14 Best GoFundMe Alternatives for Individuals
compared on what stays private, not just what it costs

A complete comparison of the best personal fundraising platforms in 2026 — from public crowdfunding sites to private platforms designed for support from people you already know.

All fourteen are compared below on fees, payout speed and privacy. One of them starts private: a request on A Better Gift isn't listed anywhere, stays out of search engines unless you choose to share it publicly, and goes where you send it. The amount you ask for is the amount that reaches you.

📋 14 platforms reviewed 💸 Real fee comparisons 🔒 Privacy options compared

You're here because GoFundMe doesn't feel right. Maybe it's too public for what you're dealing with. Maybe the fees take too much. Maybe the people who'd actually help you don't follow strangers' campaigns — they just want to support YOU, directly, without an audience.

This guide is about finding what fits your actual situation. We compare 14 platforms below, but here's what matters first: not all "fundraising" is the same thing. Public viral crowdfunding is one tool. Private support from your own people is a completely different tool. The right choice depends on which one you actually need.

This guide compares 14 GoFundMe alternatives across price, privacy, payout speed, and use case. Some are direct competitors built for the same audience. Others serve specific niches — Christian causes, medical fundraising, creator-based ongoing support. We'll explain who each one is built for.

In This Guide
  1. How to Choose a Fundraising Platform
  2. Quick Comparison Table
  3. 1. A Better Gift
  4. 2. GoFundMe
  5. 3. GiveSendGo
  6. 4. FreeFunder
  7. 5. Spotfund
  8. 6. GoGetFunding
  9. 7. AngeLink
  10. 8. Mightycause
  11. 9. Help Hope Live
  12. 10. Givebutter
  13. 11. Donorbox
  14. 12. Zeffy
  15. 13. Ko-fi
  16. 14. Patreon
  17. FAQ

Most "GoFundMe alternative" lists are about software for charities

Search this phrase and the results fill up with Givebutter, Donorbox, RallyUp and Bloomerang. They are nonprofit fundraising software — donor CRMs, event ticketing, peer-to-peer campaign builders, recurring giving programs. They assume an organization with an EIN, a donor list and a fundraising calendar.

A small group without a development office can use a private request too — a church replacing a roof, a booster club covering tournament travel, a food pantry fixing its freezer — and the fundraising guides walk through each.

If you are one person with a vet bill due on Friday, none of that applies to you, and several of them will not let you raise at all without 501(c)(3) status.

This page compares what an individual can actually use, on the three things that decide it for a person rather than an organization: what you keep from a $100 gift, how quickly it reaches your bank, and whether your situation ends up on a page strangers can read.

Who is GoFundMe's biggest competitor?

It depends who is asking, which is why the question usually gets answered badly.

By volume raised for individuals, GoFundMe has no close competitor in the US. It is the default, which is precisely why people search for alternatives rather than for it. Among nonprofit platforms, Givebutter and Donorbox are the names that come up, and neither is built for a person. Among platforms an individual can use today, the real comparison set is short — GiveSendGo, FreeFunder, Ever Loved, Spotfund — and every one of them is public, with card processing coming out of what you receive.

The more useful question is what you are optimizing for. If it is reach among strangers, GoFundMe wins and nothing on this page beats it. If it is keeping your situation off a searchable page, none of the platforms above do that at all.

How to Choose a Fundraising Platform

Before comparing platforms, decide what matters most for your situation. Most fundraising platforms differ on four dimensions:

1. Who do you actually want help from — strangers or people who already know you?

Are you trying to reach strangers and go viral, or do you want support from people who already know you? Public platforms list campaigns in searchable directories where anyone can find them. Private platforms keep your request unlisted by default, public only if you choose. The right choice depends on whether your support comes from your existing network or a wider community.

Dana needed $1,400 for a transmission and spent an evening comparing crowdfunding sites. Every list she found ranked them by fee. What she wanted to know was whether her name and her car trouble would end up on a page her coworkers could find — because the people who would actually help her already had her phone number. That question is not on most comparison tables. It is the first one on this one.

2. How much of every dollar will actually reach you?

Every platform takes money somewhere. Some charge a percentage of the recipient's funds (deducted before payout). Some charge contributors a tip on top. Some are "free" but rely on optional donor tips. Read the fine print: a "0% fee" platform may actually deliver less to recipients than a transparent percentage-based one if donors skip the tips.

3. When do you need the money — this week, or sometime?

Some platforms hold contributions until you withdraw. Some require minimum balances. Some release funds the moment they're contributed. If you need help with a bill due next week, a platform that holds funds for 14 days isn't a fit.

