GoFundMe Pay
Before you begin setup, ensure you have the following information:
- Organization details: Organization name, address, trade name (commonly known by), product description, organization email, URL, EIN, phone number
- Representative information: Legal name, date of birth, residential address, Social Security number (SSN), title, email, phone number, and ID document (if needed).
- Deposit information: Account number, routing number
The representative should be an executive or senior manager who can represent the organization.
For additional guidance, join our interactive group trainings with one of our GoFundMe Pro Coaches.
GoFundMe Pay is a payment solution designed for simplicity and efficiency. GoFundMe Pay lets your donors use features like PayPal, Venmo, and other modern payment options they expect.
Plus, it includes all-in-one reconciliation and industry-leading fraud prevention tools, letting you focus on what matters most – your mission.
Important: If you only use GoFundMe Pro for your Nonprofit Page, setting up GoFundMe Pay will also give you access to create peer-to-peer campaigns, advanced reports, and connect tools like Mailchimp or Google Analytics.
Set up
To set up GoFundMe Pay:
- In your account, go to Settings
- Select Payment Processor Portal, then choose GoFundMe Pay
- Enter the name and email of the primary account owner and your organization's details
- Select Next
- Enter the details of the account owner for verification
- Select Next
- Enter the Checking Account Number and ABA/Routing Number. This account will receive the funds your organization collects on GoFundMe Pro. Then, select Finish.
An Active status will indicate a successful setup.
Next steps
Once GoFundMe Pay is set up, additional payment options like ACH, digital wallets, and PayPal/Venmo will also be turned on. You can edit the GoFundMe Pay or PayPal settings anytime to turn off the additional payment methods.
If you aren't providing these payment methods to your supporters, learn how to turn them on.
Further verification
If the status of GoFundMe Pay or PayPal is Action Required, then more documentation is needed for verification before you can publish a campaign and payments can be processed.
Select Verify and upload the required documents listed. Here is a full list of the types of accepted documents.
The review process can take a few business days. Check back to see if the status changes to Active.
GoFundMe Pay fees structure
It's important to understand GoFundMe Pay's fee structure. Here's a breakdown of the fees for all donations received on GoFundMe Pro:
| Fee Type | Rate |
| Card Transaction Fee | Up to 2.5% + $0.30 per transaction |
| Additional fee for AMEX cards | +1% |
| ACH Transaction Fees | 1% + $0.30 per transaction |
| ACH Failed Transaction Fee | $4.00 per failed transaction |
| PayPal and Venmo Transaction Fees | 2.5% + $0.30 per transaction |
| PayPal International Fee | 1.5% of the transaction amount |
| Dispute Fee | $4.00 per disputed payment $15.00 per disputed PayPal payment No fee for disputes resolved in an organization's favor |
Note: No additional fees are charged for payment card requests, active connected accounts, card account updater, or advanced fraud protection.
Fees for donations received on GoFundMe are 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction.
To view a specific breakdown of your fees in your account, go to Settings and select Billing.
Payouts and deposits
You'll choose your payout schedule when setting up GoFundMe Pay for the first time. You can adjust their frequency anytime by visiting your GoFundMe Pay settings.
GoFundMe Pay offers a flexible payout schedule, including:
- Daily Payouts: Expect funds two business days after the day of transaction.
- Weekly Payouts: Choose a specific day of the week for payouts.
- Monthly Payouts: Choose a specific day of the month for payouts.
Note: Payouts from PayPal will be distributed daily. This is a limitation from PayPal and the frequency cannot be changed at this time.
Switch to GoFundMe Pay
Here’s how you can switch to GoFundMe Pay and what to expect during the transition:
Initiate the switch
Contact our Sales team to update your contract to include GoFundMe Pay. Once the process is complete and GoFundMe Pay is added, you'll receive an email notification.
Migrate recurring donors
If you have recurring donors on your current payment processor, we will automatically migrate most of them to GoFundMe Pay.
Recurring donors processing on legacy versions of PayPal or Authorize.net cannot be migrated.
Note: During any migration, 'soft declines' (recurring donations that fail to process successfully) are possible. This is normal and soft decline rates are usually around 8-10%. Our team will do everything possible to minimize these occurrences and assist with any issues.
Reconciliation process
When you switch to GoFundMe Pay, you’ll need to reconcile your transactions with your previous processor.
