GoFundMe Alternatives That Save Money and Amplify Impact

GoFundMe is a name most people familiar with crowdfunding platforms recognize and is often referenced in the media. It’s a website where anyone can raise money for personal causes, emergencies from a house fire to critical operations, or creative projects like creating a series of books or funding a dance team. Since its launching in 2010, and its acquisition of Classy in 2022, it has helped bring in over 30 billion dollars collectively for individuals and organizations looking to raise capital.

People love its simplicity. The site makes it easy to set up a campaign, share your story and watch the donations roll in. This is all due in part of these types of platforms having their own traffic already built in. Believe it or not, there are people that go to sites like these looking to fund a great cause, so the chances of you getting fully funded is always much better on a crowdfunding platform that a simple web page that no one sees.

But it’s still not a perfect fit for everyone. Often fees pile up (especially highly successful campaigns), options feel limited, or the platform doesn’t fit your specific goals. That’s why more people are starting to look for alternatives today than ever before. They need something more aligned with their own personal needs.

Why the shift? Maybe you’re tired of paying 2.9% plus $0.30 per donation in transaction fees. Or you need a site built for your nonprofit, not just personal pleas. Or perhaps you want better tools to tell your story. Whatever the reason, more and more newer crowdfunding platforms are stepping up to fill the gaps that GoFundMe has, offering fresh choices for fundraising. This article dives into the best alternatives, their perks, and how to make them work for you.

So, what’s the big deal with these alternatives? They’re not just clones. Some slash fees to keep more cash in your pocket. Others cater to niche needs, like funding a startup or supporting a cause overseas. You’ll find donation websites that let you customize every detail or simplify the process even further. Curious about your options? We’ve got you covered with practical picks and real-world strategies.

Here’s a quick look at why people search for alternatives:

• High fees eat into funds. GoFundMe’s cut can add up, especially for big campaigns.

• Limited customization. Not everyone gets the design flexibility they want.

• Niche goals need focus. Think artists, businesses, or global charities.

• Faster payouts matter. Waiting for cash isn’t ideal when it’s an emergency situation.

• Nonprofit perks. Some platforms prioritize tax-exempt groups.

We’ll break down the top crowdfunding platforms that rival GoFundMe, show you what they bring to the table, and help you pick one that fits your specific needs and goals and makes financial sense all at the same time.

Key Takeaways

• Fees Can Make or Break Your Campaign – Know up front the costs associated with any platform.

• Customization Unlocks Flexibility - Platforms like Fundly offer branded forms and mobile-friendly tools, while Paybee supercharges events and donor engagement.

• Niche Platforms Serve Specific Goals - Kickstarter thrives for creative projects, Indiegogo suits innovators with flexible funding, and Bonfire turns apparel into cash, know your supporters to align with the right platform.

• Event Integration Boosts Impact - Paybee’s ability to sync live auctions, virtual streams, and online donations with platforms like GoFundMe or FreeFunder bridges the online-offline gap, amplifying reach and revenue for hybrid campaigns.

• Data Turns Guesswork into Strategy - Beyond basic totals, tools like Paybee’s real-time analytics and FundRazr’s donor insights let you tweak tactics mid-campaign, ensuring you maximize support and hit your goals with precision.

What Are GoFundMe Alternatives?

GoFundMe alternatives are simply software platforms that offer similar services with slight variations on what it offers their user base. They will all let you raise funds by setting up campaigns and sharing them with their viewers and your own network of friends. Some of these platforms differentiate themselves through additional tools that give you more control of what your pages can do or they way they look. Others offer better pricing strategies to compete or they focus on very specific types of fundraising. These alternatives give you options that match your specific goals better, not just the usual standard setup.

How do they differ? Fees often lead the charge. GoFundMe takes 2.9% plus $0.30 per donation no matter the size or frequency. Kickstarter, geared for more creative projects charges 5%, but pays out only if you succeed in funding your entire requested donation amount. Indiegogo, another player, offers flexible funding, keep what you raise, with fees starting at 5%. Campaign types vary too. GoFundMe suits personal causes like unexpected hospital bills or smaller funding like sports teams looking to supply themselves with uniforms. Indiegogo? It’s perfect for entrepreneurs or innovators testing ideas to see if there is a market potential. Your choice depends on what you’re after, cheap funding, backer reach, or special tools.

Why seek these donation platforms? People crave options. Maybe you’re crowdfunding a gadget and love Indiegogo’s flexible payouts. Or you want Kickstarter’s project driven crowd. Saving money draws some since less fees equals more funds. Specific niche features like analytics or early access perks attract others. It all depends on your situation.

