Mobile bidding and event registration together,
without a separate auction tool.
Guests register, bid from their phones, get outbid alerts, and pay for what they win. You run the catalog, the close and the checkout desk from the same dashboard as your tickets and donations.
No credit card required. Cancel anytime. Payments go directly to your Stripe account.
Nonprofit & educational discount
20% off all paid plans — automatically applied
Nonprofits and 501(c)(3) organizations receive 20% off Starter, Growth and Pro. Self-certify on the billing page — no application required. Cancel anytime.
Starter
$99/mo
$79.20/mo
Pro
$249/mo
$199.20/mo
Mobile bidding, no app
Guests open the auction page or scan the QR code on an item's bid sheet, confirm their email with a one-time code, and bid. The high bid updates on every phone as bids come in. Each bidder gets a paddle number.
Outbid alerts by email and text
Bidders get an email each time they're outbid, with a link back to the item. On Growth and Pro, bidders can also opt in to text alerts.
Automatic bidding (Growth and Pro)
A guest sets the most they'll pay. The platform bids for them, one increment at a time, up to that amount. Other bidders only see the current high bid.
Soft close and close times by category
Schedule when bidding opens and closes. A late bid can extend that item by 2 to 10 minutes. Close categories at different times, for example travel at 8:00 and dining at 8:30.
Watch list and closing reminders
Bidders star the items they want and filter the catalog to them. About 30 minutes before a watched item closes, they get one email with the next bid amount, unless they already hold the high bid.
Buy It Now
Set a Buy It Now price on any item. A guest who pays it wins the item, and bidding on it stops. On an item with several units, Buy It Now sells one and bidding on the rest continues.
Several of the same item
Offer 10 gift baskets or 4 rounds of golf as one item. The top bidders each win one at their own bid, and the page shows the lowest winning bid to beat.
Card on file or payment link
Ask bidders to save a card when they register to bid, as optional or required. Winners with a saved card are charged when the auction closes. Everyone else gets a Stripe payment link by email.
Checkout desk
Look up a winner by paddle number or name and see what they owe. Record cash, check or card payments taken at the desk, and mark items as picked up. Print a sheet for each winner with their items, what's paid and a pickup box per item.
Catalog, import and donated items
Item numbers, categories, donors, photos and fair market value, with search and filters for bidders. Import items from a CSV file, copy them from last year's auction, or let donors submit items on a form for you to approve.
Thank-you emails to item donors
After bidding ends, email every donor who used the donated-item form: what their item raised and its fair market value for their records. Preview the email first, then send with one click.
QR bid sheets and projector display
Print a bid sheet for each item with a QR code that opens it on the guest's phone. On Growth and Pro, show live high bids on a projector or TV in the room.
Tax-deductible amounts
Bidders see each item's fair market value. Winners' receipts show how much of their payment, the amount above fair market value, may be tax-deductible.
Exports and board report
Download items, winners and all bids as CSV files. The post-event board report includes items sold, winning bids, amount collected and amount still owed.
Direct Stripe payouts
Ticket sales, auction payments and donations go to your connected Stripe account. CompleteEvent does not hold funds. Payouts follow your Stripe schedule.
Every event type, one platform
Gala with silent auction
Sell Individual, Couple, and Table of 10 tickets. Open bidding before the event and keep it open through cocktail hour. Collect donations at checkout and check guests in with QR codes.
Gala planning guide →Standalone auction event
Run the auction as the event itself. Guests register to bid with their email, browse the catalog on their phones, and pay for what they win by card on file or payment link.
Fundraising dinner with auction
Collect meal selections and dietary restrictions at registration. Put a QR bid sheet on each item table so guests bid from their seats. Close bidding before dessert.
Online auction over several days
Schedule bidding to open and close on set dates. Outbid emails bring bidders back. Soft close stops last-second sniping on popular items.
