💡 This article is part of our Guide to Donation Forms (Giving Experiences)
Suggested Amounts – Overview & Behaviour
Overview
Suggested amounts in the Giving Experience are designed to present donors with relevant, easy-to-select donation options. The behaviour of these amounts varies depending on:
Template type (Standard vs Compact)
Configuration (Automatic vs Custom)
Whether the donor is logged in or a guest
Key Differences at a Glance
Standard vs Compact
Standard Template
Supports dynamic behaviour
Suggested amounts can change based on:
Donor history
Selected donation frequency (e.g. monthly vs annually)
Compact Template
Always static
Uses the same set of amounts regardless of:
Frequency
Donor history
No adjustments are made based on timing
Automatic vs Custom Configuration
Automatic
Suggested amounts are generated dynamically
Can adapt based on:
Donor behaviour (if logged in)
Predefined profiles (if guest)
Selected donation frequency
Custom
Amounts are manually set in the Visual Editor
No dynamic adjustments occur
Same values are always shown as configured
Recurring Frequency Behaviour
In the Standard template with Automatic configuration, suggested amounts adjust based on the selected donation frequency.
How This Works
When a donor selects a recurring option (e.g. monthly, quarterly, annually):
The system starts from a base amount
It then adjusts that amount relative to the frequency
General Principle:
More frequent donations → lower individual amounts
Less frequent donations → higher individual amounts
This creates a more consistent and intuitive experience when comparing different giving options.
Logged In vs Guest Behaviour
Logged In Donors
A base amount may be determined from their past giving
Suggested amounts are then scaled across frequencies
The experience feels personalized
Guest Donors
Use predefined Suggested Amount Profiles
See consistent, structured ranges of amounts designed to fit different giving capacities
Still experience adjustments across frequencies (Standard template only)
Do not use historical data
Guest Suggested Amount Profiles
Guest users are grouped into general profiles that determine the range and positioning of suggested amounts.
How Profiles Work
Profiles represent different giving levels (e.g. lower, mid, higher capacity donors)
Each profile defines a set of amounts appropriate for that level
The system selects a profile and uses it to generate suggested amounts across frequencies
What This Means in Practice
Lower-tier profiles will present more accessible entry points
Higher-tier profiles will surface larger suggested amounts
All profiles maintain a consistent structure so the experience feels predictable and easy to navigate
These profiles ensure that even without donor history, guests are presented with reasonable and relevant giving options.
Compact Template Exception
The Compact template does not adjust amounts based on frequency.
The same values are shown whether the donor selects:
One-time
Monthly
Annual
The only change is which frequency is selected—not the amounts themselves
Default Amount Selection
In dynamic scenarios, the default may reflect:
A donor’s most recent gift
A midpoint value within the available options
In static scenarios, the default is determined by configuration
Key Takeaways
Frequency scaling only applies in Standard + Automatic
Recurring timing directly impacts suggested amounts in dynamic setups
Compact template ignores frequency when determining amounts
Custom configuration removes all dynamic behaviour
Logged-in donors may see personalized scaling; guests see predefined ranges
When to Expect Changes
You will see suggested amounts change when:
Switching between donation frequencies (Standard + Automatic)
Viewing as a logged-in donor with giving history
Using dynamic configurations
You will not see changes when:
Using the Compact template
Using Custom configuration
This behaviour ensures donors are presented with amounts that feel appropriate regardless of how often they choose to give.
Data that is not used includes: IP address, geography and browser type. These datapoints were studied but determined to be poor indicators of donation amount optimization due to both the inaccuracy of the data and the existence of far stronger correlations.