Do you have a project in mind? Are you looking for people to support your hobbies? Don’t have enough funds to create or develop a product? If you said yes to any of these questions, then you may want to head on to GoFundMe. This online fundraising website is ideal for companies, groups, and individuals. However, it’s not the only website on the Internet that offers these services. There are GoFundMe alternatives that you can check out.
Gain the monetary support for your projects.
With the help of GoFundMe or its alternatives, you can gain the financial support you need to accomplish your goals and projects. These websites allow you to post all the details of your endeavors so you can get the necessary supplies for the accomplishment of your objectives. If you can’t find support from your local communities, then perhaps you can ask the world for assistance.
Use sites Like GoFundMe to your advantage.
In truth, there are different alternatives to GoFundMe. However, searching around the online world for a reputable source for open-sourced financial assistance can become a bother. We’re here to help you out in that regard! Just read on as we show you our top recommended websites similar to what GoFundMe has to offer.
1) Kickstarter
Started in 2009, Kickstarter became a company where all creative minds start their dreams. Unlike other funding sites, you can use your Kickstarter project for personal or charitable purposes. It focuses on crowdfunding on creative projects for possibilities of becoming successful projects. You will find people who are developers, web designers, specialists, writers, musicians, painters, inventors, and many more trying to find financial assistance from this site.
Now considered as one of the most popular crowdfunding sites, Kickstarter focuses on people who need support for business and creative ideas. Gain support from a worldwide community if you’re a small-to-medium enterprise looking for financial assistance for a new product or an individual trying to open up your first business. Take advantage of the site’s excellent media outreach to send word to a worldwide audience about your upbringing.
Kickstarter believes in a slogan where everyone has a chance to be supported and gain success. Quoted by De La Soul, “Kickstarter is one of those platforms that gives you space to work with people who know you, love you and support you.” The site now has over 16 million people who have successfully backed projects since the creation of the online portal back in 2009. Those projects have already generated $4 billion with 155,449 successfully funded.
2) FundRazr
It is described as Canada’s leading crowdfunding platform, FundRazr offers different varieties of personal and charitable crowdfunding campaigns. It started during the late 2000s and since then the people behind the site started helping people through viral crowdfunding campaigns. Using social media platforms, users can post campaigns using their Facebook accounts.
FundRazr based their campaigns through a rewards system. Supports of different campaigns can take advantage of different types of incentives. These perks include anything like a T-shirt, a mention on social media, a button, product mentions or free advertisements, tickets events, and even certain wishes. If you’re the holder of the campaign you can present up to 50 incentives per funding project. The entire endeavor makes funding exciting and interesting to clients who gave support.
3) Patreon
Arts communities are now saturated with musicians, painters, digital creators, and other artists. There are too many competitors with too little guarantee of success. It was the same with YouTube musician Jack Conte as he decided to develop Patreon with his college roommate (now co-founder) Sam Yam. Since then, their site became a haven for over thousands of artists and creators seeking financial support from their fans.
Patreon is more diverse than other GoFundMe alternatives. While other site limits their funding projects to about 30 or 60 days, creators asking for help in Patreon for as long as they want. The site offers a recurring basis which means you can ask for the site’s services on a monthly basis. There are also other flexible options wherein you can use the site’s services to your advantage.
There are game designers, journalist, musicians, comic book artist, and even YouTubers funding their activities from Patreon. You are guaranteed unlimited funding duration as long as your content agrees with the site’s terms and conditions. Patreon’s platform fee is 5% and deducts 5% for the processing fee.
4) Indiegogo
Indiegogo first started as a platform to fund independent film back in 2008. However, the developers expanded their goals which turned into a famous crowdfunding portal. In fact, many startups discovered success on Indiegogo after getting shot down by Kickstarter communities.
The site’s interesting approach to funding benefit both parties. In other words, if you’re the manager of a campaign or the support, you’ll definitely receive rewards from this crowdfunding portal. It provides equity crowdfunding campaigns where MicroVentures cooperate together. Hence, backers purchase shares for projects instead of giving simple financial support. Indiegogo’s requirements for launching a crowdfunding campaign are reasonably strict. After they started funding movies, the site is now open to tech games and other crowdfunding categories.
Once you started an Indiegogo campaign, the project will last up to 60 days. There are different forms of campaign you can choose like keep-what-you-raise campaign or an all-or-nothing campaign. Unlike Kickstarter, the site’s rules don’t restrict you in any way. However, its developers are serious for the lookout of people who operate fraudulent activities that violate the terms of service.
