GoGetFunding vs GoFundMe vs Fundly – What’s Best for You?

Choosing the best crowdfunding platform for your personal fundraising cause can be a minefield. We take a look at three popular platforms GoGetFunding, GoFundMe and Fundly to compare their features.

The answer to this question is very simple; not all platforms are the same, and some platforms may be better suited to your needs than others.

Here are some very basic factors that can impact on a crowdfunding platform’s suitability for your fundraising:

• Where in the world you are based

• What type of fundraising campaign you want to run

• What platform features are most important to you

• How quickly you can set up your campaign and launch

• How quickly you need your funds

• How much it costs

• How long you want to run your campaign for

• Which payment processors you want to handle your donations

• How confident you are that you will reach your target

• How strong your network and marketing strategy is

• How much support you need

In this article, we focus on three popular crowdfunding platforms: GoGetFunding, GoFundMe and Fundly. These platforms in particular have several similar features, however, you will see later on, how they also differ

Here are the similarities between GoGetFunding, GoFundMe and Fundly:

• They have been leading crowdfunding platforms for over a decade.

• They have a ‘Keep-it-All’ policy. This means, whatever you raise (minus fees) you keep – even if you do not reach your target, which of course is a good thing!

• They have an instant approval policy, meaning as soon as you have created your campaign you can launch and start accepting donations.

• They allow fundraising for any cause (however, GoFundMe, has recently been under fire for inconsistent policies in relation to campaign removals), meaning you can raise funds for almost anything!

They also share a number of similar offerings in relation to site tools and features such as customisable pages and having fundraising team options.

Now this is where fundraisers need to look a little closer. It is through identifying the differences between platforms that fundraisers can identify the best fundraising platform for them.

Earlier we listed some very basic factors that can impact on a crowdfunding platform’s suitability for your fundraising. Let’s examine why they are so important:

Where in the world you are based

This may seem obvious, but in order to be able to use a crowdfunding platform, you must live in a country they serve. So, before you even start to create your campaign, check this out.

What platform features are most important to you?

All three platforms are traditional crowdfunding platforms, but have different features, some of which may be more important to you than others

Fees

Fees are one of the first things fundraisers look at when choosing a platform

There are usually two fees to expect – site fees (from the platform) and *payment processing fees (from the payment handler). The fundraiser most often pays both fees, to prevent donors from being put off from donating. If they are unhappy donors, you not only risk losing their donation completely, they are also less likely to share your campaign with anyone else.

Donation options:

When choosing your fundraising platform, it is vital to ensure it provides the most flexible options for donors to donate. You want donating to be as effortless as possible, not only for donors, but for anyone else they share your campaign with.

Access to funds:

Accessing funds is also an important factor when choosing your fundraising platform. Some donors are happy to wait until the end of their campaign before accessing funds, but for campaigns where funds are needed on an ongoing basis – even when the campaign is still running – it is important to know if this is an option.

Support:

All three platforms offer intuitive, user-friendly interfaces meaning creating and managing your campaign should be a breeze. However, navigating a new site or being a first time fundraiser it is normal to need some guidance, support and in some cases some technical assistance. If you have a live campaign, it is understandable you will need that support as soon as possible.

Proactive PR/Sharing of your campaign:

It is important to note that with crowdfunding, success is based on your early efforts to network and market your campaign with your crowd. It is only when your campaign is established and has started creating momentum with donations that any promotion or active PR can be applied by a crowdfunding platform

This is because, while your campaign is incredibly important (and in most cases, urgent) for you and everyone you know, it does not mean it will capture the attention of traditional media or social media. Promoting it at the optimum time is key.

Flexibility:

When you create your campaign it is normal for it to evolve. You may need to raise extra funds, fundraise for longer, involve team efforts and more. Knowing your platform offers easy, immediate solutions for your campaign’s changing needs is a huge bonus.

Independent Review Rating (TrustPilot):

Independent reviews of each platform can be found on TrustPilot – an established, trusted platform where consumers are able to leave public reviews about their personal experience

Here are the current ratings for each platform:

GoGetFunding, GoFundMe and Fundly are all solid, keep-it-all, traditional fundraising platforms that allow you to raise funds for any cause. But, if you are looking for specific features that are important to your particular cause, look a little closer, because not all platforms are the same.

Taking a little extra time to examine the differences can make a world of difference to your fundraising experience. It can make a world of difference to your campaign’s success too.

If you’re ready to get started, why not start your fundraising campaign today?