Here’s a snapshot:

Platform	Fees	Campaign Type	Ease of Use
GoFundMe	2.9% + $0.30	Personal, any goal	Simple
Kickstarter	5%	Creative projects	Moderate
Indiegogo	5%	Flexible, innovative	Easy

Need the best GoFundMe alternative for your startup? Or a platform for your next wild idea? Figure out your goal, then pick the one that fits best.

Our List of The Best Alternatives to GoFundMe

After doing substantial research and testing we’ve narrowed down the best alternatives to try, their costs, who we think would be a great fit and why we think they deserve your attention. Then after we’ve even included a table so you can see all their specifics at a glance to help you even further. Just remember, the trick here is to find the best match to your specific goals and requirements.

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1. Kickstarter: Closest Clone

Pricing Details: 5% platform fee plus 3% + $0.20 per transaction, totaling 8% + $0.20, among the priciest in crowdfunding.

Ideal For: Creators producing tangible works like films, books, games, or tech innovations. Nonprofits or personal causes must frame it as a shareable project, not a general appeal.

Why It Works: Kickstarter is a great alternative since it is one of the most well known crowdfunding platforms, but it follows an all-or-nothing model, meaning you must reach your goal to receive any funds. If you don’t, all funds are returned and your project doesn’t get a penny. This can be motivating for some but risky for others. Its project based approach is ideal for those producing a tangible end product, such as a film, book, or tech gadget, but if you’re running a nonprofit or need ongoing funding, some of the other platforms we mention may be better suited to your needs.

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2. Indiegogo: Flexible Funding for Bold Visions

Pricing Details: 5% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, totaling ~7.9% + $0.30. Choose flexible funding (keep all) or fixed (all-or-nothing).

Ideal For: Entrepreneurs, creatives, or individuals funding innovative projects, personal needs like medical costs, or community initiatives. Nonprofits must pitch a specific deliverable.

Why It Works: Originally designed for tech and creative projects, Indiegogo now offers fundraising for personal and nonprofit causes as well. Its two funding models are "fixed" (all-or-nothing) and "flexible" (keep what you raise) and give you more control on how you’d like to be funded. It also offers an "InDemand" feature that allows successful campaigns to continue raising money after their initial funding period ends unlike Kickstarter and others. However, with a 5% platform fee, it’s more expensive than some alternatives.

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3. Givebutter: Confusing Payment Structure

Pricing Details: No platform fees if donors opt to tip to support the service. Standard payment processing fees apply at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Premium features (e.g., advanced analytics) start at $99/month making it a costly alternative.

Ideal For: Individuals, nonprofits, or teams launching campaigns for personal milestones, community events, or organizational goals. Perfect for those needing extras like event ticketing or recurring donations.

Why It Works: Givebutter is an all-in-one fundraising platform that combines crowdfunding, events, and donor management into a single, streamlined experience for a price. Unlike many competitors, it provides extensive customization, including branded donation forms, text-to-give options, and team fundraising. Its zero-platform-fee structure can be free if your supporters choose to tip the platform, otherwise you are still required to pay fees. This can all get confusing and adding speciality tools increases your costs dramatically. Similar platforms like Paybee offer more and are cheaper in the end.

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4. Fundly: Mobile First Fundraising Pages 

Pricing Details: A 4.9% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction processing fee, totaling approximately 7.8% + $0.30 is higher than some but you do get some robust tools with the added cost.

Ideal For: Individuals or nonprofits raising funds for medical emergencies, education, or local projects. Best for those prioritizing flexibility over product-based campaigns.

Why It Works: Fundly has a flexible funding model that allows its users to keep whatever they raise, regardless of whether or not they hit their goal. It also offers a mobile friendly experience and seamless social media integration like Paybee and other platforms, making it easy for campaign creators to share and promote their causes across all of their social media platforms. While its 4.9% platform fee is higher than some competitors, the ability to keep all the funds you have raised is a major advantage over all-or-nothing crowdfunding models like GoFundMe or Kickstarter.

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5. Bonfire: Apparel That Fuels Your Mission and Helps Raise Money

Pricing Details: No fees for t-shirt sales if this is how you decide to raise funds, profits go straight to you. Optional donation campaigns carry an 8% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing.

Ideal For: Individuals, groups, or nonprofits using custom apparel to fund events, causes, or creative promotions. Less suited for pure donation drives.

