Best Personal Fundraising Platforms in 2026 (Compared)
See how modern fundraising platforms simplify collecting contributions, organizing shared funds, and supporting personal causes.
Personal fundraising is an excellent way for individuals to reach out to and raise money online from a broader group of people. It's become a popular method for people worldwide to raise cash for unexpected emergencies, life events, trips and adventures, artistic projects, and more.
The best thing about individual fundraising is that anyone can create a page to raise funds for themselves or someone in need. Worldwide, people are creating fundraisers to help pay off debt, cover tuition, learn a new skill, and so much more.
According to a ValuePenguin survey, 41% of Americans have donated to a medical crowdfunding campaign — and GoFundMe alone has collected more than $7 billion for medical expenses, making it the platform's largest fundraising category.
No matter what type of fundraiser you want to start, you must choose an ideal platform. According to Statista, there are hundreds of crowdfunding and personal fundraiser sites. Before asking for donations online, first select the fundraising platform that best suits your goals.
How to choose the right fundraising platform
Before launching your fundraising efforts, browse multiple fundraising sites and get familiar with what they offer.
Some are free, while others may incur fees that involve taking a percentage of your total donations. Some may allow you to withdraw your raised funds as soon as they hit your account, while others require you to meet your funding goal before accessing the funds. They all have different features that work for some people more than others.
Here are four things to look for while you're shopping for the perfect fit:
- Campaign types: Ensure the platform you choose allows fundraising for individual causes. Some sites, like Indiegogo, Kickstarter, and Patreon, are only meant for business fundraising.
- Payment processing: Look to see how you will receive the donations — most platforms integrate with PayPal or a payment processing service similar to it. If you're trying to raise money for ongoing expenses, some of which you need to pay for sooner than others, pick a platform that allows you to access the funds as soon as the donations hit your account. It's known in the crowdfunding world as the "keep it all" option and means you don't need to reach a specific fundraising goal to withdraw funds.
- Ease and accessibility of use: Search for a user-friendly account setup process. The best platforms provide customer service help, several tutorials on creating an actionable fundraising page, and how-tos on including photos and videos and sharing on social media.
- Fees: What kind of fee structure does the platform require? Investigate any commissions or fees that come with using the platform — for example, some charge upfront fees to set up and publish your fundraising page. Others offer free setup but take a percentage of your total donations. Still, some free options won't take a cut of the money you collect.
6 top platforms for fundraising
Let's compare the following crowdfunding platforms by looking at their campaign types, fees, and their pros and cons:
- Pool
- GoFundMe
- GoGetFunding
- FundRazr
- Fundly
- Plumfund
1. Pool
Pool is a dedicated place for you to collect, manage, and spend money for your fundraising needs. Since Pool is not just a crowdfunding page, you can use funds as they come in — no need to transfer the funds out to spend them. This is helpful when your need is time sensitive. Sign up at poolmoney.com, create a Pool, and invite members to start collecting and spending donations.
2. GoFundMe
GoFundMe is a well-known crowdfunding platform, allowing fundraising for nonprofits, teams, and individuals. It's mostly used to help people raise money for their goals and needs.
3. GoGetFunding
GoGetFunding provides users with a flexible and straightforward way to raise money for causes.
4. FundRazr
FundRazr is a smaller competitor, but it offers good functionality and design.
5. Fundly
Fundly is another lesser-known platform that helps users raise money for someone’s needs. The platform operates on a keep-it-all policy with no minimum money raise requirement.
6. Plumfund
Plumfund is a larger personal fundraising platform that helps users raise money for various causes.
| Platform | Best For | Platform Fees | Payment Processing Fees | Public Fundraiser Discovery | Collaboration | Main Drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pool | Managing personal goals and shared fundraising money | None | No fees for contributions through linked bank accounts | No | Yes — multiple people can help manage funds | No public fundraising marketplace, so you need to invite and promote to contributors yourself |
| GoFundMe | Personal causes, emergencies, and medical expenses | None for personal fundraisers | Processing fees apply | Yes | Limited | Large number of campaigns can make it harder to stand out |
| GoGetFunding | Medical, charitable, and personal causes | 4% of funds raised | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction | Yes | Limited | Higher overall fees |
| FundRazr | Personal and charitable campaigns | Free option available | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction | Yes | Limited | Smaller and less widely known than major competitors |
| Fundly | Personal needs and charitable causes | 4.9% per donation | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction | Yes | Limited | Fees can significantly reduce the amount you keep |
| Plumfund | Personal projects, goals, registries, and life events | None | 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions | Limited | Limited | Fewer tools and integrations than some competitors |
Raise funds for your needs, your way
If you're looking for the whole package when you're fundraising for medical expenses, adopting a rescue dog, going on a mission trip, starting a business or charity, and more, sign up at Poolmoney.com — Pool makes sure you keep 100% of the money you collect while making it easy for contributors to donate.
Pool gives you a dedicated place to collect, manage, and spend money together. Whether you're fundraising for an emergency, personal goal, creative project, or community effort, Pool helps keep contributions organized and accessible in one place.