Basics

GoFundMe Recurring Donations: Fees, How to Turn Them On, and When to Use Something Else

GoFundMe recurring donations: donors pay 5% extra, closing cancels every plan, and payouts work in about 20 countries. Fees, cancel steps, and alternatives.

By The Pennygood team · Sep 2026 · 9 min read

GoFundMe Recurring Donations: Fees, How to Turn Them On, and When to Use Something Else

Recurring donations on GoFundMe are monthly donations: a donor chooses the recurring option at checkout and is charged again each month. That can help when a one-time fundraiser turns into an ongoing need, but the donor-paid 5% charge, transaction fees, payout-country limits, and closing rules matter.

The short answer is yes: GoFundMe supports recurring donations on eligible fundraisers. In many cases, new fundraisers offer one-time and monthly giving by default. The three details most likely to surprise people are that the donor pays an additional 5% recurring fee, the organizer still pays normal transaction fees out of the gift, and closing the fundraiser cancels every recurring plan attached to it.

What are GoFundMe recurring donations?

A GoFundMe recurring donation is a monthly gift that a donor authorizes at checkout, so GoFundMe charges the same amount again on the fund’s monthly billing cycle. “Recurring donation” and “monthly donation” describe the same option here.

The donor chooses the option; an organizer cannot turn an existing one-time donor into a monthly donor without that donor opting in. If the organizer allows both options, the donor can select one-time or monthly at checkout. Recurring is not a promise that the donor will keep paying forever: the donor can cancel, and the plan ends if the fundraiser closes.

Recurring versus one-time at checkout

The monthly option adds a 5% recurring fee paid by the donor on top of the amount they choose. A one-time gift does not carry that extra recurring fee. Transaction processing is separate and applies to the donation that reaches the organizer. Because each monthly charge is a new transaction, the relevant fees repeat each month.

How do I turn recurring or monthly donations on?

For a standard fundraiser, GoFundMe’s settings path is:

Today page → Fundraiser tab → Change fundraiser settings → Allow donations.

From there, choose Monthly and one-time, One-time only, or Monthly only. You can also choose which option is preselected when someone opens the Donate flow, including GoFundMe’s Smart default where available.

The donor still has to opt in at checkout. Selecting “Monthly and one-time” does not enroll previous donors, and it does not force a new donor into a recurring plan.

Monthly gifts may be paid by card, PayPal, or bank transfer, depending on the fundraiser and donor’s available payment options. GoFundMe has also noted that some fundraisers in Italy and Canada may not show recurring donations yet. A nonprofit fundraiser may have a different setup or administrator. Check the current GoFundMe Help instructions on the day you change the setting; the label and availability can change.

How much of a recurring donation reaches the organizer?

There are two separate parts to the fee math:

The 5% recurring fee: paid by the donor at checkout, on top of the amount they selected. It does not reduce the organizer’s selected gift amount.
Transaction processing: deducted from the donation before it reaches the organizer. For the US example used by GoFundMe Help, that is 2.9% + $0.30 per donation. Other countries and payment methods can differ.

Using the US transaction example, and treating each month as a new charge:

$3/month: donor pays $3.15; organizer receives about $2.61
$10/month: donor pays $10.50; organizer receives about $9.41
$25/month: donor pays $26.25; organizer receives about $23.98

These are illustrations, not a universal payout quote. The fixed $0.30 is especially important for a small gift: by itself, it equals 10% of a $3 donation. The same processing fee is charged again each month. If you are asking for a small recurring amount, tell supporters what the amount means in practice rather than presenting the gross number as what you will receive.

A coin falling through three stacked green funnels, each keeping a small piece, before a slightly smaller coin lands in an open hand — A monthly gift is charged, and trimmed, twelve times a year.

How do I cancel or change a recurring donation?

A donor can cancel a GoFundMe recurring donation from the monthly charge receipt or from the “Donations you’ve made” section of their GoFundMe account. The cancellation stops future charges; it does not automatically refund months that have already been paid.

The timing matters. Cancellation applies to charges scheduled more than 24 hours later. If the next charge is within 24 hours, do not assume that canceling alone will stop it; follow GoFundMe’s current Help or refund process instead. The receipt and account instructions are the best starting points because they identify the specific recurring plan.

For organizers answering a donor, point them to the receipt email and Donations you’ve made rather than trying to cancel the donor’s plan yourself. Do not promise a refund or invent a pause rule. If a donor needs to change the amount or payment method, use the account or receipt path and the current GoFundMe Help instructions.

What happens if I close the fundraiser?