How it works
- 1
Build your catalog
Add items one by one, import a CSV file, or share the donated-item form with donors and approve what comes in. Set starting bids, increments, reserves and Buy It Now prices.
- 2
Open bidding
Schedule the opening time or open it yourself. Share the auction link, print QR bid sheets for the item tables, and choose whether bidders save a card when they register.
- 3
Close and check out
Bidding closes at the times you set. Winners with a saved card are charged; the rest get a Stripe payment link. Take any remaining payments and hand over items at the checkout desk.
Frequently asked questions
How does mobile bidding work for guests?
Guests open your auction page, or scan the QR code on an item's bid sheet, and enter their name and email. They confirm the email with a one-time code, then bid from their phone without downloading an app. The high bid updates live, and guests get an email when someone outbids them.
How do winners pay? How is payment processed?
Payments go through Stripe to your connected Stripe account. If you turn on card on file, bidders save a card when they register to bid and winners are charged when the auction closes. Winners without a saved card get an email with a Stripe payment link. You can also record cash, check or card payments taken at the checkout desk. Buy It Now purchases are charged to the guest's saved card or paid on the spot through Stripe Checkout.
How much does the silent auction cost?
Silent auctions are included on Starter ($99/mo), Growth ($149/mo) and Pro ($249/mo). With the 20% nonprofit discount these are $79.20, $119.20 and $199.20 per month. The platform fee is 1%, 0.75% or 0.5% of paid sales, including auction payments, with no flat per-ticket charge and no separate auction fee. Stripe processing (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per payment) applies on all plans. The Free plan does not include auctions.
Which auction features need Growth or Pro?
Automatic (proxy) bidding, outbid text messages and the projector display are on Growth and Pro. Everything else is on Starter: mobile bidding, outbid emails, the watch list, soft close, close times by category, Buy It Now, items with several units, card on file, QR bid sheets, the checkout desk and winner sheets, CSV import and export, copying items from a past event, the donated-item form and donor thank-you emails.
Can we reuse last year's auction items?
Yes. On the auction page, choose Copy from another event, pick last year's auction and untick anything you don't want. The items arrive as open items with no bids, with the same photos, prices, item numbers and donors.
Do we still need paper bid sheets?
No, but you can print them. Each printed bid sheet has a QR code that opens that item on the guest's phone, so guests who walk the item tables bid the same way as everyone else, and every bid is recorded in one place.
Can donors submit auction items online?
Yes. Turn on the donated-item form and share its link. Donors enter the item, its value, a photo and any restrictions. Offers wait for your review and never appear to bidders until you accept them. Accepting creates the auction item with the donor credited.
Can we run a silent auction without selling event tickets?
Yes. Set ticket tiers to free, or skip registration, and run the auction on its own. Guests register to bid on the auction page with their name and email. You can still collect donations alongside the auction.
How does the nonprofit discount work?
Nonprofits and 501(c)(3) organizations receive 20% off Starter, Growth and Pro. You self-certify your organization type on the billing page before checkout — no application, paperwork, or approval wait. The discount applies immediately.
When do we receive auction proceeds?
Payments land in your connected Stripe account and pay out on your Stripe schedule, typically 2 business days for US accounts. New organizations' first payouts are held for 14 days. CompleteEvent does not hold funds.
Related resources
Silent Auction Software for Nonprofits
What to look for in mobile bidding, how platforms charge, and how the main options compare.
Silent Auction Help Guide
Step-by-step setup: items, bidding rules, card on file, closing and checkout.
Fundraiser Event Registration Software
Galas, auctions, walk-a-thons, and charity dinners — one platform for all nonprofit fundraiser types.
How to Plan a Nonprofit Fundraising Gala
Step-by-step guide from venue selection to post-event thank-you emails.
Run your next auction on the same platform as your gala.
Mobile bidding, checkout and payouts to your Stripe account. No separate auction fee. 20% nonprofit discount applied at checkout.
Start your free account →Questions? hello@completeevent.app