Here is a detailed definition of what I consider to be a free charity program.
At the basic level, free charity programs (FCPs) are apps/programs that donate to charity with no cost to the user.
Here are the three criteria that an FCP has to meet:
It is free to use.
It supports charities or helps the world in any way.
It is a digital app or website.
They get the money to donate to charity via advertisements that generate a bit of money with each view or click.
(For example, Tab for a Cause raises 0.1 to 1 cent with each new tab, and Ecosia earns 0.5 cents with each search.)
The causes that FCPs donate their money to range from planting trees (Ecosia) to saving lives by feeding the hungry (Freerice) to funding projects (Goodeed).
The 6 FCPs currently featured on this website are Tab for a Cause, Ecosia, Freerice, Charity Miles, Goodeed, and WeShelter.
According to this video by Tab for a Cause, some users of Tab for a Cause even reported donations to charities that they otherwise wouldn't have made without the program.
However, FCPs are not a replacement for actually donating to charity.
FCP Simulator
Here's a basic explanation of what an FCP (in this case, Tab for a Cause) looks like.
to open a new tab within this simulator!
Unfortunately, Monospace Typewriter (this font) doesn't work inside a canvas.