Crowdfunding a Funeral: Best Platforms, Common Fees, and Tips for a Successful Fundraiser

Most families don’t plan to become fundraisers. You’re trying to answer calls, choose a date, locate paperwork, and figure out what kind of goodbye fits the person you love. And then the money question shows up—sometimes quietly, sometimes like a wave. If you’re looking up crowdfunding for funeral help, it usually means you’re doing two things at once: making practical decisions during grief, and trying to protect your family from financial stress at the exact moment you have the least energy to handle it.

Crowdfunding isn’t “begging.” When it’s done with care, it’s a way to let a community participate. People often want to help but don’t know what to do; a clear, respectful funeral fundraiser gives them a path. The key is choosing the right platform, understanding the fees that can quietly reduce donations, and telling your story in a way that feels honest—without oversharing or sounding like marketing.

It also helps to know you’re not alone in facing these decisions. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, cremation continues to rise, with the 2025 cremation rate projected at 63.4% (versus 31.6% burial), and NFDA reports national median costs in 2023 of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 for a funeral with cremation. Those numbers don’t include every family’s extra needs—travel, obituary, flowers, catering, or a memorial gathering at home—but they’re a grounding starting point for why families turn to support.

Why funeral crowdfunding has become more common

Funerals are emotionally urgent and financially time-sensitive. Even when a family chooses cremation, decisions still stack up: the cremation itself, transportation, death certificates, a memorial service, and what you’ll do next with the remains. For many families, that includes choosing cremation urns—sometimes a primary vessel from a cremation urns for ashes collection, plus small cremation urns or keepsake urns when siblings or children want a portion to keep close. If you’re caring for a pet loss at the same time (it happens more than people realize), the costs can include pet urns and pet urns for ashes too, especially when a child is grieving a companion animal and you want a gentle memorial they can understand.

This shift is also visible in the bigger picture. The Cremation Association of North America reports that in 2024 the U.S. cremation rate was 61.8%, with continued growth projected. More cremation often means more flexibility—services can happen later, families can gather when travel is possible, and “the plan” can unfold in stages. But flexibility can also create an in-between period where the family is still paying expenses while trying to decide about keeping ashes at home, scattering, or a ceremony like water burial.

If you’re trying to cover funeral expenses, it helps to treat crowdfunding as one part of a bigger plan: what needs to be paid immediately, what can be scheduled later, and what choices are truly optional. That mindset makes your fundraiser clearer—and clarity is what helps people say yes.

Best crowdfunding platforms for funeral expenses

There isn’t one perfect platform for every family. Some are built around social sharing and quick setup. Others are memorial-first, where the fundraiser lives alongside photos, stories, and service details—so donors feel less like they’re clicking into a transaction and more like they’re participating in remembrance.

Below is a practical comparison focused on the questions families ask most: “How much will fees take?” and “Will people trust this?” Fee structures can change, so it’s always worth checking the platform’s official pricing page before you launch.

Platform	Best for	Typical fees to watch	What families should know
GoFundMe	Fast reach, strong name recognition, social sharing	Transaction fees deducted per donation; donor tips may be prompted	GoFundMe lists standard processing fees on its pricing page and provides fee examples in its fee help article.
Ever Loved	Memorial page plus donations in one place	No service fee; payment processing fees apply	Ever Loved states it doesn’t charge a service fee for raising money, while standard processing fees are deducted from donations on its memorial donations page.
GatheringUs	Memorial + planning + fundraising together	No platform fee; standard processing fees; optional tip prompt may appear	GatheringUs explains its model on its How It Works page, including processing fees and the optional tip option.
GiveSendGo	Families who prefer a platform with no platform fee	Platform fee listed as 0%; third-party processing fees apply	GiveSendGo outlines fees on its fee breakdown and pricing page.
Fundly	Simple personal campaigns; donors willing to support the platform	Platform fee may be 0% with a donor-supported model; processing fees apply	Fundly’s support center states a 0% platform fee for organizers and lists processing fees on its fees page.
Spotfund	Families prioritizing 0% platform fees and quick payouts	Platform fee listed as 0%; standard processing fees apply	Spotfund describes its “0% platform fees” model and processing fees on its How It Works page.

A quick note about “free” platforms: in many cases, “no platform fee” does not mean “no fees.” Payment processing fees (the credit card and payment network costs) are common almost everywhere, and some platforms nudge donors to leave an optional tip to support the site. That doesn’t make a platform bad—it just means you want to be clear-eyed about what will actually land in your account.

Common fundraiser fees that surprise families

When you’re exhausted, fees are easy to overlook. But a few small percentages across dozens or hundreds of donations can become meaningful money. Here are the fee categories families most often miss—and how to think about them calmly.

Transaction and payment processing fees

These are usually a percentage plus a small fixed amount per donation. For example, GoFundMe explains U.S. transaction fees in its fees help article. Ever Loved notes that standard processing fees are deducted from donations on its memorial donations page. GiveSendGo and GatheringUs publish their processing fee structures on their official pages as well. If your campaign expects many small donations, the fixed per-donation component matters more than you’d think.

Optional platform tips

Some platforms don’t charge organizers a platform fee and instead prompt donors for an optional contribution to support the site. This can be a good model, but it can also confuse donors (“Is my donation going to the family or the platform?”). If you choose a tip-based platform, consider adding one sentence in your fundraiser that gently reassures donors where the money goes.

