GoFundMe Fees: Information and Answers to Top Questions (2025)

| 3 min read Crowdfunding

GoFundMe’s mission is to help people help each other. We want to create a world in which needs everywhere are met by a rising movement of people ready to help. Whether someone has a medical emergency, is the victim of a natural disaster, or just wants to support a cause they’re passionate about, we want to make it as easy as possible for them to get help when it’s needed. If you’d like a more in-depth explanation of GoFundMe’s fees, we cover these details below.

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Are there crowdfunding platform fees?

For organizers in the US, there’s no fee to start or manage a fundraiser. However, there is one small transaction fee per donation. We also accept optional tips from donors, which is how GoFundMe makes money. Donors can choose to tip GoFundMe, but it’s never required.

What is GoFundMe’s platform fee?

GoFundMe offers simple pricing and powerful fundraising. As mentioned above, there’s no fee to start or manage your fundraiser. However, there isone small transaction fee per donation that covers all your fundraising needs. Everything else goes directly to your cause, because that’s what matters most.

How much does GoFundMe charge for the transaction fee?

GoFundMe charges one transaction fee—that’s it. So, what percentage does GoFundMe take for transaction fees? A transaction fee of 2.9% +$0.30 is automatically deducted from each donation, so you never have to worry about paying a bill. Learn more about GoFundMe’s fees on our pricing page here.

What’s a transaction fee?

Safe and secure fundraising is our top priority. That’s why we partner with industry-leading payment processors like PayPal to accept and deliver your donations.

The transaction fee is automatically deducted from each donation. It covers the costs of credit and debit charges, safely delivering donations, and helps us offer more ways to donate—through credit, debit, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. This is the only fee deducted on GoFundMe to cover all your fundraising needs.

Why tip GoFundMe?

Tipping GoFundMe is appreciated, but never required. It’s important to us that everyone is able to get the help they need—which is why we don’t charge a fee to start a fundraiser. Instead, we accept optional tips from donors that help make it possible for us to offer powerful and trusted fundraising tools, customer support, and a global team of Trust & Safety experts.

Ready to start a fundraiser?

We keep our pricing simple so you can focus on what matters—raising money for the people and causes you care about. We are passionate about empowering people to quickly get the help they need, and we believe our crowdfunding platform does just that. Now that you know about GoFundMe’s fees for 2022, take the next step in starting your online fundraising journey with us by checking out these easy fundraising ideas. If you need further help with GoFundMe, our Customer Care team is here to support you every step of the way. Sign up today to start a fundraiser.

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I'm an expert in crowdfunding platforms and financial technologies, having closely followed the evolution of online fundraising mechanisms over the past several years. My insights are not only based on extensive research but also on practical experience and a deep understanding of the intricate workings of platforms like GoFundMe.

The article you provided touches upon key aspects of GoFundMe, a prominent crowdfunding platform. Let me break down the concepts mentioned and provide additional insights:

  1. GoFundMe's Mission: GoFundMe positions itself as a platform that aims to facilitate people in helping each other. The overarching goal is to create a global community where needs arising from medical emergencies, natural disasters, or support for various causes can be met through the collective efforts of individuals.

  2. Crowdfunding Platform Fees: For organizers in the United States, there is no fee to start or manage a fundraiser on GoFundMe. However, there is a small transaction fee per donation. This fee structure is designed to ensure that the majority of the funds raised go directly to the intended cause.

  3. Transaction Fee: GoFundMe charges a transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 for each donation. This fee is automatically deducted to cover the costs associated with credit and debit charges, secure donation processing, and to offer multiple payment options such as credit, debit, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

  4. Safe and Secure Fundraising: GoFundMe emphasizes the importance of safe and secure fundraising. To achieve this, the platform collaborates with industry-leading payment processors like PayPal to handle the acceptance and delivery of donations.

  5. Optional Tips: While there is a transaction fee, GoFundMe allows donors to provide optional tips. These tips are not mandatory but appreciated. The tips contribute to sustaining the platform's ability to offer robust fundraising tools, excellent customer support, and maintain a global team of Trust & Safety experts.

  6. Simplified Pricing: GoFundMe emphasizes a straightforward pricing structure, keeping it simple for organizers to focus on raising funds for their chosen causes. The transparency in fees and the absence of a fee to start a fundraiser highlight the platform's commitment to empowering individuals and causes.

In conclusion, GoFundMe's fee structure reflects a balance between providing a user-friendly platform for fundraising and covering the necessary operational costs. The platform's commitment to simplicity and transparency sets it apart in the crowdfunding landscape, making it an attractive choice for those looking to make a positive impact through online fundraising.

