Fundly Crowdfunding Review 2019
Ratings, Pricing & Comparisons
Is Fundly the best Crowdfunding website for you?
With lower marketing costs and online technology which allows us to globally connect with customers, now is the perfect time to start up a new business.
However, there’s one issue…
Entrepreneurs need to raise investment funds to get started!
Well, don’t worry – there’s good news!
With the increase in online investment and crowdfunding sites of late – including Fundly – potential entrepreneurs are able to be placed right under the noses of those who hold the money.
Fundly, which is an online fundraising platform is used by clubs, charities, non-profits, and other organizations that are looking to raise monies for a specific cause.
By using this application, those raising funds are able to create mobile-ready, custom donation pages which feature photos and videos. The iOS mobile app also allows them to keep up to date with supporter activity and to track contributions via Apple devices.
The problems is, with so many crowdfunding platforms on the market, it can be difficult knowing which one to choose…
Don’t worry…
To help you make your mind, I have reviewed what exactly Fundly has to offer including what type of crowdfunding it is suited to.
So, if you’re ready, let's dive in and get on with it!!
I will put Fundly through our rigorous testing and will look at the following aspects.
Performance:
How does Fundly perform and what features do they offer to help create the perfect crowdfunding campaign?
Usability :
Does Fundly offer everything necessary that users expect from a crowdfunding platform?
Support:
Does Fundly offer quick customer support solutions and help, and can users count on them when it matters most?
Cost:
Does Fundly offer the best pricing in the marketplace? And more importantly, what deals are available that can help users save money?
Performance
Although Fundly did perform well, I did find that the statistical reporting was lacking – something which is really useful to larger organizations so that they can see exactly where the donations have come from. The offers could also be categorized and streamlined a little better.
Cost
Pretty standard, Fundly bases its fees on the scale of the fundraiser with individual campaigns being charged 4.9% as well as an additional 3% for credit cards. They also offer discounts for fees on campaigns that reach specific donation levels.
Usability
Fundly was fairly easy to use and pleasant to work with. The process was nice and simple and extremely responsive. The only downside was that the website was slightly cumbersome.
Support
Fundly offers a great customer support system. The webinars are superb especially the drop-in Friday ones.
We Like
- Good customer support
- Software is easy to use
- Detailed reporting
We Don't Like
- Reporting feature is difficult to learn
- Lack of statistical reporting
Introduction
Fundly is a programme for fundraising which attends to the needs of charity organizations, clubs, non-profits as well as other associations. A reliable and quick fundraising platform is offered from this web-based application. It is amongst the top fundraising software due to its accessibility and simplicity. Its versatility means that it is suitable for any sized organization. Because the interface is easy to use, anyone using it won’t need any extra training – which is another added bonus!!.
It helps to track donations, improve memberships, allow constant communication with supporters and of course – raise more money!!
Fundly allows integration of the software with your website to save on time required for data entry. Organizations are able to register new members, renew old members and sell tickets online.
Volunteers are also able to sign up for several activities as well as log their work hours – all online. It also keeps a record of donors together with what contribution was made, which can really save organizations time, especially if they need quick reports. This system ensures that data is kept safe and all these tools combined mean that the organization is able to function at its best.
#1 Ease of Use
If a crowdfunding site is difficult to use or understand then the chances are that no-one will want to use it. A good way is by having a look at the startup process, if it is tough, to begin with then this most definitely is not a good sign.
So, the question is, how did Fundly perform and was it really as easy to use as it stated?
Now, according to Fundly’s website, the platform for donations is easy to use – and they’re not far wrong. The great thing is, they actually provide a helpful guide which walks you clearly and easily through all the steps associated with both setting up the campaign and collecting donations.
Once the campaign is live, users will receive emails which will point them in the right direction regarding what action needs to be taken within the initial first few weeks to ensure that the fundraising gets off the ground successfully.
