The 21 best crowdfunding sites: choose the most suitable according to your needs
Before answering that question, there are a few things to consider, such as site features, community, and commission structures. Before we look at the best crowdfunding sites, here are four key points to keep in mind when comparing platforms.
Crowdfunding site comparison: Four key services to consider:
Ease of use
Before starting a campaign, browse the site. The best crowdfunding sites make you want to spend time on their pages, learn more, and get involved. If a crowdfunding site is difficult to use, choose another.
Customer Support
Does the site offer support via email, live chat, or a phone helpline? Remember that your friends and family will be donating money, so they may also need help. It is important that the people who provide support on the site are honest, responsible, and available.
Tools to get your cause out there in your community
Take a look at the social media tools each crowdfunding site offers. The best sites have easy-to-use tools that let you share your fundraising campaign on Facebook, Twitter, email, and more. Since your social networks are a fundamental part of your crowdfunding project, these features are basic.
Crowdfunding Fee Comparison
Platform commission refers to the crowdfunding site taking a percentage of all the money you raised through your campaign. Typically, crowdfunding platform fees range from 5% to 12%. Beware of structures that include penalties. Some platforms increase commissions if you don't meet your goal. Others have an “if you don't raise everything, you don't get anything” model, which means that you will only receive the money you raised as long as you meet or exceed your goal.
Keep these four key factors in mind when you're reviewing the top crowdfunding sites in each category.
Crowdfunding for Education
1. DonorsChoose
This is a non-profit crowdfunding platform that makes it easy to raise money for classrooms in need of funds. Public school teachers across the US use the site to generate project requests for the classroom.
Fees: Third-party payment processing fees of 1.5% represent the weighted average of fees across all payment methods used by donors. A commission of approximately 2.5% is charged on donations paid by credit card or PayPal. The site does not charge platform commission, as operating expenses are covered by voluntary donations to the non-profit organization.
2. GiveCampus
GiveCampus partners with universities to help students, alumni, parents, and teachers raise funds for school-related projects. Funds raised go directly to the school. They also offer a volunteer management system.
Commissions: Schools can choose to pay a monthly subscription to use GiveCampus and should contact GiveCampus to request a quote.
3. Piggybackr
Piggybackr offers a school fundraising platform where parents and students can raise money (as a team or individually) for school projects. Piggybackr awards students points and badges for their fundraising efforts.
Commissions: The platform commission is 4%, along with 2.9% + $0.30 for payment processing, per operation.
Personal crowdfunding and fundraising for nonprofits
4. GoFundMe
GoFundMe is the world's largest social media fundraising platform for individuals, groups, and nonprofits with a community of over 50 million people. donors around the world. Over $5 billion has been raised to date, plus it is the first and only platform with a donor protection guarantee. GoFundMe has 24/7 Customer Service representatives. Check out our GoFundMe reviews.
Commissions: Using the Powered by donors™ model, GoFundMe offers to fundraise. There is a platform fee of 0% plus standard payment processing fees of 2.9% plus $0.30 per donation.
5. FundRazr
This platform helps individuals, nonprofits, and businesses raise money for causes they care about. They offer both fundraising campaigns where you get all the funds and “if you don't raise everything, you get nothing”, which means that you will have access to the funds only until the moment you have reached your goal.
Commissions: Individuals can choose a fundraising model, with no platform commission (optional bonuses are requested from supporters), and organizations can choose a “professional” model with a 5% platform commission.
6. Fundly
With Fundly, individuals or nonprofits can create fundraising events for a wide range of causes, including frat and sorority, military, and political causes.
Fees: It's free to start a campaign on Fundly, but each donation will have a platform fee of 4.9% deducted, as well as a payment processing fee of 2.9% plus 30 cents.
7. CrowdRise
CrowdRise helps nonprofits use social fundraising to make a difference. They can help you with ticketing and registration, give you donor details, and raise funds for the team. CrowdRise is owned by GoFundMe.
Fees: Platform Fee: 3% to 5% of funds raised, plus a payment processing fee of 2.4% to 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Premium and business plans with advanced features and services are available
8. Classy
Classy is designed for nonprofits and social organizations, and the site includes a fundraising reporting tool to help track progress in fundraising. the bell. Another function of the site is to help teams organize volunteer events, including ticket sales and event registration.
Commissions: The platform does not show prices for premium plans (contact the site for a quote), but the cost of services starts from $499 per month.
Crowdfunding for Creative Projects
9. Kickstarter
Creators seeking funding for specific projects can use the site to bring the project to life. Creators (ranging from independent designers and inventors to large companies wanting to test new product ideas) offer rewards to backers, such as a small part of the project, the first available prototypes, or manufacturing the products they are raising money for. You must raise all the funds you need otherwise you will not get anything.