First, create a GoFundMe Pro report for reconciliation.
- In your GoFundMe Pro account, select Transactions and then Transaction History
- Select Columns
- Mark the checkboxes for Payment Processor Reference ID, Fee Amount, and Net Transaction Amount
- Select Apply
- Select Transaction Date
- Enter the date range for your accounting or reconciliation period and Apply
The start date should be when your accounting period begins. The end date should be the day after GoFundMe Pay became active. This ensures that transactions won't slip through the cracks as you compare reports.
Select the Export icon to export the report as a CSV file.
Now that you have your report, you'll need to compare it with the corresponding report from your old payment processor.
The key fields to compare are the Payment Processor Reference ID and the corresponding field in your processor's report (usually Transaction ID or Payment ID).
Your transition is complete after reconciling with your old processor and ensuring all transactions are accurately reflected in GoFundMe Pay.
Frequently asked questions
Is GoFundMe Pay the same as a Stripe account?
No, GoFundMe Pay is our unique payment solution. Our friends at Stripe helped build the foundation for the GoFundMe Pay solution.
I have an existing Stripe account. Can I connect it to GoFundMe Pro?
No, you must set up a GoFundMe Pay account through GoFundMe Pro. This ensures that all payments and deposits live within your GoFundMe Pro account for easy access.
Do I have to log in to a separate GoFundMe Pay account?
No, with GoFundMe Pay, there is no processor portal to log in to. Your payout reports and processor information can be found within your GoFundMe Pro account.
Who can use GoFundMe Pay?
GoFundMe Pro customers with a 501(c) nonprofit status can use GoFundMe Pay.
Why should I use GoFundMe Pay?
Using our end-to-end processor comes with many benefits. Some of the biggest include:
- Easier reconciliation: Reconcile your payments and deposits inside your GoFundMe Pro account with all the necessary information in one report.
- Stronger fraud protection: Stripe Radar automatically detects and blocks fraudulent payments across a database of billions of payments. That means stronger security with fewer false positives, so you and your donors can rest easy.
- Automatic credit card updater: Our automatic credit card updater works with card networks to update card information after a card expires or is replaced so your fundraising won't miss a beat. The updater does not update cards if your donor switches providers or banks.
- Future Innovations: With an in-house processor, our team has greater control over bringing you the features you ask for and will need.
Why must I add my Social Security number?
Federal and state regulations require Social Security numbers to verify identities for payment processors. These rules ensure transparency and help to prevent money laundering, tax evasion, and other financial crimes.
Learn more about Stripe's Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
Or, you can read about the rules directly from the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
What is a 'Merchant of Record'?
A 'Merchant of Record' (MoR) is legally responsible for processing customer payments and managing a business's related financial, legal, and compliance aspects. This includes handling transactions, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing and resolving disputes, and preventing fraud.
Learn more about the Merchant of Record
Are we the Merchant of Record for transactions processed through GoFundMe Pay?
Yes, organizations using GoFundMe Pay are designated as the Merchant of Record for their transactions. GoFundMe Pay facilitates these processes, but the ultimate responsibility lies with your organization.
Can I change the information I enter for Personal Details on the verification form?
Yes, to update this information, contact our Care Team.
My GoFundMe Pay processor says it's partially active. What does that mean?
A partially active status means Stripe is still verifying your application. Your organization can still transact and accept donations on GoFundMe Pay during this time, but payouts will only be processed once your account is fully active.
Stripe contacted me about additional verification. What does that mean?
This means Stripe needs a bit more information to verify your details. The verification resolves within 7-10 business days (it may resolve sooner).
You won't be able to publish a campaign online during this time, but your account will be accessible, and you can still create drafts.
How long will it take to process payments with GoFundMe Pay?
Donations will appear on your reports the following business day and the funds will appear in your bank account after two business days.
ACH donations must settle first (5-7 business days), and the payouts will follow after two business days. All payment types are now consolidated into one payout.
How are donations processed during the migration period? Will donations still be processed on my current processor until the switch? When does the cutover happen?
Donations will continue to process on your current processor until the GoFundMe Pay setup and verification process is complete. You'll be able to accept donations during the entire migration period, and there is no period where you'll be without a payment processor.
A confirmation email after the GoFundMe Pay email will be sent after you're set up so that you know your donations start processing on GoFundMe Pay.