Another plus is that because there is no minimum amount that needs to be met, all funds raised can be kept.
Each fundraising has a page where content can be added from Vimeo, Facebook, YouTube or even your PC which allows users the opportunity to create interactive slideshows to highlight the cause even more.
By adding rich posts to the page, you can ensure that the story will be kept going and shared by friends, supporters, and colleagues. By using the Fundly mobile app – which is FREE is it possible to create posts while on the hoof.
More good news…
Fundly now also has a FREE Fundly app (in the Apple Store), which means that campaigns can be managed easily, emails sent, blogs updated, and of course, new donors can be thanked.
Fundly has designed the campaigns so that even on mobile browsers, they still look amazing – after all, at least 40% are viewed on smartphones.
This also makes donating much easier for visitors who are on the move.
What I really like about Fundly, is that those who support, donate, comment or like the page, will then be displayed on the activity feed. What this does, is it helps the new visitors to see how others became involved and encourages them to do as well.
Once a campaign is live, Fundly will send emails which help to navigate users through the first few weeks. Also, when something new happens, a push notification will be sent.
It’s really easy to send emails to any of your contacts as Fundly can be easily connected to all Yahoo, Gmail, Constant Contact and Survey Monkey accounts. Fundly also offers a selection of templates which can be used to help pull in donations, send fab thank-you’s and recruit fundraisers.
As supporters provide the most social impressions, all campaign pages include ‘Facebook Connected.’ Also, emails are triggered to other friends who are on Fundly via the ‘key friend’ activity which sends them alerts such as starting up a personal fundraiser or making a donation.
Each campaign enables the ability for donations to be processed securely via Fundly’s payment partner which is WePay. All users need to do is to activate their account then begin accepting donations – perfect!!
No minimum raise amount is required meaning all funds raise are able to be kept. The payments are processed fast and can generally be withdrawn between 24-48 hours of the actual donation being made. To make things even quicker, automatic transfers are also able to be configured.
Verdict – Fundly is an easy platform to set up and use and combined with their helpful guide, it really couldn’t be easier to crowdfund.
#2 Customer Support
One thing that I consider to be really important when testing and reviewing anything is what support is available and what shape and form it comes in. After all, we’re all human and need help at some time or another, and I want to know that when (not if!!) I need it, that it isn’t too far away.
In this section, we’ll have a look at exactly what help and support Fundly offers.
Are you ready? Good, then let’s get on with it…
Fundly can be contacted by telephone, post or via their website. They also offer 24/7 live support, and Fundly customers who have any complaints, queries, reviews or feedback are able to contact them via their customer detail.
Fundly offers good customer support – something which is a must. After all, what’s the use of a great system if the support is bad or non- existent. Fundly also runs webinars including a Friday ‘drop-in’ one. It helped me in getting the recurring donations automated, meaning all that I was left to do was send the acknowledgment emails.
There are great ways to receive online event registration as well as donations. I noticed that online donations were also increased significantly by using the donation widget.
Fundly’s fundraising guides also help both pros and first-timers. They enable users to create a fab looking page, get set up on social networks and of course, send great emails to the first group of contacts.
I must admit though, that when I read through some of the reviews, there were a few that weren’t too favorable, with many saying they were instructed to ‘watch the webinars’ – which I guess isn’t much use to those who are non- techies.
Verdict – Fundly does offer several means of support, however, for those who have limited technical knowledge this can prove to be daunting.
#3 Networking tools and features
It’s always a good idea to have a look at what social networking tools a crowdfunding site offers together with what reporting features are offered. As social networking is a crucial piece of crowdfunding, these features are essential. Also, does the crowdfunding site have an active community and more importantly one that is suited to your cause? If it hasn’t then you need to really ask yourself, what exactly are you getting from the platform fee?
