Crowdrise Review

Name: Crowdrise
Item: Crowdrise
Rating: 5
Author: Phillip Parker

Phillip Parker

Updated: June 24, 2024

Maintained Since: October 12, 2015

▼ 1 User Reviews

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Note: Crowdrise has been absorbed into GoFundMe and is no longer an entity on its own. We will therefore no longer be updating this profile.

Crowdsourced Fundraising Platform

Founded in May 2010, Crowdrise, a GoFundMe company, was a fundraising platform and payment processor that specializes in crowdsourced funding for individuals and non-profit merchant accounts. It was acquired by GoFundMe in 2017 and subsequently relaunched in March 2018. The company utilizes Network for Good and WePay as its back-end credit card processors. Crowdwise appears to have been fully integrated into the GoFundMe brand. It is now called GoFundMe Charity and no longer maintains a web presence outside of the GoFundMe domain.

Crowdrise Location and Ownership

Jeffrey and Robert Wolfe are the co-founders of Crowdrise, which is headquartered at 333 W 7th St Ste 200 Royal Oak, MI 48067.

Crowdrise Review Table of Contents

Costs & Contract: Crowdrise offers two different pricing plans with a transaction rate of 2.9% plus $0.30 as well as a platform fee.
Complaints & Service: Crowdrise has received fewer than 10 public complaints.
BBB Rating: Crowdrise has no rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received 0 complaints and 0 reviews in the past 3 years.
Sales & Marketing: Crowdrise does not appear to hire independent sales agents and has not received any complaints about its sales practices.
Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Crowdrise

Crowdrise Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints	<10
Live Customer Support	Yes
Most Common Complaint	N/A

Low Complaint Total

We are currently able to locate only a handful of negative Crowdrise reviews, none of which describe the service as a ripoff or a scam. These complaints cite varying issues, including but not limited to unclear pricing, poor customer service, delayed deposits, and fraudulent initiatives hosted on the platform. These complaints do not paint a picture of any widespread or persistent issues with Crowdrise’s customer service, and the overall number of complaints is low for a free service. These complaints are also counterbalanced by a few dozen positive testimonials for the company on sites like SiteJabber and CrowdsUnite.

Crowdrise Lawsuits

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Crowdrise. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

Crowdrise Customer Service Options

In general, most Crowdrise users seem satisfied with the service they receive. Crowdrise offers email support, live chat, social media channels, and an FAQ section for its users. Users subscribed to the platform’s “Premium” plan receive feedback from customer support within 4 hours. These contact options are close to what we expect from top-rated processors for great customer service.

Crowdrise Customer Satisfaction Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
Product & Service Complaints	0
Billing & Collection Complaints	0
Advertising & Sales Complaints	0
Guarantee & Warranty Complaints	0
Delivery Complaints	0

Under 10 Complaints

Crowdrise currently has no rating with the Better Business Bureau and is not accredited at this time. The company has received 0 complaints on its BBB profile.

What Merchants Say

Though Crowdrise hasn’t received any complaints on its BBB profile, the company has received two negative reviews in the past. One review describes a donor being overcharged:

I recently donated using Crowdrise but was charged 5 times for my donation. I have attempted to contact the company 3 times and have not received ANY help or response. No phone number listed, just an email form which they obviously do not pay attention to.

Not Enough Information

We agree with the BBB’s rating, but merchants should note that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s information.

Crowdrise Fees, Rates & Contract

Rates & Fees Summary
Flat Fee	2.9%+$0.30
GoFundMe Plan Fee	0% Of Transactions
Essential Plan Fee	5% Of Transactions
Early Termination Fee	$0
PCI Compliance Fee	$0

Two Pricing Plans

Crowdrise offers two pricing plans: “GoFundMe” and “Essential.” The GoFundMe plan is a free plan that charges 6% per transaction, but it also includes another 2.9% plus $0.30. It offers unlimited fundraising pages, instant access to funds, mobile optimization for donation pages, social sharing tools, and integrated event registration. The Premium plan does not list its monthly fee, but an earlier equivalent plan from Crowdrise was at $50 per month.