Why It Works: Bonfire is a unique hybrid between product based and donation based fundraising models. Originally it was created to allow people to raise funds through t-shirt sales. Users design and sell custom shirts, with all profits going toward their campaign. There are no upfront costs, and Bonfire handles production, shipping, and customer service for you so you can focus on getting views to your wearables. While additional donations incur an 8% fee if the supporters decides to give more than the cost of the apparel, it remains one of the best options for fundraisers who want to engage supporters through wearable merchandise and works great for things like 5k races or walk-a-thons.

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6. FundRazr: Global Reach with Fee Flexibility

Pricing Details: “Simply Free” option (no platform fees, donor tips encouraged) or 5% platform fee, both plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing.

Ideal For: Individuals, nonprofits, or teams funding personal crises, global charities, or team efforts with strong social media traction.

Why It Works: FundRazr offers two pricing models, a donor-tip-supported free plan similar to GiveButter, or a 5% flat fee option. It’s particularly useful for international fundraising, as it supports multiple currencies and offers a few different payment options, all mobile friendly of course. The platform also provides some solid social sharing tools that make it easier for you to reach a wider audience and offer a global position.

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7. GoGetFunding: Straightforward Support for Any Story

Pricing Details: 4% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing, totaling ~6.9% + $0.30, a bit expensive compared to some of our other picks.

Ideal For: Individuals or groups raising funds for medical bills, travel, or charitable missions needing clear cut costs.

Why It Works: Started in 2011, GoGetFunding is a straightforward crowdfunding platform that covers the basics. Unlike others on our list, it does not rely on donor tipping, making costs more predictable. While the 4% platform fee is higher than some competitors, it remains a strong choice for individuals and small organizations that need flexibility and an easy to use user interface.

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8. FreeFunder: Minimal Costs and Solid Gofundme Alternative 

Pricing Details: No platform fees if donors tip voluntarily, meaning they have the option of covering the costs associated with their donation. Processing fees are 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction otherwise.

Ideal For: Individuals funding personal needs like emergencies, celebrations, or memorials where every dollar matters.

Why It Works: FreeFunder is one of the few crowdfunding platforms with no platform fees. Instead, it relies on voluntary donor contributions to sustain itself. This makes it a great option for those who want to keep as much of their donations as possible while avoiding mandatory platform fees. But this also means your supporters are also being marketed by the company. It’s a trade off and for small organizations, the savings can be worth the advertising.

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9. Turbocharge Your Crowdfunding with Paybee: The Secret Weapon You Didn’t Know You Needed

Although we are not technically a crowdfunding platform, as in we don’t have a community of built in supporters to look at your cause or a donor pool, we do however offer a sophisticated suite of tools that allows you to squeeze even more juice out of your campaign.

Paybee is a nonprofit focused fundraising software and suite of tools that doesn’t just sit alongside your crowdfunding efforts, it straps a rocket booster to them. Far from just supporting your vision, Paybee amplifies its reach and impact, turning potential into results. Here’s why pairing Paybee with your existing platform can take your fundraising from solid to stellar, especially for nonprofits or hybrid campaigns.

Seamless Event Power: Crowdfunding platforms are excellent at collecting simple donations, but they’re not built for the full fundraising experience such as holding galas, auctions, or live streams. Paybee fills that gap with tools to run in person, virtual, or hybrid events. Imagine hosting a live auction on Kickstarter night, syncing bids with your campaign page in real time, or streaming a donor thank you that pulls in extra pledges. Paybee’s got the tech to make it happen.

Donor Delight Overdrive: Your crowdfunding page hooks supporters with a story, but keeping them engaged is another thing altogether. Paybee adds tools specifically created for the nonprofit sector like custom receipts, automated thank-yous, and a mobile app that lets donors bid, pay, or check in from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. It’s like giving your backers VIP treatment, turning one time givers into loyal fans who stick around for the next campaign.

Data That Drives Dollars: Crowdfunding platforms give you all the basics like how much you’ve raised and who’s donated. But Paybee digs deeper with real-time analytics, donor tracking, and campaign reports. This allows you to spot your top supporters, tweak your pitch mid-flight, and see what’s working (or not) without the guesswork. It’s the difference between guessing what’s working and actually knowing without a doubt.

Stretch Every Penny: Most crowdfunding platforms take a cut, 5% here, 2.9% there, plus processing fees and even other hidden charges. Paybee’s free to join, with affordable event packages (e.g., $399 for two years of unlimited virtual events, 2% per transaction) that make sense for any type of nonprofit enterprise. Pair it with a low-fee platform like FreeFunder, and you’re keeping more of your funding for your cause and not the middleman.

