# Donation crowdfunding · Switzerland

Which platform delivers the most of every franc to Swiss recipients — and what the tax rules expect from donors and fundraisers across 26 cantons.

Switzerland runs on TWINT: the homegrown mobile wallet is accepted by roughly 86% of Swiss online shops and now clears hundreds of millions of payments a year, charitable giving included. Because TWINT settles bank-to-bank at a low fee (around 1.3% for a QR-code donation), platforms that pass that cost through deliver far more of each franc to the recipient than those routing gifts over credit-card rails.

Swiss charities that hold public-benefit (gemeinnützig) status — often signalled by the voluntary ZEWO seal — can give donors a receipt that is deductible on income tax. But the donor and fundraiser sides of the tax question differ, and both turn on the canton, which is why this guide splits them below.

On the payments side the financial-market regulator is FINMA; charitable tax-exemption is granted by the cantonal and federal tax authorities. Donor data sits under the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (revFADP, in force since 2023) — broadly aligned with the GDPR — so platforms with Swiss or EEA data residency carry a lighter compliance burden.

## Facts

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Currency | CHF |
| Regulators | FINMA, Cantonal tax authorities, ZEWO |
| Payment methods | twint, card, bank-transfer, paypal |

## Platforms

1. **WhyDonate** — £98.35/£100 · EU/CH nonprofits — 0% fee, TWINT-ready
2. **iRaiser** — £97.85/£100 · Established European nonprofits, foundations, hospitals, and cultural institutions that want branded, self-hosted fundraising tools — forms, peer-to-peer, crowdfunding, and events — under their own identity.
3. **Leetchi** — £96.85/£100 · Group collections across the DACH region
4. **GoFundMe** — £96.80/£100 · Personal causes — broad brand reach
5. **Donorbox** — £94.55/£100 · Embeddable donation forms with Swiss receipts
6. **Fundraise Up** — £93.50/£100 · Mid-size and large nonprofits running international online fundraising that want to maximize donation conversion with modern wallets, local payment rails, and multi-currency checkout.
7. **GoGetFunding** — £92.80/£100 · Individual fundraisers running personal, medical, or emergency campaigns who prefer a fundraiser-paid platform fee over donor tipping, with broad international country availability.
8. **Chuffed** — £92.20/£100 · Nonprofits, social enterprises, and community-cause organisers in 29 supported countries who want a 100%-free, tip-funded platform and are willing to complete identity verification before launching.
9. **Steady** — £87.10/£100 · European creators, independent journalists, podcasters, and publishers who want recurring income from paying members rather than one-off donation campaigns.

## FAQ

### Which platforms work in Switzerland?

The platforms in the table above support TWINT and Swiss payouts. Swiss-focused options like wemakeit, Lokalhelden (Raiffeisen) and HappyPot sit alongside international platforms, and RaiseNow powers TWINT donation flows for many Swiss charities. Those that pass through the low TWINT fee deliver more of each franc than card-first platforms.

### Are donations tax-deductible in Switzerland?

Yes, if the recipient is a Swiss tax-exempt (public-benefit) organisation. At federal level you can deduct once your annual giving exceeds CHF 100, up to 20% of net income; cantonal caps vary from about 5% (Neuchâtel) to unlimited (Basel-Landschaft). Gifts to individuals or private campaigns are not deductible.

### Will I be taxed on money I raise?

There is no federal gift tax, but most cantons levy one on the recipient based on the donor’s canton. Spouses and direct descendants are generally exempt, and small occasional gifts are usually allowance-free (e.g. CHF 5,000 in Zürich). Many small public gifts for a genuine cause are typically untaxed, and a recognised charity is exempt. If donors get goods or services back, it may be income or VAT instead.

### What’s the cheapest way to receive donations here?

A platform that passes through TWINT’s low fee. On a CHF 100 gift a ~1.3% TWINT fee beats typical card percentages, so the method matters as much as the platform brand.