4. What's the real situation? Medical, rent, funeral, something else?

Crowdfunding tools have different specialties. Medical bills, creative projects, nonprofit campaigns, ongoing creator support, team fundraising campaigns, memorials — these aren't the same thing. The right platform is one built for your specific situation, not just the most popular.

What GoFundMe actually takes from $1,000

This is the question most people arrive with, and it has two answers, because the fee is charged per donation rather than on the total. US personal fundraisers pay no platform fee; payment processing of 2.9% plus 30 cents comes out of each donation.

Raised On GoFundMe On A Better Gift
$1,000 as one gift $29.30 in fees, $970.70 reaches you $1,000 reaches you
$1,000 as ten $100 gifts $32 in fees, $968 reaches you $1,000 reaches you
$3,000 as thirty $100 gifts $96 in fees, $2,904 reaches you $3,000 reaches you

The 30 cents is charged per donation, so the more people help you, the more the flat part adds up. Here the contributor covers the fee at checkout, which is why the right-hand column doesn't move.

Quick Comparison: Top 5 Picks

A snapshot of the most-used personal fundraising platforms. Detailed reviews follow.

Platform Built For Privacy Fee Paid By Recipient Receives
A Better Gift Private support from friends & family Private by default Contributor (6.9%) 100% of contribution
GoFundMe Viral public campaigns Public by default Recipient (2.9% + $0.30) ~96.8% of contribution
GiveSendGo Christian-focused fundraising Public by default Optional donor tip ~97% (varies)
FreeFunder No platform fee fundraising Public by default Optional donor tip + processing ~96.8%
Spotfund Mobile-first social fundraising Public by default Optional donor tip + processing ~96.8%

What you keep from a $100 donation

Every platform in this chart except A Better Gift deducts its fee from your total.

  • A Better Gift

    $100.00

  • GiveSendGo

    $97.00

  • GoFundMe

    $96.80

  • FreeFunder

    $96.80

  • Ever Loved

    $96.80

  • Spotfund

    $96.80

  • Help Hope Live

    $94.35

  • GoGetFunding

    $92.80

  • Indiegogo

    $91.80

  • Kickstarter

    $91.70

Bars start at $90; the whole range is $91.70 to $100.00. Each rate was read from the platform's own pricing page.

The 14 Best GoFundMe Alternatives in 2026

Reviewed for fees, privacy, payout speed, and use case. Listed in order of best fit for friends-and-family fundraising.

#2

GoFundMe

The largest public crowdfunding platform.

GoFundMe is the most-recognized fundraising name and remains the dominant choice for public personal crowdfunding. Strong brand recognition gives a campaign built-in credibility, and the public discovery model can amplify a campaign through social sharing. The tradeoff is exposure: campaigns are listed in searchable directories, indexed by search engines, and visible to anyone who finds the link.

Platform fee: None (US personal) Processing fee: 2.9% + $0.30 per donation Payout speed: 2-5 business days after withdrawal
Pros
  • Largest user base and highest brand recognition
  • Strong social sharing infrastructure
  • Mobile-friendly campaign pages
Considerations
  • Public by default — campaigns are searchable and indexed
  • Recurring donations carry an additional 5% fee
  • Less suited to private requests within a small circle

Compared to A Better Gift: GoFundMe is built to reach the public; A Better Gift is private by default, public only if you choose.

#3

GiveSendGo

Christian-focused crowdfunding with a "pray" feature.

GiveSendGo is a Christian crowdfunding platform launched in 2015. The site emphasizes spiritual support alongside financial — campaigns include a "pray" button alongside the donation button, and the platform's "Hope Team" personally calls campaign creators. Operates on optional donor tips rather than platform fees. Has gained significant attention in recent years for its hands-off content moderation policies, which has made it a refuge for campaigns removed from other platforms.

Platform fee: Optional donor tip Processing fee: Standard payment processing Payout speed: Varies by withdrawal request
Pros
  • No mandatory platform fees
  • Faith-aligned community
  • "Pray" feature unique to the platform
Considerations
  • Public-facing campaigns by default
  • Faith-based identity may not fit every cause

Compared to A Better Gift: GiveSendGo campaigns are public-facing; A Better Gift keeps requests private to your own circle, with no faith framing either way.

#4

FreeFunder

No platform fees, with bonus rewards for sharing.

