9.6
Overall Score13 days ago
In 2008 Brad Damphousse had a unique idea to create a web-based, social savings account. His best friend Andy Ballester, who happened to be a talented programmer, understood Brad’s vision; Andy quit his job to help his best friend develop this new idea. In the beginning, their company was a subscription fundraising service for small charities. After reading through many inspiring, uplifting stories shared by users, Brad and Andy were truly touched—they felt a profound determination to improve and expand their services. After some important breakthroughs in the world of online payments, the team was finally able to relaunch the product of their dreams: GoFundMe. The best friend duo devoted much time and energy responding to user feedback in an effort to make improvements on the site. Their hard work is paying off—today GoFundMe is one of the world’s most popular crowdfunding site with over $5 billion raised, and they are the cheapest crowdfunding platform!
The Good
- Fund Type
- Fees
- Maximum Allowed Raise
- Deadlines
- Administrative Work Options
- Receiving Funds
Fund Type
GoFundMe uses a 'Keep What You Raised' funding type. With GoFundMe, reaching your goal is not required. This works well because you keep each and every donation you receive.
Fees
GoFundMe doesn't charge anything to create and share your online fundraising campaign, nor do they charge for using the platform. GoFundMe is almost entirely free except for the payment processing fee, which is about 3% and will be deducted from each donation. There is no partial or non-completion fee in the case you do not complete your campaign. There are crowdfunding companies that do charge you a fee if you fail to meet your campaign goal, so this is definitely a perk of going with GoFundMe.
Maximum Allowed Raise
Many crowdfunding platforms using donation models for individuals have a maximum amount or limit to what funding amount you can raise. GoFundMe has no funding limit. This lets you raise as much as you want or need in one campaign.
Deadlines
With GoFundMe, there are no deadlines or time-limits. Your campaign will remain live until you choose to stop donations or remove the campaign altogether. In some cases, users have left their campaigns up indefinitely as a lasting memory of all the wonderful comments and support they received. This is a great policy for personal fundraisers. Sometimes people can't donate within 30 or 40 days (a typical deadline for many crowdfunding platforms), so having an indefinite deadline works very well.
Administrative Work Options
GoFundMe offers users several automated features for administrative tasks, which are extremely helpful for individuals trying to run an effective campaign without past experience. Even if they have experience, admin tasks take a lot of time and can get confusing the larger the donator pool gets.
GoFundMe's automotive administrative task features include: Thank You Messages: You can thank donators individually by selecting a recent donation and clicking the 'Say Thanks' button. GoFundMe will let you personalize the message and send it directly to the donor's email address.
Update Feature: In doing so, you can choose to share the post with your current supporters and donors - you can even share the Update on Facebook to attract more support. Update messages can also include up to 3 photos or videos. GoFundMe's 'Update' feature is a great way to keep your campaign fresh and your donators up to date without having to do it manually, which would take a lot of time away from campaigning.
Quick Assistance: GoFundMe will generally respond to your emails within 30 minutes during the day with any questions you have about your campaign.
Receiving Funds
Typically on crowdfunding platforms you have to wait until the end of your campaign to begin collecting funds. With GoFundMe, you can request your money right away as the donations come in. You can choose to withdraw your balance directly to your bank account. (Campaigns in the US may also request a check). Withdrawals may be made daily, weekly, or monthly and will always process for the full available balance in the user's WePay account. Funds may be received via electronic bank transfer within 2-5 business days, or paper check within 7-10 business days. (Daily checks are not available, weekly or monthly only.) However, although you can request a withdrawal at any time, the time it takes to receive funds is a bit long when compared to other crowdfunding sites that can sometimes do it in as soon as 24 hours.
The Bad
- Model Type
- No PayPal
Model Type
GoFundMe operates as a Donation Model. Equity model campaigns are not offered through GoFundMe. A donation model is a good thing for personal fundraising, but GoFundMe recommends signing up with your Facebook account if you want to appear in GoFundMe's Public Search Directory. Although this is optional, it actually isn't if you want your campaign to be featured publicly on their website. Not everyone has a Facebook account or wants to open one. Being "forced" to do so is not a good thing.
