Indiegogo is a crowdfunding platform where you can raise funds for product-based projects, tech innovations, and community causes. If you're deciding whether to launch here, you need to know three things: you'll pay around 8% in total fees, you must hit your funding goal to collect any money, and payouts happen weekly over time rather than as a lump sum.

Indiegogo now operates as an end-to-end system that connects your initial campaign, post-campaign sales (Late Pledge), and order fulfillment (Pledge Manager). This makes it particularly strong for product campaigns with clear deliverables, especially if you want to keep selling and manage logistics after the campaign ends.

Following its acquisition by Gamefound in 2025, Indiegogo shifted all new campaigns to a fixed funding model and introduced a more structured post-campaign system. Payment processing now runs through Adyen for campaigns launched after October 2025.

In this review, we'll cover eligibility criteria, fees, payment processing, campaign requirements, and how the full lifecycle works from launch through fulfillment.

Indiegogo Quick Snapshot (2026)

Eligibility Criteria

First things first, let’s talk about who can launch an Indiegogo campaign. If you already have an amazing idea and you want to raise funds to bring it to life, here are a couple more things you will need. Indiegogo requires you to:

• Be 18 years old or older
• Create the campaign in your own name or on behalf of the registered legal entity you are affiliated with
• Have an address and bank account in the country where you are creating your campaign
• Have a linked bank account belonging to the person who verified their identity for the campaign (if you are running your campaign as an individual)

You must be able to pass identity verification and connect a supported bank account in a country where Indiegogo’s payment partners operate. Availability depends on your location, currency, and compliance requirements, rather than a fixed list of supported countries.

If you meet these criteria, congratulations! You are eligible to create a campaign on Indiegogo. However, approval still depends on platform review, compliance checks, and the nature of your project.

Projects that appear incomplete, misleading, or unrealistic may be flagged. To avoid delays, have these ready: proof of identity, photos/videos of your prototype or manufacturing partner, a realistic delivery timeline with buffer, and clear refund/shipping policies.

Supported campaign types on Indiegogo

Indiegogo supports a wide range of campaigns, including:

• For-profit campaigns
• Product-based campaigns (the most common and best-performing category)
• Campaigns benefiting nonprofit organizations or causes
• Community-based projects (non-personal causes)
• Innovation and tech-related projects

Indiegogo is primarily designed for product-driven campaigns, especially those with clear deliverables and a defined path to fulfillment.

*Note: If you’re searching for a platform where you can raise funds for a personal cause, GoFundMe could be the one for you.

Campaign Requirements

Indiegogo does not strictly require a working prototype to launch a campaign. However, in practice, campaigns without a clear, demonstrable product often struggle to build trust, convert backers, or pass platform review.

Beyond basic requirements, Indiegogo evaluates campaigns based on clarity, feasibility, and the creator’s ability to deliver. Projects that appear incomplete, misleading, or unrealistic may be flagged or prevented from going live.

What Indiegogo Prohibits

Indiegogo does not allow campaigns that involve:

• Illegal or regulated activities
• Harmful, deceptive, or misleading content
• Financial investments, equity offerings, or securities
• Weapons, drug-related items, or restricted goods

The platform enforces these rules through review processes and ongoing monitoring, particularly for campaigns that raise higher amounts or show elevated risk signals.

How to Set Up Your Campaign

Setting up an Indiegogo campaign involves account creation, project configuration, and platform review. Here's what the process looks like:

Account and Basic Setup

Start by creating an Indiegogo account and selecting your project type. You'll need to specify whether you're raising funds as an individual or on behalf of a business or nonprofit. This determines how funds are distributed and cannot be changed later.

During initial setup, you'll provide:

• Your location and the country where your bank account is held
• What you're raising money for and your project category
• Your campaign URL (you can customize this before going live)

Building Your Campaign Page

Once your account is set up, you'll use Indiegogo's campaign editor to build your page. The main sections include:

Basics: Campaign title, tagline, and card image This is what potential backers see when browsing the platform, so make it compelling.

Story and Content: Your campaign video and written pitch. Your video should be hosted on YouTube or Vimeo and embedded into the page. Keep it clear, concise, and end with a call to action.

Funding Details: Set your funding goal, campaign duration, and connect your bank account. Remember that Indiegogo now operates on a fixed funding model, so you must reach your goal for payments to be collected. Once you launch, you cannot change your goal or deadline.

