17 Popular Crowdfunding Platforms (Updated 2023)

There is a wide array of crowdfunding platforms, each with its unique spin on ways to raise funds. Some platforms support charitable or creative campaigns, others reward-based campaigns, while still others support equity-based campaigns or some combination. Moreover, some crowdfunding platforms allow only accredited investors to invest in campaigns, while others are open to all types of investors. Some crowdfunding platforms are designed for companies to raise funds, while others are for individuals looking for donations to help with family emergencies or personal needs.



To help make sense of all the crowdfunding platform options, I have subjected each platform to five criteria.



Projects – Some platforms are designed to help raise funds for the product development of tangible products.  Some are designed just for creative projects developed by artists. Still, others are designed strictly to allow people to make donations to help an individual or family deal with personal needs.



Funding – Some platforms have an all-or-nothing funding model where campaign pledges must surpass a target amount or threshold before the campaign charges backers.  Others simply share all funds raised with the company or individual, regardless of whether a goal is reached.



Backers – Some platforms cater only to institutional investors, generally considered accredited investors . Others are open to all types of investors. 



Types – At their core, crowdfunding platforms support a combination of three types of campaigns : charitable or donation-based, reward-based campaigns, and equity-based campaigns.



Fees – Some platforms take a portion of the money raised as a success fee.  Others use a subscription model where companies pay a monthly fee for a set of services offered.



The combination of offerings from the many crowdfunding platforms can be staggering, so it is always recommended that you do your research before choosing a crowdfunding platform for your campaign.  Moreover, there are so many platforms out there changing daily that it is impossible to maintain a complete and comprehensive list of everyone. To make the task of listing crowdfunding platforms a bit more manageable, I’ll stick primarily to global or US-based platforms, ignoring the many regional platforms and limiting the list by unique niche platforms.



Popular Crowdfunding Platforms



The following list should help you make some sense of which platforms are best suited for your crowdfunding needs:



Kickstarter




Projects : Kickstarter is best suited for campaigns related to creative projects such as videos, games, and publishing works.  There are some technology products, but it is not their primary focus anymore. 



Funding : Uses an all-or-nothing funding model.



Backers : Open to all types of backers.



Type : Reward-based.



Fees : If a project is successfully funded, Kickstarter collects a 5% fee from the funds gathered. Stripe also collects an additional payment processing fee ( 3% plus $0.20). The complete fee breakdowns are available  here .




Indiegogo




Projects : Here, you can raise funds for just about any legal project, including Tech and innovation, creative, and even community projects. 



Funding : Indiegogo supports an all-or-nothing funding model, but if the campaign falls short of its goal, you can still walk away with some money.



Backers : Open to all types of backers.



Type : Reward-based.



Fees : Indiegogo charges a five percent (5%) platform fee on all funds raised for your campaign. Fees are calculated and deducted from the funds you actually raise (not the goal you set). Their payment processor also charges a processing fee that varies according to your  location and currency . 




GoFundMe




Projects : GoFundMe is best suited for campaigns related to personal fundraising efforts, including medical bills, memorial costs, and emergencies. GoFundMe also caterers to nonprofits and educational causes. There is also a GoFundMe.org to help support causes and urgent needs.



Funding : GoFundMe does not support an all-or-nothing funding model, so campaigns get to keep all the money they raise even if they do not reach their goals.



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Donation-based.



Fees : GoFundMe is supported primarily through donations, and therefore, the only fees are related to the processing of payments . (2.9% plus $0.30)




GoFundMe acquired the following crowdfunding platforms in recent years: – CrowdRise (Acquired in 2017) was designed for nonprofits. – YouCaring (Acquired in 2018) was designed for charitable and personal causes with specific categories for medical, funeral, tuition, adoption, faith-based, pet expenses, and community causes. – GiveForward (Acquired in 2018) was a donation-based platform with specific categories for medical bills, veterinarian bills, and funeral expenses. – Classy (Acquired in 2022) Classy allowed you to create donation websites, fundraising events and ticketing, virtual events, and auctions. It supported peer-to-peer, recurring giving, and even international fundraising. It also offers backend donation management, payment processing, and integration.



Mightycause




Projects:  They are ideally suited for social causes, engaging donors with online fundraising, year-round nonprofit fundraising, and personal fundraising.



Funding : Since they are donation-based campaigns you get to keep all the money raised.



