The short answer. A MobilBid auction costs a minimum of $220 per event. There's no contract, no annual or monthly fee, and nothing to pay to open an account or build a test auction. You pay only when you run a real event, and a small auction gets every feature a large one does.
What a small auction costs
MobilBid charges 5.5% of silent auction sales and 1.5% of donations and live auction items. The fee is never less than $220 or more than $2,500 per event. Until your silent auction sales pass $4,000, you pay the $220 minimum.
| Silent auction raises | MobilBid fee | Why |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $220 | The minimum applies |
| $4,000 | $220 | 5.5% of $4,000 |
| $8,000 | $440 | 5.5% of $8,000 |
Card processing fees and applicable taxes are separate. Setup, training, support, upgrades and text messages are included. In a year with no event, you pay nothing. Try your own numbers in the fee calculator.
What small charities say
“The auction last night was wildly successful – we raised almost twice what we had budgeted.”
“We were very happy with the results of our first silent auction. We will no doubt return to MobilBid for future events. Thank you for your support.”
How a volunteer-run auction works
Small charities usually run their auction with a handful of volunteers and no events staff. Here is how a typical first auction goes.
- Open a free account and build a test auction. Add a few items, place test bids on your own phone and see what your bidders will see.
- Add your items. Type them in or import them from a spreadsheet, with photos and descriptions. There's no limit on the number of items, bidders or bids.
- Set the times. Schedule the preview, the start and the end. Many groups open bidding a week or more before the event so supporters who can't attend can still bid.
- Invite bidders. Share the auction by email, social media or your newsletter. Bidders join on their phone, tablet or computer; there's no app to download.
- Let the alerts do the work. Bidders get outbid alerts by text and email, and can set a maximum bid so the system bids for them. Nobody has to walk the room checking bid sheets.
- Close on time. The auction ends at the time you set and winners are told straight away. Decide in advance when and where winners will pick up their items, and include it in your messages.
If you get stuck, call us at 1-855-202-4404 x1, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm Eastern, or email support@mobilbid.ca. Training by phone or Zoom is included.
Add donations to the same auction
Not every supporter wants to bid on an item. MobilBid lets you take donations alongside the auction, at a 1.5% fee, so people who don't win anything can still give.
Common questions from small charities
Is there a minimum fee for a small silent auction?
Yes. The MobilBid fee is 5.5% of silent auction sales and 1.5% of donations and live auction items, with a minimum of $220 per event. Silent auctions that raise less than $4,000 pay the $220 minimum.
Do we have to sign a contract or pay an annual fee?
No. MobilBid has no contract and no annual or monthly fee. Opening an account and building test auctions is free, and you pay only when you run a real event.
Do small charities get fewer features?
No. Every MobilBid account gets every feature, including maximum bids, text and email alerts, live and multi-winner items, donations, French for bidders and the leaderboard.
Run your next auction on MobilBid
Open a free account and build a test auction, or talk it through with us. You only pay when you run a real event: 5.5% of silent auction sales, $220 minimum, $2,500 maximum.