GoFundMe is the #1 fundraising platform online. This for-profit crowdfunding platform lets people raise money for various events, whether it is medical expenses for an upcoming critical surgery, creative projects, personal fundraising, or a donation toward criminal justice reform.
With GoFundMe, there is a 0% platform fee, no deadlines to raise money, and you can raise money for just about any cause. That being said, this crowdfunding campaign platform has its downsides. For example, only those in specific countries can create crowdfunding campaigns through GoFundMe.
If you want to withdraw money through GoFundMe, you must be over 18 years old, have a government-issued ID, and align with their other strict requirements. All these make it hard to collect donations. Finally, on GoFundMe, donors do not have the option to donate anonymously.
Suppose you want to raise money for a cause you’re passionate about without meeting the specific requirements of this crowdfunding site. In that case, it may be beneficial to take a more in-depth look into some alternative crowdfunding platforms.
Below are the seven best alternatives to GoFundMe that give you creative control over your fundraising efforts, let you easily share your fundraiser, and allow you to track the progress of funds raised. The fundraising sites below vary significantly, making it essential to read about each one before deciding.
Top 7 GoFundMe Alternatives
Before choosing from the fundraising software below, it’s crucial to figure out what you want to raise money for, who you want to raise money with, how you want to reach others, and if you have a deadline or set goal. Once you’ve sorted that, all that is left is finding the best GoFundMe alternative.
Take a look at our picks for the best alternatives to GoFundMe below.
1. Facebook Fundraising
You may know that you can sell stuff on Facebook, but did you also know you can create a fundraising campaign page too? Facebook Fundraising is the way to go if you want to quickly create a fundraiser for yourself, a specific nonprofit, or a friend. With Facebook Fundraising, you only need a Facebook account, and there are no platform fees!
Facebook Fundraising lets you put your nonprofit fundraising in a specific category, such as education or crisis relief, that enables you to attract other users interested in your cause. Facebook also gives you various tips to help you reach your fundraising goals and raise more money over time.
With Facebook Fundraising, sharing your fundraiser is easy since your friends can view all activity on their timelines. In addition, when someone donates, only the person who started the fundraiser can view the amount. Unlike GoFundMe, Facebook Fundraising campaigns also give you the option to donate anonymously after a successful fundraising campaign.
All nonprofit organizations will receive donations directly from Facebook. Facebook charges no payment processing fees for contributions made to nonprofits in the social network. All donations to a particular person will be sent through their checking account, Stripe, or Facebook’s payment processor.
Facebook Fundraising is an excellent option if you want to raise money for something you’re passionate about but don’t want to create a whole new social media account. Facebook Fundraising lets you monitor all fundraising tips, grab the attention of your family & friends, and get the most out of your donations without any hidden fees like some crowdfunding sites.
Click Here To Get Started2. Fundly
Fundly is a donation platform with fundraising tools that helps individuals and nonprofits scale their online fundraisers. With Fundly, you can create an interactive slideshow, video, and photo gallery to include with your crowdfunding page. Since this online fundraising site gives you creative control over your fundraiser, they make it easier than ever to get more people involved.
Fundly’s free mobile app lets you post and share your fundraising events from anywhere. No matter your fundraising goal or how much money you plan to raise, your crowdfunding efforts have no time limit. You can always ensure that your audience is in the loop by posting blog-like updates that others can sign up to receive! Your campaign will look great on mobile devices and computers thanks to Fundly’s seamless design.
Anyone who donates or likes your fundraiser will appear in Facebook’s activity feed, quickly attracting more friends and followers. You can also import your contacts and use their customizable email templates to spread the word. Furthermore, you’ll get emails about your fundraiser so that you can respond quickly to others that have donated.
If you’re connected to a cause you want to raise money toward, Fundly is an excellent option. Fundly will help you scale your own fundraising page fast and get lots of attention on your campaign. In addition, their quick-start guide makes it easier to set up your campaign, even if you’ve never done a fundraiser before. So, for personalized fundraising pages and successful campaigns, go with Fundly.
Furthermore, all donations through Fundly are processed securely through Stripe. With their app, it’s easier than ever to sync your accounts to your campaign so that you can reach a wider audience and monitor your fundraiser from anywhere.
Click Here To Get Started3. Bonfire
Bonfire is one of the popular crowdfunding platforms. It is a t-shirt fundraising platform for nonprofits and individuals who want to unite their communities. Bonfire lets you raise money by making custom shirts and hoodies. So, if you are into team fundraising, this is the right crowdfunding platform for you.
