How it works
Where your money goes
Three steps, and no part of it is hidden from you.
- 1
Find a campaign
Every campaign is run by someone who has passed Stripe’s identity checks — real name, real documents, a real bank account. Nobody can collect money on PledgeFor anonymously.
- 2
Donate securely
Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Link. Payments are handled entirely by Stripe — your card details never touch our servers. We ask your bank to verify every payment, which protects you if your card is ever used by someone else.
- 3
The money reaches the organizer
For most campaigns your donation goes straight into the organizer’s own Stripe account at the moment you pay — PledgeFor never holds it. Some campaigns are run by PledgeFor directly, and those say so on the campaign page.
Common questions
What does PledgeFor charge?
10% of each donation, paid by the organizer, taken automatically at the moment of payment. Stripe charges its own card processing fee on top (around 2.9% + 30¢), which applies on every platform that accepts cards.
When you donate you’ll also be offered the option of adding a small tip for PledgeFor. That’s entirely optional, it goes to us rather than the campaign, and skipping it changes nothing about your donation.
Do organizers keep a share?
Some do. Running a campaign — producing the photos and video, translating, promoting it so people actually see it — is real work, and some organizers retain a share for doing it. Where that applies, the share is shown on the campaign page. If a campaign doesn’t say so, the organizer isn’t taking one.
How campaigns are verified
Every campaign is reviewed by our team before it goes live, and nobody can receive money without passing Stripe’s identity verification first — real documents, checked by a regulated payments company rather than by us alone.
If something looks wrong, use the Report link on any campaign page. Donations to it stop immediately while we look into it, and the organizer has 72 hours to respond.
Will I get a receipt?
Yes — by email, straight after you donate. Keep it as your record of the donation.
Can I donate from anywhere?
Yes. Stripe accepts all major cards worldwide. Donations are charged in US dollars, and your bank will convert at their own rate if you hold another currency.
Can I donate anonymously?
Yes. Tick Donate anonymously at checkout and your name won’t appear on the supporter list. We still email you a receipt.
What if I want a refund?
Email hello@pledgefor.org and tell us what happened. If a campaign is found to be dishonest, we refund donors from the organizer’s account.
Where that isn’t possible — because the money has already been withdrawn and sent on — we’ll give you everything you need to claim it back through your bank. We’d rather tell you that honestly than promise something we can’t always deliver.