Closing a GoFundMe fundraiser cancels every recurring plan attached to it. Donors are not charged again after the fundraiser closes.

That makes closing different from posting an update. If the need is still active, closing an old page and starting a new one resets the recurring relationship: monthly supporters do not automatically follow to the new fundraiser. Consider updating the existing page and explaining the next stage instead. Updates can notify subscribed donors, while a new fundraiser requires people to opt in again.

A fundraiser’s country is set when it is created and cannot be changed after publication. If your payout details or location are the problem, check the supported-country rules before closing anything.

What if I do not live in a supported payout country?

GoFundMe’s Help page lists these 20 payout countries (the list changes, so check it before you start): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Most US territories are excluded, and the list can change.

If you are outside the supported set, creating a fundraiser can lead to refunds or account removal. The official practical arrangement in some cases is for a trusted person in a supported country to organize the fundraiser, receive the funds, and forward them. That person is responsible for the account and may also carry tax, identity, and money-transfer questions. The page should explain the arrangement honestly. It is not a frictionless workaround, and you should confirm the current GoFundMe policy first.

Two friends on either side of a low wooden fence, one handing a small jar of coins across to the other — Outside the 20 countries, a friend has to hold the money for you.

For a shorter job-to-be-done comparison (campaign vs quiet $3/mo page), see https://pennygood.me/articles/gofundme-recurring-donations

Is GoFundMe right for an ongoing monthly need?

GoFundMe is often a good fit for a medical bill, emergency, family need, or other campaign with a clear deadline or target. It is less natural when the main need is ongoing work that you do every week: tutoring, neighborhood cleanups, animal care, or freelance work for an NGO.

GoFundMe’s terms distinguish donations from an exchange of goods or services. Patreon and Ko-fi are built more directly around creators, memberships, and audience relationships; compare their different assumptions and fees in Ko-fi vs Patreon (https://pennygood.me/articles/vs-patreon-kofi) rather than repeating that comparison here.

For ongoing good work, Pennygood (https://pennygood.me) is another shape of page: support can start at about $3 per month, Pennygood keeps 8% and the creator keeps 92% before Stripe processing, and payouts use Stripe Connect in 120+ countries, subject to availability and verification. There are no tiers or perks required. It is not a claim that Pennygood is the best tool for every emergency or every country; check the payout details before sharing a page.

Musa’s page (https://pennygood.me/musa) is a soft example of that ongoing-work model. It currently shows 0 backers, so it is an example of the page format, not evidence of traction or income. If you are deciding between a campaign and recurring support, choose the tool that matches the reason people are giving.

How do I ask people to switch to recurring?

Explain the next month, not only the launch-day problem. Say what a recurring amount helps cover, give a simple timeline, and ask people who already know the work. A short personal message is usually clearer than a generic appeal. When support arrives, share a concise update about what the previous month made possible.

Do not describe a recurring gift as guaranteed income. Tell supporters how to cancel, and keep the page accurate if the need or plan changes.

FAQ

Who pays GoFundMe’s 5% recurring fee?

The donor pays the 5% recurring fee at checkout, on top of the selected gift. It is separate from the transaction-processing fee deducted from the donation before the organizer receives it.

When is the donor charged each month?

GoFundMe charges the recurring gift on the monthly cycle created when the donor opts in. The receipt and the donor’s account show the relevant timing. Treat every monthly charge as a new processed donation with its applicable fees.

How does a donor cancel a GoFundMe recurring donation?

The donor can use the monthly charge receipt or the Donations you’ve made section of their GoFundMe account. Cancellation stops future charges. If the next charge is within 24 hours, follow the current Help or refund process rather than assuming cancellation alone will stop it.

Does closing my fundraiser cancel recurring donors?

Yes. Closing the fundraiser cancels every recurring plan attached to it, so those donors are not charged again. A replacement fundraiser does not automatically carry the plans over.

Can an organizer force a donor to give monthly?

No. The organizer can allow or restrict one-time and monthly options in fundraiser settings, but each donor must choose recurring at checkout. An existing one-time donor is not silently converted.

Is GoFundMe Pro the same as recurring donations on a personal fundraiser?

No. GoFundMe Pro is a separate nonprofit product with different tools and pricing. This article covers standard or personal GoFundMe fundraisers, not a GoFundMe Pro migration or operations guide.

Is Pennygood a replacement for GoFundMe?

Not in every situation. GoFundMe can fit a one-off emergency or campaign with a deadline. Pennygood is designed for ongoing small monthly support, from about $3, with an 8% platform fee and 92% kept before Stripe processing; check which payout option fits your country and need.