Rewards: Create your reward tiers with clear pricing, descriptions, and delivery estimates. Think of these as your product packages They're how backers decide what to support.

Before You Launch

Before going live, you can:

• Save your campaign in draft mode (drafts are stored for up to 6 months)
• Share a preview link with trusted collaborators for feedback
• Set up a preview page to gather followers and build momentum before the campaign officially starts

When you're ready to launch, Indiegogo will prompt you to confirm your campaign goal, deadline, and funding type. If any required information is missing, the platform will alert you before allowing you to proceed.

Important: Once your campaign is live, your goal amount and deadline are locked.

Indiegogo Fees

Indiegogo's fee structure includes platform fees and payment processing costs. The total amount you pay depends on your campaign structure, payment methods backers use, and post-campaign sales activity.

Platform Fee

Indiegogo charges a general 5% platform fee from the overall amount of funds that you raise. 

Indiegogo applies this platform fee across the full lifecycle of the project, including post-campaign payments collected through Late Pledge and Pledge Manager.

*Note: You are allowed to set a funding period of 60 days, but Indiegogo recommends setting it for less than 40, even 30, to give the backers a sense of urgency.

Payment Processing Fees

Aside from the platform fee, Indiegogo also charges a transaction fee every time they send your funds to you. Payment processing fees are typically around 3% + 0.20 per transaction (in your project currency). Also, note that bank transfer or payout fees may apply depending on your country, currency, and banking setup.

The payment processing fees depend on the location and currency that you ran your campaign with. After this review, it’s recommended that you consult with your bank. Only enter your campaign bank information after confirming potential bank fees with your bank. Indiegogo doesn’t hold itself responsible in case of any additional fees your bank may charge.

Indiegogo currently operates with two payment processors depending on campaign timing. Campaigns launched after October 2025 use Adyen, which supports a broader range of global payment methods, while older campaigns may still operate on Stripe-based infrastructure.

Important to Consider

• Platform and processing fees are typically non-refundable, which means refunds can result in lost fees for creators
• Fees are applied only to successfully collected payments, not the pledged amount shown at campaign end.
• Currency conversion may include a markup for international backers
• Taxes such as VAT or sales tax may be applied at checkout depending on the backer’s location, with Indiegogo acting as a marketplace facilitator in certain regions. 

How Backers Are Charged

Payment Collection Window

Backers are charged only after a successful crowdfunding campaign, meaning the goal is reached, except for instant payment methods. 

If a backer uses certain instant payment methods, Indiegogo describes the funds being charged immediately, held on a special Adyen account, and paid out only after the campaign ends successfully. Indiegogo also states it covers processing fees for creator-initiated refunds in crowdfunding when instant payments are involved. 

Indiegogo’s documentation treats Late Pledge and pledge manager payments as upfront in many situations, especially for “instant payment methods,” and refunds become creator-policy-driven after crowdfunding.

Even after reaching your goal, payments are not finalized immediately. Indiegogo may continue collecting payments for up to 15 days, retrying failed transactions and allowing backers to update their payment methods. This means the final amount collected can continue to change after the campaign officially ends.

As a result, the final collected amount can differ from the amount shown at the end of the campaign, and cashflow is distributed over time rather than delivered upfront.

Stretch Pay (Installments)

Stretch Pay allows backers to split their pledge into smaller payments instead of paying the full amount upfront. The number of installments, minimum pledge threshold, and payment schedule are all set by the creator.

If enabled, backers will see the option at checkout for eligible reward tiers.

From a conversion perspective, Stretch Pay lowers the barrier for higher-priced rewards, making it easier for backers to commit to more expensive tiers or bundles.

Stretch Pay Tradeoffs 

While it can increase conversions, Stretch Pay comes with operational tradeoffs:

• Each installment is treated as a separate transaction, meaning the fixed processing fee applies multiple times
• Failed payments can occur, with retry attempts and the possibility of incomplete pledges
• Cashflow is delayed, since payments are collected over time rather than upfront

Backers can also:

• repay installments manually if a payment fails
• switch payment methods
• pay off the full amount early

Stretch Pay is most useful for higher-ticket products where upfront pricing might otherwise limit conversions. It gives backers flexibility, but requires careful planning on pricing, margins, and cashflow.

Payouts

Payouts for new campaigns follow a rolling schedule rather than a single lump-sum transfer. Funds are typically credited within 3–5 business days after successful payments and are paid out in weekly batches.

