The short version
Your church collects its own money, through its own payment accounts. Harvest gives your people the links, records what was given, and keeps your dashboard, your accounting and your giving statements correct. Harvest never touches the money and takes 0% of it.What this means, plainly
What you gain
No processor fees to Harvest. No waiting for a payout. No third party holding your congregation’s gifts. You use PayPal, Revolut, Wise, Venmo, Cash App or Zelle — whatever you already have.
What it costs you
Harvest cannot see a payment arrive. Somebody in your church records the gift, and that takes a few minutes a week.
The flow, end to end
1
You add your payment links
Once, in settings. See Payment links.
2
A member gives
They tap Give in the member app, choose one of your links, and pay you directly. The money arrives in your account, not ours.
3
You record the gift
Open the member’s contact, add a donation, enter the amount. See Recording a gift.
4
Everything updates at once
One entry moves your dashboard total, your accounting, the member’s own giving history and their year-end statement. You do not enter it four times.
Why it is built this way
Most church platforms sit between you and your congregation’s giving — they take a percentage, they hold the funds for a few days, and if they close your account your giving stops. Harvest deliberately does not. Your giving relationships stay yours. The trade is that somebody has to do the recording, and we would rather tell you that up front than surprise you with it.Paid events work the same way
A member registers, pays you through your link with a reference code, and presses I’ve paid. That appears in your inbox, you check your own account, and you confirm it.Nobody is turned away at the door for an unconfirmed payment. See Events.