A hint for recurring frequency in Checkout

What we tested

Some nonprofits use a short message on the first screen of Checkout to promote recurring giving. We tested this idea at scale: adding a small “hint” next to the monthly option to encourage more donors to commit to ongoing support.

For the test, we used the most common frequency pairing once + monthly, which appears in 87% of all Fundraise Up campaigns. We conducted the test across the Checkout Modal and Campaign Pages (both desktop and mobile).

Hypothesis

If we add a hint explaining the value of monthly donations to the frequency selector in Checkout, then more donors will choose recurring giving with a projected 2.5–3% lift in conversion without reducing the overall donation conversion rate by more than 1.5%.

Test setup

Key results

Checkout Modal

On desktop, the experiment didn’t drive consistent gains across core metrics — improvements were limited and varied by segment.

On mobile, however, the monthly frequency hint delivered a measurable lift in recurring conversion, with Android showing especially strong performance.

Segment insights

• Android:
  • +7% lift in recurring conversion
  • +4% increase in ARPU with LTV (Lifetime value)

    Donors gave more on average when accounting for the long-term value of recurring gifts.

Campaign Pages

The hint drove higher recurring engagement, but it came at the cost of one-time donations:

• +8.01% in recurring conversion
• –1.41% in one-time conversion
• –4.07% in recurring ARPU

All key metrics mentioned passed the threshold for statistical significance (p-value < 0.05), confirming that these results are reliable.

Conclusion

Checkout Modal

• Desktop: We’re holding off on a rollout for now. While we saw some positive movement in recurring giving, it came with a drop in ARPPU in key segments, so we’re digging deeper before making changes.
• Mobile: This one's a win! We rolled out the hint on Android, where results were clearly positive both in recurring conversion and ARPU.

Campaign Pages

Not every test ends in a rollout. While recurring conversions improved, one-time giving declined. At Fundraise Up, we’re always optimizing for total value, not just chasing a single metric.

A lift in recurring alone isn’t enough if it disrupts the balance of your overall conversion mix. So for now, we’re keeping things as they are on Campaign Pages.

What this means for you

Recurring giving is one of the most powerful drivers of long-term revenue, and we’re constantly testing how to grow it. This experiment proves that even small, thoughtful changes like a frequency hint can make a measurable difference, especially on mobile.

But here’s the catch: what works on Android might not work on iOS. And what performs well on mobile might underdeliver on desktop. That’s why we rigorously test every change across platforms, devices, and regions, so you don’t have to.

With Fundraise Up, you get a Checkout that’s already optimized out of the box. Built on data, tested everywhere, and designed to raise more.