A Better Gift®

What do you need help with?

Whatever you're facing, there's a clear path. Pick the category that fits your situation and we'll point you to the right resource.

By type of expense

Specific guides for the most common situations people use A Better Gift for.

Medical Bills

Hospital bills, surgery, prescriptions, dental work, mental health

Dental Work

Payment plans, dental schools, and an interest-free way to cover dental work

Rent

Behind on rent, security deposit, eviction prevention

Security Deposit

Move-in costs, deposit assistance programs, charities, and the fastest way to cover it

Car Expenses

Repairs, missed payments, replacement, or other transportation needs

Funeral Costs

Memorial services, burial, cremation, end-of-life expenses

Vet Bills

Emergency surgery, ongoing pet care, end-of-life decisions

Education Costs

Tuition, textbooks, certifications, trade school

Moving Expenses

Relocation costs, deposits, transition between situations

Bills & Utilities

Electricity, gas, water, internet, groceries, everyday expenses

Utility Bills

Electric, gas & water — payment plans, LIHEAP, and shutoff help

Childcare Costs

Daycare, subsidies, Head Start, and what to do on a waitlist

Home Repairs

Roof, furnace, plumbing — grants, loans, and urgent fixes

Comparing to GoFundMe?

If you're deciding between A Better Gift and a public crowdfunding platform, these comparisons cover the differences for specific situations.

A Better Gift vs GoFundMe

Side-by-side comparison of fees, privacy, and payout speed

15 Best GoFundMe Alternatives

Comprehensive comparison of personal fundraising platforms

For Medical Bills

Private vs public medical fundraising

For Rent

Private rent fundraising compared to public campaigns

For Funeral Costs

Memorial fundraising — public vs private approaches

For Vet Bills

Pet emergency fundraising compared

For Car Expenses

Car repair, payment, and replacement fundraising compared

How to ask the people in your life

The hardest part is usually the asking itself. These guides walk through exactly what to say — and how to keep the relationship intact.

How to Ask Family for Money

Be honest, be specific, and ask for a gift, not a loan. Word-for-word scripts, plus how to ask parents, aunts, uncles, and relatives.

Read the guide →

How to Ask a Friend for Money

How to ask a friend without making it weird or risking the friendship — gift versus loan, and what to say.

Read the guide →

Asking Without Feeling Like a Burden

The fear of being a burden is the #1 reason people stay silent. Why it usually isn't true, and how to ask without the guilt.

Read the guide →

Want to understand it first?

Background reading for people who want to learn how it all works before creating a request.

What Is Private Fundraising?

Complete guide to the concept — what it means, how it differs from public crowdfunding, and the legal & benefits considerations.

Read the guide →

How to Raise Money From Friends & Family

Step-by-step practical guide with word-for-word scripts, email templates, and timing advice for actually doing it.

Read the guide →

Financial Assistance Options

Full overview of all financial help paths — government programs, nonprofits, religious organizations, workplace help, and bill negotiation.

Read the guide →

How A Better Gift Works

The product walkthrough — creating a request, sharing your link, and receiving funds directly to your bank.

Read the guide →

Ready to take a step?

Two paths depending on where you are in the process.

I know what I need

Create a request in under two minutes — private by design. Free for requesters, contributions go directly to your bank.

Create a Request — Free

I have questions first

Read our frequently asked questions covering fees, privacy, payouts, and how the platform works.

Read the FAQ

Quick answers

The three most-asked questions before getting started.

Is A Better Gift free to use?▼

Yes. Creating an account and creating requests is completely free. There are no monthly fees, no setup fees, and no fees deducted from contributions you receive. The 6.9% service fee is paid by contributors on top of their contribution amount, so you receive 100% of every dollar contributed.

Who can see my request?▼

Only the people you personally share your link with. Your request is never listed in any public directory, never indexed by search engines, and never discoverable by strangers. You decide exactly who sees it.

How quickly will I receive contributions?▼

Contributions route directly to your linked bank account or debit card the moment they're processed. Standard payouts arrive in 1-2 business days. A Better Gift never holds your money — there's no platform-side waiting period.

What if my situation doesn't fit any of these categories?▼

The categories are just shortcuts to common situations — they're not a list of what's allowed. A Better Gift works for nearly any personal need where the people who already care about you would help if they knew. If your situation is unusual or doesn't fit a neat category, you can still create a request and describe it in your own words. There's no approval process, no eligibility check, and no required category.

How long does it take to set up a request?▼

Most people complete the entire setup in under two minutes. You create your request, add a brief description of what you need help with, connect your bank account through Stripe for direct deposits, and you're ready to share your private link with the people you choose. There's no application to approve, no waiting period — once your bank is connected, you're ready.

See the full FAQ →