In some cases, payouts may be delayed, split, or structured based on compliance checks, risk assessment, or operational readiness

Indiegogo Analytics

Indiegogo supports standard tracking integrations like Meta Pixel and Google Analytics 4, allowing you to monitor traffic, conversions, and campaign performance in real time.

In addition to external tracking, the platform gives you direct access to your backer data as it updates, including contact information and contribution details. This allows you to build remarketing audiences, analyze conversion behavior, and maintain communication with your backers during and after the campaign.

Indiegogo also provides built-in referral tracking, helping you understand which channels, partners, or campaigns are driving conversions. This makes it easier to evaluate performance and optimize your marketing efforts throughout the campaign lifecycle.

Video hosting

Your campaign video is one of the most important conversion elements on your page, it’s usually the first thing backers see and often determines whether they keep scrolling or leave.

Indiegogo does not host videos natively. Instead, it relies on third-party platforms like YouTube and Vimeo for embedding campaign videos.

YouTube vs. Vimeo: What Actually Matters

• YouTube is free, easy to use, and supports broad distribution. It’s useful if you want your video to live beyond the campaign and potentially attract additional traffic.
• Vimeo offers a cleaner, more controlled viewing experience, with fewer distractions and no suggested videos competing for attention.

In practice, the choice comes down to focus vs reach.

• If your priority is conversion on the campaign page, Vimeo is often preferred for its cleaner playback experience.
• If your priority is distribution and visibility, YouTube can help extend reach outside the platform.

Indiegogo Rewards

Rewards are the core of your campaign’s offer. They define what backers get in exchange for their support and play a major role in how well your campaign converts.

In practice, rewards function as your pricing and packaging strategy, early-bird tiers, bundles, and upgrade options, rather than simple “thank-you gifts.”

Indiegogo allows you to structure multiple reward tiers, giving you flexibility in pricing, positioning, and upsells. Campaigns with clear, well-positioned reward tiers tend to convert significantly better, as backers can quickly understand what they’re getting and why it’s worth it.

You can feature rewards so they appear at the top of your campaign page and act as your main conversion driver. You can also hide outdated reward tiers to keep your offer clean and avoid showing previous pricing.

• Exclusive rewards (replacement for “Secret Perks”)

On the updated platform, the original “Secret Perks” feature no longer exists in its previous form.

Instead, Indiegogo uses a system based on user groups and product visibility to create exclusive offers.

Creators can:

• group specific backers (for example, email subscribers or early supporters)
• assign them access to specific products or reward tiers
• control visibility so only those users can see and purchase those offers

This setup allows you to recreate the same outcome as secret perks, offering private deals, early access, or special pricing, but through a more structured system.

• Add-ons

Indiegogo allows you to offer add-ons, optional extra items that backers can include with any reward tier. These are typically accessories or upgrades that increase average order value while giving backers more flexibility in how they build their order.

Stretch Goals

Stretch goals are used to maintain momentum after your campaign hits its funding goal. Instead of the campaign slowing down once you’re “funded,” they give backers a reason to keep pledging and help push the campaign further.

They typically unlock additional features, upgrades, or new rewards as certain milestones are reached.

On Indiegogo, there are two types of stretch goals:

• Automatic stretch goals unlock on their own when a predefined condition is met, such as reaching a funding amount, a number of backers, or a specific campaign day.
• Manual stretch goals require you to unlock them yourself once the target is reached, giving you more flexibility for custom conditions or timing.

Stretch goals are displayed directly on the campaign page, with the next milestone visible near your funding progress, which helps reinforce urgency and keeps backers engaged.

In practice, stretch goals are less about “extra bonuses” and more about keeping the campaign moving. A well-planned stretch goal roadmap can extend momentum, increase average order value, and prevent the typical mid-campaign drop-off.

Campaign Updates

Indiegogo allows you to publish updates throughout your campaign to communicate with backers and maintain momentum.

Updates are sent directly to your backers via email and appear on your campaign page, which means they’re one of the few built-in ways to stay visible after the initial launch spike fades. In practice, they play a big role in keeping your campaign alive, reminding people you exist, showing progress, and giving hesitant backers a reason to finally commit.

You can use updates to share milestones, behind-the-scenes progress, new rewards or add-ons, or anything that moves the story forward and keeps interest from dropping off.

Note: Once an update is published, it cannot be edited, so double-check it before hitting publish.

Pledge Manager

Pledge Manager is the final stage of the Indiegogo lifecycle, where backers confirm their orders, select add-ons, provide shipping details, and pay any remaining costs such as shipping and taxes.

