Top 22 Best Crowdfunding Websites for Fundraising

If we think a few years in the past there were limited numbers of Crowdfunding websites for fundraising available on the Internet.

As time passed new websites emerged and now entrepreneurs or creators are having a lot of options to choose from. There are a lot of Crowdfunding websites available where you can share your ideas and raise the funds.

Nowadays plenty of new crowdfunding platforms launch almost every day, so here we are going to discuss some of the most popular crowdfunding websites and reputable crowdfunding platforms to raise money online.

But before exploring the list of top online fundraising sites, let’s check first the short description of what is Crowdfunding and why do businesses need crowdfunding?

What is Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a method to raise funds from the common people. In a way, you are investing the money which you have received from the common people by pitching your idea. If anyone likes your idea they will fund you some amount which will help you in kick starting your idea.

You can share your ideas with a lot of potential investors using Crowdfunding sites. If they are interested in your idea they will donate you the money. Different fundraising websites are having different approaches but most of the Crowdfunding Platforms don’t charge any money unless your project has been started or you have reached the full amount you need to start the project.

Top 22 Best Crowdfunding Sites to Raise Money Online

Today in this guide, we are going to share a complete list of some of the top Crowdfunding sites for entrepreneurs which will help you in raising funds and pitching your ideas all across the world. Along with the introduction of these best crowdfunding sites for fundraising, we have also mentioned the pros, limitations, and charges for all the crowdfunding platforms in this post.

Since the below listed all crowdfunding websites for fundraising are quite different from each other, so this list of best crowdfunding sites to raise money online isn’t based on independent traffic data and any other analysis. Let’s have a look at these best crowdfunding platforms to raise money online for business startups:

(1) Kickstarter

Kickstarter is one of the best Crowdfunding sites which you can use to raise funds for your project. The website has helped in the launch of many amazing products like Pebble smart watch & OUYA gaming console. There are thousands of projects available on Kickstarter.

Till date, Kickstarter has accomplished $2 billion funds from 10 million people across the world. Kickstarter is also on the top of the list of highest funded crowdfunding projects.

• Pros: If you have not reached the funding goal you won’t be charged a single penny. A lot of traffic and investors will help you in pitching your idea easily.

• Limitations: The project approval process is very strict. You can create the projects only in limited countries and you can’t use Kickstarter for the charity based funding.

• Commission: You will be charged 5% of the entire funding amount which has been secured. For every transaction (3% + $0.20) are charged as the processing fee.

(2) Indiegogo

Indiegogo is a well-known fundraising website which you can use to collect funds for your project. The Ubuntu Edge smartphone raised its funds via Indiegogo only. There are a lot of funding campaigns which take place at Indiegogo from time to time. Indiegogo has secured $800 million funding till date. The creators can select from different funding plans which will help them in collecting funds easily.

• Pros: You can create your project from anywhere as Indiegogo is available worldwide. Unlike Kickstarter, Indiegogo is less strict while accepting the projects. The analytics support will help you in getting better stats of your campaign.

• Limitations: The project success rate is less as this crowd source funding is having less visibility for the projects.

• Commission: 5% of the partial or total funding which has been secured. For every transaction 3-5% amount is charged as the processing fee.

(3) GoFundMe

Many of you might be looking for Crowdfunding platforms which will help you in getting funds for a community oriented event or a charity. GoFundMe is one of the best Crowdfunding sites which you can use to raise money for good causes. Using this website you will be able to raise money for social causes only. Along with that, you can also get some funding for the live events like family gatherings.

• Pros: All the funding which you have secured using GoFundMe will be used. It is very easy to launch campaigns using this website.

• Limitations: There is no Paypal support provided by the website and the campaigns can be created in limited countries only.

• Commission: 5% of every donation is the commission along with which 1.4-4.25% amount is charged as payment processing fee.

(4) Crowdfunder

A lot of people want to get investments from angel investors. If you are looking to get investments from big multinational companies then you can use Crowdfunder. The Crowdfunding source is ideal for all the small startups which are out there. Small business is having many options for raising their funds as they can sell equity, use the debt and revenue based systems and much more.

