Free. And we pay you.
No platform fees. No monthly charges. No hidden costs.
Plus, we share 10% of donor tip proceeds back with you through TipShare.
Platform fee
$0
We never take a cut of your donations. PledgeAthon adds no platform fee on top of standard Stripe card processing.
Monthly fee
$0
No setup fees, no monthly charges, no contracts. Free forever for schools, churches, teams, and nonprofits.
Payment processing
2.9% + 30¢
Standard Stripe rate — same as GoFundMe. Automatically deducted from card payments. Cash/check = $0 fees.
TipShare
10%
We share 10% of donor tip proceeds back with your organization, after standard payment processing. No cap. No catch. Deposited to your bank account.
Let's do the math
See exactly how much your organization keeps.
If you raised $5,000 from 25 donors
TipShare estimate based on 12% average tip rate, paid on tips after standard payment processing. Actual tips vary.
On a typical platform (7% + processing)
Everything included
Every feature, every plan, forever free.
How does PledgeAthon make money?
When donors make a donation, they see the option to leave a small, voluntary tip to support PledgeAthon — similar to tipping on a food delivery app.
Tips are always optional. Donors can choose any amount or skip it entirely. Your organization receives donations net of standard Stripe card processing fees, with zero platform fee on top. Tips go to PledgeAthon, and we share 10% of tip proceeds (after standard payment processing) back with your org through TipShare.
This model means we only succeed when your fundraiser succeeds. We're incentivized to build the best platform possible because our revenue depends on your donors having a great experience.
"Easy for people to use, secure, and had the option to either donate a flat or pledge funds per activity. PledgeAthon was the only site that met our requirements."
— David Fox, Celebration Church Caserta
TipShare
Other platforms take a cut. We give one back.
When donors leave a voluntary tip to support PledgeAthon, we send 10% of the tip proceeds (after standard payment processing on the tip) straight to your organization. No cap. No catch. No fine print.
Example:If your fundraiser generates $1,000 in tips, we send you roughly $97 (10% of the tip total, net of Stripe's standard card processing on the tip portion).
We built this because no one else does it. The more your fundraiser succeeds, the more we both benefit.
TipShare earned
10%
of donor tip proceeds (after standard payment processing), deposited directly to your bank account
Frequently asked questions
What are the fees?
Zero platform fees. The only cost is standard Stripe payment processing: 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction. This is the same rate used by GoFundMe and most major platforms. Cash and check donations have no fees whatsoever.
What's a transaction fee?
When a donor pays by credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, Stripe (our payment processor) charges 2.9% + $0.30 to securely process the payment. This fee is automatically deducted from each donation. For example, on a $25 donation, the processing fee is $1.03 — your organization receives $23.97.
Do donors have to tip?
No. Tips are always optional. When donors make a donation, they see the option to leave a small tip to support PledgeAthon. They can choose any amount or skip it entirely. Through TipShare, we send 10% of every donor tip, after standard payment processing, back to your organization — so tips actually benefit you too.
How do payouts work?
You connect your bank account through Stripe (one-time setup, takes 2 minutes). After that, funds are deposited into your bank account on Stripe's standard payout schedule — typically within a few business days once your account is fully verified. New Stripe Connect accounts may see a short rolling hold during verification. No waiting for the campaign to end.
Can we accept cash and checks?
Yes. Donors can record cash or check donations through your campaign page. These are tracked in your dashboard alongside card payments so you have a complete picture of your fundraiser — but no money flows through PledgeAthon for cash/check. Zero fees on those.
What is TipShare?
When donors choose to leave an optional tip for PledgeAthon, we share 10% of tip proceeds (after standard payment processing) with your organization. There's no cap. If your fundraiser generates $1,000 in tips, we send you roughly $97 after Stripe's card processing on the tip portion. It's deposited to your bank account alongside your regular donations via Stripe.
Can I export my donor list?
Yes. Your dashboard has an Export CSV button on every fundraiser's donations tab. You get the full list — donor names, emails, phone numbers (if provided), amounts, dates, payment methods, and messages. Anonymous donations appear as 'Anonymous,' with their email, phone, and message fields blanked per the donor's request. Your donor list is your data to keep. Use it for thank-you cards, next year's campaign, or your CRM.
Ready to fundraise?
Free fundraising in 60 seconds. No platform fees, no contracts, no credit card.