Kickstarter Alternatives You Should Check Out

Kickstarter is one of the most popular financing platforms for creatives.

Over 200,000 successful campaigns have been sponsored using the platform, which has helped entrepreneurs raise more than $6.2 billion. 

Since its inception in 2009, Kickstarter has received over 20 million pledges.

All or nothing is their pricing approach. 

You only have to pay if you reach your fundraising target.

Their charge is 5% of the total cash generated, plus payment processing costs of $0.20 per pledge and 3% of each pledge.

Although Kickstarter is well-known, it isn’t the only crowdfunding option for your fundraising needs. 

There are other options to check out that may be a better fit for your unique requirements.

In this post, we’ll explore these Kickstarter alternatives you may want to try.

Let’s get started! 

Kickstarter Alternatives To Check Out 

Patreon

Patreon was founded in 2013 by Jack Conte, a musician with millions of YouTube views who struggled to make enough money to support his profession. 

Patreon has paid out more than $2 billion to its community of over 200,000 creators since its inception.

Patreon is a crowdfunding platform that assists artists in generating funds to support their aspirations. 

Patreon is for creators who want their followers to fund their work so that they may produce without worrying about how they’ll make a living. 

It’s a clear choice for creatives because it’s a simple platform where you can ask supporters of your work to contribute financially to your efforts.

The organization provides a variety of price choices, starting at a 5% platform charge and up to a maximum of 12%. 

In addition to these platform costs, the corporation charges 2.9% + $0.30 for each transaction above $3 in regular payment processing fees.

All of the company’s plans include flexible payments, customer service, a mobile app, and tools to help you raise money, track your progress, and connect directly with your supporters.

Fundable 

Fundable is an excellent Kickstarter alternative because it doesn’t take a cut of your total fundraising amount.

To sponsor your fundraising campaign, Fundable charges a fixed fee of $179.

It’s a big investment upfront, but it might pay off in the long run, especially if you’re aiming to raise money – a lot of it.

Let’s imagine you’re looking to raise $200,000 through crowdfunding.

You’ll only collect $190,000 of the campaign’s total if you take a 5% cut of $200,000. 

In the long term, paying $179 for a few months’ time saves you a lot of money.

Crowdfunder

Crowdfunder is a distinctive Kickstarter alternative since it provides donors with stock in the business rather than freebies and items in exchange for their contributions. 

Of course, this means you’ll have to give up a percentage of your business.

However, you may gain in the long term by attracting a group of enthusiastic investors.

Giving up equity, however, is not without danger.

As you report your company’s results to your supporters, you’ll have more duties to your shareholders and may need to take on extra management tasks. 

Before you choose Crowdfunder over other solutions, make sure you can make this model work for your company.

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Facebook Fundraiser

If you want to utilize social media to create awareness for your cause, organization, or fundraising effort, Facebook Fundraiser could be a suitable Kickstarter alternative for you.

Because the Facebook Fundraiser tool is developed primarily for NGOs, I recommend looking elsewhere if you don’t meet the requirements. 

If your company is a nonprofit, however, you should look into leveraging this fundraising tool to promote crowdfunding campaigns through your current network.

All donations made to a nonprofit via the Facebook website or app presently include a 5% transaction fee, according to Facebook’s fundraising tool. 

This site also charges a 6.9% payment processing fee and a $0.30 transaction fee.

Wefunder

Wefunder is the strongest crowdfunding tool for small companies and startups among the Kickstarter alternatives. 

Their network of over one million investors is eager to see your project succeed!

You may start a business campaign with Wefunder to help businesses like yours reach your goals. 

Wefunder, a 2012-founded crowdfunding platform, successfully urged Congress to approve legislation that allows anybody to invest in businesses online. 

Wefunder has raised more than $250 million since then, with the aim of assisting 20,000 entrepreneurs by 2029.

What should entrepreneurs anticipate when they use Wefunder to launch their business?

Creating your business profile and expressing your story is the first step. 

The next step is to start a campaign on Wefunder, which is a straightforward process that takes care of legal compliance for you. 

After that, it’s shared with their community of over 1 million investors who are interested in new businesses.

This illustrated why entrepreneurship is so popular on Wefunder!

Wefunder does not charge your backers, and you do not incur any costs if you do not meet your fundraising target.

