My experience

I tested Formidable Forms’ Charity Tracker template after a client asked if they wanted to add fundraising to their existing setup.

The template includes two forms and three progress bar styles (classic thermometer, circular and horizontal). Setup was straightforward if you’re already familiar with Formidable’s interface.

Form customization exceeded what donation-specific plugins offer. For example, you get conditional logic, multi-step workflows, custom calculations, and more.

If you need a complex donation form with unusual requirements, Formidable Forms is for you.

But here’s the catch: donation forms in Formidable Forms require manual approval from the admin before they appear on your thermometer. There is no automatic real-time update out of the box.

► Advantages

• Extreme form customization beyond standard donation plugins
• Works seamlessly if you already use Formidable Forms
• Three different thermometer display styles included

► Disadvantages

• Expensive compared to other options
• Need a Pro plan to access Fundraising Thermometer
• Manual donation approval required; no automatic updates
• Learning curve for fundraising-specific features

My verdict

Formidable Forms is the perfect option if you want to create complex WordPress forms. The fundraising features work well when you need conditional logic, multi-step workflows, or custom calculations that standard fundraising plugins can’t handle.

Check out my review of Formidable Forms. Also, compare WPForms and Formidable Forms, two of the most powerful form builders, to find out which one is best for you.

Prices: Free plugin available. However, requires a business plan at $199.50/year

Start here with Formidable Forms

3. Donation thermometer: Best Free Fundraising Thermometer Display

Evaluation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Free and easy | Best for: View-only needs

Donation thermometer is built for just one thing, and it does that perfectly: display a beautiful thermometer. Neither more nor less.

My experience

I installed the donation thermometer for a school PTA that was already collecting donations and payments via PayPal.

The setup took 3 minutes. Install the plugin, add the donation thermometer shortcode to any page, and you’re done. The thermometer immediately appeared as a crisp image graphic that looked sharp on any device.

What surprised me was the flexibility. You can display multiple donation categories in different colors within one thermometer.

Additionally, you can set sub-goal milestones and customize currency formatting. Additionally, you can even get values ​​dynamically from WooCommerce or GiveWP if you are comfortable with shortcodes.

The downside is manual updates. As donations come in, update the “increased” number yourself. For small campaigns with occasional donations, this is fine. Things get tedious with daily fundraisers.

► Advantages

• Easiest setup of all thermometer plugins
• Clean image graphics that scale perfectly
• No costs, no hidden fees or upsells

► Disadvantages

• Manual updates required (no automatic tracking)
• No integrated payment processing
• Requires shortcode knowledge for advanced functionality

My verdict

Perfect if you’re already fundraising elsewhere and just need a visual thermometer. Its simplicity makes it perfect for small campaigns with manual updates.

Prices: Completely free

Start here with the donation thermometer

4. GiveWP: Best Fundraising Thermometer for Nonprofits

Evaluation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Over 100,000 installs | Best for: Growing nonprofits

GiveWP is WordPress’ most popular fundraising plugin because it’s easy to use and full of handy charity features. For example, it has one of the simplest and most powerful features of a donation thermometer.

My experience

I tested GiveWP for a medium-sized nonprofit that transitioned from Shopify to WordPress.

The visual form builder made creating donation forms straightforward with no coding required.

Additionally, the Multi-Form Goal Block allows you to view combined progress across multiple campaigns, perfect for homepage display.

What sets GiveWP apart is its size.

With a complete donor database, detailed campaign reports, and 15+ payment gateways for your users to choose from, it’s designed to handle serious fundraising efforts.

You can also set up recurring donations to ensure your users can continually support you. However, this requires the Plus plan.

The free version is also powerful and includes unlimited forms, donor management and automatic progress bars.

However, Stripe users pay a 2% platform fee in addition to processing fees. This is not the case with paid plans.

With so many options, beginners can feel overwhelmed at first, creating a learning curve. I spent 20 minutes exploring the settings before creating my first form.

