The Ultimate Free Resource Library for Nonprofits & Startups
Author
Date
Get Free Templates & Resources
Many SA nonprofits overspend outsourcing simple brochure or campaign sites. Today’s no-code tools ship fast, integrate local payment gateways, and can be POPIA-aligned with the right contracts.
Use this guide to self-diagnose the right builder, then plug into our UX & Digital Platform Builds service if you need deeper integrations. Also see our Nonprofit Digital Tools Hub (linked above).
Platform | Best for | Pricing/plans | Donation-ready? | POPIA / hosting | Team roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Modern one-pagers, campaign sites | Basic R88, Pro R263, Scale R876 | Via embed (e.g., PayFast “Pay Now”, 3rd-party forms) | Use vendor DPA + SCCs; global hosting | Basic roles | |
Large, multi-page sites with CMS | Starter R0, Basic R242, CMS R398, Business R674 | Native checkout (e-com) or embeds | Cloudflare CDN + AWS infra; DPA available | Robust workspaces | |
WordPress (self-hosted) | Maximum flexibility | Hosting from local providers | GiveWP / Charitable with PayFast | Host in SA DCs (e.g., xneelo/HostAfrica) | Unlimited (by host) |
Easiest setup & templates | Nonprofit 70% off (2-yr via TechSoup) | Wix Donations (one-time & recurring) | Wix DPA; region per Wix; local gateways like Yoco | Multi-admin | |
Design-led arts/culture sites | Personal R277, Business R432 | Donations via commerce/blocks | SA merchants typically use PayPal (Stripe/Sqsp Payments not available in SA) | Limited roles | |
Internal wikis/boards | Included in Google Workspace | Not for public donation flows | Data Regions EU/US; GCP region in Johannesburg exists for other workloads | Workspace sharing |
1) Framer — Best overall for modern SA nonprofit sites
Why Framer: lightning-fast to design/ship; great for storytelling microsites, reports, campaigns.
Headlines:
Pricing: Basic R88, Pro R263, Scale R876/month (annual rates).
Custom code: add head/body scripts for analytics, embeds (PayFast button, Airtable sheets, etc.).
POPIA angle: sign the vendor DPA and include SCCs for cross-border processing.
Donations: add PayFast “Pay Now” buttons or donation widgets via embed.
Best for: campaign landing pages, annual-report sites, minimalist brochure sites that need high polish.
Start your nonprofit site the right way — book a free 15-minute consult.
2) Webflow — Best for large, multi-page NPO websites
Why Webflow: fine-grained CMS Collections, excellent design control, strong hosting.
Headlines:
Pricing: 2025 site plans: Starter from R0, Basic from R242 ($14), CMS from R398 ($23), Business from R674 ($39) /month (annual rates).
Hosting: managed infra on AWS with Cloudflare CDN; Webflow Cloud launched 2025 with Cloudflare-backed infra (99.99% uptime claim).
DPA available for data processing.
Best for: national NGOs/foundations with newsrooms, resource libraries, or multi-author content.
Start your nonprofit site the right way — book a free 15-minute consult.
3) WordPress (self-hosted) — Most flexible
Why WordPress: ownership + unlimited extensibility; pair with a SA host for POPIA alignment.
Headlines:
Market share: powers ~43% of the web (Oct 15, 2025).
Local hosting: SA providers (e.g., xneelo, HostAfrica, Afrihost) with data centres in Samrand (Gauteng) and Cape Town.
Donations: GiveWP (PayFast gateway, supports recurring) and Charitable (PayFast extension).
Caveat: you (or a partner) must manage updates, security, and backups.
Start your nonprofit site the right way — book a free 15-minute consult.
4) Wix — Best for simplicity & templates
Why Wix: true drag-and-drop, fast to launch, rich app market.
Headlines:
Nonprofit discount: 70% off a 2-year Premium plan via TechSoup (South Africa supported).
Donations app: one-time and recurring donations.
Local payments: connect Yoco to accept ZAR card payments on Wix.
Data processing: Wix publishes a DPA.
Best for: small-to-mid nonprofits that want clean templates and built-in CRM basics.
Start your nonprofit site the right way — book a free 15-minute consult.
5) Squarespace — Great for design-led nonprofits
Why Squarespace: beautiful templates out-of-the-box; solid for arts/culture orgs.
Headlines:
Pricing: Personal R277 ($16) / Business R432 ($25) (annual rates).
Payments in SA: Stripe/Squarespace Payments sign-up not available to SA merchants; use PayPal for Commerce.
Best for: smaller teams prioritising aesthetics over complex content workflows.
Start your nonprofit site the right way — book a free 15-minute consult.
6) Google Sites — Best free option for internal projects
Why Sites: dead-simple internal wikis, board portals, volunteer training hubs.
Headlines:
Included with Google Workspace; Business Starter pricing varies by country.
Data regions: Workspace lets admins pin storage/processing to EU or US (No-Preference also possible); Johannesburg (africa-south1) is an available Google Cloud region for other workloads.