If you’re interested in supporting creative projects, Wefunder provides an extensive resource library for crowdfunding and conducting successful campaigns. 

You may also join as an individual investor.

Wefunder has helped several businesses get started, including Zenefits.

Pozible 

Pozible is an Australian crowdfunding platform for creative projects and ideas, as well as a community-building tool.

It was created to assist people in raising cash, realizing their dreams, and accomplishing amazing things.

Pozible charges a 5% standard fee and accepts Stripe, Bitcoin, and PayPal as payment methods.

More information about their fees may be found on their website. 

StartEngine

For folks interested in equity crowdfunding, StartEngine has become one of the top Kickstarter alternatives.

Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary, is the platform’s “mascot.” 

Over 275 businesses from 38 different industries have joined together to generate funds amounting to more than $100 million.

Seedcamp is a platform that these businesses have established.

It offers investment options for you to support initiatives you believe in and help them develop in the future.

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Quirky

If your crowdfunding project is still in its baby stages, you may utilize Quirky to get input from the community.

If your concept is chosen by the community, the platform will work on developing the product.

You will then earn a portion of the proceeds from sales.

Indiegogo

Indiegogo, which was founded in 2008, now has operations in over 235 countries and has helped fund over 800,000 unique projects. 

Since it offers partnerships to assist with all parts of going live and launching, it’s an obvious choice as the best for coming to market. 

This covers collaborations in the areas of creative services, communications, production, retail, and distribution.

Unlike other crowdfunding services, which only enable you to collect the funds raised if you reach a set target, Indiegogo gives you choices. 

With the company’s Flexible Funding option, you can choose to collect whatever money you raise even if you don’t fulfill your campaign target.

The organization also provides a Fixed Capital option, in which you only get paid if you reach your goal.

This is a preferable alternative if your project requires a certain amount of funding to get started. 

You may continue to gather donations after your campaign finishes using the company’s InDemand option without having to establish a new fundraising goal or deadline.

Indiegogo needs a minimum fundraising amount of $500 to launch a crowdfunding campaign.

Campaigns can last up to 60 days, depending on the sort of funding you pick.

If you reach your target, Indiegogo will pay you within 15 business days.

Rockethub

RocketHub is mainly for art, business, scientific, and social initiatives, while each of these major areas has several subcategories.

RocketHub is essentially a hybrid of Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

You get to retain whatever dollars you receive, just like on Indiegogo.

Whether you succeed or fail, remember to honor your promises to your backers, who will be waiting for you to deliver the incentives at various levels.

Thrinacia

Thrinacia is a self-described “next generation” crowdfunder.

With Thrinacia, you can create your own crowdfunding website in minutes.

Most of the features found on Kickstarter or Indiegogo are included in this crowdfunding solution, such as data on:

• Funds raised 
• Traffic 
• Earnings 

This crowdfunding engine has a monthly charge of $39.99.

However, it allows you to avoid the fees charged by third-party sites, which are often 5-10% of the total revenue received.

You’ll have the best chance of reaching your financing targets if you already have a following.

It would also help if you had good marketing and PR strategy in place for your launch.

Plumfund 

Kevin O’Leary invested in this crowdfunding platform after it was shown on Shark Tank.

Plumfund projects have raised over $350 million dollars since their inception.

Plumfund stands out from the competition since it charges no platform fees, while most other platforms charge costs that start at 5% or more.

GoFundMe

GoFundMe was launched in 2010 and has since grown to become one of the most popular fundraising platforms in the world. 

Over 120 million donations have been made by users of the network, totaling more than $9 billion.

You may crowdfund utilizing GoFundMe as a creative individual, whether you’re attempting to launch a personal project or get your art studio up and running.

 A teacher can fundraise for a large in-class purchase or a field trip.

A company can start up with the funds obtained through the platform. The possibilities for fundraising are endless.

In addition to the GoFundMe.com website, the firm now has mobile applications that you may use to manage your campaign. 

The site is free to use. However, each transaction is subject to a 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee.

Donors are asked to provide a separate, optional charge to support the platform.

Because GoFundMe does not demand you to fulfill any fundraising deadlines or impose a time restriction in which you must reach your intended financial goal.

That’s why it’s the best option for no fundraising deadline. 