► Advantages

• The most comprehensive features of any donation plugin
• Proven scale with $250 million raised
• Multiform goal tracking for combined progress

► Disadvantages

• 2% Stripe fee for free plan (not applicable for paid plans)
• Steeper learning curve than simpler alternatives
• Recurring donations only on Plus plan or higher

My verdict

The complexity is worth it if you run a serious nonprofit with plans for growth. The free version is ideal for getting started. Upgrade if you need recurring donations or advanced features.

For more information, see my GiveWP review.

Prices: Available on free plan. Pro plans start at $149/year

Get started with GiveWP here

5. Dispenser box: Best fundraising thermometer with a built-in platform

Evaluation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

SaaS platform with integrated meter | Ideal for: Nonprofit organizations that want a hosted solution

Dispenser box takes a different approach. It is a hosted fundraising platform embedded in WordPress, rather than a traditional plugin.

My experience

I tested Donorbox for a client who wanted to manage everything outside of their WordPress site.

The construction was refreshingly simple. All I had to do was create an account, create a campaign, set a goal and embed the donation form.

The goal display will then automatically appear and update in real time as donations are received.

What makes Donorbox unique is the separation. Your donation details reside on Donorbox’s secure servers, not in your WordPress database.

This is reassuring for nonprofits concerned about PCI compliance and data security.

I love that the goal ad can be embedded separately from your donation form. This allows you to display progress on your homepage while keeping the actual donation form on its own page.

The interface feels more sophisticated than most WordPress plugins. You get real-time analytics, donor management, and automated receipts – all as standard.

The catch is the platform fee. After your first $1,000 in monthly donations, Donorbox charges 1.5% in addition to standard payment processing fees. As campaigns grow, these fees add up.

► Advantages

► Disadvantages

• 1.5% platform fee over $1,000/month donations
• Not WordPress native; requires external account
• Less customization than dedicated WordPress plugins

My verdict

Choose Donorbox if you want a professionally managed platform that works with WordPress, not in it.

Prices: Free up to $1,000/month; In addition, there is a 1.5% platform fee

Start here with Donorbox

6. Ultimate: Best fundraising thermometer for visual adjustment

Evaluation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Master of Visual Adaptation | Best for: Design-focused campaigns

Ultimate offers a wide range of visual options for displaying progress. If design is important to your charity campaign, this plugin is for you.

My experience

I tested Ultimeter for a nonprofit rebranding project where visual identity consistency was critical.

The free version includes horizontal progress bars and vertical thermometers. Additionally, the Pro plan adds radial meters, flip counters, inline meters, and custom image uploads as meter shapes.

What stood out was the milestones feature. You can mark achievements in your thermometer, e.g. E.g. “Foundation Complete” or “Halfway”.

Plus, you can trigger celebratory confetti animations when you complete goals.

Ultimeter connects directly to GiveWP, Charitable, Gravity Forms and WooCommerce. This means automatic updates when donations come through these plugins, without the need for manual number entry.

Like the donation thermometer, the ultimeter only shows progress. Since it doesn’t collect donations, you’ll need Charitable, GiveWP, or another payment solution on the side.

Additionally, the interface requires quite a bit of exploration since it has so many settings to navigate. But once configured, the visual results surpass the basic progress bars.

► Advantages

• Most visual styles and customization options
• Milestone markers and celebration animations
• Automatic integration with major donation plugins

► Disadvantages

• No payment processing; Shows progress bars only
• The Pro plan is required for the best features
• More complex structure than simpler alternatives

My verdict

Choose Ultimeter if visual refinement is important and you already use a compatible donation plugin. Integrations with GiveWP or Charitable create a powerful combination for design-focused campaigns.

Prices: Available in free version. Pro from $59.99/year

Start with Ultimeter

This concludes my list of dedicated fundraising thermometer plugins. However, some popular fundraising tools take different approaches to showing campaign progress.

Bonus: More donation plugins with progress indicators

These plugins handle donations well, but approach fundraising thermometers differently than the six main options above. Here’s how three major plugins handle visual target tracking.

