Online Fundraising For Individuals

Most fundraising guides assume you are a nonprofit. If you are just one person who needs help, the rules and the tools are different. Here is the honest map of your options.

Updated June 13, 2026

Option 1: Crowdfunding platforms

GoFundMe is the dominant platform for individual asks. Pros: high trust, easy to set up, integrated payments. Cons: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, identity verification required, the platform can pause withdrawals.

Best for: medical, funeral, and disaster asks where the giver wants the comfort of a familiar logo.

Option 2: Creator tip jars

Buy Me A Coffee, Ko-fi, Patreon. Pros: lower fees than crowdfunding, recurring support possible, low setup friction. Cons: the implicit expectation that you are a creator producing something.

Best for: people who already make work strangers consume.

Option 3: Direct wallet

A crypto wallet shared on a page or social profile. Pros: no platform fee, no permission, works internationally, settles in seconds. Cons: requires the giver to own crypto, lower trust signal, volatile if you hold the asset.

Best for: honest one-shot asks where the giver pool is internet-wide.

Option 4: Direct bank link

Wise, Revolut, PayPal.me, Venmo, regional equivalents. Pros: familiar, fiat. Cons: account-by-account fees, some block stranger payments, jurisdiction-limited.

Best for: asks shared with people who already trust you to some extent.

Frequently asked questions

Which option raises the most money?

There is no universal answer. The platform that matches your audience's existing habits raises the most. Crypto wallets win on crypto-native audiences; GoFundMe wins on general audiences.

Do I have to verify my identity?

On crowdfunding platforms, yes. On tip jars, usually yes. On a raw wallet, no — but lower trust means lower conversion.

Are there fees I should know about?

Yes. Card processors take 2.9% + $0.30. Platforms add 0-5%. Crypto networks charge gas (TRON is near-zero, ETH is several dollars per transaction).