No PayPal
It's important to note that although PayPal Giving Fund is GoFundMe's payment processor for their charity campaigns, there is still no PayPal for personal fundraising.
The Bottom Line
It's no surprise that GoFundMe is one of the world's most popular crowdfunding sites. The company is highly successful. Customer Happiness representatives deliver answers to questions in a timely manner, (often within 30 minutes or less of submission), there's plenty of flexibility with funding options, and there are no limits on how much you can raise and no time restraints. GoFundMe is also the cheapest crowdfunding platform out there. A downside is that equity model campaigns are not offered and PayPal cannot be used for personal fundraising, but all in all, users can expect a convenient, simple experience when funding.
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User Reviews
I have used go fund me only once to help raise money for a friend that lost her husband, to help cover funeral expenses. It was great.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're glad GoFundMe could be here for you in your friend's time of need, Kristin. We're sending our thoughts to your friend and our Customer Happiness Team will be here for you if you have any questions during your time on GFm, 24/7.
Simple to use - easy way to donate to friends or a cause.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
Thanks for your feedback, Carole! We strive everyday to make GoFundMe the easiest and safest place to donate online.
We have used this service when there was a friend who was in need of help financially. It worked great and we were able to raise the funds needed.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with us, Avery. We're glad to hear you were able to raise the funds needed for your friend in need, and our Customer Happiness Team is here to assist if any issues come up during your time on GoFundMe.
I've donated to many fundraisers through GoFundMe. It's a great company to help raise money for those in need.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're so glad to hear you've been able to donate to multiple campaigns, H! Thanks so much for your kind words, and we'll be here to help if you ever have trouble making more donations!
I reached out to the customer service team to make some corrections on an account. The staff were amazing and helped to resolve my issue quickly. Excellent service.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're so glad to hear our Customer Happiness Team was able to help, Kelly! If you ever have any other questions or concerns while using GoFundMe, they'll be here to help, 24/7.
I have seen the good that can come from these! People are able to donate any sum of money to help someone in need when tragedy strikes.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
Our goal is to always be here when someone is in need, Samantha. We never want to see anyone go through a tragedy, but we're glad our platform is a collective space for people to help other people. Thanks so much for your kind feedback, we truly appreciate it!
Awesome concept. Easy to use and register. However I do wish that they did not take a fee at all or at least keep it very minimal.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
Thanks so much for your kind words about our GoFundMe product, Doom! We appreciate your feedback about our fees, and while we do have standard payment processing costs for the safe transaction of funds, this helps maintain our safety and security to ensure all funds can reach the intended campaign organizer and beneficiary.
I contributed to a GoFundMe after a friend's brother passed away to help his surviving family members. It is a good way to help others that you don't know personally.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're glad to hear your friend's family was able to start that GoFundMe, Erin. Thanks for your kind words and we're all sending our thoughts to your friend and their family. If you ever have any questions about donations or starting a GoFundMe, our Customer Happiness Team will be here to assist.
I am doing this fundraiser for a friend who is dying of cancer. He changed his mind at first and I had to work with GFM to put the fundraiser on hold and then turn it back on. They were extremely responsive and sympathetic to the situation. I then had to work with them and the wife to set up the bank info and the beneficiary. Again, they were quick to answer any and all questions. Most of this was going on while I was on the road traveling, so I wasn't always able to get to my e-mails. It has been a great experience so far and we have brought in much needed funding for my friend's care.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're glad to hear GoFundMe could be here for you in your time of need, Sharon. We're sending our best to your friend and their family, and our Customer Happiness Team will always be ready to assist, 24/7.
Very user friendly, help facilities are terrific. The only suggestions I would make is that more fonts could be available for presentation of content but I guess there is a reason for that.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're so glad to hear the site is working well for you, Robyn! We appreciate your feedback on having more fonts available, and while that's not something we have available at the moment, we'll absolutely share this with our team. If you have any other questions or concerns while using GoFundMe, our Customer Happiness Team is here to help.