So, will Fundly give you what you need? Keep reading and let’s find out…
Fundly has an array of communication tools which allow campaign managers to customize email templates, import contacts, send appeal letters and thank-you emails as well as other messages to contacts via Yahoo, Survey Monkey, Constant Contact and Gmail.
Another added feature is the customization of web pages. This enables campaign managers to create custom web pages which are mobile friendly from which to launch event calendars and donations campaigns. Videos and images can be added to their activities and missions, and via the mobile app, contributions and donations can be tracked. This makes setting up tasks and keeping track of interactions quick and simple.
Donors can make donations via their tablets or smartphones and can even buy tickets for events. Tasks can be assigned to team members via the campaign manager and are readily managed through the software.
It also features social sharing features (which are built in), which enable supporters to post the donation pages to their networks, which of course, in turn, increases the reach of a campaign. Campaign managers can also publish any posts that are displayed in their supporter’s activity feed – this keeps them updated with any milestones and progress.
And that’s not all…
As a result of Fundly’s integration with OpenGraph from Facebook, fundraisers can broadcast messages easily to their followers on Facebook.
Mobile options…
According to Fundly.com, 40% of users will look at a campaign using their smartphone; therefore it is crucial that a campaign looks and is accessible when being viewed on a mobile browser, while at the same time providing users with a free iOS app.
Fundly has also been making some product updates to their platform, so let’s take a look and see what’s been happening…
Commenting – Supporters and Donors
After donating or supporting a friend, have you ever wished you could have left them a message? Well, the good news is, now you can. Any new supporters or donors will be prompted to leave a comment which will be displayed either in the Pulse or be forwarded to the page owner via a private email.
Since this feature was launched, message creation to fundraisers and friends has rocketed to over 60%. It would seem that this was something that everyone was waiting for…
The NEW dashboard…
A major transformation has occurred on the welcome page of Fundly’s dashboard. And guess what…they now have charts!!
This means that all fundraisers are able to see at a glance a visual representation of the campaign’s progress.
There are three chart tabs which are:
- Supporters
- £ Raised
- Pageviews
Because all of the charts are interactive, it makes it easy to see when you have posted to Facebook or sent an email, plus you can then see how many donors and new supporters resulted from them.
Zero-Click Sharing with Facebook Open Graph Actions
Fundly’s Facebook OpenGraph integration broadcasts key activity campaigns. To make the most of your social impressions, whack it up and to lower them turn it down – simply set and forget.
The Supporters Tab
This new tab is designed for fundraisers and helps them to track their progress. It gives fundraisers the ability to view teams, supporters, and fundraisers that have joined the cause. Each tab displays each fundraiser or teams’ overall amount, which makes it easier for you to see who the elite fundraisers are, and which ones have bags of potential but may just need a little nudge.
Fundraiser, team data and supporter can be downloaded and are available via specific pricing plans.
Events
Fundly is now officially entering the events space and is busily gearing up to release a multitude of features. Illustrated below is a quick peek of a future event page…
Verdict – Fundly has lots of social sharing and new features which only enhance the solid foundation that already exists. They appear to have lots of ideas in the pipeline and really value how important social networking tools are.
#4 Platform Fees
Platform fees are when a crowdfunding site takes an amount or percentage of the monies raised for either yourself or your cause; I guess its sort of paying for the privilege of actually using the platform. These fees can range from anywhere between 5-12%.
Be careful though, as some fees can increase if the goal isn’t met, while others, such as Crowdcube offer an ‘all or nothing’ model which means that if the expected goal isn’t reached then no funds are received at all.
So, how did Fundly stack up? Let’s find out…
The Fees
Fundly charges 4.9% for each donation, under $50,000 that is processed. For donations between $50,001-$500,000 the fee is 4.4% and from $500,001 to $1,000,000 3.9%, finally any donations over $1,000,000 at 2.9%. It should always be kept mind though, that extra 3% processing fee will be applied to credit card transactions.
Fundly offers 5 enterprise/SMB pricing plans which are displayed in the table below. All of which can be billed monthly or annually.