If you don’t meet your fundraising goal, you can still get any monies you can raise.

After the donations have been validated, the funds will be accessible within a few days.

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Fundly

Are you looking for a crowdfunding site that allows you to keep the money you raise even if you fall short of your goal? 

Fundly, a user-friendly Kickstarter alternative does this. 

It provides users with a simple approach to generating donations without the use of minimums, limitations, deadlines, or other restrictions.

You may also access your donations as soon as they’re made on Fundly.

A 4.9%platform fee and a 2.9% credit card processing fee are charged by Fundly.

Additionally, Fundly charges a $0.30 transaction fee.

FundRazr

FundRazr was created in 2009 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Users have raised $212 million on the platform so far. 

From an easy-to-use mobile app to third-party integrations, FundRazr has everything you need to help bring your idea to life. 

With FundRazr, anyone can raise money.

You may use this platform whether you’re an artist or a nonprofit.

Its three different pricing models ensure that you may choose a plan that suits your needs.

FundRazr has three levels of service: free, standard, and pro. 

You’ll be charged 2.9% + $0.30 in processing fees per transaction.

FundRazr will ask your fans to contribute to the 5% platform cost via an optional tip, which the platform will use to manage the platform and keep the free option available.

The Standard plan costs you the 5% platform fee directly, rather than via your contributors, as well as a 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee. 

The Pro plan provides you complete control over who pays the platform fee: you may pay it yourself or ask your fans to chip in.

Unlike Kickstarter, which has an All or Nothing structure, FundRazr allows you to raise money utilizing either the Keep It All or All or Nothing campaign choices. 

Keep It All refers to the fact that everything you earn is yours and will be placed into your account as soon as the funds are available.

This allows you to have the funding you need right now.

If you don’t hit your target before the campaign’s deadline, your supporters will be charged, or no money will be paid to you. 

So you may back out if you don’t generate enough money to get your idea off the ground.

Customers who are keen on learning more can request a free demo or a one-on-one consultation through the company’s website.

Chuffed

Chuffed is an excellent crowdfunding tool if you want to give money to a worthy cause.

It focuses on nonprofit and charity fundraising. 

One of the appealing elements of our website is the plan in which you receive 100% of the money earned!

Chuffed is a social enterprise that was started in 2013.

Individuals and corporations that wish to utilize their platform to support causes that are important to them can choose from three models. 

The Keep 100 plan allows you to keep 100% of your gift while also covering financial transaction costs (2% + $0.30 each transaction).

Donors cover these expenditures so that the money can go directly to individuals in need.

With the Shared option, you retain all funds raised after deducting a processing charge and platform costs. 

The Apartment Charge option is even more affordable since it includes both a processing fee and 4.9% of the cash raised as advertising costs. 

This means that contributors don’t have to give any more than they would ordinarily pay these costs.

Chuffed provides a complete set of tools and resources to help you with your fundraising campaign. 

Chuffed also provides educational services to aid in the success of your crowdfunding campaign. 

For those who want to discover how their campaigns are doing on multiple platforms like Google Analytics, Meta, Salesforce, or Mailchimp, the Academy offers video courses, workshops, and insights from professionals.

Ulule

Ulule is a European crowdfunding platform for finding new and unique goods.

On their website, you may also finance ideas, which the creator or manufacturer then builds.

Ulule has supported 35,000 initiatives throughout the world since its start in October 2010. 

These initiatives were developed by creative individuals who wanted to produce something fresh and distinctive for their target audience but lacked funding. 

The project’s founders were backed by internet users all around the world and were sponsored by donations from 192 countries.

With 77% of campaigns successfully financed in 2021, this crowdfunding platform has witnessed considerable growth.

Republic.co

Republic.co is a prominent equity crowdfunding platform that was launched in 2017.

Its goal is to make it easier and more accessible to fund small ideas and initiatives. 

It is a perfect Kickstarter alternative since it provides transparent services that are simple to use for both investors and entrepreneurs.

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Crowdfunding: The Pros & Cons 

When considering Kickstarter and Kickstarter alternatives for crowdfunding, keep the following pros and cons in mind:

PROS

You don’t need to repay crowdfunded money. 

You don’t have to refund the money you raise using Kickstarter and Kickstarter alternatives.

