Find answers to common questions about A Better Gift
A Better Gift is a personal fundraising platform that helps you raise money from friends and family for personal needs. Whether you need help with medical bills, rent, education costs, car repairs, or other life challenges, you can create a private fundraising request and share it with people who care about you.
Key differences include:
Yes, A Better Gift charges no platform fee. The only cost is the standard payment processing fee (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), which is charged by our payment processor, Stripe. This fee is deducted from each contribution before the funds reach you.
You can create fundraising requests for a wide range of personal needs, including:
See our Terms of Service for a list of prohibited uses.
That's it. No setup fees, no monthly fees, no withdrawal fees. The payment processing fee covers credit card processing, fraud prevention, and secure fund transfers.
Stripe is one of the world's most trusted payment processors, used by millions of businesses including Amazon, Lyft, and Shopify. We chose Stripe because:
Contributors can pay using:
After the payment processing fee, here's what you'd receive from typical contribution amounts:
Funds are deposited directly into your linked bank account through Stripe. When you create a request, you'll connect a bank account through Stripe's secure verification process. Contributions are then automatically deposited according to your payout schedule.
No. A Better Gift never holds, controls, or has custody of your funds. All contributions are processed by Stripe and routed directly to your connected bank account. We simply provide the technology platform that connects you with contributors.
Identity verification is required by financial regulations and helps protect against fraud. Stripe handles this verification process, which may include:
This ensures that funds go to the right person and helps prevent fraud.
There's no minimum fundraising amount. Maximum limits may apply based on Stripe's policies and verification status. For most verified users, there are no practical limits on how much you can raise.
Yes. All payments are processed through Stripe using bank-grade security:
Yes. When contributing, you can choose to hide your name from the request creator. Your contribution will still be recorded for your own records.
Contributions are generally considered final gifts. However, refunds may be available under our Giving Guarantee if:
See our Refund Policy for complete details.
No. Contributions made through A Better Gift are personal gifts to individuals, not charitable donations. They are not tax-deductible. If you need a tax deduction, consider donating to a registered 501(c)(3) charity instead.
Yes. We take security seriously:
See our Security page and Privacy Policy for more details.
Only people you share it with. Your request is not publicly listed anywhere. You control who sees it by sharing your unique link with friends and family.
Contributors see the information you include in your request (your name, description, goal amount, etc.). They do not see your bank account details, address, or other private information.
If you see something concerning, contact our Trust & Safety team at safety@abettergift.com. We take all reports seriously and investigate promptly.
No. A Better Gift is a technology platform, not a money transmitter. We don't hold, control, or transmit funds. All payment processing is handled by Stripe, which holds the necessary licenses and regulatory approvals. We act as a limited agent on behalf of request creators solely to facilitate the transfer of contributions. See our Compliance Overview for more details.
Stripe may issue a 1099-K form if you receive $600 or more in a calendar year. This is a reporting form, not a tax bill. Whether funds you receive are taxable depends on your specific situation — we recommend consulting a tax professional.
When you create a fundraising request, you appoint A Better Gift as your limited agent for the purpose of receiving contributions on your behalf. This means:
This is a standard structure used by many technology platforms and is explained in our Terms of Service.
Misusing funds (using them for purposes other than stated) violates our Terms of Service. We may:
Contributors may also be eligible for refunds under our Giving Guarantee.
All our legal documents are available in our Transparency Center: