The best idea still loses money if the platform takes too big a cut. Start with both.
Proven ways to raise money: a personal campaign with a clear story; a peer-to-peer push where supporters raise from their own networks; a challenge or event (a run, a bake sale, a livestream); recurring community giving; and matching drives where a sponsor doubles gifts. Most of these generate many small donations.
| Platform | Est. fees on $5,000 | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Ralli — flat 2% + low-cost rails | $150 | 3.0% |
| GiveSendGo | $435 | 8.7% |
| GoFundMe | $445 | 8.9% |
| Donorbox | $558 | 11.2% |
| Indiegogo | $600 | 12.0% |
Estimated fees on a $5,000 raise across 1,000 small contributions; actual rates vary by country and payment method.
Because good ideas produce lots of small gifts, the platform's per-donation fee decides how much survives. A flat 2% plus low-cost bank rails keeps more than a 0%-platform site with per-gift processing — and Ralli pays direct to your own bank, non-custodial, typically within about 48 hours.
Run your own numbers — free, no sign-up.
Open the fee calculator →A personal campaign with a clear story, peer-to-peer drives, events and challenges, recurring community giving, and matching drives where a sponsor doubles gifts.
Use a flat fee with low-cost bank rails, and watch the per-gift card processing that dominates on small donations.
With Ralli, direct to your own bank account — non-custodial, typically within about 48 hours.
Fee comparison calculator · Patreon alternatives · Kickstarter alternatives · Ko-fi alternatives · GoFundMe fees · Patreon fees
Figures are estimates based on each platform's published fee structure and typical processing rates, which vary by country and payment method. Platform names belong to their respective owners; Ralli is not affiliated with them.