GoFundMe
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.
The world's largest crowdfunding platform for personal causes, with a tip-based 0% platform fee model and broad international reach across 19+ countries.
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquartered in
- US
- Audience
- Individuals, Medical, Memorial, Emergencies, Nonprofits
- Funding model
- Keep What You Raise
- Platform fee
- 0% + tip
- Payment processing fee
- 2.9% + €0.30
- Recipient gets
- €96.80 / €100
- Data residency
- US
- Countries
- 20
- Languages
- 7
- Trustpilot
- 3.3 / 5
- Last updated
- 2026-06-10
Our overall editorial assessment. Full weights are published in the methodology.
The review
GoFundMe is the largest donation crowdfunding platform in the world by volume and brand recognition, founded in 2010 in San Diego. The platform pioneered the personal-fundraising category — medical expenses, memorials, emergencies, and individual causes — and operates in 19+ countries with localized currency support.
The pricing model is tip-based: GoFundMe removed its 5% platform fee for personal fundraisers in 2017 and now relies on voluntary donor tips at the point of donation to fund platform operations. Payment processing fees are charged on top and approximate 2.9% + a fixed amount per donation in the US (figures vary by region — verify current pricing on GoFundMe's help center).
For nonprofits, GoFundMe operates a separate arm called GoFundMe.org, which is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity in the US and offers verified status with potentially different fee structures.
The platform's strengths are global reach and brand familiarity — a GoFundMe link carries instant recognition that smaller platforms cannot match. The trade-offs are US data residency (a concern for European organizations operating under GDPR), limited support for European local payment methods (no iDEAL or Bancontact), and a lower Trustpilot rating than European-native competitors. For US, UK, and broader English-speaking fundraisers running personal causes, these trade-offs rarely matter; for European nonprofits managing donor data and recurring giving, they often do.
What’s good, what’s not.
- ✓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
- ✓Charity arm (GoFundMe.org) for verified nonprofits
- −US data residency may not suit European organizations with GDPR-sensitive donor data
- −Limited support for European local payment methods (no iDEAL or Bancontact)
- −Lower average Trustpilot rating relative to European competitors
- −Donor tip prompt at checkout can confuse first-time givers about platform pricing
- −English-first interface despite multilingual support
Where each €100 actually goes.
Fees vary by payment method. We default to Credit card because that’s the dominant method in Ireland.
| Payment method | Per transaction | Of €100, recipient gets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Pay · Bank Transfer · Card · Google Pay · iDEAL · PayPal | 2.9% + €0.25 | €96.85 | 0% platform fee |
| Venmo | 2.9% + €0.30 | €96.80 | 0% platform fee |
20 countries · 7 languages · 7 payment methods.
Better-fit alternatives to GoFundMe.
Our curated shortlist — the platforms we’d actively recommend instead of GoFundMe for fundraising in Ireland, with the figures behind the call. For the full, neutral index of every side-by-side, see Compare with below.
GoFundMe keeps donor data in US; WhyDonate is EEA-resident and GDPR-native, so personal data never leaves the region.
4fund.com lets more of each donation through than GoFundMe — €100.00 reaches the recipient per 100, against €96.85.
JustGiving lets more of each donation through than GoFundMe — €97.80 reaches the recipient per 100, against €96.85.
See how GoFundMe stacks up head-to-head.
Frequently asked questions
What does GoFundMe charge?
GoFundMe charges a 0% platform fee with an optional voluntary donor tip on top, plus 2.9% + €0.30 in payment processing per donation.
Where is GoFundMe based?
GoFundMe was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in US. Data residency is US.
Which countries does GoFundMe operate in?
GoFundMe operates in 20 countries including major European markets and English-speaking markets.
Is GoFundMe suitable for nonprofits?
Yes. GoFundMe explicitly targets nonprofit organizations and offers verified-status workflows.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.