FreeFunder positions itself as a fee-free GoFundMe alternative. Campaign creators don't pay platform fees; the operation is funded through optional donor tips. A unique feature: the platform donates bonus amounts to campaigns based on social sharing milestones ($20 at 100 Facebook shares, $50 at 500 shares). Public-facing platform, similar to GoFundMe in structure but smaller in scale.

Platform fee: None (optional donor tips) Processing fee: 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) Payout speed: First funds about 5 days after the first donation, then on a rolling 2-day basis (via Stripe)
Pros
  • No platform fees
  • Bonus rewards for social sharing
  • Transparent pricing
Considerations
  • Smaller user base than GoFundMe
  • Public-facing campaigns by default

Compared to A Better Gift: FreeFunder is public by default; A Better Gift is private by architecture — requests are never listed or searchable.

#5

Spotfund

Mobile-first, social-feed fundraising.

Spotfund takes a different approach to fundraising — campaigns are limited to 140 characters, more like a social media post than a traditional crowdfunding page. The mobile-first design is built for tap-and-give simplicity, prioritizing fast contributions over deep storytelling. Operates on optional donor tips with no required platform fee.

Platform fee: Optional donor tip Processing fee: 2.9% + $0.30 Payout speed: Next business day after a payout request
Pros
  • Mobile-optimized, designed for quick giving
  • No mandatory platform fee
  • Easy social sharing
Considerations
  • 140-character limit makes detailed storytelling difficult
  • Public-facing campaigns by default
  • Smaller support resources than larger platforms

Compared to A Better Gift: Spotfund posts publicly with a 140-character limit; A Better Gift keeps your request private and isn't built around public sharing.

#6

GoGetFunding

Personal fundraising with privacy options and global reach.

GoGetFunding has been around since 2011 and offers more granular privacy options than most competitors — users can keep campaigns private, hide them from search engines, or password-protect them. Each campaign comes with a personal fundraising coach. International payment processing makes it a stronger fit for fundraisers outside the US, UK, and Canada.

Platform fee: 4% per donation Processing fee: 2.9% + $0.30 Payout speed: Each card donation withdrawable after a 7-day clearing period
Pros
  • Robust privacy options (private, hidden, password-protected)
  • Personal fundraising coach
  • International payment support
Considerations
  • 4% platform fee deducted from raised funds
  • Privacy is opt-in, not default

Compared to A Better Gift: GoGetFunding's privacy is opt-in, and its 4% platform fee is deducted from what you raise; A Better Gift is private by default, and the 6.9% fee is paid by the contributor on top.

#8

Mightycause

Personal and nonprofit fundraising with medical focus.

Mightycause supports both personal medical fundraisers and nonprofit campaigns. Strong infrastructure for tracking medical expenses and sending updates to donors. Public-facing platform with established user base for medical-specific causes.

Platform fee: Varies by plan Processing fee: 2.9% + $0.30 Payout speed: Standard
Pros
  • Medical fundraising specialization
  • Donor update tools
  • Both personal and nonprofit support
Considerations
  • Public-facing campaigns
  • Less recognition than GoFundMe

Compared to A Better Gift: Mightycause campaigns are public; if your medical need is one you'd rather keep within your circle, A Better Gift keeps it private.

#9

Help Hope Live

Nonprofit medical fundraising, paid to providers.

Help Hope Live is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, not a typical crowdfunding site. Applications are reviewed, and approval depends on meeting their criteria.

Platform fee: 5.65% on online donations (3% admin + 2.65% processing) Payout speed: Direct to medical providers
Pros
  • Personal one-on-one fundraising support for life
  • Medical condition verification builds donor trust
Considerations
  • Application process required
  • Funds usually go to providers; reimbursement to you is the exception
  • Limited to medical and disability-related fundraising

Compared to A Better Gift: Help Hope Live is application-based and approval depends on their criteria; on A Better Gift you create a request yourself and contributions go to your own bank account.

#10

Givebutter

Free fundraising platform for nonprofits.

Givebutter is built primarily for nonprofits and supports team fundraising, events, ticketing, and donor management. Free tier funded by optional donor tips. Less suited to individual personal fundraising — designed around organizational use cases.

Platform fee: 0% with donor tips, 3% without Processing fee: Standard Payout speed: Standard
Pros
  • Free tier available
  • Strong team fundraising tools
  • Built-in CRM for donor management
Considerations
  • Designed for nonprofits, not individuals
  • Higher friction for personal medical/emergency fundraising

Compared to A Better Gift: Givebutter is designed around organizations and team campaigns; A Better Gift is built for a private request, from a person or a small group.