Seems like a good site. My only complaint is that I keep getting emails for funds that I am not interested in.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're so appreciative of your feedback, Trent! We're happy to make sure you're only getting the most essential emails, so if you're still receiving emails you don't want, please contact our Customer Happiness Team. They'll be here to help, 24/7!
I was nervous about the process, but it was surprisingly easy. Also, when I did have a question I was contacted very quickly with the answer.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're glad to hear it was easy to set up your GoFundMe, Kathy! If you ever have any concerns while using GoFundMe, our Customer Happiness Team will be here to help, 24/7!
I've never donated, but I like the concept. If you are starting a go fund me, make sure to get the word out on social media to get funded. Simply starting a campaign won't do it.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
Thanks so much for your feedback, Chase! With over 10,000 campaigns created each day, it can be tough to stand out, but our campaign coaches are here to help offer tips to reach your goal. We definitely recommend using social media if that's what works for you, we've seen it work for so many on GoFundMe!
Very clever and I’ve seen it help slot of people
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
Thanks for your kind words, Michael! If you ever have any questions about using GoFundMe, please let our Customer Happiness Team know, they're happy to help!
The process of setting up the GoFundMe account was straight forward. When I ran into a couple questions the support staff was superb!!!! They responded within a very short time (usually less then an hour) and worked hard to help me not only solve the question I had but make the campaign better. Truly an excellent experience!!!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're so glad to hear our Customer Happiness Team was able to help, John! They are proud to offer prompt and helpful support, 24/7! Thanks for being a part of our GoFundMe community!
I contributed, through GoFundMe to the fund for the lady cyclist who was run down by a car during the 2018 Tour De Palm Springs, I took exception to the $15.00 tip to GoFundMe and that was later returned to my account as GFM had promised.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We never want to take a tip unless you want to give one, Dario! Thank you for contacting our Customer Happiness Team so we could get that tip refunded for you right away, and if you have any other questions or concerns, we'll be here to help.
GoFundMe has consistently refused to release funds to a small local charity. I have donated to this cause and so far as $0 has been released to them.0
I found GoFudMe to be very simple to set up my photos, links, and sharing. Personally, I was raising money for my local Fire Dept. to have Oxygen saving masks for animals and reached my goal successfully! Once met, I mistakenly deleted my account before sharing. By contacting them, it was easy to recover and post my accomplishments.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're glad to hear you had an easy experience setting up your GoFundMe, Diannna! Our Customer Happiness Team was happy to get your account all back online, and if you ever run into any other issues, please let them know! Thanks for being a part of our GoFundMe community!
I have never set up a GoFundMe account, but I helped fund a video game one time on their site and it was fast and really easy to do. They reached their funding goal and sent me a really cool collectors edition copy of the game.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're glad to hear you had a great donation experience, Landon! We're glad to hear the campaign reached it's goal and if we can help with anything else during your time on GoFundMe, our Customer Happiness Team will be here to assist.
I was impressed with communication following my donation.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're so glad to hear that, Coleen! If our Customer Happiness Team can help with any questions or concerns you have during your GoFundMe experience, please do let us know!
Very helpful customer service. Site is easy to navigate. Having some trouble with the app in that it keeps logging me out but otherwise overall positive experience.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're glad to hear our Customer Happiness Team was able to help, Rita. We've made a few updates to our app and it looks beautiful and works great! If you're continuing to have that issue, please do let our team know, we're here for you 24/7.
GoFundMe asked me to submit a review. Negative: When I first tried to set up my account, it claimed my userid already existed. I did not set up a password. It would not let me set up a password. I clicked the link to send me an email to re-set my password. This never arrived. I checked my spam filter. Nothing. Positive: I emailed customer support and told them the re-set password email never arrived. A customer service representative emailed me the re-set password link. Though she did say "the emails probably got stuck in your spam filter." {... so kind of negative cuz I'm not an idiot ...) Go Fund Me is running on completely average!!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We appreciate the feedback, Adria! We're always looking to improve our automated emails, and with your help, we can make the GoFundMe experience better for all!
