Crowdfunding platform fees compared (2026)

Three ways platforms make money

A fixed percentage per donation is the clearest: you know in advance how much the platform keeps. Doneeractie and Steunactie work this way, with 6% plus a fixed amount per donation. DonoLink charges 3.5% plus Stripe’s transaction fees.

Other platforms charge organisers no platform fee but ask donors for an optional contribution at checkout. GoFundMe, Whydonate and HelloAsso work like this. You keep more as the organiser, while your donors may give the platform something extra. Leetchi takes a third approach: you only pay when you transfer the money to your bank account, at a percentage that depends on the total raised.

Watch out for transaction fees and VAT

Almost every platform charges transaction fees, because payment providers aren’t free. Sometimes they’re included in the percentage, sometimes they come on top and sometimes they vary by payment method: a card payment usually costs more than a local bank payment. So look at the fees for the payment methods your donors actually use.

In December 2024 the Dutch consumer authority ACM called seven donation platforms to account, including GoFundMe, Whydonate, Doneeractie and Steunactie. According to the ACM, platforms must state clearly how much they deduct from a donation, VAT included, before you start a campaign. Information hidden behind an info icon or a link you have to click is not enough. It’s a good rule of thumb wherever you fundraise.

Worked example: what’s left from €25?

The table compares the platforms that are well known in your country, using the rates on their official pricing pages. For each platform you can see what’s left from a €25 donation with the payment method shown. Any tip donors pay on top of their gift isn’t included, so with tip-based platforms your donors may pay more than €25.

Rounded examples using the payment method shown, excluding any tip donors pay on top of their gift. Fees can change; always check the platform’s current page.

Costs that don’t fit in a table

Some costs only show up later. With all-or-nothing platforms you get nothing if you miss your goal, and you pay commission on the total if you succeed. At Leetchi, the payment provider charges account fees if the money hasn’t been spent after ten months. And in Spain, migranodearena only works for NGOs registered in Spain, with a 5% commission plus payment costs.

Also count the time a campaign takes, and the cost of any rewards you’d have to send. DonoLink has no rewards and no all-or-nothing: every donation comes through and there’s nothing to post.

What DonoLink charges

Your account and campaigns are free. DonoLink keeps 3.5% of each donation and Stripe charges its transaction fees per payment method. There’s no subscription, no tip request to your donors and DonoLink doesn’t charge for payouts. Further down this page you’ll find which payment methods and Stripe rates apply in your country.

How to choose the right platform

Ask yourself these questions before you choose:

• Do you want the lowest deduction and don’t mind your donors being asked for a tip? Look at tip-based platforms.
• Do you prefer a fixed percentage with no tip requests? Compare the percentages and the transaction fees per payment method.
• Are you a French association? HelloAsso charges associations nothing and offers donors the option of a voluntary contribution.
• Do you want several campaigns on one profile, with updates and a supporters’ wall, and every donation reaching you whatever happens with your goal? Then DonoLink is a good fit.

Read next: GoFundMe alternative: fees and differences compared

What goes into your campaign

A DonoLink campaign is a page of its own with a title, a one-line summary of what it’s about, a goal and an end date. At the top you add a cover photo or a YouTube video, followed by your story and a gallery of up to six photos. You pick an accent colour and the amounts you suggest to donors. Visitors can see at a glance how much has been raised, what share of the goal that is, how many people have chipped in and how many days are left.

Along the way you post updates with a title, text and an optional photo, so everyone can see what the money is doing. The supporters’ wall shows who donated, by name or as ‘Anonymous’, together with their message. You decide whether amounts are shown and whether anonymous donations are allowed. You can share your campaign on WhatsApp, with a link to copy or with a QR code for a poster or flyer. All your campaigns sit together on your profile page.

Keep-it-all: every donation reaches you

With DonoLink, every successful donation comes through, even if you don’t reach your goal. After the end date the campaign closes to new donations, but the page stays online so everyone can look back at what you achieved together. Payouts go through your own connected Stripe account; Stripe asks you to verify your identity.

This is always donation crowdfunding. Donors don’t get a return, shares or a loan repayment, and there are no rewards or perks. People who give are simply backing your cause.

Linky helps you get started

When you sign up, Linky, DonoLink’s mascot, asks what you want to do and who you’re raising money for. Then you set up your first campaign together with a title, a goal and an end date. During the campaign Linky gives you a shout at milestones, such as your first donation or reaching half your goal, and a gentle nudge if you haven’t posted an update for a week. That makes crowdfunding easy, even if you’ve never run a fundraiser before.

Payments and fees in your country

If you run your campaign in France, use donolink.fr. Your donors pay by bank card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. DonoLink keeps 3.5% of each donation; Stripe charges its processing fees separately. For a standard card from the European Economic Area, Stripe's public rate is 1.5% + €0.25, and other cards cost more. From a €25 donation with a standard card you keep about €23.49. There is no subscription, and DonoLink never asks your donors for a tip.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Stripe: pricing
• ACM (Dutch consumer authority): donation platforms clearer about fees