Kickstarter takes 5% of the money you collect, and its payment processor Stripe takes roughly 3–5% more. If your project doesn’t reach its goal, you pay nothing.
Kickstarter’s fees
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | 5% of funds collected | Successful projects only |
| Payment processing (Stripe) | Roughly 3–5% | Successful projects only |
| Pledges under $10 | 5% + $0.05 per pledge | Successful projects only |
| Pledge Manager | 5% on funds except taxes, plus processing on the full payment | When you use Kickstarter’s Pledge Manager |
| Unfunded project | No fees | Goal not reached |
Example
A project that raises $100,000 pays $5,000 in platform fees and roughly $3,000–$5,000 in processing, so it receives about $90,000–$92,000 before rewards, shipping and taxes.
Costs that aren’t Kickstarter fees
- Manufacturing and rewards.
- Shipping and fulfilment, often the biggest surprise.
- Taxes and VAT.
- Video, photography and prototypes (see our Kickstarter video guide).
- Ads and marketing (see what an agency costs).
- Failed payments: some backers’ cards decline after the campaign.
Kickstarter vs Indiegogo fees
Indiegogo also charges 5%, plus 3% and 0.20 per transaction. Full comparison: Kickstarter vs Indiegogo. For the total cost of a campaign, see what it costs to run a crowdfunding campaign.
Book your free discovery call: three short questions about you, your project and your budget, then pick a time.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Kickstarter take?
Kickstarter takes a 5% platform fee on funds collected, and Stripe charges roughly 3–5% for payment processing.
Does Kickstarter charge if you don’t reach your goal?
No. Fees are only charged on successfully funded projects.
What is the fee for small pledges?
Pledges under $10 are charged 5% plus $0.05 each.
Are there fees for Kickstarter’s Pledge Manager?
Yes. Kickstarter takes 5% on funds collected through the Pledge Manager, excluding taxes, and Stripe charges processing on the full payment.
What a Kickstarter agency costs
Agency fees, ad budgets and platform fees explained.
More tips & advice
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Our crowdfunding marketing agency works with clients worldwide so no matter where you are we can help. We work with all types of business from small to large, so no matter your budget we can help.
If you have any issues please email directly samit@samitpatel.net
Please Note
We only take on 5 new crowdfunding clients every quarter every client gets carefully screened to make sure we can 100% deliver. It is important you provide as much information as possible and get in contact with us EARLY.
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