Upsell 4‑weekly instead of monthly

What we tested

After a donor selects a one-time gift in Checkout, we show a pre-donation upsell screen inviting them to upgrade to a recurring gift. Traditionally, this upsell proposed a monthly recurring plan.

In this test, we replaced that monthly upsell with a four-weekly recurring plan frequency — showing the same suggested amount, but on a slightly different cadence. The test ran exclusively in the Checkout Modal and was shown only to donors with English localization, in campaigns where the pre-donation upsell was enabled and the organization had the every-4-weeks frequency turned on in their settings.

The goal was to understand whether a four-weekly upsell could maintain or improve conversion rates, while also delivering an additional recurring plan per year compared to monthly giving.

Hypothesis

If we replace the monthly upsell with a four-weekly recurring plan offer, the recurring conversion rate will not decrease by more than 7.7%, the threshold beyond which the benefit of an additional annual installment no longer offsets the conversion loss. We also expect the average recurring gift amount to remain stable or improve.

Test setup

Key results

Overall, no statistically significant impact was observed across the primary metrics at the top level. However, meaningful and statistically significant effects emerged in specific segments.

The most notable finding: the four-weekly upsell drives stronger results for higher-value donors, while underperforming for small gift sizes.

• +6.86% increase in average recurring donation amount
• +36.94% increase in recurring conversion for $70–$120 donors
• -19.58% decrease in recurring conversion for $0–$15 donors

Segment insights

By donation amount

The pattern was consistent across nearly all segments: the four-weekly upsell performs better for mid-to-high-value donors and worse for small donors.

• $0–$15: recurring conversion dropped by 19.58%
• $70–$120: recurring conversion increased by 36.94%
• $70–$120: overall donation conversion increased by 2.14%

By device

• Recurring conversion on desktop increased by 10.71%
• Recurring conversion on MacOS increased by 24.51%

By country

• U.S.: Recurring conversion increased by 7.74%
• Canada: Recurring conversion increased by 22.23%

Retention

Recurring plan retention in the test group held steady against control — four-weekly donors were no more likely to churn than monthly donors within the first 60 days.

Conclusion

The four-weekly upsell does not broadly outperform monthly, but it delivers a clear and significant improvement for the right donor segments: those giving $70 or more, primarily in the US and Canada, and across desktop and MacOS.

We're rolling out the four-weekly upsell selectively — for donors whose gift amount is above $70, located in the US and EU. For smaller gift sizes and other regions, the current monthly upsell remains the better-performing option.

One additional note: the true revenue benefit of four-weekly giving compounds over time. Compared to monthly giving, a four-weekly recurring plan delivers one extra installment per year — roughly a 6–7% advantage in year one. Over a three-year horizon, that advantage narrows to approximately 3–4%, as monthly donors eventually reach their 13th installment as well. This long-term view informed our decision to roll out selectively rather than broadly.

What this means for you

Small changes to donation frequency framing can have a real impact, but the effect depends heavily on donor behavior, gift size, and geography. That's why we test across segments before making any change permanent.

With Fundraise Up, your Checkout is continuously optimized based on what actually works for your donors. We run the tests, analyze the data, and only ship what's proven — so you raise more without lifting a finger.

→ Explore how Checkout optimizations can improve your fundraising results