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Donation-based



Fees : Because Mightycause provides more than just crowdfunding opportunities, they offer two monthly subscription plans starting at $59 per month for the essential plan and $99 for the advanced plan.




Patreon




Projects: They are ideally suited for podcasters, musicians, writers, and game creators.



Funding : Donations are made by fans either on a recurring monthly basis or upon a new release such as an episode or song



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Reward-based, fans often receive special privileges based on their reward levels.



Fees : Patreon takes a cut of all donations. Patreon offers three plans that range from five percent (5% Commerce), (8% Pro), to (12% Premium) of the monthly income earned based on features and support level. Patreon also collects an additional payment processing fee.




StartEngine




Projects: They are ideally suited for any businesses looking for investors who want to outsource filing with the SEC, set up a campaign page, market the raise, and disburse funds. They provided both Reg CF and Reg A+ campaigns. They also deal with collectibles and provide ways to exchange shares with other investors.



Funding : Funding is made by investors and issuers are charged a fee. The funding goal must exceed $10,000.



Backers : Unlike many equity-based funding types, Startengin is open to both non-accredited and accredited investors. The minimum investment by investors spans $100 to $1,000.



Type : Equity-based.



Fees : The issuer is required to pay a fee consisting of a 5.5-13% commission based on the dollar amount of securities sold in the Offering and paid upon disbursement of funds from escrow at the time of closing. Investors are also required to pay a securities fee consisting of a 0-3.5% fee based on the dollar amount of securities purchased in each investment.




Startengine acquired SeedInvest the 2023. SeedInvest was suited for companies that have a Minimally Viable Product (MVP) already developed, some traction in the market, and are incorporated in the U.S. Only 1% of applicants are approved.



IFundWomen




Projects: Open to women-owned businesses only. IFundWomen is more than just a platform to raise funds, they provide access to small business grants from corporate partners, business coaching, and a network of women business owners that spark confidence, accelerate knowledge, and ignite action. Campaigns cover everything from technology to social causes. 



Funding : IFundWomen does not support an all-or-nothing funding model so campaigns get to keep all the money they raise even if they do not reach their goals.



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Reward-based.



Fees : IFundWomen collects a 5% fee from the funds gathered. Stripe or PayPal charges an additional payment processing fee (roughly 3% for domestic transactions).




Fundable




Projects: Fundable is ideally suited for larger campaigns since fees are not based on the dollars raised. One thing worth noting is that Fundable only allows businesses that have a U.S. presence, meaning that even if the business is physically located elsewhere, it must be registered to do business in the United States.  Fundable has a FAQ page where you can learn more.



Funding : Transactions do not go through Fundable nor are they facilitated by Fundable. For this reason, equity campaigns are not “all or nothing” fundraisers on Fundable. Ultimately, a company’s agreements with the investor and SEC filings are what determine how much can be raised and how much can be oversubscribed.



Backers : Accredited investors only.



Type : Equity-based and reward-based crowdfunding.



Fees : Fundable does not work on a commission based on the amount of money raised for equity-based fundraising. Their fees start at $179 per month to create and manage the fundraiser. For reward-based campaigns, each contribution is charged an additional payment processing fee (roughly 3.5%).




WeFunder




Projects : WeFunder accepts nearly any type of company, be it a brick-and-mortar restaurant or a high-tech software startup.  WeFunder has a FAQ page where you can learn more.



Funding : WeFunder uses Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) which are separate LLCs set up for the sole purpose of investing in your company and aggregates all investors into a single cap table. SPVs use a lead investor with whom you deal in corporate actions.  All other investors have no voting rights, making management simple.



Backers : Anyone can be an investor but Accredited Investors will have more options.



Type : Equity-based and debt-funding.



Fees : WeFunder charges different fees for Reg CF and Reg A+ campaigns.  For Reg CF, it’s 7.9% of the total fundraiser if successful, and for Reg A+, they charge a flat fee of $395k. WeFunder also charges investors a payment processing fee (roughly 3.5%) for credit card payments.




CrowdSupply




Projects : Accepts projects that have a narrow focus: bringing business ideas for hardware to life.  The project must be open-source and have a working prototype.



Funding : CrowdSupply supports an all-or-nothing funding model.



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Reward-based.



Fees : Crowd Supply’s fee structure is straightforward: Credit card processing fee: 2.9% Crowdfunding fee: depending on specific agreement typically 12% of the total pledged during your campaign.




