As crowdfunding becomes more and more popular, more and more platforms are emerging to cater to more niche audiences. That makes finding the right crowdfunding platform difficult, as you have so many options.
While you may only know of the biggest names, you shouldn’t dismiss the smaller crowdfunding platforms that could be a better fit for your product, cause, or charity. Let’s break down the best crowdfunding platforms and what they offer.
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Kickstarter
You’ve likely heard of Kickstarter as it’s one of the biggest crowdfunding platforms. Kickstarter offers donation-based contributions where backers can contribute money to your project. The service offers reward tiers, analytics to keep track of your campaign and will only charge backers if a campaign goal is met.
Be sure to check out our Kickstarter vs Indiegogo breakdown to see which platform is right for you.
Who’s it for?: Kickstarter has 15 different categories of projects, but the biggest ones are gaming and technology. Game developers and hardware makers should definitely check out Kickstarter.
Indiegogo
Although Indiegogo may seem like a Kickstarter clone, it actually offers quite a few differences. Indiegogo offers more categories and is open to more different projects. However, it also has less stringent vetting than Kickstarter so its success rate is lower. That doesn’t mean you should dismiss Indiegogo, as it has a dedicated user base of gadget and film lovers.
Be sure to check out our Kickstarter vs Indiegogo breakdown to see which platform is right for you.
Who’s it for?: If you’re looking to build a technology product or want to get funds for your film project, Indiegogo is the perfect place to start.
GoFundMe
GoFundMe is a crowdfunding behemoth that is even bigger than Kickstarter and Indiegogo. The company recently passed its $3 billion donation milestone, which is even more impressive when you consider the company passed its $2 billion milestone just five months prior. Unlike Kickstarter and Indiegogo, GoFundMe focuses its efforts of charity and other personal causes, like helping victims of natural disasters.
Who’s it for?: If you have a personal cause you want to raise funds for, GoFundMe is the perfect platform. GoFundMe is also the perfect platform for charities and other organizations to raise awareness since the platform has over 25 million donors.
Patreon
Patreon is a popular crowdfunding platform for creators like YouTubers, artists, and musicians. The platform was created out of a need for content creators to make more money than the paltry YouTube ad revenue could provide. Fans can contribute on a monthly basis and creators can set different tiers of rewards that can be unlocked for fans who choose to donate more.
Who’s it for?: If you’re an artist, musician or other creator, Patreon offers a way to engage and reward your most loyal fans.
StartSomeGood
StartSomeGood is a crowdfunding site that is dedicated to funding initiatives for social change. This separates it from sites like GoFundMe, as it provides a place for people to contribute to projects that make real world changes. What makes StartSomeGood great is the fact that their staff personally approves of each campaign that goes on their site.
Who’s it for?: StartSomeGood is great for people who want to make a crowdfunding campaign for initiatives that help solve societal issues.
AngelList
AngelList is different from the other crowdfunding sites in this list. Instead of being a dedicated crowdfunding platform, AngelList serves as a service to connect employers with employees but also serves to connect startups with potential investors. It’s one of the biggest equity-based crowdfunding sites in the United States. Recently, AngelList created an offshoot of its site called Republic.co that lets non-accredited invest in small and medium-sized enterprises.
Who’s it for?: AngelList is a great place for companies to try and fundraise and get the attention of angel investors. Instead of relying on public donations like other crowdfunding sites, AngelList works to connect companies with investors, allowing startups to trade equity for help getting off the ground.
Crowdrise
Like GoFundMe, Crowdrise is a crowdfunding platform that specializes in personal fundraising and charitable giving. Crowdrise is unique in that it has a large number of celebrity users, like Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell, Lady Gaga and more. Crowdrise also partners with charities like the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Human Rights Campaign, and many more.
Who’s it for?: Crowdrise is a great place for people to raise money for their chosen charities or for personal causes.
PledgeMusic
PledgeMusic is a crowdfunding platform for musicians. It’s a great place for fans to interact with their favorite artists and to feel part of the album-making process. The platform charges a flat 15% fee, which is quite high, but it accounts for all payment fees as well.
Who’s it for?: PledgeMusic is a crowdfunding platform for artist, musicians, and their fans to engage and fund projects.
AppsFunder
AppsFunder, as you may have guessed, is a crowdfunding site specifically for mobile applications. The site helps connect engineers with an idea for an app with entrepreneurs who can help get the app become a reality.
Who’s it for?: AppsFunder is a great site to use if you have an idea for an app that you need help getting off the ground.
Crowdfunder
Crowdfunder is a little different from donation-based crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo in that it’s equity-based. This means you’ll trade partial ownership of your company for help from venture capitalists to get your company going. The platform boasts 130,000 entrepreneurs and investors with over $160,000,000 in investment made so far.
Who’s it for?: If you don’t mind giving up some control over your company to get help from experienced venture capitalists, Crowdfunder is for you.
Crowd supply
Perhaps the biggest competitor to the crowdfunding behemoths of Kickstarter and Indiegogo, Crowd Supply boasts a 100% success rate for delivery and two times the funding rate of Kickstarter. Crowd Supply wants to be known as the more reliable crowdfunding platform that helps companies actually deliver what they promise. To achieve this goal, Crowd Supply personally vets every project on its platform. If your campaign isn’t up to snuff, you’re not getting on the site.
Who’s it for?: Crowd Supply’s stringent quality control makes it a great crowdfunding platform for backers who want to minimize risk. For prospective companies, Crowd Supply’s in-house PR and consulting could offer you one of the best chances at making your campaign a success.
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