ChipIn vs GolfStatus

GolfStatus is free upfront. ChipIn is $399, flat. Here is what each one actually costs.

What GolfStatus's no-upfront-fee model costs an event, and what ChipIn charges instead.

The short answer

GolfStatus has no upfront fee. It is paid in two other ways: a transaction fee added to every registration, sponsorship and donation on the event site, which most organizers pass to their golfers, and $899 kept from your Technology Sponsorship when it sells. Both are money that could have gone to your cause instead of the platform. If the sponsorship does not sell, the transaction fees still run, invoicing is $199, and the sponsor tiers, custom domain and texting stay locked. Live scoring on its own is $299, which is ChipIn's price for the whole platform. ChipIn charges one flat fee per event and nothing on what you raise; your golfers pay the registration price and your sponsors' money goes to your event.

ChipIn is best for

Any event that wants to keep more of what it raises and run it on the most modern tools in the industry. One flat fee, nothing on what you raise, nothing taken from a sponsorship, with everything from registration questions to the leaderboard built for the phone in your golfers' hands.

GolfStatus is best for

Events that want hole-in-one insurance, pin flags and signage from the same vendor as their software, and a sponsor lined up for the Technology Sponsorship.

What you actually pay

ChipIn

$399 per event, flat
$0 on what you raise
$0 of any sponsorship
Live scoring, auction, invoicing and custom domain included
Build and test free, pay when you go live
Concierge, we build it for you, $799

GolfStatus

$0 upfront
A transaction fee on every payment, rate not published, passed to golfers "nearly 90% of the time"
$899 of your Technology Sponsorship when it sells (over half the time, per GolfStatus)
$199 per event for invoicing and discount codes if it does not
$299 per event for live scoring on its own
Sponsor tiers, custom domain and texting unlocked only by the Technology Sponsorship
GolfStatus publishes USD pricing only.

Both platforms let you pass card processing to the registrant.

A 144-golfer event, costed

A typical field of 144 golfers where the Technology Sponsorship sells, which GolfStatus says happens more than half the time. GolfStatus does not publish its transaction fee rate, so this table costs only what it publishes. If the sponsorship does not sell, the $899 becomes $199 for invoicing plus the transaction fees, and the gated features stay locked. Figures in USD.

Platform

ChipIn: $299

GolfStatus: $0

Technology Sponsorship, when it sells

ChipIn: $0

GolfStatus: $899 kept by GolfStatus

Transaction fee on every payment

ChipIn: $0

GolfStatus: Rate not published

Live scoring

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: Included with the sponsorship, or $299 alone

Total before transaction fees

ChipIn: $299

GolfStatus: $899

	ChipIn	GolfStatus
Platform	$299	$0
Technology Sponsorship, when it sells	$0	$899 kept by GolfStatus
Transaction fee on every payment	$0	Rate not published
Live scoring	Included	Included with the sponsorship, or $299 alone
Total before transaction fees	$299	$899

$899 of your sponsor's money versus $299. That is $600 that should have gone to your cause, before a single transaction fee.

Feature by feature

What each platform includes with its base offer.

Platform fee

ChipIn: $399 flat per event

GolfStatus: None upfront

Fee on what you raise

ChipIn: None

GolfStatus: Transaction fee on every payment, rate not published

Share of your sponsorships

ChipIn: None

GolfStatus: $899 of the Technology Sponsorship

Where funds settle

ChipIn: Your own Stripe or PayPal, or ChipIn Pay

GolfStatus: Processed through GolfStatus

Event site

ChipIn: Mobile-first, your brand

GolfStatus: Customization unlocked by Technology Sponsorship

Custom domain

ChipIn: Included, or use ours

GolfStatus: Unlocked by Technology Sponsorship

Custom questions at checkout

ChipIn: Any field type, per item or per golfer, with follow-up questions that depend on the answer

GolfStatus: Not listed

Sponsorship tiers

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: Unlocked by Technology Sponsorship

Sponsor invoicing and pay later

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: $199 per event or Technology Sponsorship

Live scoring

ChipIn: Included, one link per group, no app

GolfStatus: Free mobile app, or $299 alone

Leaderboard on a clubhouse TV

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: Included

Silent and online auction

ChipIn: Included, bid from any phone

GolfStatus: Add-on, or Handbid partner package

Pledge from losing bidders

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: Not listed

Day-of point of sale by QR

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: Not listed

Check-in

ChipIn: Staffed desk on any device, update details on the spot

GolfStatus: Real-time check-in

Communications

ChipIn: Email, scheduled and tracked

GolfStatus: Email, texting unlocked by Technology Sponsorship

Expenses and P&L

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: Reports and CRM export

Copy last year's event

ChipIn: Included

GolfStatus: Not listed

Done for you

ChipIn: Concierge, $799

GolfStatus: Not listed

Try before paying

ChipIn: Full build in Practice Round, test checkout

GolfStatus: No upfront cost to start

Countries

ChipIn: US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia

GolfStatus: US; CAD pricing on request

Feature	ChipIn	GolfStatus
Platform fee	$399 flat per event	None upfront
Fee on what you raise	None	Transaction fee on every payment, rate not published
Share of your sponsorships	None	$899 of the Technology Sponsorship
Where funds settle	Your own Stripe or PayPal, or ChipIn Pay	Processed through GolfStatus
Event site	Mobile-first, your brand	Customization unlocked by Technology Sponsorship
Custom domain	Included, or use ours	Unlocked by Technology Sponsorship
Custom questions at checkout	Any field type, per item or per golfer, with follow-up questions that depend on the answer	Not listed
Sponsorship tiers	Included	Unlocked by Technology Sponsorship
Sponsor invoicing and pay later	Included	$199 per event or Technology Sponsorship
Live scoring	Included, one link per group, no app	Free mobile app, or $299 alone
Leaderboard on a clubhouse TV	Included	Included
Silent and online auction	Included, bid from any phone	Add-on, or Handbid partner package
Pledge from losing bidders	Included	Not listed
Day-of point of sale by QR	Included	Not listed
Check-in	Staffed desk on any device, update details on the spot	Real-time check-in
Communications	Email, scheduled and tracked	Email, texting unlocked by Technology Sponsorship
Expenses and P&L	Included	Reports and CRM export
Copy last year's event	Included	Not listed
Done for you	Concierge, $799	Not listed
Try before paying	Full build in Practice Round, test checkout	No upfront cost to start
Countries	US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia	US; CAD pricing on request

“This took us from a very novice event to feeling really professional.”

Rob Pien, The Hayes Joseph Pien Organization

Read their story

Questions.

Is GolfStatus cheaper than ChipIn?

On the sticker, yes: $0 upfront against $399. On the event, usually no: GolfStatus adds a transaction fee to every payment and keeps $899 of your Technology Sponsorship when it sells. ChipIn's $399 is the whole cost.

Can golfers cover the card fee?

Yes on both. On ChipIn, ask us when you set up the event and we will turn it on.

Does ChipIn charge a percentage or take part of a sponsorship?

No. One flat fee per event, currently $399. Every registration, sponsorship and donation is paid to your own account, and card processing is at your processor's published rates.

GolfStatus pricing and features from golfstatus.com, last checked October 22, 2026, and subject to change. Source

GolfStatus is a trademark of its owner. ChipIn is not affiliated with GolfStatus.

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