10 Best Crowdfunder Alternatives & Competitors (2026)

Kiva is a large-scale microlending platform connecting lenders to borrowers in developing countries through field partners. It offers broad geographic coverage and a wide variety of loan types including agriculture and education. Unlike Zidisha's direct messaging model, Kiva routes most communication through partner organizations and does not enable ongoing personal updates from the specific entrepreneur. Kiva maintains a 0% interest rate for lenders but relies on partner fees; Zidisha emphasizes zero middle-layer organizations and automatic reinvestment of repayments. Users seeking direct relationships may prefer Zidisha while those wanting larger loan volumes and established partner networks often choose Kiva.

GlobalGiving connects donors to vetted nonprofits and projects worldwide, including many in Africa. It emphasizes charity and disaster relief over direct entrepreneur funding. Projects are screened by partner organizations, limiting the direct backer-entrepreneur communication that defines Zidisha. GlobalGiving takes a percentage for operations; Zidisha avoids such overhead by enabling peer-to-peer reinvestment. Donors seeking nonprofit accountability may prefer GlobalGiving, while those wanting personal stories and business-specific updates often select Zidisha instead.

Indiegogo supports creative, tech, and social campaigns with flexible funding options and rewards. Most campaigns are product-based rather than ongoing micro-enterprise support in developing regions. It charges fees and does not feature direct borrower communication or automatic reinvestment. Zidisha's transparent philanthropy model for African and Asian entrepreneurs contrasts with Indiegogo's campaign-driven, often one-time product launches. Backers prioritizing recurring small-business funding usually prefer Zidisha over Indiegogo.

Patreon enables recurring subscriptions to creators and artists, primarily in digital content and media. It has no focus on developing-country entrepreneurs or physical business projects. Payments are ongoing memberships rather than targeted project funding with progress photos and reinvestment. Zidisha's one-time project contributions and direct impact tracking differ fundamentally from Patreon's subscription model. Users seeking tangible business growth in emerging markets find little overlap with Patreon.

DonorsChoose lets donors fund classroom projects submitted by U.S. teachers, with a strong focus on education in America. It does not operate in developing countries or support small business owners. The platform provides detailed project reports but no direct ongoing dialogue with recipients after funding. Zidisha's international entrepreneur focus and reinvestment model differ sharply from DonorsChoose's domestic education-only scope. Users looking for global small-business impact rarely find DonorsChoose a close substitute.

Benevity provides corporate giving and employee donation platforms, often integrated with workplace matching programs. It routes funds through established charities rather than direct entrepreneur selection. The platform emphasizes compliance and reporting for companies, not personal communication with recipients. Zidisha offers individuals direct choice and updates without corporate layers. Professionals wanting personal control over developing-country micro-projects typically choose Zidisha over Benevity's enterprise-focused system.

Fundly offers simple crowdfunding tools for nonprofits and personal causes with basic social sharing features. It lacks specialized entrepreneur verification or reinvestment mechanics found on Zidisha. Fees apply to most campaigns and communication remains limited to campaign updates. Users wanting structured micro-business support in Zambia or Kenya usually find Zidisha more purpose-built than Fundly's general-purpose toolset.

Chuffed provides zero-fee crowdfunding for social causes and community projects, primarily outside the U.S. It supports both donations and some loan-style campaigns but does not emphasize direct ongoing entrepreneur dialogue. Zidisha's automatic reinvestment and detailed progress photo system provide stronger accountability for business projects. Donors comparing fee structures may consider Chuffed, yet those prioritizing personal connection often stay with Zidisha.