Fees: The service fee is 5%, along with 3% + $0.20 for payment processing, per transaction. His model is “if you don't raise everything, you won't get anything”.
10. Indiegogo
If you want help at all stages of your creative or business project, this site offers tools to help you get the job done, from pre-launch to crowdfunding and distribution. You can choose the “if you don't raise everything, you get nothing” model or flexible financing.
Fees: The platform fee of 5%, along with a 3% + $0.30 payment processing fee, per trade. They have a $25 international transfer fee when sending funds to banks outside of the US
11. Patreon
This platform allows you to earn recurring sponsorships for artwork or other creative arts projects in the format of monthly subscriptions from followers. Patreon encourages users to offer rewards to supporters as a way to repay their support.
Commissions: They charge a 5% Patreon commission, plus 3% to 5% plus $0.25 to $0.35 for payment processing. They also have “settlement fees” of $0.25 to $0.35 or 1% per settlement (capped at $20 for PayPal payments). Additional fees apply to payments made by international donors. In other words, the commission structure may seem a bit confusing to you.
“Equity crowdfunding”
12. Fundable
Fundable focuses on helping entrepreneurs, startups, and companies raise capital from the public through business crowdfunding. The site allows users to offer rewards or capital in exchange for financial support.
Fees: $179 per month, along with 3.5% + $0.30 payment processing fee, per transaction.
13. WeFunder
If you want to grow your existing business, WeFunder can help. Your investors receive a small stake in your company and the platform aims to increase their emotional investment in your success.
Commissions: It is free to open a company profile, but they charge a service fee that ranges from $7 to $75, depending on the size of the investment and 7% of the total volume of funds for "Regulation Crowdfunding" For Regulation D they charge up to 20% of the accrued interest and for Regulation A+ Wefunder does not charge commission.
14. Crowdfunder
This “equity crowdfunding” or participatory financing platform for capital investment in a company that is not listed on the stock exchange, allows businesses to sell shares to accredited investors. Crowdfunder has a network of 15,000 venture capitalists and private investors.
Commissions: Subscription models range from $299 to $999 per month.
15. SeedInvest
As an equity crowdfunding platform, SeedInvest allows startups to raise funds from individual investors and venture capital firms. Entrepreneurs must meet their minimum funding targets before investments become final.
Commissions: They have a placement commission of 7.5% with a 5% guarantee coverage or investment, plus a commission of $0 to $10,000 for escrow, marketing, and legal expenses reimbursements.
Real Estate Crowdfunding
16. PeerStreet
This financing website offers private real estate loans from accredited investors. As proof of its transparency, the site also holds past investments open for review and scrutiny. Loan duration is between six and 24 months, with a loan-to-value ratio typically less than 75%.
Commissions: They charge a service commission of 0.25% to 1% on the total amount of the loan.
17. RealCrowd
A crowdfunding site for commercial real estate equity investments, RealCrowd aims to take the middleman out of real estate investing. Accredited investors can browse, compare and invest.
Commissions: They have a base listing commission of $15,000. Commissions are charged to those who apply for investments, not to investors.
18. Realty Mogul
This site brings its users together to invest in residential and commercial real estate. Both accredited and non-accredited investors can use the platform. Each investment has a commission that varies depending on whether the investment is a loan or a purchase of shares.
Commissions: Minimum investment of $1,000.
Niche Crowdfunding
19. Honeyfund
This crowdfunding site is geared toward couples who are engaged or newlyweds, to help them raise funds for their wedding, honeymoon, or even a down payment on a new home.
Fees: It's free to sign up for gift cards and honey fund balance, but bank deposits cost 2.8% + $0.30. They offer Honeyfund Elite, which offers more detailed fundraising services for $39.99.
20. Slated
Slated is a movie investment crowdfunding site. This end-to-end platform helps finance film projects, find talent, and distribute the final project. It also offers extended services like the script and financial analysis for an additional cost.
Commissions: Your Executive Producer Services Commission is 2% to 10% of the project budget and 5% to 10% of the debt-to-income ratio after recovery plus 20%.
21. Experiment
A crowdfunding site dedicated to scientific research, Experiment helps researchers raise the funds they need to search for new discoveries. Sponsors can review their impact through open access to data and resulting journal publications.
Commissions: The platform commission is 8% with 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing commission. They only offer an “if you don't raise everything, you get nothing” fundraising model.
Choose the crowdfunding platform
Use this list of the best crowdfunding sites to find the platform that works best for your project or cause. For more crowdfunding inspiration, check out these fundraising tips and ideas. Start your fundraising campaign today.
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