9.4
Overall Scorea month 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
Gofundme helped make it easier for my family and I to raise money to help my grandpa pay for his medical and travel expenses. Now the Doctors say he is cancer free!
We used GoFundMe for a fundraiser for funeral expenses after my brother passed away. It was easy to use and recognizable to others who wanted to donate. I would definitely recommend!
Hello I was wondering have any one had a problem with getting your money from go fund my money is stuck and my dates keep changing I put one because I’m trying to find out what going on but I would rate it 5 beverage it is a good thing to do
I am very appreciative of the staff at GoFundMe for their understanding and assistance to rectify an error that I made in my donation. I inadvertently selected the wrong campaign for my donation. After a few unsuccessful attempts at resolving this issue with the campaign I donated to in error I contacted GoFundMe and they were very responsive, helpful, understanding and assisted me in correcting my error. What could have been a very unpleasant experience for me turned out to be a positive one all thanks to the staff at GoFundMe.
I wanted $100 to go to the family but somehow it got donated to GFM. Customer service promptly refunded my $100. I had no problem with the donation itself.
Celine was incredibly helpful and supportive and prompt with replies. Even if there was nothing to report, Celine replied by email that she was working on the situation which really helped ease potential stress! Once the banking was set up properly, everything has been easy and deeply appreciated. This has made a big difference in our financial stress levels as my husband moves closer to his surgery.
when you donate to GoFundMe, they ask for a "tip" you choose the percentage you want. i think there was 5%, 10%. i didnt see a phone number anywhere to call, i wanted to ask about this and why are they wanting a "tip." I emailed them and didn't get a response. i just chose the lowest percentage just so i can complete my donation. but beware at the end of your donation you will see that.
Help Desk provided good response to getting the correct link to the campaign I was interested in. The list when the campaign ended of the number of donors and names/amounts (for non-anonymous donors) was a good read.
I managed a campaign for a friend. It was very easy to set up and use, and customer service was very responsive and helpful when I had questions.
I teach a Business class, and have used GoFundMe to raise money for different student based projects. It is a fun, easy way to recruit people to your cause, and to raise the money needed.
I like the idea o a go fund me but I don't like that they take a percentage of the donations.
Ms Rosa C was very helpful and patient with all my inquiries.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're so glad to hear Rosa was able to help, Jeanette! We'll pass on the kind words to her, and please do let our Customer Happiness Team know if you have any other questions or concerns while on GoFundMe.
This was my first time anything like this and I was confused about some of the steps; contacted customer services and they walked me through it step by step - even contacting me again to make sure my issue was solved. Thank you for making it easy to help my friends.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're glad our Customer Happiness Team could help clear up any issues, Louise! We always want to make sure you have an easy and positive GoFundMe experience, and we're glad you were able to help your friends on our platform.
I made a mistake and the GoFundMe rep was very helpful to rectify the situation quickly and professionally!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're glad our Customer Happiness Team could fix up that issue, Todd! Mistakes happen, and our team is prepared to help, 24/7.
I think this is a great service to help people out but I don't like how much they take of what is earned. I know they need something but this is to help people in great need and it seems too much to me. I like seeing it help people as they try to get back on their feet after tragic events.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
Thank you for sharing your honest feedback with us, Joy! Our 0% platform fee helps give more per each donation to the campaign organizer and beneficiary, and our payment processing fees go to our payment processors to ensure safe donation and withdrawal transactions. We're now powered by tips from our donors, and we're always looking to improve our platform for those in need. If our team can help answer any other questions or if we can help during your time on GoFundMe, just let us know!
They are Fair, honest, quick to respond, respectful and doing a service to society by allowing compassionate people to donate to people in need... in a easy to navigate, straightforward and well organized format!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're honored to receive such kind feedback, Jack! Thank you for your kind words about our Customer Happiness Team and our platform. We're striving every day to improve our fundraising experience for the GoFundMe community.
I had a lot of questions about fundraising, and would it meet my goal, so far it’s been slow going but I have been told to give to time and I will.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're glad our Customer Happiness Team could help answer those questions, John! We recommend sharing your campaign as much as you can, and we've seen many campaigns start out slow but then pick up and reach their goal. Please let our team know if you'd like any other tips while on GoFundMe!
