Looking to see what other crowdfunding options are out there before you pick Kickstarter for your project fundraiser? There are plenty of other services out there, as crowdfunding has become a very trendy business model. Here are five of the most successful and notable alternatives to Kickstarter.
Top 6 websites like Kickstarter
1. Fundly
Fundly is a crowdfunding site for anyone with a cause! With no startup fees and no funding goal requirements, Fundly makes it easy to raise money and reach your fundraising goals! With options to categorize your fundraising effort, you can ensure your fundraiser is seen by your intended audience and those with similar passions to you. Fundly further separates itself from the competition by allowing users to implement photography and video, add storytelling design elements, and utilize built-in social media capabilities. Combined with a built-in payment processor and easy how-to guides for users, Fundly makes crowdfunding and fundraising simple for everyone!
2. Bonfire
Bonfire is a free online fundraising platform that lets you sell custom t-shirts and apparel to raise money. You keep 100% of the profits from your sales, there are no hidden costs, and their design tool makes it easy to upload custom artwork or to create your own design. Plus, Bonfire handles payment processing, order fulfillment, and customer service so you can focus on raising the money you need.
3. Indiegogo
Indiegogo is slated as Kickstarter’s biggest competitor. It’s available in more countries, accepts more payment methods, and allows certain types of projects that Kickstarter doesn’t (though there are still some restrictions). The biggest difference is that Indiegogo offers flexible funding goals: even if you don’t meet your set goal, you can keep whatever money you raised (but you have to pay higher fees on it).
4. Fundable
Fundable is a crowdfunding service like Kickstarter that caters specifically towards entrepreneurs and small businesses (like us here at Techboomers!). Instead of charging fees based on how much money a project has fundraised by the time that it ends, Fundable charges fees between $100 and $300 per month that a fundraiser is active. However, it allows giving financial incentives (such as company stock) as rewards, something that Kickstarter doesn’t allow. It also has various consulting services that can help companies get their fundraising efforts off the ground.
5. Pozible
This Australian-based crowdfunding platform is similar to Kickstarter, in that it only pays projects that are successful in meeting their fundraising goals. However, Pozible offers broader payment options (including PayPal and Bitcoin), and has features like allowing recurring awards for project backers (such as magazine subscriptions) and allowing project creators to use Pozible’s system to host a fundraiser on their own website.
6. FundAnything
Another Kickstarter competitor, FundAnything is similar to Indiegogo. It allows for many different kinds of projects and flexible funding (so you can keep what you fundraise — at a higher fee rate — if you don’t make your goal), but only allows gift-type rewards (as opposed to financial incentives). It has notably attracted the support of American businessman Donald Trump.
Have you tried any of these websites like Kickstarter? Did it help you get your fundraiser rolling, or help you get someone else’s project up and running? Or did you just not get the energy you needed out of it? Are there any other crowdfunding services that you would recommend? Let us know in the comments section below, or on our social media pages.