Go Fund Me made it easy for our friends and family to lend support in a time of need. We only had one "glitch" with our transactions, but GoFundMe was quick to resolve the issue for us. I highly recommend their product. The huge benefit of our campaign far outweighed the minimal cost of using the service. A very trustworthy, dependable staff and company.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 14, 2018
We're so glad to hear our platform was able to help in your time of need, Cathy. We're happy our Customer Happiness Team could help resolve that issue for you!
I Needed help setting up my GoFundMe page and msg the help desk. I was promptly contacted and Kayla was very helpful and explained what I needed to do clearly and patiently. As I then continued to set up , I received another msg from Kayla advising that I was setting up correctly and to contact her if I had any more questions. Very happy with the service
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad Kayla could help, Fiona! If you have any other questions or concerns during your time on GoFundMe, please let our Customer Happiness Team know and we'll be here for you, 24/7.
I had an issue with the withdrawal process and the person on the other end with customer service was efficient, fast, kind and professional. I was very pleased.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're glad our Customer Happiness Team could help during your time of need, Sonia! The team will be happy to help with any other withdrawal issues or any questions during your time on GoFundMe.
The customer service reps were extremely helpful, knowing how to fix the problem I had almost immediately. Getting everything set up was also easy to do.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad to hear you had a great support experience, Matthew! Our Customer Happiness Team will be here to help if any issue comes up during your GoFundMe experience.
GoFundMe's platform is excellent - you can add photos and videos in the story area and perks too. It's easy to use. The best I've seen so far and I've tried 3 others. When I had questions, the response time was phenomenal, friendly and supportive.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad our platform is working for you, Elizabeth! We strive for an easy and simple way to raise funds, but if you ever have any questions along the way, our Customer Happiness Team is standing by to help!
Meg G has helped me greatly with 2 issues I had. This is a wonderful organization !
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We'll pass on your kind words to Meg, Jessica! Thanks for being a part of our GoFundMe community!
I have had a relationship with GoFundMe for the past couple of years, and I have been quite satisfied with the service. I recently had a question about payment delivery that was dealt with in the timeliest of fashions thanks to a representative named Rudolph. His professionalism was remarkable and I appreciate the job he did.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad to hear Rudolph could help, Michael! He and the rest of our Customer Happiness Team will always be here to help, 24/7.
I have been so impressed with GoFundMe, since recently setting up a campaign to benefit an orphanage and ministry in Uganda. Recently, a friend accidentally donated twice and I emailed GoFundMe Customer Service asking if one of the donations could be refunded. It was about 9 pm in the evening and I was amazed that I received a live person emailing me back within a few minutes. She had already looked at my fund, saw the duplicate, and with my subsequent approval she stopped the second donation from being processed. The whole process was completed in less than half an hour. The representative was very courteous and professional.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad our Customer Happiness Team could help with this donation, Kristina. Our 24/7 support makes it possible to fix up these issues right away for you, and we'll be here if anything else comes up during your time on GoFundMe.
I was trying to set up a campaign on GoFundMe and didn't realize that I hadn't closed out a former campaign under the same email address. The customer service representative, Gina L, helped me through each step of it and got my new campaign set up with ease. With excellent representatives like that, I'll be more than happy to recommend GoFundMe to others.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're glad Gina could help in your time of need, Jeff! She's a star member of our Customer Happiness Team, and the whole team will be here for you anytime!
Super simple to use and straight-forward to let others know about your campaign through social media. Processing the funds is really easy to follow as well and very quick! Very satisfied with it!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad to hear it, Sergio! Please let our Customer Happiness Team know if you ever have any questions or concerns during your time on GoFundMe.
It was the first time I've ever used GoFundMe and it was a pretty positive experience. I put in the wrong name by mistake and deactivated the account thinking the transaction was fine. When it wasn't I contacted GoFundMe and help was nearly immediate. The process was a little lengthy (due to payment complications) but customer service was very good.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're glad to hear you had a positive GoFundMe experience, Lily! We're glad our Customer Happiness Team could help fix that issue for you, and they'll be here to help if you need anything else at all.
