Tithe.ly Tap-to-Give Setup Guide
A practical walkthrough for adding NFC tap-to-give to your Tithe.ly church giving setup. This guide covers finding your giving URL, choosing NFC hardware, and getting plates deployed in your sanctuary.
How NFC Works with Tithe.ly
NFC (Near Field Communication) is the same short-range wireless technology behind Apple Pay and Google Pay. An NFC tag stores a URL. When someone holds their phone within a few centimeters of the tag, the phone reads the URL and opens it in a browser.
For church giving, the URL points to your Tithe.ly donation page. The member taps, the page opens, they enter an amount and submit. No app install, no QR camera alignment, no typing. Tithe.ly handles the payment processing exactly the same as if they'd navigated there manually.
The NFC tag itself is passive - no battery, no WiFi, no maintenance. It works indefinitely as long as the physical tag is intact.
Find Your Tithe.ly Giving URL
Every Tithe.ly church has a unique giving URL. This is what your NFC tags will open when tapped.
Where to Find It
Log in to your Tithe.ly dashboard
Go to Giving > Online Giving
Copy your giving page link
Format: tithe.ly/give?c=yourchurch
A Note on URL Choice
You can use your direct Tithe.ly URL or a giving page hosted on your church website that embeds Tithe.ly. Either works. The direct Tithe.ly URL is simpler and loads faster on mobile. If you use a custom domain, make sure it's mobile-optimized since that's what 95%+ of tappers will see.
Fund-Specific Links
If you want the tap to go straight to a specific fund (tithe, building fund, missions), you can append fund parameters to the URL. Check your Tithe.ly dashboard for fund-specific links. This removes one decision from the giving flow.
Get NFC Hardware
You have a few options here. Tithe.ly sells their own Tap discs, or you can use any NFC tag programmed with your giving URL. What matters is that the tag is durable enough for weekly church use and that the URL is written correctly.
Your Options
Tithely Tap Discs
Tithe.ly sells standard discs at $2.50 each (50 minimum) and custom branded discs at $4.00 each (250 minimum), plus shipping. The software is free with any Tithe.ly account. These work well if you're already deep in the Tithe.ly ecosystem and want everything from one vendor.
Tap.Giving Plates
Tap.Giving makes church-specific NFC giving plates at $3.50-$4.50/plate with custom branding, a printed QR code fallback for older phones, and free shipping. Plates come pre-programmed to your Tithe.ly URL so there's no DIY setup.
DIY with Blank NFC Tags
Buy NTAG215 or NTAG216 tags from Amazon or an NFC supplier. Program each one with the free NFC Tools app (iOS/Android):
- 1. Open NFC Tools > Write > Add a record > URL
- 2. Paste your Tithe.ly giving URL
- 3. Hold your phone to the tag until it confirms the write
- 4. Repeat for each tag
This is the cheapest option but the most time-consuming. NFC stickers also tend to peel and look less professional than rigid plates.
Choosing an NFC Chip Type
NTAG215 (504 bytes) is enough for a standard URL. NTAG216 (888 bytes) gives you room if you need a longer URL with tracking parameters. For a typical Tithe.ly link, either works fine. Avoid the cheaper NTAG213 (144 bytes) - it can't store longer URLs with query parameters.
Deploy and Announce
Placement
Where you put the plates determines how many people use them. The goal is to place one within arm's reach of every seat during the offering.
Chair / Pew Backs
Most effective. Put one on every chair or every other pew. Use 3M adhesive or screw mounts depending on your furniture.
Lobby Tables
Good for catching people before and after service. Works well next to bulletins or event flyers.
Coffee Area
People already have their phones out. Low-pressure environment for first-time givers.
Welcome Center
Introduces visitors to giving alongside connection cards. Especially useful for first-time guests.
Announcing to Your Congregation
NFC is intuitive once someone tries it, but most people won't try without being told. For the first 2-3 weeks, have your pastor mention it during the offering. Something simple works:
"You can now give by tapping your phone on the plate in front of you. Just hold your phone near it and it'll take you straight to our giving page."
After the initial announcement period, most members who want to use it will have tried it. It becomes self-sustaining - they see the plate, remember the tap, and give.
What the Member Experiences
- 1. They hold their phone near the plate (within 2-3 cm)
- 2. A notification appears with the Tithe.ly URL - they tap it
- 3. Your Tithe.ly giving form opens in their browser
- 4. They select an amount, choose a fund, and submit
On iPhones, NFC reads automatically (iPhone 7+ with iOS 14+). On most Androids (2015+), NFC is on by default but some models need it toggled on in settings. For phones without NFC, the QR code on the plate works as a fallback.
Things to Know
NFC doesn't work through metal.
If your pews or chairs have a metal backing, mount the plate on a non-metal surface or use a small spacer. Wood, plastic, and fabric all work fine.
Phone cases are fine.
Standard phone cases (silicone, plastic, leather) don't block NFC. Only thick metal cases or wallets with RFID-blocking material will interfere.
Tags don't expire or run out of battery.
NFC tags are passive. They draw power from the phone's NFC reader during the tap. There's nothing to charge, replace, or maintain.
You can reprogram tags later.
If you switch giving platforms, change your URL, or want to point to a different fund, you can rewrite the tag with a new URL using the NFC Tools app. Unless the tag was write-locked during programming.
This doesn't replace your other giving channels.
NFC tap-to-give is one more way to give alongside text-to-give, the Tithe.ly app, and online giving. Different members prefer different methods. More options means more participation.
Nothing changes in your Tithe.ly dashboard.
Donations from NFC taps show up in Tithe.ly the same as any online gift. There's no separate reporting, no integration to configure. The tag just opens a URL.
Need NFC Plates for Your Church?
Tap.Giving makes custom NFC giving plates pre-programmed to your Tithe.ly URL. Free shipping, no monthly fees, plates start at $3.50 each.
Works with Tithe.ly, Planning Center, Pushpay, Donorbox, and any giving platform with a URL