🌐 Hybrid Hustle Made Easy: If your crowdfunding dream spans online and offline, like a GoFundMe for disaster relief paired with a local gala, Paybee bridges that gap. Manage ticket sales, live bids, and online donations in one easy to use user interface. Supporters join from their couch or the venue and you collect funds from every angle without juggling a dozen tools.

✨ Why It Shines: Crowdfunding platforms are your megaphone, shouting your story to the world. Paybee’s your stage crew, making sure the lights stay on, the sound’s crisp, and the audience keeps cheering. It’s not about replacing your platform, it’s about amplifying it. Whether you’re a nonprofit juggling multiple campaigns or an individual adding pizzazz to a personal cause, Paybee turns a good fundraiser into a great one.

Ready to level up? Pairing Paybee with your crowdfunding pick doesn’t just add features, it transforms how you connect, collect, and celebrate. Your donors will notice, your funds will grow, and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

Crowdfunding Alternatives: At-a-Glance Comparison

Platform	Pricing Details	Ideal For	Standout Features	Reference
Givebutter	No platform fees (donor tips optional); 2.9% + $0.30 processing. Premium from $99/month.	Individuals, nonprofits, teams for personal or event-based campaigns.	Free toolkit with text-to-give, peer-to-peer, and keep-it-all model.	Link
Fundly	4.9% platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing (~7.8% + $0.30 total).	Individuals/nonprofits for medical, education, or community needs.	Mobile-first design, keep-it-all flexibility, and easy social sharing.	Link
Bonfire	No fees for t-shirt sales; 8% + 2.9% + $0.30 for donations.	Groups or nonprofits using apparel for events or causes.	Custom t-shirt fundraising, no upfront costs, and keep-it-all profits.	Link
Indiegogo	5% platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing (~7.9% + $0.30 total). Flexible or fixed funding.	Creatives, entrepreneurs, or personal causes with project focus.	Dual funding options (keep-all or all-or-nothing), perks for backers.	Link
Kickstarter	5% platform fee + 3% + $0.20 processing (8% + $0.20 total).	Creators of tangible projects (films, games, tech).	All-or-nothing model, rewards-based, ideal for polished creative pitches.	Link
Donorbox	No fee on first $1,000/month, then 1.5% + 2.9% + $0.30. Premium from $139/month.	Nonprofits or individuals with recurring donation needs.	Low-cost entry, recurring gifts, embeddable forms, and keep-it-all funds.	Link
FundRazr	“Simply Free” (donor tips) or 5% + 2.9% + $0.30 processing.	Individuals, nonprofits, teams with global or social campaigns.	Fee flexibility, global reach, keep-it-all model, and strong sharing tools.	Link
GoGetFunding	4% platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing (~6.9% + $0.30 total).	Personal or charitable causes (medical, travel).	Transparent fees (no donor tips), keep-it-all simplicity, and straightforward design.	Link
FreeFunder	No platform fees (donor tips optional); 2.9% + $0.30 processing.	Individuals for personal needs (emergencies, celebrations).	Minimal costs, keep-it-all model, and clean, no-frills platform.	Link
Classy	Quote-based (~$499/month+) + 2.9% + $0.30 processing.	Nonprofits running sophisticated, event-driven campaigns.	Premium features like analytics, ticketing, and recurring donations with keep-it-all funds.	Link

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How to Use This Table

• Pricing Details: Compare total costs per transaction or subscription to find the most budget-friendly option. Look for “keep-it-all” vs. “all-or-nothing” to match your risk tolerance.

• Ideal For: Match your campaign type—personal, creative, nonprofit, or event-based—to the platform’s strengths.

• Standout Features: Identify tools (e.g., mobile access, recurring donations, apparel sales) that align with your fundraising goals.

• Reference: Click links for full details, including terms and setup steps.

This table condenses the essentials into a scannable format so you can pick the best alternative at a glance. Whether you’re cost focused, need flexibility, or want premium features all the info’s here and is clear, factual, and ready to guide you next move.

Wrapping Up

The crowdfunding landscape has evolved far beyond GoFundMe’s one-size-fits-all approach. Whether you’re an individual racing to cover an emergency medical need or a nonprofit looking to build your donor base, there’s a platform, or a combination of tools that are tailored to your specific needs. From FreeFunder’s fee-free simplicity to Paybee’s event-driven horsepower, these alternatives don’t just copy, they refine, expand, and sometimes redefine what fundraising can be.

The key is knowing what you’re essentials are, lower costs, richer features, or a niche focus donor pool and picking the option that aligns with your vision. With billions flowing through crowdfunding each year, the right choice can turn your campaign into a standout success. So, ditch the default, explore your options, and fundraise smarter, your cause deserves it.