GoFundMe charges nothing to start a fundraiser, so the cost to an organiser shows up later, as a per-donation transaction fee that depends on country and on whether the fundraiser is certified. Its own pricing page lists 2.9 percent plus a fixed amount in most markets, and the donor tip that funds the platform is optional. Organisers look elsewhere when they want fee tables that name the percentage taken, an operator they can identify, or a model built for a different goal such as research, equity or a registered charity. The options below range from German donation portals to US equity platforms.
Short answer: Looking for a replacement for GoFundMe? betterplace.org, Startnext and Ulule come first in our crowdfunding platform ranking. Challengers take places 1 to 3 here. Big brands follow in the order of our category ranking. Start with betterplace.org if a charity wants a donation portal run by a named non-profit company. The 11 entries that follow are all ranked in Best Crowdfunding Platforms in 2026; each one explains what sets it apart from GoFundMe.
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Pricing: No platform fee to create a fundraiser; certified fundraisers pay a per-donation transaction fee that varies by country, and the donor tip is optional
Established in: Not stated by the vendor
Built for: Individuals and certified nonprofits wanting a published per-country fee table
Not for: Buyers who want a named company and address first
01
Why buyers look past GoFundMe
01
The fee depends on where you live
GoFundMe lists 2.9 percent plus 0.30 dollars in the United States, plus 0.25 euros across a group of eurozone countries, 3 kronor in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and 2.2 percent plus 0.30 Australian dollars in Australia. Lower certified rates exist, for example 1.9 percent plus 0.20 pounds in the United Kingdom, but the page says transaction fees apply to certified fundraisers only, so you must check your own country row.
02
Tips fund the platform, not the fee
The safety page says GoFundMe is primarily powered by voluntary tips. A fundraiser therefore looks free at the top, and a donor decides at checkout whether to add a gratuity on top of the gift. Organisers who want to quote an exact net amount to supporters, or who dislike a tip prompt next to their cause, can compare platforms that print one fee table.
03
Little about the operator is visible
The pricing and safety pages we read name no company, registered address or imprint beyond a copyright line for 2010 to 2026. The safety page describes identity checks for anyone receiving funds and a Giving Guarantee refund promise, yet gives no withdrawal timeline. Organisations that need a traceable counterparty for a grant file or board paper find that gap awkward.
a start-up wants a regulated equity round with an investor audience
#12
03
What each one does differently
1
betterplace.org
Germany · See profile
betterplace.org describes itself as Germany's largest donation platform and names betterplace.org gGmbH in Berlin as operator, with a court registration and VAT ID on its pages. Donors give to named projects of organisations, and support runs by e-mail, phone and a help centre. We could not read fee terms for organisations, and gifts of goods are returned to the sender.
Switch from GoFundMe if a charity wants a donation portal run by a named non-profit company.
Startnext publishes a full fee table with a success percentage per plan, separate for classic, nonprofit and private-purpose campaigns, collected only when money is paid out. The two upper plans earn volume discounts. Payment costs of roughly 3.5 percent net come on top and are excluded from those discounts. The footer names Startnext GmbH, with no country on the pages read.
Switch from GoFundMe if you prefer one printed fee table to country-by-country rates.
Ulule states its commission by payment method on euro campaigns under a stated ceiling, and since April 2025 it bills a service fee to contributors rather than creators. That leaves creators handing over less and backers paying more. It calls itself a B Corp since 2015 and now owns KissKissBankBank. Bands above a certain size are not detailed on the pages read.
Switch from GoFundMe if a creative or community project wants the fee shifted onto backers.
Experiment funds research on an all-or-nothing basis, so no pledge is charged unless the project reaches its target. It calls itself the world's biggest platform for collaborative research funding, a claim we could not test. Fee percentages and payment costs were not on the pages read, and a missed target means the researcher collects nothing at all.
Switch from GoFundMe if your project is scientific and your backers expect a target to be met.
Zeffy's pricing page is headed 100 percent free for nonprofits and lists donation forms, ticketing, raffles, auctions, memberships, peer-to-peer, online stores, a CRM and printed donor letters. Income rests on donors choosing to add a contribution at payment confirmation. The offer addresses nonprofits only, and the copyright line names Zeffy, Inc. with no country.
Switch from GoFundMe if a registered nonprofit wants events, raffles and donations in one tool.
Givebutter gives unlimited users, contacts and email blasts on a plan that costs nothing per month while donor tips stay on. Switching tips off brings a 3 percent platform fee plus card processing. Plus is an add-on priced by contact tier, from 250 up to 50,000 and over, with a 30-day trial. The copyright line names Givebutter, Inc. without a country.
Switch from GoFundMe if you want a donor CRM and email tools bundled with the fundraising page.
Mightycause's pricing page says everything costs 0 dollars per month and lists neither paid plans nor a trial. That makes the headline easy, but the terms and privacy pages were unreadable in the excerpt we took, so card-fee handling and who bears it are unverified. The copyright line reads Mightycause, Inc. without a country.
Switch from GoFundMe if you want a no-subscription page and will read its terms before launch.
FundRazr says it is a free online fundraising platform covering peer-to-peer events, wishlists and perks, microprojects, and tools for professional and personal fundraisers. Its home page shows no fee amounts and points to a pricing page we did not read. The footer names ConnectionPoint Systems Inc. as copyright holder and FundRazr as its registered trademark, without an address.
Switch from GoFundMe if you need perks, wishlists or event fundraising in the same account.
