Kickstarter fees calculator
See what Kickstarter and the card processors take, what lands in your bank, and the funding goal that actually covers your costs. Works for Gamefound, Indiegogo and BackerKit too.
Processing rates (prefilled for Kickstarter; platform fee 5%)
Prefilled with the published rate for your country. Kickstarter's US fixed fee shows as $0.30 on its fee page and $0.20 in older guides; we use the higher one so your budget is safe. Edit these if your platform shows something different.
How much does Kickstarter take?
If your project is funded, Kickstarter takes a 5% platform fee on the total raised. On top of that, the card processor charges a payment processing fee of about 3% plus a small fixed fee per pledge: around $0.20–$0.30 in the US, £0.30 in the UK, €0.30 in the eurozone, C$0.40 in Canada and A$0.45 in Australia. Pledges under 10 (in your currency) use a different rate: 5% plus a smaller fixed fee. Kickstarter says to budget about 10% in total; the calculator shows the exact split for your numbers.
If your project doesn't reach its goal, nobody is charged and you pay nothing. That's Kickstarter's all-or-nothing rule.
Why "add 10% to your goal" is slightly wrong
Fees come out of the total you raise, not out of your costs. If you need $10,000 and add 10%, you set an $11,000 goal; 10% of $11,000 is $1,100 in fees, leaving $9,900. The correct goal is your costs divided by what's left after fees: $10,000 ÷ 0.9 ≈ $11,112. The "What goal do I need?" mode does this for you, including the fixed per-pledge fee, which matters more when pledges are small.
The costs people forget
- Shipping and fulfilment. Often the biggest line after manufacturing, and the one that sinks campaigns.
- Pledge manager fees. Kickstarter's own pledge manager has no upfront cost but takes 5% plus processing on money collected through it. Hive and PledgeBox take 3%; BackerKit takes 3.5% plus a campaign fee of up to 2%. See pledge managers compared.
- VAT, duties and tariffs. Depends on where you ship and where you're based.
- Failed payments. A small share of cards fail after the campaign. Backers get time to fix them, but not all do.
- Income tax. In most countries campaign money counts as business income in the year you receive it.
Fees on other platforms
| Platform | Platform fee | Payment processing | If not funded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickstarter | 5% | About 3% + $0.20–$0.30 per pledge in the US (5% + a smaller fixed fee under $10) | Nothing charged |
| Gamefound | 5% | 3% + 0.20 per pledge, in the campaign currency | Nothing charged |
| Indiegogo | 5% | 3% + 0.20 per pledge, in the campaign currency | Nothing charged (flexible funding was discontinued in 2025) |
| BackerKit Crowdfunding | 5% | 2.9% + $0.30 per pledge (US) | Nothing charged |
More detail on each platform in Kickstarter alternatives, and on post-campaign tools in pledge managers compared.
Kickstarter fees: common questions
What percentage does Kickstarter take?
5% of the total raised, only if the project is funded. Payment processing adds about 3% plus a small fixed fee per pledge, so plan for about 8–10% in total.
Does Kickstarter charge anything if my project fails?
No. Kickstarter is all-or-nothing: if you don't reach your goal, backers aren't charged and you don't pay any fees.
When do I get paid by Kickstarter?
Kickstarter charges backers when the campaign ends and starts the payout 14 days after the deadline, minus fees. Your bank can take another 3–14 business days to show it.
Does Kickstarter's pledge manager cost extra?
There's no upfront cost, but Kickstarter takes 5% of the money collected through its pledge manager (not counting taxes) plus payment processing. Money raised during the campaign isn't charged again.
Are Kickstarter fees taken from my goal or added on top?
They're taken from the money raised. That's why your goal should be grossed up: costs divided by the share you keep after fees, not costs plus 10%.
Is shipping included when Kickstarter calculates fees?
Yes. Shipping charged at pledge time is part of the pledge, so fees apply to it too.
Where these numbers come from
- Kickstarter, Kickstarter fees: a comprehensive guide for creators
- Kickstarter, How to create an expert Kickstarter budget
- Gamefound Help Center, Fees for projects funded on Gamefound
- Indiegogo Help Center, Fees
- Kickstarter Help Center, What are the fees? and How do I receive my funds?
- Kickstarter, Kickstarter Pledge Manager
- BackerKit Help, Frequently asked questions; Hive pledge manager; PledgeBox pricing
Fees checked October 2026. Platforms change their fees from time to time; always confirm on the platform before you launch.
Turn your numbers into a finished campaign page
The PledgeBird Page Builder lays out your Kickstarter page the way top campaigns in your category do: headers, reward cards, specs, stretch goals and shipping tables. Free to build.
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