StartSomeGood
Nonprofits, social entrepreneurs, and changemakers running social-impact crowdfunding campaigns who want a flexible 'tipping point' funding model rather than strict all-or-nothing.
An Australian crowdfunding platform founded in 2011 for nonprofits, social entrepreneurs, and changemakers, with a 5% success fee plus about 2.9% payment processing and a flexible 'tipping point' funding model.
- Headquartered in
- AU
- Funding model
- Fixed platform fee
- Platform fee
- 5%
- Payment processing fee
- 2.9% + A$0.00
- Recipient gets
- A$92.10 / A$100
- Data residency
- —
- Countries
- 23
- Languages
- 1
- Last updated
- 2026-06-10
Our overall editorial assessment. Full weights are published in the methodology.
The review
StartSomeGood is an Australian crowdfunding platform founded in 2011 to help nonprofits, social entrepreneurs, and changemakers raise money for social-impact projects. It positions itself specifically around doing good rather than general consumer or product crowdfunding, hosting campaigns from community initiatives and social enterprises.
Its fee model is success-based: StartSomeGood charges a 5% platform fee on funds raised only if a campaign reaches its goal, with payment-processing fees of around 2.9% handled by third-party processors such as Stripe and PayPal. Campaign creators can choose to absorb these fees themselves or pass them on to donors at checkout.
A distinctive feature is its flexible funding structure: rather than a strict all-or-nothing threshold, creators set a 'tipping point', a minimum amount that, once reached, releases the funds raised even if the full goal is not met. This lowers the risk for early-stage social projects. The trade-off is that StartSomeGood is a smaller, niche platform focused on social impact, so it carries less mainstream brand reach than general crowdfunding giants.
The platform also runs an academy and supporting resources for changemakers, reflecting a mission-led orientation toward capacity-building rather than purely transactional fundraising. It is best understood as a values-driven crowdfunding home for social entrepreneurs rather than a general personal-fundraising site.
What’s good, what’s not.
- ✓Mission-focused platform dedicated to nonprofits, social entrepreneurs, and changemakers.
- ✓Success-based 5% platform fee charged only if a campaign reaches its goal.
- ✓Flexible 'tipping point' model releases funds once a minimum is reached, not strict all-or-nothing.
- ✓Option to pass platform and processing fees to donors or absorb them.
- ✓Payment processing via established providers (Stripe, PayPal) at around 2.9%.
- ✓Academy and resources support campaigners beyond fundraising mechanics.
- −Smaller, niche platform with less mainstream brand reach than major crowdfunding sites.
- −5% platform fee plus around 2.9% processing is higher than tip-based or 0%-platform competitors.
- −Funds are only released once the 'tipping point' is reached; falling short can mean no payout.
- −The public-facing site is largely JavaScript-rendered, making fee and policy details harder to access directly.
Where each A$100 actually goes.
Fees vary by payment method. We default to Credit card because that’s the dominant method in Australia.
23 countries · 1 languages · 1 payment methods.
Better-fit alternatives to StartSomeGood.
Our curated shortlist — the platforms we’d actively recommend instead of StartSomeGood for fundraising in Australia, with the figures behind the call. For the full, neutral index of every side-by-side, see Compare with below.
WhyDonate lets more of each donation through than StartSomeGood — A$97.80 reaches the recipient per 100, against A$92.10.
Zeffy lets more of each donation through than StartSomeGood — A$100.00 reaches the recipient per 100, against A$92.10.
JustGiving lets more of each donation through than StartSomeGood — A$97.80 reaches the recipient per 100, against A$92.10.
See how StartSomeGood stacks up head-to-head.
Frequently asked questions
What does StartSomeGood charge?
StartSomeGood charges a 5% platform fee and 2.9% + A$0.00 in payment processing per donation.
Where is StartSomeGood based?
StartSomeGood was founded in — and is headquartered in AU. Data residency is unspecified.
Which countries does StartSomeGood operate in?
StartSomeGood operates in 23 countries including major European markets and English-speaking markets.
Is StartSomeGood suitable for nonprofits?
StartSomeGood’s primary audience is individual fundraisers and groups; nonprofits can use the platform but may find specialized alternatives better suited.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.