#11

Donorbox

Embeddable donation forms for organizations.

Donorbox specializes in embeddable donation forms for organizations that already have a website. Strong for nonprofits, churches, and small organizations running ongoing donation programs. Less of a standalone campaign platform and more of an infrastructure tool. Not designed for individual personal fundraising.

Platform fee: 1.6% – 3.95% per donation, by plan Processing fee: 2.2% + $0.30 Payout speed: Standard
Pros
  • Embeddable on any website
  • Strong recurring donation support
  • Multi-currency support
Considerations
  • Built for organizations, not individuals
  • Requires an existing website to embed on

Compared to A Better Gift: Donorbox embeds donation forms on an organization's website; A Better Gift is a private request that a person, or a small group, sends to the people who already know them.

#12

Zeffy

Zero-fee fundraising for nonprofits.

Zeffy claims a zero-fee model — no platform fees, no processing fees deducted from donations. Operates entirely on optional donor tips. Designed exclusively for registered nonprofits (an EIN is required; 501(c)(3) status is not), so it's not a fit for individual personal fundraising.

Platform fee: 0% Processing fee: 0% (covered by donor tips) Payout speed: Weekly (Mondays) by default or monthly; next business day once verified
Pros
  • Genuinely zero fees for nonprofits
  • Multiple campaign types supported
Considerations
  • Nonprofit status required
  • Next-day payouts only after verification
  • Not available for personal fundraising

Compared to A Better Gift: Zeffy requires an EIN and is not available for personal fundraising; A Better Gift is for one person asking the people who know them.

#13

Ko-fi

Tip jar for creators.

Ko-fi is built for creators — artists, writers, streamers, podcasters — to receive small tips and recurring support from fans. Different category from emergency or expense fundraising. Not the right tool for medical bills or personal hardship fundraising.

Platform fee: 0% on tips (Ko-fi Free); 5% on Standard Processing fee: Standard PayPal/Stripe Payout speed: Direct to PayPal/Stripe
Pros
  • Free tier available
  • Designed for creator-audience relationships
  • Recurring "membership" tier supported
Considerations
  • Wrong tool for emergency or hardship fundraising
  • Requires existing audience to be effective

Compared to A Better Gift: Ko-fi depends on an existing audience of fans; A Better Gift is built for support from people who already know you.

#14

Patreon

Membership platform for creators.

Patreon is a membership platform where creators offer tiered subscriptions to their audience in exchange for exclusive content, perks, or community access. Designed for ongoing creator-audience relationships, not crisis fundraising. Like Ko-fi, only useful if you have an existing audience and ongoing creative output to offer in exchange for support.

Platform fee: 10% of income earned, plus processing Processing fee: Additional Payout speed: Monthly
Pros
  • Recurring monthly revenue model
  • Strong creator infrastructure
  • Tier-based reward system
Considerations
  • Higher platform fees than crowdfunding alternatives
  • Wrong tool for one-time emergency fundraising
  • Requires content creation commitment

Compared to A Better Gift: Patreon exchanges memberships for content and takes 10% of income; on A Better Gift nothing is given in exchange, and the recipient receives 100% of every contribution.

When A Better Gift Is the Right Fit

Two situations A Better Gift is built for.

If you want support from people who already know you

Use a private platform. Your friends, family, and coworkers don't need to find your campaign in a public directory — they need a simple way to give when you ask. A Better Gift is built for this exact case. Requests are private by default, recipients receive 100% of every contribution (the contributor covers the fee), and funds arrive directly in your bank account.

If you want privacy by default

Of the five platforms in the quick comparison above, A Better Gift is the only one that is private by default. The other four are public by default.

Related Resources

Deeper guides on specific personal fundraising situations.

What Is Private Fundraising?

How private requests differ from public crowdfunding — and why it matters.

Help With Medical Bills

Private fundraising for hospital bills, surgery costs, and medical expenses.

