GoFundMe vs Spendenportal
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.
German donors who want to give to vetted, pre-checked charities, and supporters who want to donate goods as well as money - including via SocialBay's eBay-based resale of in-kind donations.
On a $100 donation, Spendenportal delivers $3.20 more to the recipient than GoFundMe.
Per-method pricing vs Spendenportal.
| Payment method | Per transaction | Of $100, recipient gets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venmo Popular in EN | 2.9% + $0.30 | $96.80 | US-only; same 2.9% + USD 0.30 transaction fee. |
| iDEAL | 2.9% + $0.25 | $96.85 | One per-donation transaction fee, identical across methods; no iDEAL-specific rate. |
| Credit card | 2.9% + $0.30 | $96.80 | 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. |
Side-by-side.
| Metric | GoFundMe | Spendenportal |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient gets ($100) | $96.80 | $100.00★ winner |
| Platform fee | 0% | 0% |
| Payment processing fee | 2.9% + $0.30 | 0% + $0.00★ winner |
| Trustpilot | 3.3 (23,930)★ winner | — (0) |
| Country coverage | 20 countries★ winner | 1 countries |
| Data residency | US | — |
| Languages | 7★ winner | 1 |
| Payment methods supported | 7★ winner | 0 |
Winner by category.
$100.00 vs $96.80 reaches the recipient.
3.3 vs — on Trustpilot.
20 vs 1 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
German donors who want to give to vetted, pre-checked charities, and supporters who want to donate goods as well as money - including via SocialBay's eBay-based resale of in-kind donations.
- ✓Handles both monetary (Geldspenden) and in-kind (Sachspenden) donations, the latter via SocialBay's eBay-based resale.
- ✓Charities are vetted and activated only after a review, supporting donor trust.
- ✓Operated by a nonprofit social enterprise (Sozial-Aktien-Gesellschaft) recognized as a donation-collecting organization.
- ✓Donors can choose whether payment-provider costs are added on top of or deducted from their gift.
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 Spendenportal?
On a $100 donation, GoFundMe delivers approximately $96.80 to the recipient and Spendenportal delivers approximately $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; Spendenportal operates in 1.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.