• Pros: a Good platform for the angel investors as they can get equity of the small scale business and get benefitted in the long term.

• Cons: Limited in the United States only.

• Commission: 5% of the total funding which has been secured.

(5) JustGiving

If you are an individual and want to gather some funds for a social cause then you can use JustGiving. The crowd sourced funding platform is helpful for getting donations for all the registered charities. The process of making donations or pledges is simple as you can use your credit or debit card for doing that. If the donor resides in the United Kingdom, the donations can also be done by using SMS.

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• Pros: JustGiving supports multiple currencies. UK-based donors can get tax exempted using the Gift Aid. All the donations which are made can be transferred weekly.

• Limitations: The charity needs to be registered with Just Giving. The focus of this Crowdfunding websites to raise funds is primarily in the UK and is restricted to some countries only.

• Commission: 5% of every donation is the commission along with which 2.95% is charged on every transaction as the payment processing fee.

(6) YouCaring

YouCaring is also one of the most popular Crowdfunding websites to raise funds. If you are planning to raise funds for a good cause then you can use this service. YouCaring is famous for the philanthropic causes. The website has many welfare projects running such as veterans, adoption along with many volunteer projects. The total amount which has been secured by Youcaring till now is $335 million from 4.5 million supporters.

• Pros: There are no commission charges for all the donations which are made on Youcaring. The website supports multiple social causes.

• Limitations: Nothing which would concern you.

• Commission: There are no commission charges in You Caring. You just have to pay 2.9% +$0.30 as the processing fee.

(7) Razoo

You can easily raise funds using Razoo. Razoo is one of those online Crowdfunding websites for fundraising which can be used by nonprofit organizations and individuals. It is very easy to setup the Crowdfunding campaigns in best Crowdfunding websites as you just have to mention the funding which you want to set as a target along with the deadline.

• Pros: You can use Razoo for team based charities or individual fund collections.

• Limitations: One might find the information present on the website ambiguous and the platform fee is relatively high.

• Commissions: The platform fee is 4.9%, apart from that you have to pay 2% of every transaction and $0.30 extra.

(8) Ulule

Ulule is a new crowd source funding website which is not known to a lot of users. Ulule has provided funding to over 11,000 projects and the company has secured $50 million funding till date. Ulule is one of the best Crowdfunding sites for business startups as they are having many amazing categories such as technology, games, heritage and even music. The top Crowdfunding sites to raise money follow the concept of all or nothing under which if the funding goal is not secured you won’t be charged a single penny.

• Pros: There is very less scope of the fraud campaigns as all the campaigns are moderated before they go live.

• Limitations: the projects which you can create using Ulule are limited in European countries only. The price structure is also confusing.

• Commission: The charges vary according to the funding which has been secured. The commission is 6.67% for funding secured via debit and credit cards. If the funds are collected via Paypal, one has to pay 4.17% of the total amount.

(9) Patreon

Patreon is a new Crowdfunding websites for fundraising just like Patreon. If you are a comic artist or make videos on Youtube or are a Podcaster then you can try Patreon. You can secure funding from this website on the recurring basis which makes sure that your project runs smoothly. Patreon was hacked in the past so make sure that you are having the backup of the project before you share on this best Crowdfunding websites.

• Pros: Recurring funding will help you in getting support for your project. There are no geographical restrictions which make it easier to secure funding.

• Limitations: There are no limitations of this website in particular but the only doubt is regarding the security measures because of the recent hacking attack.

• Commission: The platform fee charged by this website is 5%. On each transaction 4-6% amount is charged as the credit card fee.

(10) CrowdRise

One of the best things about Crowdrise is its co-founder. Edward Norton, the incredible hulk is the co-founder of the best Crowdfunding websites. You can use Crowdrise for collecting funds individually, social causes or even marathon events. The fundraiser profile which you create on Crowdrise can be shared on social media accounts which will help you in getting better exposure and more funding. There are many services which are offered by Crowdrise such as custom emails and branding, instant access to funds and redeemable reward points.

