Boosterthon vs PledgeAthon
Two different approaches to a fun run. Boosterthon's flagship program runs the event for you and takes a percentage (it also offers lower-touch tiers where your school runs its own event). PledgeAthon is DIY software with a $0 platform fee — you run the event and keep everything beyond card processing.
What Boosterthon Is
Boosterthon is a school fundraising company. It describes itself as the nation's largest and most experienced school fundraising company, having powered over 43,000 events and raised more than $1 billion for schools. Its flagship offering pairs an online donation platform (MyBooster) with an organized, in-person event.
The program runs on a roughly nine-day timeline: a kickoff week, a fundraising stretch with daily challenges, character-education lessons and prizes, an event day (a Fun Run, Color Run, Glow Run, DanceFit, or Fit Games), and a wrap-up. Boosterthon offers three service levels — Full Service (its team manages the program on campus), Shared Service (remote guidance plus on-site event-day support), and Support Service (your school runs its own event with platform access).
Boosterthon charges a percentage of the funds your school raises, and that percentage varies by service level. Boosterthon does not publish specific rates publicly — it directs schools to book a consultation for a quote. It states there are no upfront costs, that donors can optionally cover platform fees, and that on its MyBooster online platform schools keep, on average, 95% of the funds. The fee for its staff-run service levels is not publicly disclosed.
PledgeAthon is a different animal: it's self-serve a-thon fundraising software with a zero platform fee. You create a fundraiser, upload your participant roster, and every participant gets a pledge page with a shareable link and QR code. You run the event yourself — your PE staff, PTA, or volunteers — and your organization keeps card donations net of standard Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). Cash and check donations have no fee.
Running the event yourself? Keep more with a $0 platform fee.
Start Your Free FundraiserHow the Two Compare
A factual side-by-side. Boosterthon details are from its own public materials; items it doesn't disclose are marked as such.
| Feature | PledgeAthon | Boosterthon |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | DIY self-serve fundraising software you run yourself | Flagship model is a staff-run event program plus an online platform (MyBooster); lower-touch and DIY tiers also offered (per Boosterthon) |
| Platform / service fee | $0 platform fee | A percentage of funds raised, varying by service level; specific rate not published (per Boosterthon) |
| Card processing | 2.9% + $0.30 via Stripe, deducted before payout | Donors can optionally cover platform fees (per Boosterthon) |
| Cash & check donations | No fee | Supported — entered by the school in MyBooster (per Boosterthon) |
| Who runs the event | Your PTA, staff, or volunteers | Boosterthon staff on campus at Full and Shared Service levels (per Boosterthon) |
| Character-education curriculum | Not offered | Included — character themes and video lessons (per Boosterthon) |
| Event formats | Any a-thon: walk, read, swim, dance, and more | Fun Run, Color Run, Glow Run, DanceFit, Fit Games (per Boosterthon) |
| Per-participant pages & progress | Per-participant pages, QR codes, and live leaderboards | MyBooster pledge pages with live progress updates (per Boosterthon) |
| Digital wallets | Apple Pay and Google Pay via Stripe | Apple Pay and Google Pay via MyBooster (per Boosterthon) |
| Roster & data | CSV roster upload and donor CSV export | Not publicly disclosed |
| Getting started | Create an account and launch yourself, anytime | Book a consultation with a fundraising consultant (per Boosterthon) |
| Tip model | TipShare: 10% of net donor tips returned to your organization | Not advertised in reviewed public materials |
What You'd Keep: PledgeAthon vs Boosterthon
Worked example: $10,000 raised across 400 card donations of $25. Boosterthon publishes no rate for its staff-run programs, so its side shows what they publish — not an invented number.
PledgeAthon
$10,000 raised
400 card donations of $25
Your organization keeps
$9,588
$412 in Stripe processing · $0 platform fee
At $20,000 (800 donations of $25): keeps $19,176.
Boosterthon
$10,000 raised
Staff-run program
Your organization keeps
Rate not published
Boosterthon charges a percentage that varies by service level and directs schools to a consultation for a quote. Compare the quote you receive against the PledgeAthon figure on the left.
PledgeAthon side assumes an average online donation of $25, all by card. Stripe processing is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction ($1.03 on a $25 donation, rounded per transaction), deducted before payout. Cash and check donations carry no processing fee. On its MyBooster online platform, Boosterthon states schools keep on average 95% of funds; its staff-run rates are not publicly disclosed. These figures compare cost only — Boosterthon's percentage covers a staff-run event program, while PledgeAthon is self-run software.
