Crowdfunding platforms can turn a crisis into a comeback, yet headlines about stalled payouts and fake fundraisers leave many donors nervous.
If those stories have you searching for GoFundMe alternatives, you’re not the only one. Whether you need help with medical bills or you’re looking for fundraising tips, you deserve a crowdfunding platform that helps you raise the most money possible while protecting your donors.
When you’re counting on donations, the site you choose can decide how much money you keep, how soon you receive it, and whether people feel confident hitting the “donate” button. In this crowdfunding platform comparison, we will help you pick the right platform for your needs so you can launch with confidence and clarity. Check out our picks for the top free GoFundMe alternatives!
Reviewing the 10 Best Alternatives to GoFundMe
Today, we’ll discuss 10 trusted crowdfunding platforms that are safe GoFundMe alternatives. These are especially good for peer-to-peer fundraising.
We’ll give a brief overview of the types of crowdfunding platforms that provide the same level of convenience and support. These trusted fundraising platform alternatives will ensure that your funds get where they need to go securely.
Below are the best sites like GoFundMe ranked by transparency, fees, and community features. We’ll discuss what makes these the best sites for your fundraising campaign.
1. AngeLink: Best For Personal Fundraising
When it comes to raising funds for medical expenses and other personal causes, AngeLink stands out as a reliable GoFundMe alternative that puts trust and community at the forefront.
What sets AngeLink apart is its commitment to integrity as a fundraising site. Every fundraiser undergoes a thorough review process before publication, ensuring your donors can give with confidence.
Fundraising Platform Overview
AngeLink offers several features that solve common fundraising problems and boost your success:
- Innovative online fundraising tools, like achievement badges to track progress
- QR code-enabled printable flyers
- Angel Grants program where they donate funds to eligible fundraisers
- Multi-platform social media integration
- Mobile fundraising through iOS and Android apps
- Fundraising ideas and tips that are available for free on the blog
- Personalized fundraising pages to make raising money easier!
AngeLink takes fraud prevention seriously and reviews each fundraiser that is created to ensure the safety of its donors and organizers. With AngeLink, users can easily and quickly create fundraisers from start to finish.
Additionally, its pre-launch fraud review and faster average payout time make it a reliable fundraising partner. If we compare AngeLink vs. GoFundMe both charge the same fees, but AngeLink offers more community support and features to help you succeed.
Pricing
The platform charges no platform fees, making it truly free to use. The only cost is a payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per donation.
TrustPilot Rating
AngeLink has received an “Excellent” rating on TrustPilot, with a score of 4.4 out of 5 stars. The platform’s commitment to community support shines through in user testimonials, particularly during crisis situations.
During Hurricane Ian, for example, AngeLink provided comprehensive support, including financial aid, essential supplies, and community assistance, demonstrating their dedication to making a real difference in people’s lives.
2. Givebutter: Best for Live Events
Givebutter shines when you need support in real time. From one dashboard, you can sell tickets, stream concerts to raise money, or launch a 5K… and then watch donations roll in on-screen. It’s especially helpful for medical fundraisers that rely on benefit galas or virtual telethons to cover urgent care costs.
Fundraising Platform Overview
These fundraising features make Givebutter a practical choice for live or hybrid fundraisers, including hospital fund drives and treatment-support events:
- Live donation page ticker that fires up on-site and online supporters
- Text-to-Donate and QR giving so gifts land in under 30 seconds
- Built-in event toolkit for ticket sales, mobile check-ins, and gentle auto-reminders
- Peer-to-peer pages that roll every mini-fundraiser into your main total, perfect for friends raising money for a shared medical goal
Pricing
Givebutter doesn’t charge a platform fee. You’ll only pay the credit card processing fee, which is 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.
Many organizers look at processing costs first. When considering AngeLink vs. Givebutter for example, it comes down to whether you’d rather rely on donors to cover the fees or pay the small card charge yourself up front.
TrustPilot Rating
Givebutter now holds a 4.2/5 rating on Trustpilot, drawn from 160+ reviews. Users praise its easy event setup and fast support, though some still mention confusion around the optional tip slider.
3. Kickstarter: Best for Creative “All-or-Nothing” Projects
Kickstarter is known to be a crowdfunding site for films, creative projects, and tech gadgets. These are projects where supporters are happy to trade money for a reward and can wait months for delivery.
Its strict all-or-nothing rule states that funds are delivered only if the full fundraising goal is met, which protects backers but can leave families empty-handed when time-sensitive medical bills arrive.
Fundraising Platform Overview
Kickstarter focuses on helping creators build momentum around a launch, not on covering urgent expenses.
- Pre-launch “Coming Soon” project page to gather followers and emails
- Real-time dashboard showing pledge trends and traffic sources
- Custom referral links to measure which partners drive the most backers
- Flexible reward tiers and add-ons to lift average pledge size
- Guides on budgeting, storytelling, and post-fundraiser fulfillment
These tools move an idea from sketchbook to the spotlight of the crowdfunding page. If the total fundraising goal is not collected by the deadline, the online fundraiser will be canceled, and the funds raised will be automatically refunded to all donors. (That’s why you should not use it for urgent medical expenses.)