Best for: internal knowledge bases, not public fundraising.
Start your nonprofit site the right way — book a free 15-minute consult.
Bonus: Bubble, Softr & Notion Sites
Bubble: no-code web app builder; SOC 2 Type II compliant (platform).
Softr: quickest front-end for Airtable → donor dashboards/impact portals.
Notion Sites: publish simple public pages in a click; great for resource hubs.
Note: platform compliance ≠ automatic compliance for your org—govern data flows and contracts properly.
Decision matrix — choose the right builder
Scenario | Budget (once-off / mo) | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
One-page campaign or event | Low / Low | Framer | Fast to ship; gorgeous storytelling; embed donations. |
Multi-page site with blog/newsroom | Med / Med | Webflow | Strong CMS; granular design; performant hosting. |
Programme portal + donation flows | Med-High / Med | WordPress | Mature donation plugins with PayFast; host in SA. |
Small org, minimal tech capacity | Low / Low | Wix | Speed + templates; nonprofit 70% discount; built-in donations. |
Arts/culture showcase site | Med / Low | Squarespace | Best-in-class visual templates; use PayPal if needed. |
Internal wiki/board pack site | Low / Low | Google Sites | Free with Workspace; perfect for internal knowledge. |
How to stay POPIA-aligned (quick checklist)
Sign a DPA with your website vendor (Framer, Webflow, Wix all publish DPAs).
Map personal data (forms, donations) and prefer SA hosting where practical (WordPress on SA DCs).
For cross-border processing, include SCCs with vendors and payment providers.
Donation options that work in SA
PayFast buttons: create embeddable “Pay Now/Donate” HTML in minutes (great for Framer/Wix embeds).
WordPress plugins: GiveWP (with PayFast + recurring) and Charitable (PayFast extension).
Wix Donations app: supports one-time & recurring; pair with Yoco for ZAR cards.
Final thoughts
Pick the minimum viable builder for your current stage. Launch, learn, then iterate. When you’re ready to integrate CRM, automate donor journeys, or unify data across tools, our team can extend your chosen platform—or help you migrate to one that fits.
When to DIY vs hire help
DIY if you only need a one-pager, a temporary campaign site, or an internal wiki (Framer/Wix/Google Sites).
Hire help if you need CRM/marketing automation, complex donation flows, data integrations, or migration from a legacy CMS.
👉 Book a website build (I can help you scope, design, & integrate payment gateways).
Implementation table – features we care about
Prices verified Oct 2025. Use vendor billing pages for final purchase.
Platform | CMS strength | Donation path | Local gateway | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Framer | Low–Med | Embed PayFast or provider widget | PayFast (embed) | Fastest to ship; great visuals. |
Webflow | High | Native checkout or embed | (via embeds) | Cloudflare CDN + AWS; DPA. |
WordPress | Very High | GiveWP / Charitable | PayFast | Self-host in SA DCs. |
Wix | Med | Wix Donations (recurring) | Yoco | 70% TechSoup discount. |
Squarespace | Med | Commerce/blocks | PayPal | Stripe/Sqsp Payments not live in SA. |
Google Sites | Low | Not ideal | N/A | Workspace data regions EU/US. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Civil Society Organisations
1. What makes philanthropy in South Africa unique?
Philanthropy in South Africa is unique due to its deep roots in the philosophy of Ubuntu, which emphasizes generosity and interconnectedness. This has created a strong culture of individual and community giving. Today, this is blended with a growing trend towards strategic philanthropy, where donations are treated as investments designed to achieve measurable, long-term social impact rather than just short-term charity.
2. What is the role of Corporate Social Investment (CSI) in South African philanthropy?
Corporate Social Investment (CSI) is a major force in the South African philanthropic landscape, with companies investing billions of rands annually (approximately R12.7 billion in 2024). It goes beyond compliance, with a significant focus on education, which receives nearly half of all CSI spend. CSI also includes non-cash donations like employee volunteering and pro bono services, playing a crucial role in funding and supporting the NPO South Africa ecosystem.
3. How is strategic philanthropy changing funding for NPOs in South Africa?
Strategic philanthropy is shifting how funding for NPOs works by moving beyond simple donations. It focuses on models like impact investing South Africa and venture philanthropy, which seek measurable social returns. This means philanthropic capital is now used more as a "catalyst" to de-risk innovative social enterprises, provide long-term mentorship, and attract larger, more conventional investments, ultimately helping NPOs achieve greater scale and financial sustainability.
4. What are the most effective ways for individuals to engage in philanthropy in South Africa?
Individuals can engage in South African philanthropy in several effective ways. Beyond direct donations, high-impact engagement includes skills-based volunteering, where professionals offer their expertise (e.g., legal, financial, marketing) to NPOs. Another powerful method is collective giving, where resources are pooled with others through informal groups like Stokvels or formal online crowdfunding platforms, amplifying the impact of smaller individual contributions.
