Losing someone is overwhelming enough. A Better Gift lets friends and family contribute to funeral and burial costs privately — directly to your bank account, with no public campaign and nothing deducted from what you receive.
Create a Private Request — FreeFree to create · Contributors need no account · Private by design
When someone you love dies unexpectedly, the bills come fast. Funeral homes typically require payment upfront. The average cost of a funeral in the United States is over $8,000 — and that's before cemetery fees, flowers, or a reception. For most families, that's not money sitting in a bank account.
The people in your life want to help. They just need a clear, easy way to do it. A Better Gift gives them that — and gives you a private way to raise money without the discomfort of a public campaign during one of the most personal moments of your life.
There's nothing wrong with asking friends and family for help with funeral costs. Most people who attend a service are already thinking about what they can do. A Better Gift makes it simple for them to contribute in a meaningful, direct way.
Public platforms reach strangers. A Better Gift reaches the people who already knew and loved them.
A Better Gift works for any combination of funeral-related expenses — create one request that covers everything.
Funeral home fees, viewing, ceremony, transportation of the deceased.
Cemetery fees, plot purchase, headstone, urn, interment costs.
Flowers, venue, catering for a reception or celebration of life.
Family travel to attend the service, especially for long-distance relatives.
Death certificates, obituary publishing, legal paperwork and estate fees.
Lost income, childcare, or living expenses in the weeks following a loss.
Getting set up takes a few minutes. Everything after that is automatic.
Sign up with your email address. Then create your request — describe the situation, name the person you've lost if you'd like, and set a goal amount. You can add a photo to make it personal. It takes about two minutes, and you don't need to have every cost figured out before you start.
Connect your bank account or debit card through our secure payment processor. This takes about two minutes and only needs to be done once. Because funeral costs are often due quickly, contributions are available as they come in — you don't need to reach your full goal before funds are released.
Your request generates a private link. Send it by text, email, or messaging app to the people in your circle. Post it to a Facebook group for friends of the family. Share it in however many ways feel right. Contributors click the link, choose an amount, and pay with any card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay — no account needed on their end.
Contributions go directly to your linked bank account (typically 1–2 business days) or debit card (near-instant for eligible accounts). You receive 100% of every contribution — contributors pay a small 6.9% processing fee on top of what they contribute, so nothing is taken from what you receive.
Both platforms let you request help from your network. Here's how they differ where it matters most for a grieving family.
| GoFundMe | A Better Gift ✓ | |
|---|---|---|
| Private — not visible to strangers | ✕ Public by default | ✓ Always private |
| Family receives full stated amount | ✕ Fees deducted | ✓ Contributors pay fee |
| Contributors need an account | — Optional | ✓ No account needed |
| Funds available before goal is reached | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Direct bank or debit card payout | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes — near-instant option |
| Free to create | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Create a free request on A Better Gift, write a brief description of what you need, and share your private link with the people in your circle. Contributors can send directly to your bank account or debit card in under a minute — no account needed on their end. If you're unsure how to approach the conversation, our guide on how to ask friends and family for financial help may be useful.
According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial is around $8,000, not counting cemetery fees. A funeral with cremation is typically $1,000–$2,000 less. Costs vary significantly by region, funeral home, and service level. Setting a realistic goal based on actual estimates helps contributors understand what's needed.
Yes, completely. Your request is never indexed by search engines, never listed publicly, and invisible to anyone you haven't personally sent your link to. Many families prefer this to platforms like GoFundMe — grief is personal, and a public campaign isn't right for every family. A Better Gift was built for private personal fundraising from the start.
Funeral costs are often due quickly — and contributions are available as they come in, without waiting for your goal to be reached. Bank account deposits typically take 1–2 business days. Debit card payouts are near-instant for eligible accounts.
Yes. A close friend or family member can create the request and manage sharing it on behalf of the family. When you set up the account, you'll link the bank account where contributions should be received — that can be whoever in the family needs the funds.
You can set any goal amount that reflects what you need. If some costs are already covered and you just need help with the remainder — cemetery fees, travel, or a reception — set your goal to reflect that specific amount. Being specific about what's needed often results in stronger responses from your network.
Private crowdfunding for whatever life throws at you.
The people who loved them want to help. Create a private request and give them a way to do it — simply, quickly, and directly to your bank.
Create a Free Request