Fundable charges a flat monthly platform fee from 179 dollars to create and manage your own fundraise, not pro-rated, and states it takes no success fees. A free tier lets a company build and share a profile before launching. The footer says it belongs to Startups.com and carries a 2019 copyright date, with no country given.
Switch from GoFundMe if a company raising capital prefers a fixed monthly cost to a percentage.
StartEngine runs investment offerings under Regulation A, Regulation Crowdfunding and Rule 506(c), the last open to accredited investors only, and operates a secondary marketplace. Offerings go through named group companies, and Canadian residents are not offered marketplace opportunities. Issuer fees were not on the page read, and securities rules apply to equity raises.
Switch from GoFundMe if you are selling shares to investors, not collecting gifts or pledges.
Crowdcube Capital is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and aims at sophisticated investors, who must register as such first. Its pages carry a risk warning about illiquidity, dilution and loss. The terms and help pages returned only a warning or bot check, so the fee schedule is unverified and no country was stated.
Switch from GoFundMe if a start-up wants a regulated equity round with an investor audience.
You run a registered charity and want a traceable operator
betterplace.org: betterplace.org gGmbH in Berlin is named with a court registration and VAT ID; fee terms for organisations were not readable.
02
You want a fee table printed in full
Startnext: It lists a success percentage per plan and campaign type, taken on payout, with payment costs of roughly 3.5 percent net on top.
03
You are a nonprofit that wants events and raffles on one platform
Zeffy: The pricing page is headed 100 percent free for nonprofits and relies on optional donor contributions.
04
You are funding research and can set a firm target
Experiment: Pledges are charged only if the project reaches its target, though fee percentages were not on the pages read.
05
You are selling shares to investors
StartEngine: It runs Regulation A, Regulation Crowdfunding and Rule 506(c) offerings; issuer fees were not on the page read.
04
When GoFundMe is still the right choice
GoFundMe stays sensible for a personal cause where the audience is friends and family and the organiser wants the least setup. Starting costs nothing, the fee is listed per country, tips are optional, and the safety page describes identity checks and a refund guarantee for donors. If you only need a single page for one cause, compare your country's fee row with the alternatives before assuming a move saves money.
05
What moving off GoFundMe involves
01
Donors and links stay behind
A GoFundMe page cannot be exported with its donors, so supporters who gave there stay on that platform. Keep the old page live with a note pointing to the new one, and send the new link to the same people rather than expecting donations to follow.
02
Check fees at the payout level
Compare the net amount you receive on a sample gift, not the headline percentage. Several alternatives add separate payment costs, and others rely on donor tips or on a service fee charged to backers, which changes what the person giving actually pays.
03
Match the model to the goal
Equity platforms, all-or-nothing research sites and donation portals for charities work under different rules from a personal cause. Confirm eligibility, and whether the platform requires a registered nonprofit or company, before you build a campaign page.
06
Questions about replacing GoFundMe
5 answers
What does GoFundMe charge to start a fundraiser?
Its pricing page says there is no fee to start or manage a fundraiser. A transaction fee applies per donation, for example 2.9 percent plus 0.30 dollars in the United States and 2.9 percent plus 0.25 euros in several eurozone countries.
Are GoFundMe tips mandatory for donors?
No. The pricing page calls tips optional and never required, while the safety page says the platform is primarily powered by voluntary tips. A donor can reduce or remove the tip at checkout.
Which alternatives show a complete fee table?
Startnext publishes a percentage per plan and campaign type, and Ulule states its commission by payment method. Fundable lists a flat monthly fee from 179 dollars. Several others, such as Experiment and FundRazr, did not show fee percentages on the pages we read.
Is there a free option for a registered nonprofit?
Zeffy's pricing page is headed 100 percent free for nonprofits and relies on optional contributions from donors. Givebutter has a plan at no monthly cost while donor tips stay on, and Mightycause says everything is 0 dollars per month.
What if I want to raise money from investors?
A donation page is the wrong tool. StartEngine runs offerings under Regulation A, Regulation Crowdfunding and Rule 506(c), and Crowdcube Capital is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Both put securities rules and risk warnings on the process.
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Sources
Checked 7 November 2026
GoFundMe pricing: No fee to start, optional tips, transaction fees by country, certified rates, fees apply to certified fundraisers only.
GoFundMe safety: Primarily powered by voluntary tips, identity checks, Giving Guarantee, funds held then released, copyright 2010 to 2026, no address.
Startnext: Success fee per plan and campaign type, payment costs, volume discounts, Startnext GmbH.
Ulule: Commission by payment method, contributor service fee since April 2025, B Corp, owns KissKissBankBank.
betterplace.org: Largest German donation platform claim, betterplace.org gGmbH Berlin, support channels, goods returned.
Givebutter pricing: Free plan with tips, 3 percent platform fee without tips, Plus by contact tier, 30-day trial, Givebutter, Inc.
Zeffy pricing: 100 percent free for nonprofits, optional donor contributions, listed features, Zeffy, Inc.
Experiment: All-or-nothing research funding, claim of world's biggest platform.
Mightycause pricing: 0 dollars per month, no paid plans or trial listed, Mightycause, Inc.
FundRazr: Free platform claim, peer-to-peer, wishlists, perks, microprojects, ConnectionPoint Systems Inc.
Fundable pricing: Flat monthly fee from 179 dollars, no success fees, free profile tier, Startups.com.
StartEngine: Regulation A, Regulation Crowdfunding, Rule 506(c), secondary marketplace, Canadian residents.
Founder of The Knowledge Engineers and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page on this site; research and drafting are AI-assisted.
Checked and edited by Sebastiaan Smits, last on 7 November 2026. The editorial process explains the method.