You keep what you get and don’t have to worry about repayments affecting your financial statements.

Crowdfunding makes sourcing funds more convenient. 

Most small company loans lack accessibility, but Kickstarter alternatives for business funding do. 

A traditional small company loan demands an excellent credit history, comprehensive financial records, and supplementary evidence to demonstrate your trustworthiness. 

It might take you a while to demonstrate all of these qualifications.

CONS 

You’re not guaranteed the funds that you need. 

Almost every crowdfunding site has restrictions on the kind of companies that can utilize their services. 

In most cases, you must supply a physical product in exchange for your backers’ money.

This might be an issue if you provide services instead of commodities.

There might be strict crowdfunding requirements. 

Some also adopt an “all-or-nothing” strategy, in which you only keep your money if you reach your fundraising target.

Tips For Listing A Campaign On Kickstarter Alternatives 

You now know that crowdfunding is one of the most effective strategies to raise money for business development or to test new business concepts.

The notion of marketing a business and rewarding individuals who are prepared to make a little financial contribution is far easier to implement than pitching your company to banks or investment angels.

It’s easier to raise funds if you reach out to everyday folks.

However, there are a number of mistakes that may be made when launching campaigns on crowdfunding sites, reducing your chances of a successful campaign.

Let’s tackle these mistakes so you can avoid them. 

1. Don’t put up listing on too many crowdfunding platforms. 

It’s reasonable to presume that by putting your crowdfunding campaign on various platforms, you’ll reach a broader audience and so get greater results.

This is not always the case, and there are a number of reasons for this.

To begin with, analysts claim that publishing your crowdfunding campaign on many sites might make it appear like a hoax.

Second, you can’t assume that having more sites means having a larger audience.

Many people who visit one crowdfunding site will also visit others.

You’ll wind up spreading your campaign promotion too thin, and, as a result, your campaign won’t generate enough momentum to attract enough donors.

As a result, the increase in the audience may be negligible.

Iron Sky, who ultimately failed in their first campaign, is a good illustration of this.

Finally, consider the “percentage of completion” variable.

It’s simpler to get the remaining funds given to your campaign if you’ve reached 70%-80% of your target.

Contributors will be less ready to invest in you if you have listings on two sites that are just 30%-40% of your overall goal each because they believe others have found you unworthy of investment. 

2. Ask for donations. 

Basic fundamentals are sometimes overlooked when so much effort is put into the design of marketing materials.

Even if you’re on a crowdfunding site, it’s still courteous to ask for a donation.

You goal is to raise funds so you might as well be upfront about it.

One of the finest pieces of advice is to explain not just why a contribution is needed but also why your project is vital and how the funds you’re receiving will help you achieve your objective.

Instead of focusing on the cash amount, consider the non-monetary personal benefits.

This creates an emotional pull for the funding givers, increasing their likelihood of donating.

Long before you start asking for money, you should try to interact with your target audience.

According to certain websites, you should wait three to four months before listing.

This enhances the level of involvement between you and your fundraisers and allows you to have a bigger effect at the start of the campaign. 

You effectively increase your chances of random investors stepping in to assist you after they witness your campaign’s first success.

3. Put up excellent visuals. 

One of the last blunders made by crowdfunders is uploading bland or dull graphics.

Audiences respond better to high-quality photos, which increases the likelihood that they will help you achieve your objectives.

While beautiful photos might be difficult to come by, chatting with a graphics designer can be the first step, and while costly, it may be worthwhile.

Remember, it will be easier to raise funds if you seem professional and trustworthy.

Crowdfunding FAQs

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Final Thoughts 

The ideal first step, regardless of the fundraising source you’re looking for, is to do your research. 

Understand your company’s ins and outs, whether it’s still in the planning stages or has already launched. 

In terms of money saved and smart decision-making about how to earn the money you need to continue forward, this will pay for itself.

The perfect listing of your site on the right site can make or break the success of your crowdfunding endeavor.

When launching a crowdfunding project, there are various mistakes that may be made.

But by avoiding them, you can increase the pace at which contributions come in, allowing you to meet your goals before the deadline.

Choosing the proper platform or the suitable site for your crowdfunding campaign is critical to its success.

Before beginning a project, consider all of your alternatives and make sure you have a marketing strategy in place.

Good luck raising your funds!