# 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.

## Editorial score: 7.3 / 10

## 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

- 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

## What’s not

- 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

## Fees

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquartered in | US |
| 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 |
| Registered entity | GoFundMe, Inc. (US); GoFundMe Ireland Limited (intl) |
| Refund policy | Donations final unless GoFundMe grants a refund (Giving Guarantee) |
| Donor guarantee | GoFundMe Giving Guarantee |
| Countries | 20 |
| Languages | 7 |
| Trustpilot | 3.3 / 5 (23979) |
| Domain Rating | 92 / 100 (Domain Rating by Ahrefs — https://ahrefs.com/) |
| Transparency | 4 / 5 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-10 |

### Fees — per method

| Method | £ / £100 | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Apple Pay · Bank Transfer · Card · Google Pay · iDEAL · PayPal | £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). |
| Venmo | £96.80 | US-only; same 2.9% + USD 0.30 transaction fee. |


## Coverage

**Countries:** US, AU, CA, GB, MX, FR, DE, IE, IT, LU, NL, AT, BE, DK, FI, NO, PT, ES, SE, CH

**Languages:** EN, ES, FR, DE, IT, NL, PT

**Payment methods supported:** Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, iDEAL, Bank Transfer, Venmo

**Website:** https://www.gofundme.com


## FAQ

### 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 the United States. Data residency is US.

### Which countries does GoFundMe operate in?

GoFundMe operates in 20 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada.

### Which payment methods does GoFundMe support?

GoFundMe accepts Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, iDEAL, Bank Transfer, Venmo.

### Is GoFundMe suitable for nonprofits?

Yes. GoFundMe explicitly targets nonprofit organizations and offers verified-status workflows.