Through their platform, a nonprofit organization can set up a customized online campaign (for free) that they can easily share with others. Bonfire’s online fundraising platform, like similar crowdfunding websites, makes it easy to tell your story and test various products.
Once you start an online campaign, you can connect your Bonfire account to your social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, making it easy to keep your friends and followers in the loop. You can also share your campaign stories using your social media account.
When checking out, customers have the option to add a donation. Furthermore, you will receive 100% of the campaign profits. Also, once a customer orders an item, it’ll be printed and shipped directly to the buyer. Through Bonfire, customers can checkout with PayPal or any major credit card.
Creating an online store with custom apparel is a creative and effective way to get the word out about a cause that you’re passionate about. Creating a community, sparking meaningful dialogue, and getting creative through your campaign are also great.
However, Bonfire charges an 8% payment processing fee like most fundraising platforms. The percentage covers credit card processing fees and administrative fees.
Click Here To Get Started4. Kickstarter
Kickstarter is also one of the best GoFundMe alternatives, where you’ll record fundraising success only if you meet your goal. The platform is for creatives, and most Kickstarter projects include films, games, music, arts, design, and technology. This online fundraising platform uses an all-or-nothing fundraising model.
Funding won’t be collected if your project doesn’t reach its goal. This way, people who donate will be 100% confident that you’ll get the job done. If you have a set budget for a project you’re working on, Kickstarter is one of the best platforms for capital campaigns.
Before getting started on Kickstarter, it’s essential to:
- Identify all potential expenses
- Consider your reach
- Have a funding target
- Calculate Kickstarter’s fees based on your campaign plan
- Set a deadline
Kickstarter’s creator dashboard lets you view all the activity on your funding so that you can easily keep track. The backer report lets you see your project’s backers and their neatly organized information. Google Analytics lets you track who has visited and interacted with your fundraiser to plan your next move.
Lastly, the Kickstarter mobile app works for a wide array of devices so that you can control your fundraiser anytime, anywhere.
Click Here To Get Started5. DonateKindly
DonateKindly is a free donation tool designed for nonprofits who want to start a fundraising campaign. DonateKindly can be added to your organization’s website, gives donors the option to tip during the donation process, and lets you analyze all of your fundraiser’s data in one place.
DonateKindly is perfect for all kinds of charities and, more specifically, faith-based organizations. This is the ideal platform to use if you want to start an online fundraiser and reach a broad audience passionate about helping your organization.
DonateKindly charges standard payment processing fees with each donation, albeit small. That said, it’s free to set up an account.
6. Givebutter
Givebutter is a platform to help people raise money for meaningful causes they’re passionate about. Givebutter lets you create customizable fundraising pages, track progress as a group, keep donors engaged, and raise money as a team.
With Givebutter, your fundraising page will be easy to share with others on a wide array of platforms. If you and your team want to engage with the community in a fun way and raise more money, this is the perfect platform for you. With Givebutter’s advanced, personalized formats, creating a campaign that people will be passionate about is easier than ever.
Givebutter is perfect for team and peer-to-peer fundraising. Once you create a campaign through Givebutter, the platform enables users to like and comment, providing a fun and interactive way to raise funds.
Givebutter also lets you reach a vast audience by sharing through social media, email, or a link. You can also integrate your Givebutter campaign with your Venmo to receive payments, Mailchimp to send out email campaigns, and your website so your customers can help raise money.
Click Here To Get Started7. Indiegogo
This GoFundMe alternative allows you to raise funds for innovative projects like film, technological inventions, etc. New projects get launched on this site daily, therefore, if you need an active community of like-minded people, go with Indiegogo.
Not only will you get all the funds you want to raise, but you will also create awareness for your project. However, you will pay a 5% processing fee based on your location and currency. Indiegogo charges a 2.9% credit card processing fee for each transaction.
Click Here To Get StartedFundraising Without GoFundMe
The six platforms above are great alternatives to GoFundMe. Unlike GoFundMe, many of the above platforms let donors donate anonymously, communicate privately, and set up campaigns without hidden fees.
Using the platforms above, you’ll be able to spread the word about a cause you’re passionate about and raise money. So whether you want to raise funds with your team or tell your Facebook friends about a nonprofit for your birthday, the platforms above will help you reach your goals effectively and creatively.
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