The Essential plan charges a reduced platform transaction fee of 5% plus 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, for a total of 7.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. The Premium plan includes all of the Essential plan’s product features plus a dedicated success rep, a private training session, increased campaign visibility, custom branding, custom emails, double rewards points, and Salesforce integration.

Higher-Than-Average Fees

Crowdrise’s effective transaction fees do not compare favorably to industry averages under either plan. Although the company offers a free monthly plan, the accompanying per-transaction cost of 7.9% plus $0.30 is far greater than even the highest rates charged by most processors. Crowdrise may be appealing for some non-profit organizations due to its easy setup and full feature package, but in terms of basic payment processing, its costs are higher than could be found through a traditional merchant account on an interchange-plus pricing plan. Merchants should consider these cheaper options before signing up for service. There are no complaints that accuse the company of excessive or unexpected fees, so we will take that into account when scoring this section.

Crowdrise Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Employs Independent Resellers	No
Advertises Deceptive Rates	No
Discloses All Important Terms	No

No Sales Issues

Crowdrise appears to primarily market its services via social promotion, traditional advertising, and strategic partnerships. There is no evidence that the company employs a team of independently contracted sales agents, and we have not located any Crowdrise complaints that refer to the company’s sales team.

Pricing Disclosure

Crowdrise provides most of its pricing details on its website, so merchants should be able to find all relevant fees by reading through the company’s FAQ section. Merchants should be aware that Crowdrise’s transaction fee and its payment processing fee will both apply to all donations processed on the platform, making its effective per-donation rate the sum of those two fees. If you suspect that Crowdrise has added extra fees to your bill, you can double-check your pricing with a third-party statement audit.

Crowdrise Review Summary

A Great Fundraising Tool

Crowdrise rated as a solid payment processor for fundraisers and non-profit organizations. However, the company is no longer active as it was absorbed by GoFundMe. Non-profit organizations should still compare the service to the value offered by other top-rated non-profit credit card processors.

Top Performing Crowdrise Competitors

HMS

Average Rate

1.82% + $0.20

Pricing Details

Helcim

Average Rate

1.83% + $0.18

Pricing Details

CDG

Average Rate

1.83% + $0.16

Pricing Details

Please note that we only suggest providers that adhere to strict ethical standards and offer top performing support at extremely competitive pricing. We may earn revenue if choose one of our recommendations.

About The Author

Phillip Parker

Phillip Parker is the founder, creator and author of this website. He is a payments industry expert, business consultant, and web developer. Since 2009, he has researched over 1,000 merchant services providers and published hundreds of payment education-related articles. His work has received national recognition and his expertise is regularly sought by large media outlets such as CNN, MSN, and INC Magazine among dozens of others. Learn more...

How Phillip Can Help You

Schedule a call with Phillip to get answers to your payment processing questions. Please note that Phillip's expertise focuses on merchant services within the U.S.

Credit card processing costs are complex and often difficult to understand. Hire Phillip to help you optimize your processing costs to the lowest possible rates without switching processors, trading out payment acceptance equipment, or modifying your processes.

Starting a new business or ready to find a new processor? Selecting the right merchant services provider is a crucial component of running successful business. Check out Phillip's processor picks see which companies offer the best services at the lowest costs or schedule a call today to learn how to get custom recommendations for you payment needs.

Reader Comments, Testimonials & Complaints

1 User Reviews

Matteo Lynn

July 27, 2023

I just had an incredible experience with Crowdrise! As a small business owner, I was looking for a platform to host our charity event and raise funds for a local cause. Crowdrise proved to be the perfect fit. The user-friendly interface made setting up our campaign a breeze, and their support team was prompt and helpful in answering our questions.

What impressed me the most was the seamless integration of social media tools, allowing us to reach a wider audience and boost engagement. The campaign analytics provided valuable insights, helping us track progress and make data-driven decisions.

Thanks to Crowdrise, our event exceeded all expectations, raising more funds than we thought possible. I highly recommend Crowdrise to any organization or individual seeking an efficient and effective way to make a positive impact in their community. This platform truly understands the power of crowdfunding!

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