Payout timing and banking details

Most families care less about fee math and more about, “Will we be able to pay the funeral home by Friday?” Before you hit publish, confirm how quickly funds can be withdrawn, whether there are bank verification steps, and whether there are limits on transfers. If you’re covering immediate expenses, you want predictable access to funds, not a surprise delay.

How to set a realistic goal without feeling like you’re putting a price on a life

Setting a number can feel awful. It can also be relieving, because it turns chaos into a plan. A good goal is not “everything we might spend.” It’s the amount that will meaningfully stabilize the next few weeks.

NFDA’s median cost figures can help you sense the landscape, but your goal should be tied to your family’s actual situation: cremation or burial, how many people are traveling, whether there will be a viewing, and what you’re doing with the ashes. Some families are fundraising for a basic cremation and memorial. Others are fundraising for a more traditional service. Many are fundraising for the smaller, less obvious expenses that come after—death certificates, flights, time off work, or the memorial items that make the home feel less empty.

This is also where it helps to know your options around what to do with ashes. Some families choose one primary urn and no extras. Others want a shared plan: one main urn plus keepsake urns for children, or small cremation urns for ashes for siblings who live in different states. Some choose cremation jewelry so they can carry a tiny portion close—options like cremation jewelry or cremation necklaces can be part of a thoughtful plan when the family wants closeness without placing the entire emotional weight on a single object.

And if the loss is a beloved animal, the same planning applies. Families often want a primary pet cremation urns option from pet cremation urns for ashes, plus a small sharing option like pet keepsake cremation urns, or a more sculptural memorial like pet figurine cremation urns for ashes when the goal is “something that feels like them.”

How to write a funeral fundraiser that people trust

If you’re searching for how to write a funeral fundraiser, you’re probably worried about tone. You want to be real, but not dramatic. You want to be brief, but not cold. The truth is: donors respond to clarity, not perfect phrasing.

Start with a simple, human opening

One to three sentences is enough. Who passed, when, and what the family is facing. You do not need every detail. You’re not writing a eulogy; you’re giving context for a community to help.

Be specific about what the funds will cover

Specificity builds trust. “Funeral and related expenses” is fine, but “cremation, transportation, death certificates, and a small memorial gathering” is better. If you’re raising money for a particular piece—like a memorial service venue deposit—say that. If your plan includes funeral planning help and you’re still comparing options, name that too: “We are working with the funeral home to finalize arrangements.”

Choose one organizer and make the money path obvious

The best campaigns are clear about who is managing the funds and their relationship to the person who died. This reduces confusion and protects against misunderstandings in the extended family. It also helps donors feel safe.

Update donors like a human, not a brand

Small updates keep momentum. A short thank-you. A service detail. A photo. A note about progress. People are more likely to share when they feel connected to the story, and updates give them a reason to re-share without feeling awkward.

Sharing strategies that don’t feel pushy

Most campaigns succeed because a few people share consistently, not because one post goes viral. If you have the energy, create a small sharing circle: two or three friends or relatives who agree to post once or twice during the first week, then again around service details.

It also helps to match the channel to the relationship. A private message to close friends, a Facebook post for the broader community, an email to coworkers, a group text for extended family. The goal is not “maximum visibility.” The goal is letting the people who would want to help actually see it.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable, it can help to frame it as an invitation: “If you’d like to help, here is the easiest way.” That language respects the donor and respects you.

Safety checks that protect your family and your donors

Grief makes people vulnerable, and unfortunately scammers know that. A few safety practices can protect everyone involved.

Use a recognizable photo and consistent names. Avoid posting sensitive documents publicly. If someone asks for proof, respond kindly but carefully—sometimes a private message is appropriate. If you’re worried about public visibility, consider a memorial-first platform where the story, photos, and service information live together and feel less transactional.

If you want a calm resource that covers platform choice, fees, and trust signals in one place, you may also find this Funeral.com guide helpful: Crowdfunding for Funeral Expenses: Best Platforms, Fees, and Safety Checks.

How crowdfunding fits into the bigger funeral planning picture

A fundraiser can cover costs, but it can also give you a moment to breathe—so you can make decisions with less pressure. That’s especially true when you’re deciding what happens after cremation.

Some families choose keeping ashes at home for a while and decide later about permanent placement. If that’s you, these resources can help you feel steady and informed: Keeping Ashes at Home: How to Do It Safely, Respectfully, and Legally.

If your plan includes an ocean ceremony or other water-based goodbye, you may be thinking about water burial rules and timing. Funeral.com’s guides can walk you through what to expect: Water Burial and Burial at Sea: What “3 Nautical Miles” Means and Water Burial Planning: A Simple Checklist for Families.

And if you’re trying to understand pricing—because cost clarity can reduce panic—these practical reads can help you map the landscape: How Much Does Cremation Cost? and Cremation Costs Breakdown. Even if your fundraiser is already live, understanding the cost structure helps you explain needs clearly when people ask.

Finally, if you’re choosing a vessel and you want the decision to feel calmer, this guide can help you avoid the most common sizing and material mistakes: How to Choose a Cremation Urn. If you prefer to browse options as you read, you can start with cremation urns for ashes, then narrow into small cremation urns for ashes or keepsake cremation urns for ashes depending on your family plan.

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