Help With Vet Bills

Private fundraising for emergency vet care and ongoing pet expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much will GoFundMe take from $100,000?▼
GoFundMe charges no platform fee on US personal fundraisers, but payment processing of 2.9% + $0.30 is deducted from each donation. Raised as one $100,000 gift that is $2,900.30, leaving $97,099.70. The $0.30 is charged per donation, so the same total raised as a thousand $100 gifts costs $3,200 and leaves $96,800 — the more donors you have, the more the flat fee adds up. On A Better Gift the 6.9% is added at checkout rather than deducted, so the recipient receives the full amount and the contributor covers the fee.
What is the best GoFundMe alternative for personal expenses?▼
The best GoFundMe alternative depends on whether you want public or private fundraising. For private fundraising from friends and family — where the request is never publicly listed — A Better Gift is purpose-built for that exact use case. For public crowdfunding reaching strangers, GoFundMe remains the largest platform.
Are there GoFundMe alternatives with no platform fees?▼
Several platforms offer zero platform fees but recover costs through optional donor tips, including Zeffy, Givebutter, and FreeFunder. A Better Gift takes a different approach — the 6.9% service fee is paid by the contributor at checkout, on top of their contribution, so the recipient receives 100% of every dollar contributed.
What is the best private fundraising platform?▼
A Better Gift is built specifically for private fundraising. Requests are never publicly listed or searchable, not indexed by search engines, and private by default — public only if the requester chooses to share it that way. Most other platforms allow privacy as an opt-in setting; A Better Gift is private by architecture.
How quickly do GoFundMe alternatives release funds?▼
Speed varies significantly. A Better Gift uses Stripe Connect to route funds directly to the recipient's bank in 2-3 business days. GoFundMe takes 2-5 business days after withdrawal request. Some platforms hold funds for weeks or require minimum balances before release.
Can I use a GoFundMe alternative for medical bills?▼
Yes. Most GoFundMe alternatives accept medical fundraising. For private medical fundraising specifically — where you don't want your diagnosis or financial situation publicly searchable — A Better Gift is private by default. Money reaches your bank, so standard Medicaid and SSI rules apply exactly as they would anywhere else. Check with your caseworker before you raise anything.
Do GoFundMe alternatives work without an account for contributors?▼
Most do. A Better Gift, GoFundMe, FreeFunder, Spotfund, and GoGetFunding all allow contributors to give without creating an account — they simply click the link and pay. This reduces friction and increases contribution rates.
What is the difference between public and private fundraising?▼
Public fundraising platforms like GoFundMe list campaigns in searchable directories where anyone can find them — useful for going viral or reaching strangers. Private fundraising platforms like A Better Gift never publicly list requests; requests are private by default and only public if you choose. Public is better for mass reach. Private is better for dignified support from your existing network.
Which GoFundMe alternative is best for funeral costs?▼
For private memorial fundraising — keeping the family's grief out of public view — A Better Gift offers a dignified, private option. For public memorial campaigns reaching wider communities, GoFundMe remains the most-used platform.
I need money fast — which platform actually delivers quickly?▼
On A Better Gift, each contribution reaches your bank account through Stripe Connect 2-3 business days after it is made. GoFundMe takes 2-5 business days after you request a withdrawal. Several other platforms hold contributions until you reach a minimum balance, which can delay access by weeks. None of these clocks starts when you send the request — ours starts when someone gives, and the other two start later still, so if your deadline is sooner than that, a request is not the tool for today.
I don't want anyone outside my friends and family to know. Which platform is actually private?▼
A Better Gift is private by architecture, not by setting. Your request is never publicly listed or browsable in any directory, and it stays out of search engines unless you choose to share it publicly. It is private by default — public only if you choose. Most other platforms allow privacy as an opt-in toggle but were built primarily for public discovery. If true privacy is non-negotiable for your situation, this is the difference that matters.
I'm embarrassed about asking publicly. Is there a platform that doesn't require a public campaign?▼
Yes. A Better Gift was built specifically for the private ask. You don't write a public campaign, post on social media, or hope strangers find you. You create a simple request, share one link with the people you choose, and that's it. No audience. No spectacle. No public record of your situation. Just direct support from people who already care about you.
Help Hope Live vs GoFundMe: which is better for medical bills?▼
Help Hope Live is a nonprofit that takes applications for medical and disability-related fundraising. Approval depends on meeting their criteria, so it is not something you can start the same afternoon. GoFundMe is public crowdfunding that pays you, with processing deducted from each donation. A Better Gift is the private option: a request goes only to the people you send it to, and you receive every contribution in full.
Can I fundraise for myself?▼
Yes, and that's who this is built for. You create the request, you're the person the money reaches, and there's no public campaign page in the middle. If you're raising for somebody else, the person who creates the request receives the money, so it should be whoever will actually pay the bill.

The support you need is one private link away.

If you've decided private fundraising is the right fit, A Better Gift takes under two minutes to set up. Free for requesters. Direct to your bank.

Create Your Request

Free for requesters  ·  Private by default, public only if you choose  ·  Funds direct to your bank