Pricing
Kickstarter applies a 5% platform fee on the total amount raised, but only if you hit your funding goal. Credit card processing fees add roughly 3% with an additional $0.20 per transaction fee. If the campaign falls short, backers are never charged, and you pay nothing.
TrustPilot Rating
Kickstarter currently holds a 1.2/5 rating on TrustPilot. Creators value the large, built-in audience, yet many backers report frustration when funded projects miss delivery deadlines and the platform offers limited refund options.
4. Patreon: Best for Recurring Membership Communities
Patreon is a crowdfunding site for creative projects, sports teams, and creators of just about anything who trade bonus content for recurring donations while keeping the donors engaged. It operates as a social network.
That subscription rhythm rewards long-term creativity, but it usually moves too slowly for families facing immediate medical costs.
Fundraising Platform Overview
Patreon’s tools deepen fan engagement rather than drive urgent, one-time giving:
- Tiered memberships with custom prices and perks
- Patron-only posts, audio, video, and newsletters in one feed
- Discord, Shopify, and Vimeo integrations for richer community rewards
- Analytics that track churn, pledge upgrades, and top supporters
- “Merch for Membership” program that ships branded swag automatically
These features can build recurring donations, yet they’re rarely fast enough to close a sudden hospital invoice gap.
Pricing
Patreon takes a platform cut before payment fees. Now they operate with a single Standard plan at 10%. All tiers still pay the usual 2.9% per transaction fee with the additional $0.30 per pledge.
TrustPilot Rating
Patreon holds a 1.3/5 score on Trustpilot. Fans like the predictable payouts. Critics point to account holds, refund hurdles, and slow support responses.
5. FreeFunder: Best for Social-Sharing Incentives
FreeFunder is built for personal causes and relies on viral reach: the more you share, the more the platform chips in, making it a smart pick if your friends and family are active on social networks.
Fundraising Platform Overview
FreeFunder suits personal causes that can catch momentum on social media. Every share matters. When friends pass your link along, FreeFunder adds a little extra to the funds collected, so your reach and your funds grow at the same time.
It’s handy when a medical bill lands and you need to spread the word fast.
- Zero-fee fundraisers that keep every donated dollar in your account
- FreeFunder donation forms (with up to $70 extra) unlocked by hitting Facebook-share milestones
- Text-to-Donate tool for quick giving at in-person events
- Simple fundraiser builder and social-media buttons for instant posting
- Team-member access so friends can help manage updates and thank-yous
These tools reward frequent sharing and make it easy for supporters to spread your story.
Pricing
FreeFunder never takes a platform cut. The only cost is the credit card processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, and donors can choose to cover that fee at checkout.
TrustPilot Rating
FreeFunder holds a 4.6/5 score on Trustpilot. Users praise the true zero-fee model and say customer support is quick to help if questions pop up. When choosing between AngeLink vs. FreeFunder, consider that both keep platform costs at zero, but FreeFunder’s extras depend on social share milestones.
6. Bonfire: Best for T-Shirt Fundraising
Another top alternative to GoFundMe is Bonfire. What sets Bonfire apart from other crowdfunding platforms is its T-shirt design tool. Supporters get a custom t-shirt they’ll love. You receive the funds, and you never have to pack or ship a single box.
There is also a wide variety of design choices and customization options in this alternative to GoFundMe. With Bonfire, you can raise funds and show appreciation inside your online fundraising platform.
Fundraising Platform Overview
Create a shirt once, share your link, and Bonfire prints and mails every order for you.
- Free design tools with ready-made templates and font libraries
- Direct-to-supporter shipping, so you never handle inventory, ideal for sports teams
- Organization profiles that show all your active fundraising efforts in one place
- Peer-to-peer online fundraising option for team drives or school clubs
- Integrations with Facebook, Instagram, and Givebutter for simple cross-promotion
- Extra nonprofit perks like downloadable supporter lists and verified badges
Pricing
Starting a Bonfire fundraiser costs nothing. You choose the shirt price and keep every dollar above Bonfire’s base printing cost. If a supporter adds an extra gift at checkout, Bonfire takes a processing fee of 8%, or 3.5% for verified nonprofits, but the shirts themselves carry no platform charge.
TrustPilot Rating
Bonfire holds a 4.7/5 rating on TrustPilot, drawn from more than 4,000 reviews. Supporters highlight quick shipping and quality prints, while organizers appreciate the hands-off fulfillment and responsive customer service.
7. Indiegogo: Best for Flexible Funding and Pre-Orders
Indiegogo is a crowdfunding site that opens the door for creative projects, school projects and early adopters to meet in the same space. Whether you’re testing an idea, taking pre-orders, or keeping momentum alive after a successful launch, the platform’s flexible options help you gather support on your own terms. It’s great for creators but it’s not the space you would typically find medical fundraising efforts.
Fundraising Platform Overview
Think of Indiegogo as a toolkit for getting new products off the ground, then keeping them in the spotlight thanks to a detailed crowdfunding page.