GoFundMe Fees: Information and Answers to Top Questions (2025)

FAQs

GoFundMe Fees: Information and Answers to Top Questions? ›

It's free to start and manage your fundraiser on GoFundMe.

How much does GoFundMe take on $5000? ›

How much of the money will I keep? One small transaction fee (2.9% + $0.30) is automatically deducted per donation—that's it. Everything else goes directly to your cause. For more information and to estimate what you will receive, check out the GoFundMe pricing calculator.

What percentage of GoFundMe goes to the recipient? ›

However, it does charge transaction fees of 2.9% of what is donated, plus 30 cents per transaction. For example, if five donors contributed a total of $500 to a particular fundraising campaign, a total of $16 in fees would be deducted by gofundme before passing on the balance to the person or charity raising funds.

What is a normal tip for GoFundMe? ›

If the donor doesn't want to tip 15%, it's not obvious where to zero out the tip. Donors must opt out instead of opting in. Before implementing The Tip, GoFundMe charged the fundraiser a 5% fee. Both fees are in addition to a 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee.

Is there a better option than GoFundMe? ›

Other important factors to consider when researching alternatives to GoFundMe include reliability and ease of use. The best overall GoFundMe alternative is Givebutter. Other similar apps like GoFundMe are Donorbox, Classy, Fundly, and Snap! Raise.

How much does GoFundMe take out of $10,000? ›

No fee to create a fundraiser

It's always free to start and manage a fundraiser on GoFundMe. To help us cover payment processing, there's a transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per donation.

How much does GoFundMe charge for $100 donation? ›

How much does GoFundMe charge for a $100 donation? GoFundMe, a for-profit company, applies a 2.9% payment-processing fee for each donation and an additional 30 cents per donation. To illustrate, if a campaign raises $1,000 through ten donations of $100 each, GoFundMe would collect approximately $32.

Is GoFundMe taxed as income? ›

Donations made to personal GoFundMe fundraisers are generally considered to be "personal gifts" which, for the most part, are not taxed as income in the United States. Additionally, these donations are not tax deductible for donors.

Who pays the transaction fee on GoFundMe? ›

The transaction fee is automatically deducted from each donation. It covers the costs of credit and debit charges, safely delivering donations, and helps us offer more ways to donate—through credit, debit, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. This is the only fee deducted on GoFundMe to cover all your fundraising needs.

Does money from GoFundMe go straight to the charity? ›

There are two ways to raise funds for a charity on GoFundMe. You can either start a personal fundraiser, which means funds are sent to a personal or business/organization bank account, or a charity fundraiser, which means funds are sent directly to the charity through PayPal Giving Fund.

What is the downside of GoFundMe? ›

GoFundMe does not have any fees for using the platform and it is available to anyone in the world. The main downside of GoFundMe is that it is an all-or-nothing platform. This means that if you do not reach your fundraising goal, you will not receive any of the money that you have raised.

What can GoFundMe not be used for? ›

Sales Prohibited on the Platform: You are not permitted to offer any good or service in exchange for a Donation on the Platform.

What happens if you don't reach your goal on GoFundMe? ›

Even if you don't reach your goal, you can withdraw every cent, minus the transaction fees. This is unlike other donation platforms that take an all-or-nothing approach, meaning you can only receive the donations if you reach your target. It's free to sign up and start a campaign on GoFundMe.

What fundraising site has no fees? ›

FreeFunder was created in order to provide a completely free option for people who are raising money for personal causes. If you've been looking for fundraising sites that don't charge fees, and that make creating a fundraiser quick and easy, you've come to the right place.

What is the largest amount ever raised on GoFundMe? ›

America's Food Fund becomes the largest GoFundMe of all time, raising over $44 million to help people struggling with food insecurity due to COVID-19.

Does all the money from GoFundMe go to the person? ›

One small transaction fee is automatically deducted per donation. Everything else goes directly to your cause, because that's what matters most. Here's how it works.

Are you taxed on GoFundMe money? ›

Generally, contributions made to “crowdfunding” campaigns (such as GoFundMe) are considered to be personal gifts, and as such, are not taxed as income to the recipient.

Is it easy to withdraw money from GoFundMe? ›

Simply click the 'Withdraw' button inside your GoFundMe account and follow the on-screen instructions. You can withdraw your balance directly to your bank account. US users may also request a check. How long do withdrawals take?

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