Fundly




Projects : Fundly allows individuals to raise money from friends and family for just about any legal campaign. For nonprofits, Fundly works with CRM platforms NonProfitEasy or VolunteerEasy to help manage everything from e-Appeals, and direct mail campaigns to events, memberships, pledges, recurring donations, online donations, and everything in between.



Funding : Since they are donation-based, the campaign gets to keep all the money raised.



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Donation-based.



Fees : Fundly fees are based on 4.9% of the money donated plus an additional payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0,30 per transaction.




CauseVox




Projects : CauseVox is a fundraising platform for nonprofits and social causes that pulls together everything you need to engage backers and reach new donors. They also do event ticketing.



Funding : Since they are donation-based, the campaign gets to keep the money raised. Donations can be made on a one-time basis or a recurring monthly basis.



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Donation-based.



Fees : CauseVox does not work on a commission based on the amount of money raised.  It offers a monthly subscription model based on features.  Pricing ranges from $0 to $275 per month and includes an FAQ on the same page.




FundRazr




Projects : FundRazr accepts nearly any type of fundraising project, be it nonprofits/charities, corporate social responsibility, personal fundraising, social enterprises, sports teams, school projects, or arts, music, or film.



Funding : They offer both keep-it-all fundraisers and all-or-nothing fundraisers.



Backers : It is open to all types of backers.



Type : Donation-based.



Fees : FundRazr offers three pricing models that range from free to 5% plus Stripe or PayPal payment processing fees (roughly 3% for domestic transactions).




EquityNe t




Projects : EquityNet allows businesses to raise capital for just about any type of business looking to raise from $100k to $100m. Based on the subscription EquityNet offers capabilities to analyze and optimize business plans before engaging with investors. EquityNet has a FAQ page where you can learn more



Funding: EquityNet does not support an all-or-nothing funding model so campaigns get to keep all the money they raise even if they do not reach their goals.



Backers: Accredited investors only.



Type: Equity-based



Fees: EquityNet uses a flat-fee model vs. commission. EquityNet offers three subscription models ranging from “Starter” to “Full Service.” The “Starter” subscription is free, while the “Premium DIY” model costs $299 per month and the “Full Service” option costs $2,990 per month.




Republic




Projects: Republic allows businesses to raise capital for consumer goods and retail, Health and wellness products as well as many Tech projects. They have a very high success rate but only accept about 5% of applications.



Funding: Republic supports an all-or-nothing funding model



Backers: Anyone can be an investor but Accredited Investors will have more options.



Type: Equity-based



Fees: 6% of the funds raised in cash plus 2% as a Crowd SAFE




MicroVentures




Projects: MicroVentures is best suited for early-stage emerging companies looking for seed money. The platform is ideal for startups and founders looking to raise between $150,000 and $1 million which is typically less than that of traditional venture capital. They support technology, consumer products and services, healthcare, media and entertainment, and telecommunications projects. They accept less than 0.5% of companies who apply for listing on the platform.



Funding: MicroVentures is the only major equity crowdfunding site that is a  broker-dealer  registered by the  Financial Industry Regulatory Authority  (FINRA). MicroVentures may legally sell shares of companies on their own. Competing platforms require a third-party middleman to sell shares.



Backers: Backers can be sophisticated non-accredited investors, accredited investors, and institutional investors who want to invest in startups or purchase shares of private investment funds.



Type: Equity-based



Fees: MicroVentures fees vary depending on the type of raise, how much you want to raise, and how you decide to promote your raise, There are upfront fees, optional additional fees, and closing fees including a 5% commission, 2% of securities raised and an escrow fee. They have a Fees FAQ page .




Real Estate Specialized Crowdfunding Platform



PeerStreet offers private real estate loans from accredited investors. The funds raised are to up-cycle or renew aging or dilapidated single-family or multi-family properties. Loan durations are between six and 36 months, with a loan-to-value ratio between 30 to 85%. PeerStree loan fees range from 0.25% to 1% servicing fee on the total loan amount.



Which crowdfunding platform is right for your next fundraising campaign?



For more information on crowdfunding see our Crowdfunding Navigator Advice Page for a complete collection of crowdfunding posts and resources.



Related free courses: 






Practical Crowdfunding



If you’re serious about starting a business and considering crowdfunding as a funding option, you don’t want to miss this FREE course.












How to Fund a Small Business



If you’re serious about starting a business and you need to understand your funding option, you don’t want to miss this FREE course that introduces you to 14 ways to fund your business.











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