Great experience , The customer service response team should improve theur time responding or add to Option for customer service over the phone. But overall it was a great experience and big help
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're so glad to hear you've had a positive experience on GoFundMe, Lumary! Our Customer Happiness Team helps thousands of people each day, and keeping all communication via email makes sure that you're never on hold over the phone. We're always looking to improve our support speed, and we'll absolutely look at a faster way of providing help! If you have any other questions or concerns while on GoFundMe, please do let our team know.
Easy to set up, Great Customer Service Assistance, Funds being transferred to bank on a timely basis.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're so glad to hear GoFundMe was easy to use, Mitchell! Our Customer Happiness Team is always here to answer any questions about withdrawals, sharing, or anything else that may come up. Please do let us know if we can help during your time on GoFundMe.
A friend set up the page for me after I was scammed, and I was so nervous about it. But many friends and some donated and it means the world to me. Go Fund me helped me when I could not figure out how to transfer the money. They got back to me the next day! It was amazing, and the problem was fixed.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
Our Customer Happiness Team is always here to help, Josephine! We're glad they could take care of that issue for you, and we're happy your friend could help you raise the funds you need. If our team can help with anything else, we're just an email away.
Everything went great until it wanted a photo. After several tries at downloading one I was ready to forget the whole thing. I sat here and cried. Finally I reached out to the HAPPINESS TEAM for help. They sent an email so I could send them the photo but for some reason that would not work for me ether. Now I kept sending calls for help the wrong way. Crying the whole time they sent me an email telling me what I was doing wrong. In just a few easy steps after that all of my problems went away and I was started in GO FUND ME. Thank you so very much for your staying with this old coot.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're so glad our Customer Happiness Team was able to help, William. We're sorry you had any trouble at all to begin with, but we know our team is always able to fix up any issues. If we can help with anything else at all, just contact our team!
I had a personal request for assistance for the withdrawal. Response was quick and willingness to help.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're happy our Customer Happiness Team was able to assist with your withdrawals, Peter! If any other issues come up during your time on GoFundMe, please let them know. Our team is available 24/7.
When i looked for a fundraising site go fund me was the best. The lowest fees, with the best reviews. Recently i had to contact customer service. They had a prompt response and resolved my issue within 24 hours! I highly recommend this sight for all of you fund raisers!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
Thank you for your kind words, James! Our team is proud to offer our 0% platform fee, and our Customer Happiness Team always wants to provide prompt and helpful service!
Easy to get started using the site, but the flow of content authoring, fees, coordinating withdrawals with beneficiaries, etc. is not immediately clear without needing to consult piecemeal documentation. Lacking on very basic web content management features like publishing, rich text, resizable images, and mixed content. Also short on configuration of notifications; I wouldn't mind not getting notified, for example, every time someone donates. Support is extremely helpful and responsive. Overall, good value despite the usage challenges due to relative simplicity and very reasonable fees charged.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We appreciate the feedback, Wes! We're always looking to make GoFundMe the safest and easiest place to raise funds, and with our 0% platform fee, we're continuing our goal to get more funds to the campaign organizer or beneficiary. If we can help with anything during your GoFundMe journey or if you have any other feedback to share, our Customer Happiness Team is always here to help!
Teanna was very helpful and responded promptly to my emails, which I love. She was also friendly and professional. When teanna was out of the office, Francisco was able to help us. Great experience overall
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're so glad Teanna was able to help, Kathy! She's a star member of our Customer Happiness Team, and we're also glad to hear Francisco could assist when she was out of the office! He's another exemplary team member, and they're both happy to help if you have any other questions or concerns!
I was sunable to access my account for my withdrawal because my phone number was incorrect. I requested help via customer service and was immediatedly answered. Right after I verified my number I had a response as to what to do. It was amazing! It literally took a day. That's it! I love this site!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're so glad to hear our Customer Happiness Team was able to help, Carly! They're happy to help with any issues, day or night. Thank you for your kind words about GoFundMe, and please let our team know if we can help with anything else during your GoFundMe journey.
GoFundMe has helped and supported so many families in need. What an amazing tool to reach out to the world to donate and help others in need. It's easy to donate by a simple click of a button. This site is very easy to set up and share. simple steps and user friendly.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
We're honored to receive such kind feedback, Mali! Thank you for sharing your GoFundMe experience with us, we're happy to be the platform to help people raise funds for their need or cause.
Gofundme is my favorite fundraising website. It helps millions of people and it is so easy to donate. It is very personal and it allows you to put up info and pictures and share it through all your social media pages.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 10, 2018
Thanks so much for your kind words, Tini! We always strive to provide the safest and easiest to use platform to raise funds, and we're always looking to improve. We're glad you found the donation and sharing experience easy and informative!
