GoFundMe vs Snowball Fundraising
Individual fundraisers in the US, UK, and English-speaking markets running personal causes (medical, memorial, emergencies) where brand reach matters more than EU data residency.
Small and mid-sized US nonprofits that want donation forms, text-to-give, online auctions and event ticketing in one platform with US-based bilingual support, fundraising domestically in US dollars.
Each platform is priced in its own currency: GoFundMe in AUD, Snowball Fundraising in USD.
Per-method pricing.
| Payment method | Per transaction | Of A$100, recipient gets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| iDEAL | 2.9% + A$0.25 | A$96.85 | One per-donation transaction fee, identical across methods; no iDEAL-specific rate. |
| Credit card | 2.2% + A$0.30 | A$97.50 | Single per-donation transaction fee, same on every method; varies by country (UK 2.9% + GBP 0.25, US 2.9% + USD 0.30, AU 2.2% + AUD 0.30). |
| PayPal | 2.9% + A$0.25 | A$96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Apple Pay | 2.9% + A$0.25 | A$96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Google Pay | 2.9% + A$0.25 | A$96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Bank Transfer | 2.9% + A$0.25 | A$96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Venmo | 2.9% + A$0.30 | A$96.80 | US-only; same 2.9% + USD 0.30 transaction fee. |
Side-by-side.
| Metric | GoFundMe | Snowball Fundraising |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient gets (per 100) | A$96.80 | $96.80 |
| Platform fee | 0% | 0% |
| Payment processing fee | 2.9% + A$0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Trustpilot | 3.3 (23,930)★ winner | — (0) |
| Country coverage | 20 countries★ winner | 1 countries |
| Data residency | US | US |
| Languages | 7★ winner | 0 |
| Payment methods supported | 7★ winner | 1 |
Winner by category.
Fees are level on a credit-card donation.
3.3 vs — on Trustpilot.
20 vs 1 countries.
Both share the same residency posture.
Choose based on who you are.
Individual fundraisers in the US, UK, and English-speaking markets running personal causes (medical, memorial, emergencies) where brand reach matters more than EU data residency.
- ✓Largest global brand in donation crowdfunding with strong organic discoverability
- ✓0% platform fee since 2017 (donor tips fund the platform)
- ✓Wide international country coverage and currency support
- ✓Established trust signals through high-profile media coverage
Small and mid-sized US nonprofits that want donation forms, text-to-give, online auctions and event ticketing in one platform with US-based bilingual support, fundraising domestically in US dollars.
- ✓All-in-one toolkit: donation forms, text-to-give and text-to-bid, online auctions, event ticketing, recurring gifts and donor CRM.
- ✓Free Starter tier available, with paid annual plans that remove the platform fee and speed payouts to 1-2 days.
- ✓Used by more than 15,000 US nonprofits, with US-based bilingual (English/Spanish) support.
- ✓Payments processed by Stripe; the company states no hidden platform fees beyond the chosen plan and processing.
A third option.
Dutch and other social-impact initiators running Global-Goals-aligned campaigns who value personal coaching and community-building over a high-volume, self-serve crowdfunding marketplace.
Other comparisons.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, GoFundMe or Snowball Fundraising?
Of every 100 donated, GoFundMe delivers approximately A$96.80 to the recipient and Snowball Fundraising delivers approximately $96.80. Real costs depend on the payment method donors choose.
Which is better for European nonprofits?
Both platforms operate inside the EEA framework. Choose based on local payment-method coverage and language support.
Which platform has more country coverage?
GoFundMe operates in 20 countries; Snowball Fundraising operates in 1.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.