Wondering how to set a crowdfunding goal you can actually hit? Add up every real cost, including fees and taxes, then check that total against the audience you can reach.
This guide sits within the wider topic of crowdfunding for creators, from first idea to delivery.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Kickstarter platform fee | 5% of funds collected on a successful project |
| Card processing fee (Stripe, via Kickstarter) | Roughly 3-5% |
| Goal and deadline after launch | Cannot be changed |
| Fees if the goal is missed | None collected |
| Worked example goal (PledgeMe blog) | $7,000, rounded up from $6,825 |
The fee figures come from Kickstarter’s Help Center article dated August 6, 2026, and the worked example from PledgeMe’s blog post of November 29, 2023. Figures can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
Start with what the project really costs
Your goal should be the amount you need to finish the project, not the amount you hope to raise. As of Kickstarter’s Help Center article dated August 6, 2026, that means production, materials, shipping and the fees of running the project, because funding there is all-or-nothing.
All-or-nothing means that if a campaign misses its goal, backers are not charged and the creator receives no funds. That is why a goal built on a wish rather than a budget is risky.
A cost list is the first step. Kickstarter’s February 8, 2025 lesson on setting your campaign goal suggests including:
- Reward production, meaning the cost of making and fulfilling backer rewards.
- Manufacturing and materials.
- Labor costs for team members, contractors or specialists.
- Shipping and packaging, including international shipping.
- Taxes and fees.
- Other expenses such as marketing or equipment.
Then hunt for the hidden costs. The same lesson warns about minimum order quantities, where a supplier requires a minimum number of units, plus import duties, VAT and a small backup budget for surprises.
Research each line properly. The lesson notes that underestimating can lead to delays, while overestimating can turn away backers.
Add fees and taxes before you pick the number
If a Kickstarter project ends successfully, the platform collects a 5% fee on the total funds collected, according to the Help Center article dated August 6, 2026. Stripe, its payments processor, adds a variable card processing fee of roughly 3-5%. If a project does not reach its goal, no fees are collected.
Other platforms charge differently, so read our guide to crowdfunding platform fees before you compare them.
Taxes come next. The same Help Center article says funds raised on Kickstarter are generally subject to taxes, and that how much you owe varies with factors such as project-related expenses. It recommends talking to an accountant or tax advisor, and this guide is not tax advice.
Kickstarter also offers a Funding Calculator in the Funding tab of the project editor. Per the same Help Center article, the steps are:
- Click the link to estimate total costs, including taxes and fees, in the Funding goal section.
- Enter the budget you need to create the project and fulfill all rewards.
- Set the tax percentage with the slider or the box.
- Review the suggested goal, which includes Kickstarter’s fee and the payment processor’s fee, then click “Select” to use it.
Processing fees vary with the country you select and the number of backers you receive, so treat the suggested goal as an estimate.
How big a crowdfunding goal can your audience support?
A perfect budget still fails if nobody shows up. Kickstarter’s lesson says most campaigns rely heavily on backers from within their own network, so ask how much you can realistically raise, how big your existing audience is, and how much time you can give to promotion.
The lesson also gives a simple formula: Funding Goal ÷ Average Pledge Amount = Number of Backers Needed. If that number looks bigger than your mailing list and followers could ever supply, the goal needs another look.
The Help Center adds a practical rule. If you are confident you will complete the project however much you raise, set the goal at the amount you know your own network can provide, because you can always raise more than your goal.
Larger goals tend to have lower success rates, but a missed goal does not prove the number was wrong. The same article notes that sometimes creators need to raise at least $100,000 to make a project happen, and that many choose goals that are aspirational rather than what the project needs.
Stretch goals can keep momentum going after you reach the first target. Kickstarter’s lesson cautions that they can increase costs and complexity, so plan them before you promise them.
A worked example: trimming a wish list into a goal
PledgeMe’s November 29, 2023 blog post follows a made-up creator named Mary, who wants to open a bakery. She starts with a draft goal of $20,000, then prices every item, and her wish list adds up to $17,800.
Next she ranks the list and keeps only the minimum viable product, meaning the bare-bones version of the idea. Extras move to a stretch-goal list, and she pays rent from savings after a cousin offers an old van. Her base budget drops to $6,400.
The rest of her math runs in order:
- She adds $100 for hiring a microphone for a reward picnic, which takes the base budget to $6,500.
- She adds the platform’s 5% fee, which comes to $325, so the goal should be at least $6,825.
- She rounds up to $7,000 in case unexpected costs arise.
The post also flags postage as a cost to research hard. It is a fixed cost, and any mistake is multiplied by every supporter who receives a physical reward.
Its advice on balance is blunt: ask for too much and you risk falling short and getting nothing, but ask for too little and you may not have enough capital to finish. The PledgeMe fee in this example is that platform’s own, as of the post’s date, so check your platform’s current terms.
Two gut-check questions before you launch
Kickstarter’s Help Center article dated August 6, 2026 offers two questions to test your number. Ask both:
- If you fund with just 100% of your goal and nothing extra, can you still finish the project and fulfill every reward? If not, raise the goal.
- If you miss the goal but reach 90% of it, would you regret not collecting those pledges? If yes, consider a lower goal, as long as the first answer stays yes.
The article also says that once you launch, you cannot change your funding goal or deadline. Settle the number before you go live, then move on to how to write a crowdfunding campaign page that explains it clearly: our guide on how to write a crowdfunding campaign page covers that next step.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my funding goal after I launch?
Show answer
On Kickstarter, no. Its Help Center article dated August 6, 2026 says that once you launch your project, you cannot change your funding goal or deadline, so check the number first. Read the source for the full wording.
Should my goal include platform and payment fees?
Show answer
Yes. Kickstarter says your goal should cover the fees of running a project as well as production, materials and shipping. Its 5% platform fee and Stripe’s roughly 3-5% processing fee come out of what you collect, per the Help Center article.
Are bigger goals less likely to succeed?
Show answer
Kickstarter says the larger the goal, the lower the success rate of its campaigns. It adds that a missed goal does not mean the size was wrong, since some projects need at least $100,000, per its Help Center article.
Do I pay tax on crowdfunding money?
Show answer
Kickstarter’s Help Center article says funds raised there are generally subject to taxes, and the amount you owe can depend on project-related expenses. Talk to an accountant or tax advisor about your own situation, as this guide is not tax advice. Source here.
