> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.theharvest.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How giving works in Harvest

> Harvest never handles your money. Here is what that means in practice.

This page is the one to read before you set anything else up, because giving in Harvest works differently from most church software.

## 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

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="What you gain" icon="check">
    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.
  </Card>

  <Card title="What it costs you" icon="circle-exclamation">
    Harvest cannot see a payment arrive. Somebody in your church records the gift, and that takes a few minutes a week.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Warning>
  Because Harvest never sees the money, a gift sent through your own payment link does **not** appear anywhere until somebody records it. A member who gave £100 through PayPal shows £0 given until then.

  This is the single most important thing to understand about giving in Harvest.
</Warning>

## The flow, end to end

<Steps>
  <Step title="You add your payment links">
    Once, in settings. See [Payment links](/giving/payment-links).
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.
  </Step>

  <Step title="You record the gift">
    Open the member's contact, add a donation, enter the amount. See [Recording a gift](/giving/recording-a-gift).
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## 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.

<Note>
  Nobody is turned away at the door for an unconfirmed payment. See [Events](/ministry/events).
</Note>


## Related topics

- [Pledges](/giving/pledges.md)
- [index](/index.md)
- [Roles and permissions](/your-church/roles-and-permissions.md)
- [Events](/ministry/events.md)