Pledge vs Steady
US-based individuals, nonprofits and purpose-driven companies that want a free-to-start fundraiser with a wide range of giving methods - cards, ACH, PayPal, Venmo, stock, donor-advised funds and crypto - plus Shopify and API-based embedded giving.
European creators, independent journalists, podcasters, and publishers who want recurring income from paying members rather than one-off donation campaigns.
Of every 100 donated, Pledge delivers 9.70 more per 100 to the recipient than Steady.
Each platform is priced in its own currency: Pledge in USD, Steady in GBP.
Side-by-side.
| Metric | Pledge | Steady |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient gets (per 100) | $96.80★ winner | £87.10 |
| Platform fee | 0%★ winner | 10% |
| Payment processing fee | 2.9% + $0.30★ winner | 2.9% + £0.00 |
| Trustpilot | — (0) | 2.6 (4)★ winner |
| Country coverage | 1 countries | 32 countries★ winner |
| Data residency | US | — |
| Languages | 1 | 5★ winner |
| Payment methods supported | 10★ winner | 4 |
Winner by category.
$96.80 vs £87.10 reaches the recipient.
— vs 2.6 on Trustpilot.
32 vs 1 countries.
Both share the same residency posture.
Choose based on who you are.
US-based individuals, nonprofits and purpose-driven companies that want a free-to-start fundraiser with a wide range of giving methods - cards, ACH, PayPal, Venmo, stock, donor-advised funds and crypto - plus Shopify and API-based embedded giving.
- ✓No mandatory platform fee - funded by optional donor tipping, with most donors choosing to cover the fees.
- ✓Exceptionally broad giving methods: cards, ACH, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, stock, donor-advised funds and cryptocurrency.
- ✓Donations are regranted through the Pledgeling Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity, with multi-state US fundraising compliance.
- ✓Shopify "Give & Grow" app and embedded-giving APIs and widgets for e-commerce and product integrations.
European creators, independent journalists, podcasters, and publishers who want recurring income from paying members rather than one-off donation campaigns.
- ✓Purpose-built recurring-membership tooling for creators, journalists, and publishers.
- ✓Free to register and create a project; fees apply only once you earn.
- ✓European data handling with multi-currency support (euro, pound, Swiss franc, US dollar).
- ✓Members can pay by card, PayPal, Apple Pay, and SEPA direct debit.
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, Pledge or Steady?
Of every 100 donated, Pledge delivers approximately $96.80 to the recipient and Steady delivers approximately £87.10. 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?
Pledge operates in 1 countries; Steady operates in 32.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.