• Pros: It is very easy to use and it has been trusted by some of the best charities around the world.

• Limitations: There are no limitations as such but you will find some funny yet weird questions in the FAQ section of the website.

• Commission: 3 or 5% on each $100 secured which includes the credit card fees as well.

(11) GiveForward

GiveForward is the next top Crowdfunding sites to raise money. You can raise money for the social events. If you are an individual and want to promote your project you can use GiveForward. The Crowdfunding website has secured over $180 million for different projects. There are many additional services which are provided by GiveForward such as sending the household items to the ones who are in need, organizing meals for events etc.

• Pros: The social causes get support from numerous communities. There is no deadline requirement or goals which you have to set. You can also use the personal fundraising coaches.

• Limitations: You can use this service in the United States only.

• Commission: The platform fee for this service is 5%. For each donation which you secure the payment processing fee is (2.9% + $0.30).

(12) RocketHub

If you are looking for the top Crowdfunding sites for entrepreneurs then you can use RocketHub. The funding website is ideal for scientists, musicians, entrepreneurs, filmmakers and pretty much anyone. The platform is suitable for everyone and you can secure funding easily for your projects using this service. Even if your target is not met, you are allowed to keep all the funds. One of the reasons that RocketHub is one of the largest Crowdfunding websites is because it has been endorsed by US Department of State.

• Pros: The website is associated with big names and is quite popular. You can get funding for variety of projects.

• Limitations: The commission charges are high. If you are not able to secure the funding goal then you have to pay high costs.

• Commission: If the goal is reached then you have to pay 4% of the entire amount. If not, 8% of the donation. 4% amount is charged to the credit card handling fee.

(13) WishBerry

WishBerry is a great Crowdfunding sites for business startups in India. If you are living in India and want to secure funding then you can use Wishberry. You can get funding for different projects under Wishberry. It can be difficult to get the projects accepted at Wishberry as it follows strict rules. If the project is not complete and you have presented just ideas then it will be rejected straightaway.

• Pros: If you are residing in India then you can take advantage of Wishberry as the website is having its interest in India however anyone can contribute. Consultation provided to creating rewards and pitching the videos. Analytics support also available for campaigns.

• Limitations: No Paypal support available and all the campaigns should reach their goal before the deadline.

• Commission: The charges for approval of project are $36. 10% of the total amount is charged for the funds which are secured. There is 14% service tax on the platform fee.

(14) Ketto

If you are not happy with Wishberry and are looking for another Crowdfunding platforms to raise money online in India then you can use Ketto. You can secure funding both for the social causes as well as creative projects. 400 campaigns have secured more than $100 million on Ketto. The process to get the project approved on Ketto is relaxing as compared to Wishberry. A project manager is assigned to the project creators before it goes live.

• Pros: Even if the funding amount has not reached on the deadline, the funds are secured. There are no hard deadlines.

• Limitations: There are no limitations in particular however the information related to the usage charges is ambiguous.

• Commission: 8% is the total commission on the funds which are collected. The payment gateway charges are extra.

(15) Experiment

If you are a scientist and want to collect funds for your experiments then you can try Experiment. The website will help you in contributing towards the scientific advancements. It can be a little tricky to get the projects approved on Experiment as the approval process is a bit complex. For backing the projects there are no rewards available. The experiment comes with the all or nothing model which ensures that backers are charged only if the funding goal is met.

• Pros: Experiment is focused on scientific research and advancements. The results which are collected in the scientific findings are accessible to backers.

• Limitations: Available in United States only.

• Commission: 8% platform fee.

(16) Fig

Fig is a great platform where you can invest in games. If you are a game developer and want to raise some funds for your upcoming game then you can try Fig. Launched in August 2015, Fig is responsible for many games which are out there. If you have invested in a game which is receiving profits, you will get some part of that profit.

• Pros: If you want to develop games then this is the best platform for you to raise funds. A unique approach which is going to help the backers by getting early profits. Fig comes with the all or nothing funding feature.

• Limitations: You can have only have one to two projects active at the same time in Fig. Fig is available only in United States.

