GoFundMe vs iDonate
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.
Mid-sized and larger US nonprofits that want conversion-optimised, embeddable donation and recurring-gift tools with enterprise-grade donor-data security, and are comfortable with custom, sales-quoted pricing.
Of every 100 donated, iDonate delivers 3.20 more per 100 to the recipient than GoFundMe.
Each platform is priced in its own currency: GoFundMe in USD, iDonate in NZD.
Per-method pricing.
| Payment method | Per transaction | Of $100, recipient gets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| iDEAL | 2.9% + $0.25 | $96.85 | One per-donation transaction fee, identical across methods; no iDEAL-specific rate. |
| Credit card | 2.9% + $0.25 | $96.85 | 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% + $0.25 | $96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Apple Pay | 2.9% + $0.25 | $96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Google Pay | 2.9% + $0.25 | $96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Bank Transfer | 2.9% + $0.25 | $96.85 | Same per-donation transaction fee as every method. |
| Venmo | 2.9% + $0.30 | $96.80 | US-only; same 2.9% + USD 0.30 transaction fee. |
Side-by-side.
| Metric | GoFundMe | iDonate |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient gets (per 100) | $96.80 | NZ$100.00★ winner |
| Platform fee | 0% | 0% |
| Payment processing fee | 2.9% + $0.30 | 0% + NZ$0.00★ winner |
| Trustpilot | 3.3 (23,930)★ winner | — (0) |
| Country coverage | 20 countries★ winner | 0 countries |
| Data residency | US | — |
| Languages | 7★ winner | 0 |
| Payment methods supported | 7★ winner | 0 |
Winner by category.
NZ$100.00 vs $96.80 reaches the recipient.
3.3 vs — on Trustpilot.
20 vs 0 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
Mid-sized and larger US nonprofits that want conversion-optimised, embeddable donation and recurring-gift tools with enterprise-grade donor-data security, and are comfortable with custom, sales-quoted pricing.
- ✓Conversion-focused giving tools: pop-up forms, hosted donation pages, embeddable website forms, and recurring-gift prompts.
- ✓Enterprise donor-data security with annual SOC 2 Type 2 audits, third-party penetration testing, and a zero-trust design.
- ✓Operates in accordance with GDPR standards per its privacy disclosures.
- ✓Multiple donation rails: credit card, debit card, and ACH bank transfer.
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 iDonate?
Of every 100 donated, GoFundMe delivers approximately $96.80 to the recipient and iDonate delivers approximately NZ$100.00. 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; iDonate operates in 0.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.