Best GoFundMe alternatives for nonprofits

Table of Contents

1. How Does GoFundMe Work?
2. Why Should You Consider a GoFundMe Alternative?
3. Top GoFundMe Alternatives for Nonprofits
4. Side-by-Side Fee and Feature Comparison
5. How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Organization
6. Frequently Asked Questions

From medical bill fundraisers to entrepreneurial kickstarting campaigns, it seems as though everyone has set up a GoFundMe at some point. Over the years, the site has made quite a name for itself as the go-to fundraising platform on the internet.

Since the birth of the site, many other online fundraising platforms have popped up, and some offer the same product for a better price. For example, BetterWorld offers an impressive arsenal of tools, gorgeously designed templates, and more — all for a much lower price than GoFundMe – free.

In addition to BetterWorld, there are a variety of excellent online fundraising platforms that could provide your nonprofit with a more profitable alternative to GoFundMe.

How Does GoFundMe Work?

GoFundMe is a crowdfunding platform founded in 2010 that lets individuals and organizations create public donation pages to raise money online. After creating a page, fundraisers add their story, photos, or videos, set a goal, and share the link via email and social media. GoFundMe holds funds until the organizer requests a withdrawal. The platform charges no platform fee but collects a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction from every donation.

Why Should You Consider a GoFundMe Alternative?

GoFundMe works for personal campaigns, but nonprofits often outgrow it quickly. Here are the two main limitations to consider:

GoFundMe Fees Add Up

GoFundMe charges donors a 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee on every gift. On a $10,000 campaign, that's roughly $320 leaving your organization. Some alternatives — including BetterWorld — allow donors to optionally cover that fee themselves, so your nonprofit keeps close to 100% of every dollar raised.

Limited Fundraising Tools

GoFundMe is crowdfunding-only. Nonprofits looking to run online auctions, ticketed galas, peer-to-peer campaigns, giveaways, or recurring monthly giving programs will need a different platform. GoFundMe doesn't offer any of those options.

Some of the Top GoFundMe Alternatives

When exploring your options, we suggest taking a look at the following online fundraising platforms.

 BetterWorld — Best Overall for Nonprofits

BetterWorld is a free nonprofit fundraising platform that charges zero platform fees and gives organizations access to a full suite of fundraising tools. Founded to serve nonprofits, schools, PTOs, and faith-based organizations, BetterWorld goes far beyond crowdfunding.

Key features:

• Online auctions (live and silent)
• Peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
• Ticketed events (galas, dinners, concerts)
• Giveaways and prize-based fundraisers
• Monthly giving / recurring donation programs
• Fully branded donation pages with custom templates
• Automatic donor tip coverage — most donors opt to cover the 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee

Fee example: On a $10,000 campaign, a BetterWorld nonprofit typically keeps $9,700–$10,000, depending on donor tip coverage. The platform itself charges nothing.

BetterWorld is funded through voluntary donor contributions rather than mandatory fees — making it uniquely aligned with nonprofit needs.

GiveButter — Best for Mid-Size Nonprofits With Flexible Budgets

GiveButter is a nonprofit fundraising platform that supports crowdfunding, peer-to-peer events, auctions, and live events. Like BetterWorld, it allows custom-branded donation pages with embedded video and interactive touchpoints.

Key features:

• Crowdfunding, P2P, auctions, and events
• Custom branded pages with video embeds
• Donor 'tip' model for platform fee coverage

Fee structure: GiveButter uses an optional 'tip' model. If your organization opts out of tips, you pay platform fees directly: 1% for a donation page, 3% for a fundraising page, and 5% for events or auctions — on top of the 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee.

Fee example: A $10,000 event campaign with tips turned off costs roughly $800 in combined fees (5% platform + processing). With tips on, donors cover platform costs.

 Donorbox — Best for Recurring Giving Programs

Donorbox is a nonprofit fundraising platform specializing in recurring donations, embeddable donation forms, and donor management. It integrates directly into your existing website and is widely used by organizations focused on building a reliable monthly donor base.

Key features:

• Recurring/monthly giving with donor portal
• Embeddable donation forms
• Crowdfunding campaigns
• Donor management dashboard

Fee structure: Donorbox charges 0% platform fee on up to $1,000/month, then 1.75% above that. Processing fees are 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction via Stripe.

Fee example: On a $10,000 month, Donorbox charges approximately $157.50 in platform fees plus processing costs.

Fundly — Best for Simple Individual Crowdfunding

Fundly is a crowdfunding platform available to individuals and nonprofits that prioritizes mobile-friendly campaign pages and social media sharing. It follows a similar format to GoFundMe but with stronger mobile optimization.

Key features:

• Mobile-first campaign pages
• Social media integration for easy sharing
• Video and photo embedding

Fee structure: Fundly charges a 4.9% platform fee plus the standard 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee — making it one of the more expensive options on this list.

Fee example: On a $10,000 campaign, Fundly collects approximately $490 in platform fees plus processing costs — significantly more than BetterWorld or Donorbox.

Finding the Right Online Fundraising Platform For Your Organization

There are many online fundraising platforms that you can use as an alternative to GoFundMe but you won’t find a better option than BetterWorld. From online auctions to in-person ticketing for galas, parties, and other events, we have all of the tools you need to organize and produce a successful fundraising effort. The best part? It’s all 100% free for nonprofits, schools, PTOs, and other organizations!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best free alternative to GoFundMe for nonprofits?

BetterWorld is the best free GoFundMe alternative for nonprofits. It charges no platform fee, offers a broader range of fundraising tools than GoFundMe, and allows donors to optionally cover the credit card processing fee so organizations typically keep close to 100% of what they raise.

2. Does GoFundMe charge a platform fee?

GoFundMe does not charge a platform fee, but it does charge a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per donation. On a $10,000 campaign, that totals approximately $320 in processing fees — which your organization absorbs unless donors voluntarily add a tip.

3. Can nonprofits use GoFundMe?

Yes, nonprofits can use GoFundMe, but the platform's tools are limited to crowdfunding. Nonprofits that want to run auctions, ticketed events, peer-to-peer campaigns, giveaways, or recurring giving programs will need a more full-featured platform like BetterWorld.

4. What GoFundMe alternative has the lowest fees?

BetterWorld has the lowest effective fees of any major fundraising platform — $0 in platform fees, with processing fees frequently offset by donor tip coverage. Donorbox is also low-cost, charging 0% on the first $1,000/month and 1.75% above that, plus standard processing fees.

5. Is Fundly better than GoFundMe?

Fundly is not better than GoFundMe on price — it charges a 4.9% platform fee that GoFundMe doesn't. Fundly's advantage is mobile optimization and social media integration. For most nonprofits, both BetterWorld and Donorbox offer better value than either platform.

6. What fundraising platform is best for schools and PTOs?

BetterWorld is designed specifically for schools, PTOs, and community organizations as well as nonprofits. It offers free access to auctions, giveaways, peer-to-peer fundraising, and ticketed events — all at no platform cost, which makes it particularly well-suited for volunteer-run organizations with limited budgets.

Ready to raise more for your cause?

BetterWorld gives nonprofits, schools, and PTOs everything they need to fundraise effectively — at no cost. Start your free fundraiser today or schedule a free demo to see why thousands of organizations trust BetterWorld over GoFundMe and other alternatives.