• Commission: You have to pay 5% on the total funding which has been secured. There might be 5% charge which is based on specific terms.

(17) Pledge Music

The Crowdfunding platforms to raise money online will help all the new talent to start their career in the music industry. We all know that it takes a lot of money to launch a music album. If you think that you are having what it takes to receive good funding then you can use Pledge Music to raise funds for your project. The website is quite similar to the largest Crowdfunding websites like Indiegogo and Kickstarter.

• Pros: The website is great for all the music creators and lovers out there. The user friendly interface makes it extremely easy to start the campaign. Bakers will get rewards even if they did the lowest pledge.

• Cons: We didn’t find any. It’s all good.

• Commission: You have to pay 15% of the total funds you have raised from your campaign.

(18) Sellaband

Sellaband was launched way back in 2006. The website has brought as many as 80 artists since it went live. Sellaband has raised $40 million over the period of 10 years. You can create music easily using sellaband. You are not bound to any conditions as you can make deal with any management company, music label and publishers.

• Pros: There are no conditions with this Crowdfunding website. Artists can even create their own background design as per their choice to make their campaigns attractive. You can also make a standalone web page of your own.

• Cons: Fee is quite high as compared to other crowd funding sources.

• Commission: The commission of sellaband is similar to Pledge music i.e. 15% of the total funds which you have raised.

(19) Appbackr

If you are having great idea for a mobile application and want to secure funds for it then you can use Appbackr. The crowd funding source is best platform for the developers who want to seek some funds for mobile application development. The backers can fund the application which is in state of development or is on sale right now.

• Pros: Backers will be able to get their money by baking the application.

• Cons: The entire process for the backers is little bit complicated.

• Commission: There is no fixed amount what Appbackr will charge once the funding has been raised. The commission amount depends on the price of your application.

(20) Donors Choose

If you want to raise some funds which will help children in getting good education then you can use Donors Choose. Support a classroom and build future of thousands of childrens with Donors Choose. The platform is great for all the teachers out there as they can share their projects and get funding for those ideas. The website was founded in 2002 and has secured funding for a wide range of products.

• Pros: Great initiative for those who want to help secure future of thousands of children. The user friendly interface makes it easy to set campaigns and raise fundings for projects.

• Cons: Fee is quite high and Donors Choose is available in United States only.

• Commission: 18% is the fulfillment fee which is charged by Donors Choose on all the projects. Donors can also include extra amount and specify it as the fulfillment fee.

(21) Kiva

Kiva is another fund raising platform which you can use to raise funds to educate children. If you want to raise funds for children then you can use Kiva as it is the best platform which is available out there. The fund raising website helps in providing education to the children who are in remote areas of the world where it is not easy to have proper education.

You can select the borrower and make a loan. Once the loan gets repaid then you can do the same thing again. One great thing about this website is that you can lend loans as low as $25 and repeat them again after it has been repaid.

• Pros: Available in more than 80 countries. You can raise and lend loans to a lot of people. Easy to setup campaigns and raise funds.

• Cons: We didn’t find any.

• Commission: 5% of the total amount which has been loaned.

(22) Quirky

Last but not the least is Quirky. The website is a social development company which has helped in launch of a lot of amazing products. If you are having an amazing idea and are looking for a platform to share it with thousands of members Quirky is the platform for you. The website has secure funding of $10.1 million and has helped over 290,000 projects.

• Pros: Your ideas are voted by the members which gives you a good analysis. Creating the campaigns is very easy and you can share them on social media platforms too.

• Cons: Expensive as compared to other Crowdfunding websites.

• Commission: $10 for each idea which you submit and $150 on selection of each product.

Conclusion

To pitch your idea and get funding for your dreams, you can use these top Crowdfunding sites for business startups. These are the best websites for fundraising from where you can receive funding in millions and convert your dream into a reality. Make sure your idea is creative enough so that it can be backed up.

Feel free to comment below if you think that this list of top 22 best Crowdfunding sites to raise money online helped you in any way. You may also be interested in checking out: Top 15 Best Ways to Earn Money Online Without Investment