FreeFunder vs PledgeCents
FreeFunder
freefunder.comPledgeCents
pledgecents.comSide by side
| Figure | FreeFunder | PledgeCents |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Nonprofit Crowdfunding Software | 8.5 (#4) | 7.1 (#21) |
| Payment processing | Stripe card donations are charged 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, with the first bank transfer usually available five days after the first donation and rolling transfers afterward. | Stripe handles financial transactions, and contributors can pay by credit card or bank account without needing a Stripe account. |
| Purpose | FreeFunder provides personal crowdfunding campaigns for causes such as medical bills, funeral costs, and personal projects. | PledgeCents helps communities fund educational opportunities and other community needs through online fundraising. |
Plans
In their own words
FreeFunder
FreeFunder is a web service for creating personal crowdfunding campaigns for medical bills, funeral costs, personal projects and other personal causes. Campaign owners start with a short form describing the amount sought and the reason for fundraising. They can customize pages with color schemes, formatted text, pictures and tables, then share campaigns or embed them on another website. Team members can receive read-only or read-write access. Owners can post updates and email them to followers, and keyword-based text-to-donate supports offline events and promotions. FreeFunder says it charges no platform fee and relies on voluntary donations. Card donations through Stripe incur a 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee deducted from each donation. Venmo, PayPal and Cash App gifts can be recorded on the page and can avoid processing fees. Donations go to a separate Stripe account for the owner or beneficiary and then to a bank account. Campaigns cannot offer rewards or investment opportunities.
PledgeCents
PledgeCents is an online fundraising service for educational opportunities and other community needs. It provides fundraising pages for PreK–12 schools, nonprofits, youth sports teams, and faith-based needs. A campaign can receive the money raised even when it misses its target, with a backup plan for using those funds. There is no platform fee; payment processing is 3%, and the benefits information says organizations receive 97% of funds raised. Contributors can pay by card or bank account without opening a Stripe account, while Stripe handles transactions. Organization accounts are verified before approval, and checks go to the organization rather than the individual creator. The FAQ says a check is sent within 48 hours after a page is complete. Pages support social sharing and automatic email updates when creators post updates. Available fundraising incentives include contests, matching campaigns, Facebook matching campaigns, and referrals that can earn cash toward a fundraiser. The service offers web and API access, though the API is limited to partners.