5) Ulule
Situated in Paris, Ulule is one of the largest crowdfunding platforms in Europe. Although it’s not famous in the US, this online crowdfunding portal is popular in the European market. It boasts large numbers of good companies that can support campaigners if these businesses find certain projects interesting.
With the growing numbers of people asking for charity help or support for their businesses, it’s difficult to get supporters. However, Ulule campaigns have a higher rate of success than some other GoFundMe alternatives in achieving goals. However, campaigns need to go through a pre-approval process first. There might be some complications with fees and regulations, but if your campaign does get the “thumbs up,” then you now have a closer chance at success. The site is a good choice for digital content creators, charitable organizations, designers, filmmakers, game makers, and many more.
6) Republic
Republic is open to all types of equity crowdfunding campaigns. It specifically helps people, especially women and minorities who are described as overlooked by companies. The portal has proven to have a unique approach for business with high-profit potential.
The goal of Republic is for equality for everyone, especially since funding is very serious business. The site focuses on specific campaigners who need their services more than others. Funding campaigns on this site can last up to a year with a platform fee of 7%. Compared to other related business crowdfunding portals, this website has low investment minimums with strong company vetting to give backers assurance.
7) Fundable
You might confuse Fundable with FundRazr since both platforms have similar names. However, do note these two websites have many differences. The company behind the website is situated in Ohio and specializes their services funding businesses. They provide both rewards and equity crowdfunding with lower fees for successful campaigns. Their services focus more on inventors, self-publishers, and charitable causes.
Fundable was founded by Wil Schroter and Eric Corl back in 2012. Instead of independently letting users make their own fundraising campaigns. The site assists in giving hands-on support to companies regardless of size. Their choices vary to rewards-based crowdfunding programs similar to Kickstarter or an equity-based campaign where backers can share stocks in the company of their choosing in exchange for financial support.
The site has categories for businesses found in different industries such as beauty, boats, vehicle-related, commercial, sports, stores, and many more. Although the monthly fee of Fundable can be proven difficult to maintain if campaigners aren’t successful, you won’t receive any funds if the funding goal isn’t reached. Unlike GoFundMe, Fundable has strict rules and requires a pre-screened approval before you can start your campaign.
8) Wefunder
Another business-oriented crowdfunding platform is Wefunder. Touted as one of the best GoFundMe alternatives, it provides equity campaigns where it’s non-accredited investors give support. Non-accredited investors are described as the public supporting campaigns. Instead of aiming for an accredited investor (e.g. a rich stockholder), you can have a wider influence on more people to get interested in your project.
Wefunder is a great portal for startups with a high possibility of growth. It’s known as the largest regulation crowdfunding platform with lower investment minimums. There is one disadvantage; if you don’t reach your funding goal, you receive nothing. While the site’s regulations may be complex and strict, it’s still proven to be a good alternative for GoFundMe.
9) Crowdfunder
As many crowdfunding services focus on non-accredited investors, Crowdfunder operates where accredited investors are the only participants. It’s more selective and restricted compared to how Wefunder works.
The company behind the site has almost $160 million in successful investment commitments. It’s good for seed-stage companies as the portal provides a keep-whatever-you-raise type of funding. The best thing about Crowdfunder is it doesn’t take any credit from what you raise. However, the website has an insanely high monthly cost with limited customer support.
10) Kiva US
We save the best alternative for last; Kiva US operates completely different from other GoFundMe alternatives. It doesn’t operate in a rewards type of crowdfunding or equity funding projects. Instead, it offers debt crowdfunding which is quite unique to how consumers view getting financial support from communities.
It’s a nonprofit entity that offers 0% interest. Instead of going to the bank and receiving a high rate interest, you can make Kika US as an alternative. Its aim is to open up a lending program around the world to help open more business opportunities for people with financial struggles.
This crowdfunding site is suitable for campaigners who just started. It promotes a guaranteed no interest rate for all of its services. Unlike banks where you require to have a good credit score, you don’t need that element with Kika US. Backers and campaign managers don’t have a prepayment penalty. You can even enjoy good customer support if you have more concerns and question about certain processes. The application process can take up to 3 months. If you’re patient enough, then Kika US can help you with funding your projects.
With so many GoFundMe alternatives to choose from, it might become confusing to choose which one to focus for the financial support of your projects. Let this list be your guide for you to start gaining support from communities that see interests in your business or creative goals.