- Flexible or fixed funding, so you can choose to keep what you raise or collect only if you meet the goal
- “InDemand” store that lets you keep accepting orders after the fundraiser timer ends
- Add-on perks and perk bundles to lift average pledge size
- Detailed traffic and conversion analytics to show which outreach efforts work best
- Partner services for design, manufacturing, and shipping once you’re ready to fulfill
Pricing
Indiegogo charges a 5% platform fee on what you raise. The Standard payment processing fee adds 3% plus $0.20 per pledge (for U.S. cards – international cards cost a bit more). If you choose fixed funding and don’t reach your goal, backers aren’t charged and you owe nothing.
TrustPilot Rating
Indiegogo currently holds a 1.4/5 rating on Trustpilot. Creators value the built-in audience and post-fundraiser store, while some backers note frustration when products ship late or fail to deliver and refunds are limited.
8. Fundly: Best for Grassroots Storytelling Fundraisers
When a sudden diagnosis or an unexpected hospital bill rocks your world, Fundly helps you share the journey in words, photos, and video so neighbors, classmates, and even distant relatives can rally around you.
Fundraising Platform Overview
Fundly puts your story front and center, crucial for medical fundraisers where donors want regular, heartfelt updates.
- Customizable fundraiser page with bold header images and color choices
- Photo and video galleries that document treatment milestones or daily life in recovery
- Live activity feed showing every new gift and comment in real time
- One-click Facebook sharing built into each update so friends can spread the word fast
- Email-blast tools to thank donors and share test results, procedure dates, or progress notes
These features make it easy to keep supporters informed and emotionally connected throughout a lengthy medical journey.
Pricing
Fundly now operates on a 0% platform-fee model. You’ll pay only the standard Stripe processing charge of 2.9 % + $0.30 per donation. Donors can elect to cover that cost at checkout.
TrustPilot Rating
Fundly currently holds a 2.9/5 rating on Trustpilot, based on only a handful of reviews. Users like the easy page builder and multimedia layout, though some wish the fees were lower and the support hours longer.
9. Mightycause: Best for Nonprofit Organizations and Data-Heavy Medical Fundraisers
When your online fundraiser site needs more than a simple donation form (think recurring gifts, matching grants, or a Giving Day) Mightycause provides the back-office tools to keep every spreadsheet and receipt in order.
Fundraising Platform Overview
Mightycause is a crowdfunding platform that helps you nurture supporters through a long medical journey or an annual appeal.
It is often used for nonprofit organizations and even for scientific research. The platform offers:
- Peer-to-peer and team pages that roll individual drives into one total
- Giving Day fundraising features: match funding, live leaderboards, and prize incentives
- Donor management dashboard for receipts, recurring gifts, and year-end reports
- Embeddable widgets and a donation page with thermometers you can embed in your own website
- Custom landing pages and update sections so families can post treatment milestones and photos
These options let you track every gift, thank every donor, and keep medical supporters informed without juggling extra software.
Pricing
The Essentials plan charges no cover fees. You pay only the payment processing fee (about 2.2% + $0.30 for nonprofit organizations, 2.9% + $0.29 for personal fundraisers). Upgrading to the Advanced plan adds donor analytics and costs a 1.2% platform fee.
TrustPilot Rating
MightyCause currently has a 3.2/5 rating on Trustpilot. Organizers appreciate the built-in CRM features. A few note a learning curve when setting up their first Giving Day.
10. Donorbox: Best for Recurring Gifts and Ongoing Medical Costs
When treatment stretches on for months (or years) steady, predictable support matters. Donorbox helps families and nonprofit organizations embed sleek donation forms anywhere online, turning one-time visitors into faithful monthly givers.
Fundraising Platform Overview
Think of Donorbox as a plug-and-play fundraising page you can drop into any website or blog post.
- Embeddable forms that accept cards, PayPal, ACH, Apple Pay, crypto, and even stock gifts
- Quick-start recurring plans so backers can cover weekly chemo trips or long-term therapy
- Peer-to-peer pages and crowdfunding options for friends who want to fundraise on your behalf
- Text-to-Give keywords that keep donation forms flowing during hospital fundraisers or awareness walks
- Donor management dashboard for receipts, end-of-year summaries, and heartfelt thank-you notes
These tools let you keep supporters close and informed while medical bills keep coming.
Pricing
The Standard (free) plan carries a platform fee of 2.95% to 3.95%, plus payment processor rates are 2.9% + $0.30. Upgrading to Pro or Premium lowers the platform fee to 1.75% to 2%. Donors may cover all fees at checkout.
Donors can opt to cover all fees at checkout, protecting your total.
TrustPilot Rating
Donorbox holds a 2.7/5 on Trustpilot. Users appreciate the broad payment options and simple fundraising pages, though some mention fee confusion and occasional payout delays.
Ready to Launch Your Fundraiser?
We’ve explored the best GoFundMe alternatives and how each serves a different need: live events, merch sales, creative launches, and more. But when the bills are mounting and you need donations in days (not weeks), AngeLink remains the best fundraising platform to get more funds for your medical costs.
Zero payout fees and a human review on every fundraiser mean you spend less time worrying about security or hidden costs and more time focusing on care.
Start your AngeLink fundraiser now and turn community compassion into real-world relief.