It serves as the operational layer between fundraising and fulfillment, allowing creators to manage orders, export data, and finalize logistics.

On the upgraded platform, Pledge Manager is a core part of how campaigns transition into delivery.

Late Pledge (formerly InDemand)

Late Pledge is Indiegogo’s post-campaign phase where you can continue accepting orders after your campaign ends.

Instead of acting as a separate extension, Late Pledge is now part of a structured lifecycle that connects directly to the platform’s Pledge Manager. This allows you to keep selling, accept new backers, and offer upgrades without immediately finalizing shipping details or collecting all fees upfront.

In most cases, shipping costs, taxes, and final order configurations are handled later through the Pledge Manager, where backers confirm their selections and complete any remaining payments.

This setup makes Late Pledge less of an “extra feature” and more of a continuation of your campaign’s revenue flow.

External campaigns and Express Crowdfunding

External Campaigns

Indiegogo allows creators to set up an “External campaign” project and run Late Pledge and or Pledge Manager for projects crowdfunded elsewhere, with an onboarding and review flow. This matters for teams who want a pledge manager without re-running the fundraising campaign on Indiegogo. 

Express Crowdfunding

Indiegogo also introduced “Express Crowdfunding” as a format that collects payment and shipping details at checkout, pays out during the campaign, and then transitions into a pledge manager phase afterward. It is described as a combination of crowdfunding plus a fast Late Pledge-style flow, with tradeoffs like order editing being disabled by default and campaign-goal being “N/A” in that mode. 

For founders, Express Crowdfunding is the clearest “this is basically a launch plus pre-order checkout” option in the new Indiegogo universe. It exists because the standard flow forces a gap between fundraising and fulfillment-ready order data. 

Customer service

To conclude our Indiegogo review, let’s talk about one of the most integral parts of any platform - customer service. Indiegogo features an extremely thorough "Help & Support" section. You can find virtually all the answers to your questions through their articles and FAQs. They have information for backers, campaigns, payments, trust operations, accounts, legal, and much more.

If you don’t find the answers to your questions, you can contact their customer support as a last resort. The main downfall is that they don’t have a live chat or phone support service. Nevertheless, compared to its competitors, Indiegogo has a pretty good responsiveness level.

FAQ

What are Indiegogo's fees?

Indiegogo charges a 5% platform fee plus approximately 3% + $0.20 per transaction, totaling around 8% in fees. Bank transfer fees may apply on top of this depending on your country and currency.

Does Indiegogo require a prototype to launch?

‍No, Indiegogo does not strictly require a working prototype. However, campaigns without a clear, demonstrable product often struggle to build trust, convert backers, or pass platform review.

What happens if I don't hit my funding goal?

‍Indiegogo operates on a fixed funding model, meaning you must hit your goal to collect any money. There is no fallback option.

When do I receive my funds?

‍Payouts follow a rolling weekly schedule. Funds are typically credited within 3–5 business days after successful payments. You will not receive all funds at once.

Can I keep selling after my campaign ends?

‍Yes. Through Late Pledge (formerly InDemand), you can continue accepting orders after your campaign ends. Shipping, taxes, and final order details are handled later through the Pledge Manager.

What is Stretch Pay?

‍Stretch Pay allows backers to split their pledge into smaller installments instead of paying the full amount upfront. The number of installments and payment schedule are set by the creator.

What payment processor does Indiegogo use?

‍Campaigns launched after October 2025 use Adyen. Older campaigns may still operate on Stripe-based infrastructure.

Does Indiegogo have live chat or phone support?

‍No. Indiegogo does not offer live chat or phone support. You can reach their team through their Help & Support section or by submitting a support request.

Conclusion

Let’s sum up our Indiegogo review.

Indiegogo is best suited for campaigns that benefit from a structured, end-to-end system covering fundraising, post-campaign sales, and fulfillment.

It gives you the ability to create a community within your backers and access their information right from the get-go. It also provides thorough analytics integrations and allows you to manage rewards, updates, and post-campaign sales through Late Pledge and Pledge Manager. Plus, the application process is easy, and you get exposure to millions of potential backers even after you reach your goal and end your initial campaign.

If you’re looking to create a crowdfunding campaign that’ll reach its full potential, Indiegogo can be the platform to help you get there. Simply head to their website and click on “Start a Campaign.” Last but not least, good luck!

[[cta2]]