WPForms

WPForms takes a different approach to visualizing fundraising campaigns. It tracks form completion, not campaign goals.

When donors complete a multi-page donation form, the progress bar at the top shows how many steps remain. You can choose between horizontal bars, circular indicators or connecting lines.

This visual guide reduces form abandonment by showing donors they are almost done.

It’s on this list because WPForms excels at integrating PayPal, Stripe, and Square when collecting donations and payments.

Additionally, the AI ​​form builder quickly creates donation forms so you can spend more time on your actual charity campaign.

Get started with WPForms here.

WP Simple Pay

WP Simple Pay is the best Stripe payment plugin.

What makes it valuable for donations? You can get started quickly with pre-designed donor templates. The clean interface eliminates friction during the dispensing process.

It’s simple: once you set up your donation form, donors will see payment status icons that show transaction progress.

You can choose from preset donation amounts or enter custom values. The best part is that you can complete the checkout process using more than 13 payment methods, including Apple Pay and Google Pay.

It’s on this list because WP Simple Pay processes recurring donations seamlessly, making it perfect for monthly donation programs.

Get started with WP Simple Pay here.

WooCommerce donation plugin

The WooCommerce Donations plugin takes an eCommerce approach by treating donations as products in your existing store.

The visual advantage comes from the usual shopping cart experience. Donors see suggested amounts, add donations to their cart, and see their donation reflected at checkout.

Start here with the WooCommerce Donation Plugin.

How to choose the right fundraising thermometer

The best plugin depends on what you already have and what you need. I’ll help you narrow down your best options.

• Do you need everything in one plugin? Choose Non-profit. It manages donation forms, payment processing, and automatic thermometer updates. The free version is great for most small campaigns.
• Are you already collecting donations elsewhere? Go with Donation thermometer. It’s free, shows nice progress bars, and takes 3 minutes to set up. Perfect if you use PayPal buttons or another payment method.
• Are you running a serious nonprofit with growth plans? GiveWP offers the most comprehensive features. Donor management, detailed reporting and proven scope. The learning curve is worth it if fundraising is central to your mission.
• Do you need complex donation forms? Use Impressive shapes for creating forms with calculators, responsive surveys, conditional logic, and more. Add fundraising via Formidable Forms’ Charity Tracker template.
• Do you want a hosted platform instead of WordPress management? Dispenser box takes care of everything externally. Real-time updates, secure payment processing and professional analysis.
• Do you need maximum visual customization? Ultimate offers the most design options. Combine with Charitable or GiveWP for automatic donation tracking and beautiful displays.

I always recommend starting with the free versions first, which is why I’ve added fundraising thermometer plugins that offer this.

Then only upgrade as you grow and need more features like recurring donations or peer-to-peer campaigns.

FAQs: Best Donation Goal Counter Plugins

Final Verdict: Should I Use a Fundraising Thermometer?

Yes, and that’s why it’s important.

Fundraising thermometers work because they use social proof. When people see progress toward a goal, they are more likely to donate.

Studies show that campaigns with visible progress earn 40% more than campaigns without visible progress. The visual element creates urgency. So donors want to help you get to that finish line.

For WordPress sites, adding a thermometer only takes a few minutes with the right plugin.

The key is to tailor your choice to your actual needs. Simple campaigns require simple tools. On the other hand, growing nonprofits benefit from comprehensive platforms.

Get started today. Choose the plugin that suits your current situation, set your goal and watch your progress grow. Your cause deserves the visibility and momentum that a fundraising thermometer provides.

Building a fundraising thermometer is just the beginning. A complete fundraising website requires the right theme, plugins, and features to work together.

Do you want to improve your fundraising website? Check out these helpful guides:

Thanks for reading! I would like to hear your opinion. So feel free to leave a comment with questions and feedback.

Now choose the fundraising thermometer that suits your needs. Your cause deserves support, and the right plugin makes it easier for donors to help you achieve your goals.