Because I'm currently out of the country, I was having a problem making a withdrawal. The quick, courteous and friendly email exchange helped me solve the problem?
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're glad our Customer Happiness Team could help with that, Stanley! We're committed to getting your funds to you since we know they're so valuable. If we can help with anything else at all, our Happiness team is here for you, 24/7.
I like the way GoFundMe works, and I like the various forms of data provided to document donations. However, I do not like the way the help/contact us feature works. It tends to circle back and back to the same window. I couldn't get to an online chat feature, and there's no person at the end of the phone. I missed something I should have seen, but when that happens, it's extremely difficult to get out of the loop. When I didn't see the answer the first time, I didn't see it the second or the third or the fourth, either. That's how it usually works. I don't get frustrated easily, but this frustrated me.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We appreciate your feedback, Julia! We don't offer phone or chat support at this time, but we're committed to offering prompt and helpful support over email and Facebook message. We're always looking for better ways to connect with our users, and our Customer Happiness Team will be here for you, 24/7.
I just want to let you know that when I asked for some advice about whether I can start a GoFundMe campaign because of where I happen to live, the person who helped me was more than just helpful. The response / reply to my inquiry was really fast and really helpful. I just want to say how much I really appreciated the time given me and the the person helping me, responded to my inquiry and the intent behind my inquiry. I felt it was a personal response to me and I appreciated that. my genuine thanks to all of you for what you do, and how you do it.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad to hear you had a great support experience, Daniel. Our Customer Happiness Team is proud to offer prompt and helpful support and we'll always be here if you have any other questions or concerns. Thanks for being a part of our GoFundMe community!
I really wish I'd given them a fake e-mail address. I got signed up for their e-mail list after donating to one campaign, despite never checking a box or otherwise asking to be added. I hit the unsubscribe button on multiple e-mails before finally contacting customer service, since the unsubscribe button wasn't unsubscribing me. Customer service responded quickly and got me unsubscribed, but then I got not one, not two, but THREE follow-up e-mails asking if I was happy. No guys, sorry, I'm not happy. I really didn't want any more e-mails at all. I'm sure some people would be grateful that you care this much about customer service, but I feel more like my privacy has been violated (especially since I originally asked to have my info expunged from the database, not just to be unsubscribed.)
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
Thank you for the valuable feedback, Linda! We're always looking to improve our satisfaction survey, and with your help, we can make sure the messaging we give is as minimal as possible. We've ensured that your information has been removed and our Customer Happiness Team will always be here to help, 24/7.
I did not understand how this program worked so for me it was the wrong approach. I thought you just posted your needs and it went into some data base where it was looked at but I realize now you have to be on social media, which at 84 I am not nor do I ever want to be. Also, I wanted to do this for my grand daughter who did not know it. She would probably not like the idea of asking for money if she knew I did this. We are a family of take care of yourselves. However, there is nothing wrong with legitimate causes for people. I reached out the help section of Go Fund Me and got an immediate reply by a nice person who was very thoughtful and told me that the best way to reach people was through social media and your friends by email. My friends are old people on SS so I would never expect them to give any of their hard earned money to help my family,, when they have families of their own in need. So I thank your people for the kind response and I am sure this is a good program for some people who have more out reach than I do.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so appreciative of your feedback, Jane. We've found that sharing is the best way to get more people to see your campaign, and if we can offer any coaching tips for your campaign, please contact our Customer Happiness Team, they'll be happy to help!
Shannon was very professional and helpful as we talked through some questions I had about handling offline cash donations It Took two or three emails back-and-forth to get all the information I need for that subject And Shannon answered all.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad Shannon was able to help, John! She and the rest of our Customer Happiness Team will be here to assist if you have any other questions or concerns, 24/7!
Always helpful and polite customer service. Incredibly easy and fast way to raise money as well! I definitely recommend.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamJun 13, 2018
We're so glad we could help, Britney! Thanks for your kind words about our Customer Happiness Team and our GoFundMe platform, we're happy you're a part of our GoFundMe community.