Now, let’s have a look at what each plan offers:
Easy Launch – $55/month
- Core Features
- 1 Concurrent User
- 1000 Contacts
- Unlimited E-Communications
- Email Support
- Live Chat Support
- 1 Hour Free Web Training
Easy start – $110/month
- Core Features
- Unlimited Users
- 5,000 Contacts
- Unlimited E-Communications
- Email Support
- Live Chat Support
- 1 Hour Free Web Training
Easy grow – $220/month
- Core Features
- Unlimited Users
- 10,000 Contacts
- 2 Hour Free Web Training
- Unlimited E-Communications
- Email Support
- Live Chat Support
Easy go – $360/month
- Core Features
- Unlimited Users
- 25,000 Contacts
- 3 Hour Free Web Training
- Unlimited E-Communications
- Email Support
- Live Chat Support
Easy pro – $550/month
- Core Features
- Unlimited Users
- 50,000 Contacts
- 4 Hour Free Web Training
- Unlimited E-Communications
- Email Support
- Live Chat Support
Verdict – Fundly offers a varied selection of pricing plans, as well as a free trial – which is always a bonus. The fees seem a little lower than some of the other platforms I have reviewed, and the great thing is the bigger donation, the lower the fees will be.
Is Fundly the right crowdfunding platform for you?
Of course, Fundly won’t be the correct crowdfunding platform for everyone, so let’s try to get down to who precisely this platform is best suited to.
Budget
Fundly could be used for those who are watching the pennies as their fees are pretty much on par with most other platforms – albeit a little cheaper. However, for those raising for a non-profit then it might be worth looking at a platform such as Indiegogo which offer free fundraising.
Beginners
Fundly is suitable for all sizes of businesses but might not be the most appropriate for beginners or those without good support from friends and family via social media. Because Fundly functions in a similar way to a personal fundraising model, it does rely heavily on the social media strength of the contacts from a fundraiser’s audience.
High-Level
Fundly can be used for those seeking high-level funding; however, it could limit a user’s potential to reach a larger audience due to its focus on personal contacts and lack of equity and reward model options. Those seeking a higher level of funding should look at platforms such as Crowdfunder which is solely designed around ‘high impact’ ventures.
Summary
Well, that’s it I’m now nearing towards the end of this review, and I hope that it has given you an overall idea what Fundly is about and what if has to offer. I’m guessing though that the final and most important question is – Is Fundly THE ONE, I mean the right platform for YOU and your funding?
With a number of years of crowdfunding experience combined with over $330million dollars raised (so far), Fundly is a superb platform to promote almost any cause. They allow the campaign hosts to use their Twitter, email and Facebook contacts to reach out to a wider audience and drive support forward to campaigns.
Starting up campaigns is fast and easy with Fundly and their Quickstart guides combined with their email customer support which provides campaign help and tips make it a breeze.
Fundly is almost like a ‘one stop shop’ for the needs of any fundraiser. It helps organizations to raise more money as well as improve efficiency within campaigns as well as donor interaction. Both non-profits and individuals can create campaigns across a wide variety of causes which included military, politics, and fraternities. It doesn’t cost a penny to start a campaign, but each donation will incur a 4.9% platform fee reduction together with a payment processing fee.
Fundly really is a great option for any individual who is looking to raise funds for any purpose. The pricing is competitive and straightforward compared with other platforms. Users are provided with an easy campaign set-up which also incorporates good customer support.
Fundly is rated as a user-friendly, low-risk tool for fundraising and is a solid option for those looking to try social or online fundraisinga go without having to commit any resources upfront to the initiative.
Disclaimer
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Now, over to you...
Now I’d love to hear from you:
Are you still unsure of which crowdfunding website is best for you?
Maybe you’ve tried Fundly before and would like to tell us about it?
Leave any comments below and I will be sure to answer as soon as they come in!