Our recurring donors choose to cover the processing fee for our current payment processor. Will their recurring donation be updated to cover the new fee with GoFundMe Pay?
No, recurring donations will be processed at the same rate as when they were established. The rates or donation amounts will remain unchanged when they migrate to GoFundMe Pay.
For example, say a recurring donor submits $20 donations and chooses to cover an extra 5% in transaction fees. Their recurring donation will be $21. This amount will not change after switching to GoFundMe Pay, preventing donor confusion due to changing donation amounts.
Which payment methods does GoFundMe Pay support?
GoFundMe Pay supports credit/debit cards, ACH transactions, digital wallets, PayPal, and Venmo.
Learn how to turn on different payment methods
GoFundMe Pay supports the following credit card brands:
- Mastercard
- Visa
- American Express
- Discover & Diners
- China UnionPay (CUP)
- Japan Credit Bureau (JCB)
Does GoFundMe Pay support ACH payments?
Yes. Please note that ACH payments can take 5-7 days to process and move from a "pending" to a "successful" status.
Are there additional fees for digital wallets?
No, there are no additional fees.
How do digital wallet transactions show up in reporting or payouts?
Digital wallet transactions will display under the Payment Source column in Transaction History reports but not in Payout reports.
Does GoFundMe Pay support card swipers?
Not at this time.
Does GoFundMe Pay support international payments?
GoFundMe Pay supports international donations if submitted in USD with a Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express card.
There is no additional charge for donations made in USD from an international donor.
Why is there a negative payout in my account?
Negative payouts appear if you issue refunds exceeding the dollar amount of donations in your GoFundMe Pay account. This will cause the account to have a negative balance. If this occurs, GoFundMe Pro will debit your connected bank account to recoup the negative balance and bring your account into good standing.
If a direct debit fails due to being blocked by your bank account settings, your GoFundMe Pay account may be disabled and will not receive any further payouts until the negative balance is resolved. To prevent this, ensure that your bank account allows debits from GoFundMe Pay. To allow Stripe to debit or deposit into your bank account, the ID numbers you should provide are:
- WFMSTRIPE1 - Stripe Inc.
- 1800948598 - Stripe Payments Company
For any questions about account debits or your GoFundMe Pay account, contact our Care Team.
Will GoFundMe Pay refund the transaction fee when donations are refunded?
Yes, the transaction fee and the GoFundMe Pay processing fee are refunded.
How will PayPal transactions show up in reporting or payouts?
When you request a payout report, you will receive two reports: GoFundMe Pay and Paypal transactions.
How do I reconcile with PayPal and GoFundMe Pay?
PayPal and GoFundMe Pay reports are very similar, so you should be able to reconcile as normal. The PayPal report will not have Payout Deposit Date and Source Transaction ID columns. You may choose to combine the PayPal and GoFundMe Pay reports. If you do, you should append the PayPal report so the columns line up.
Can I edit the information that appears for a donation on the donor's credit card or bank statement?
You can customize the statement descriptor. Please contact our Care Team, who'll help you edit the descriptor.
By default, the descriptor will display your organization's website. Note that there's a 22-character limit on descriptors.
Is GoFundMe Pay secure?
GoFundMe Pay uses Stripe Radar to detect and block fraudulent payments automatically. Stripe Radar learns from a global network of billions of payments across millions of businesses to detect fraud.
What is Plaid, and is it secure?
Plaid is a financial services company that connects bank accounts to applications. It regularly undergoes internal and external security tests to ensure the effectiveness of its Information Security program.
Learn more about Plaid's security measures
What other security measures does GoFundMe Pro have in place?
At GoFundMe Pro, security and transparency come first. We are PCI Level 1 certified and use multiple security measures to protect sensitive data.
Is there a limit to donation amounts with GoFundMe Pay?
Yes, there are limits depending on which payment method is used:
- Credit card: $999,999.99 limit
- ACH (bank transfer): $20,000,000.00 limit
- PayPal: No limits if it is a verified account
- Venmo: $3,000.00 limit
How does GoFundMe Pay handle currency conversions?
GoFundMe Pay converts transactions to USD at the time of payment. To compare the transaction amount with what the supporter saw, check your reports under the columns Gross transaction amount and Display gross transaction amount.
How do I change the bank account linked to GoFundMe Pay?
Contact our Care team if you need to change your bank account linked to GoFundMe Pay.