When Boosterthon Makes Sense
We're not going to pretend PledgeAthon is right for everyone. Boosterthon is an established program with a large track record, and for some organizations its model is the better fit.
Boosterthon is worth a serious look if you want a turnkey, staff-run event and are comfortable sharing a percentage of what you raise. Its team can come to campus and run the whole thing, which helps when your volunteers are stretched thin. It bundles a character-education curriculum with the fundraiser, so if the lessons and themes matter as much as the dollars, that's part of the package. And it brings production value — prizes, marketing materials, and optional event-day extras like DJs and inflatable tunnels (offered per Boosterthon) — that a volunteer team would have to assemble on its own.
PledgeAthon is the better fit when you're running the event yourselves and want to keep everything beyond card processing. You bring the volunteers and the fun; the platform handles the fundraising technology. If that describes your organization, there's no reason to give up a percentage.
Ready to run it yourself? Start free — no platform fee, no contracts or sales calls required.
Start Your Free FundraiserWhat PledgeAthon Gives You
Zero Platform Fee
PledgeAthon charges a 0% platform fee. On card donations, the only cost is standard Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30), deducted before payout. Cash and check donations have no fee.
TipShare
When donors add an optional tip, PledgeAthon returns 10% of net tips back to your organization — a little extra on top of what you raise.
Self-Serve Setup
Create an account, name your fundraiser, and upload your roster by CSV. Self-serve signup — create a fundraiser the same day, with no consultation or sales call required.
Works for Any A-Thon
Walk-a-thons, read-a-thons, swim-a-thons, dance-a-thons, and any other pledge-per-activity event. Run different event types throughout the year.
QR Codes & Leaderboards
Every participant page includes a printable QR code for backpack flyers and pickup-line signs, plus live leaderboards to keep the momentum going.
Ongoing Stripe Payouts
Donations flow to your bank account through Stripe Connect on an ongoing basis. Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported via Stripe for faster checkout. Export your donor list to CSV anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Boosterthon cost?
Boosterthon charges a percentage of the funds your school raises, and the rate depends on the service level you choose — Full Service, Shared Service, or Support Service. Boosterthon does not publish specific percentages publicly; it directs schools to book a consultation with a fundraising consultant for a quote. Boosterthon states there are no upfront costs and that donors can optionally cover platform fees, and that on its MyBooster online platform schools keep, on average, 95% of the funds. The fee for staff-run service levels is not publicly disclosed. (Source: boosterthon.com, July 2026.)
What's the difference between Boosterthon and PledgeAthon?
They're built for different needs. Boosterthon is a turnkey program — its team can come to your campus, run a multi-day event with a character-education curriculum, and manage the logistics, in exchange for a percentage of what you raise. PledgeAthon is DIY software: you run the event yourself, and there is no platform fee. On PledgeAthon, the only cost on card donations is standard Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30), deducted before payout; cash and check donations have no fee.
Is PledgeAthon really free?
PledgeAthon charges a 0% platform fee. On card donations, the only cost is standard Stripe card processing at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, deducted from the donation before it's paid out to your organization. Cash and check donations have no processing fee. Through TipShare, PledgeAthon also returns 10% of net donor tips back to your organization. Payouts run on an ongoing basis through Stripe Connect.
When does Boosterthon make more sense than PledgeAthon?
If you want a turnkey, staff-run event with entertainment, prizes, and a character-education curriculum — and you have the budget to share a percentage of what you raise — Boosterthon is an established option with a large track record. It's a good fit when your volunteers are short on time and you'd rather hand the event to an outside team. PledgeAthon is for organizations running the event themselves that want to keep everything beyond card processing.
Can we run our own fun run without a fundraising company?
Yes. Plenty of schools and organizations run fun runs, walk-a-thons, and color runs with their own PE staff, PTA, or parent volunteers. PledgeAthon handles the fundraising side — per-participant pledge pages, QR codes for flyers, online donations, live leaderboards, CSV roster upload, and Stripe Connect payouts — while your team runs the event itself.
Learn more about how PledgeAthon works for different events:
Keep More of What Your Community Donates
Free fundraising software. Zero platform fee. You run the event, you keep the money.
Comparison based on publicly available information from boosterthon.com as of July 2026. PledgeAthon is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Boosterthon or Booster. “Boosterthon” is a trademark of its respective owner and is used here for identification and comparison only. Programs, pricing, and services change — verify current details directly with Boosterthon before making a decision.