The service it provides is almost just right for me. The caring attention of the support team is absolutely great. My only reservation is that at present GFM does not service campaigns to receive, in addition to other currencies, donations from South Africa.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 09, 2018
We're so thankful for your kind words about our Customer Happiness Team, Paula! While we're not able to send funds to all countries across the world, we're always looking to expand to more and more areas as we can. Hopefully we can be in South Africa in the near future, and we recommend checking our site often for any changes!
I think go fund me is a great and easy thing to use to give people money without using cash or checks. I love this company they are definetely a 5 star for me.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 09, 2018
We're so appreciative of your kind words, Rylee! Thank you for being a part of the GoFundMe community, and please let our team know if we can help with anything during your GoFundMe journey.
I was in the process of making yet another donation on your site, and accidentally reversed the amounts of the donation and the handling fee. I contacted GoFundMe immediately online, and had the charges cancelled so that I could make the intended donation. I was told it might take 6-7 business days for the transaction to be completed, but it took about 12 hours! Good job!!!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 09, 2018
We're so glad to hear that our Customer Happiness Team could help with that issue, Julie! Thanks so much for your kind words, and please let our team know if we can help with anything else during your time on GoFundMe.
Everything is good except, I listed this as an emergency campaign, and CASH app deliver my money to my account the next business DAY! Thanks
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
We're so appreciative of your feedback, Bruce! Our payment processors use ACH transfers, which have a 2-5 business day timeline to transfer funds to you. We're not able to speed that timeline up, even though we wish we could! If our Customer Happiness Team can help answer any questions or concerns, please do let us know.
Great customer support and super fast replies! Thank you for helping my brother! This is an amazing service and truly helps families!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
We're glad our platform was here to help you raise funds for your brother, Alexis! We're honored to be the site to help people raise the funds they need, and our Customer Happiness Team is always standing by to lend a hand if any issues come up.
Knowledgeable, fast, efficient and very helpful customer service.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
Thanks for the kind feedback, Connie! Our Customer Happiness Team is always here to offer fast, efficient, and helpful service, at any time of the day!
I had a issue with withdrawals so I contacted GoFundMe support . They contacted me back in a short amount of time to solve my issues !
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
We're so glad our Customer Happiness Team could help fix up that withdrawal issue, Shevonna! If you have any other questions or concerns while on GoFundMe, please let our team know and we'll be here to help, 24/7!
This is my first experience with initiating a GoFund Me site. I was surprised how easy it was and when I had a question, Rosa was quick to answer it and offer her assistance in the future. My experience here has been positive all the way.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
We're so happy to hear Rosa was able to help, Curt! She's a superstar member of our Customer Happiness Team, and our team is always committed to prompt, positive, and helpful support. If you have any other questions or concerns while using GoFundMe, they'll be here to help.
I had a very good experience. It was late at night. A friend opened an account for me after my husband died. It had only been a couple days. I wanted to read what my friend wrote about my husband because I knew it would be sweet. Well I didn't expect to get a response until the next morning. But sweet Brittney was emailing me well into midnight until we found it.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
We're sending our condolences to you during this difficult time, Sharon. We're glad Brittney could help in your time of need, and if you need anything at all, please let Brittney and the rest of our Customer Happiness Team know. They'll be here for you, 24/7.
I had a problem tracking a payment. I emailed and the follow up was exceptional! They kept in touch at least 1 time a day until resolved. They had practical answers and suggestions.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
Our Customer Happiness Team always wants to make sure your issue is resolved, Christine! Thank you for your kind words, and we're glad to hear that the issue was all fixed up for you.
Gofundme has been a positive experience so far all the way around. The customer happiness team gor back to me immediately when I had an important question regarding my bank account . The site is easy to use. Thanks Gofundme!
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
We're so glad to hear you've had a positive experience on GoFundMe, Patricia! Thank you for your kind words. Our Customer Happiness Team is always here to help answer any question, day or night. Please let our team know if we can help with any questions or concerns while on GoFundMe.
This is a GREAT way to give to whatever charity, person, ideal, etc you may care about. Money goes directly where it is supposed to go and they protect you from fraud. If there's an issue, it's taken care of very quickly with no questions asked. Easy to navigate and understand.
Reply from GoFundMe
The GoFundMe TeamOct 05, 2018
We're so thankful for the kind words, Justin! Thank you for being a part of our GoFundMe community, we're proud to be the place people turn to for their cause.