Is PinPals free to use?

Setup and hosting are free with online payments enabled. There are no paid feature tiers. Standard card checkouts carry a 4% + $0.30 Software & Processing Fee, including card processing. Offline-only events without Stripe need a separate setup quote.

Is PinPals the cheapest golf tournament software?

Not for every event. Compare upfront charges, transaction fees, paid upgrades, and setup effort. A flat-fee platform may cost less for a large outing. PinPals combines no upfront setup cost with online payments enabled, built-for-you setup, and no paid feature tiers.

Are donations completely free of processing costs?

PinPals charges 0% platform fee on donations. Card processing still applies and may be covered by the donor or organizer according to the checkout and event settings. Donations do not carry the standard 4% + $0.30 Software & Processing Fee.

Can I accept Venmo, check, and cash?

Yes, when the organizer enables those payment methods. PinPals emails an invoice with the organizer's instructions and tracks payment status. The organizer receives the money directly and marks the invoice paid. PinPals charges no transaction fee on these offline payments.

Does PinPals include GHIN integration?

No. PinPals is designed for golf outings and charity scrambles and includes mobile live scoring, but does not integrate with USGA GHIN.

PinPals/Compare

Built for charity outings and scrambles

Charity Golf Tournament Software Compared

PinPals, Event Caddy, BirdEase, Golf Genius, and GolfStatus serve different organizers. Compare the work you need to do, the full cost of collecting money, and the tools your outing actually needs.

Text us to get started See a Tournament Hub

Updated October 11, 2026 · Published by PinPals, a provider included in this comparison.

The short answer

For a charity scramble, PinPals combines a built-for-you Tournament Hub, online registration, automated email invoices, sponsors, add-ons, silent auctions, and live scoring. Setup is free with online payments enabled. Golf Genius is worth evaluating when official handicaps and complex competitive formats are essential. Event Caddy, BirdEase, and GolfStatus are golf-specific alternatives to evaluate against your event requirements.

Compare the whole outing

Who builds your event page?
What does a complete checkout cost?
Are your fundraising tools included?
Can you reconcile offline payments?

Setup, payments, and the right fit

A free starting plan is not a complete cost comparison. Verify the current plan, transaction charges, and required extras with each vendor.

Golf tournament software setup, payment costs, and use cases
Platform	Setup or plan	Payment costs to compare	Best fit to evaluate
PinPals	$0 setup with online payments enabled	4% + $0.30 per card checkout, processing included	Charity outings and scrambles that want a built-for-you Tournament Hub
Event Caddy	Free plan; PRO $299 per event	$4 per-golfer convenience fee plus processor fees; verify current terms	DIY event sites; PRO adds auctions, sponsor payments, and live scoring
BirdEase	$299 per-event package; setup services cost extra	BirdEase Payments advertises 3.9%; confirm the current package	Charity tournaments looking for an established event and auction platform
Golf Genius	TM Club $1,425/year; TM Premium $4,275/year for up to 36 holes	Confirm registration, payments, and onboarding in your quote	Clubs and associations with competitive formats and handicap requirements
GolfStatus	No upfront-cost offering; invoicing and discount codes listed at $199/event	Request current transaction fees and the cost of required extras	Nonprofits seeking golf-specific fundraising support

PinPals does not claim to be cheapest for every event. Large outings may benefit from a flat-fee model. Offline-only PinPals events without Stripe require a separate quote.

Which software suits charity tournaments and fundraising outings?How should organizers compare sponsor recognition?Which software fits amateur golf tournaments?Can registration, payments, and foursome assignments work together?What matters for raffle, add-on, and auction reporting?

Which software suits charity tournaments and fundraising outings?

Start with the fundraising work: golfer registration, sponsor packages, donations, mulligans, raffle tickets, and auction payments. Ask whether each tool is included in the plan you are considering, not just advertised somewhere on the vendor's website.

PinPals puts these jobs in one Tournament Hub. Our team builds the event page from your outing details, and hosts manage participants and paid or outstanding transactions in Host Tools. You can collect card payments online and track host-enabled Venmo, Zelle, check, or cash payments with automated email invoices.

Explore fundraising tools

How should organizers compare sponsor recognition?

Look beyond a row of logos. Compare package benefits, included golfer details, sponsor payment options, and recognition on the event page and printed materials.

PinPals supports tiered sponsor packages, logo uploads, business links, included golfer details, and printable cart signs with sponsor logos. Compare the exact placements and payment capabilities in each competing plan before choosing.

See the organizer experience

Which software fits amateur golf tournaments?

A charity scramble and a handicap-based championship have different requirements. PinPals includes mobile hole-by-hole scoring and live leaderboards for outings and scrambles, but does not integrate with USGA GHIN.

For official handicap competitions, flights, or a club's year-round tournament program, evaluate Golf Genius and confirm the required formats and integrations in your quote. Do not substitute a basic outing scorecard for a competition engine.

Review the Host Guide

Can registration, payments, and foursome assignments work together?

Yes. PinPals supports individual and team registration, TBD golfer details where enabled, and sponsor-included golfers. Hosts manage teams, starting holes, check-in, and cart signs without rebuilding the roster in a second tool.

Card payments are processed through Stripe. Pay Organizer creates an emailed invoice for the organizer's enabled offline methods; the host records when that invoice is paid. Venmo and check payments are tracked, not automatically processed by PinPals.

Review registration and payments

What matters for raffle, add-on, and auction reporting?

Selling tickets is only half the job. Check whether the system separates paid sales from unpaid invoices, records day-of cash sales, and exports purchases with enough detail to reconcile the event.

PinPals brings registration, sponsors, donations, shop orders, and recorded auction payments into revenue reporting and exports. Hosts can log offline sales and manage auction payments. Raffle ticket sales are supported; organizers remain responsible for raffle eligibility and local legal requirements.

Plan your fundraiser

One Tournament Hub, before and after check-in

Registration, sponsor recognition, add-ons, auctions, and scoring live together. Our team handles setup; your committee stays focused on the outing.

Explore Host Tools

A PinPals demo Tournament Hub. Event branding and enabled features vary by organizer.

Frequently asked questions

Is PinPals free to use?: Setup and hosting are free with online payments enabled. There are no paid feature tiers. Standard card checkouts carry a 4% + $0.30 Software & Processing Fee, including card processing. Offline-only events without Stripe need a separate setup quote.
Is PinPals the cheapest golf tournament software?: Not for every event. Compare upfront charges, transaction fees, paid upgrades, and setup effort. A flat-fee platform may cost less for a large outing. PinPals combines no upfront setup cost with online payments enabled, built-for-you setup, and no paid feature tiers.
Are donations completely free of processing costs?: PinPals charges 0% platform fee on donations. Card processing still applies and may be covered by the donor or organizer according to the checkout and event settings. Donations do not carry the standard 4% + $0.30 Software & Processing Fee.
Can I accept Venmo, check, and cash?: Yes, when the organizer enables those payment methods. PinPals emails an invoice with the organizer's instructions and tracks payment status. The organizer receives the money directly and marks the invoice paid. PinPals charges no transaction fee on these offline payments.
Does PinPals include GHIN integration?: No. PinPals is designed for golf outings and charity scrambles and includes mobile live scoring, but does not integrate with USGA GHIN.

Sources and comparison notes

Vendor pages are linked below so you can check current offerings. We avoid unsupported feature exclusions and exact competitor prices where a current complete quote is unavailable. This is a PinPals-authored guide, not an independent ranking or a review score.

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