Startnext
Dresden B Corp with fee plans by crowdfunding type and payouts only on success
Summary table
| Company | Startnext GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Crowdfunding Platforms |
| Headquarters | Dresden, Germany |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Support tickets stored on servers in Germany; platform hosting not stated in full |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Fee plans (Basis, Pro, Premium), three crowdfunding types, volume discounts, Stripe and PayPal payments, community spaces, cofunding campaigns, help handbook and AI assistant |
| Pricing | Success commission by plan: Basis 5%, Pro 11%, Premium 14% for classic crowdfunding (4%, 10%, 13% for non-profits; 3%, 7%, 10% for private projects), plus payment costs; no running costs. |
| Best For | German-speaking creators, start-ups and non-profits who want a plan-based commission and guidance from the platform team |
| Replaces | Kickstarter, GoFundMe |
Review in detail
The imprint names Startnext GmbH, Grundstraße 1, 01326 Dresden, entered at the Amtsgericht Dresden under HRB 29328, with Denis Bartelt as managing director. The site calls itself a certified B Corp and says it has been crowdfunding since 2010.
Startnext asks you to pick a crowdfunding type and then a plan. The plan decides how much the platform team does for you, and with it the success commission, which is only charged when a payout happens.
Plans and commission
The fees page splits projects into classic crowdfunding (start-ups, creatives, musicians), fundraising for non-profits and fundraising for private projects. Each has a Basis, Pro and Premium plan. Classic projects pay 5%, 11% or 14%; non-profits 4%, 10% or 13%; private projects 3%, 7% or 10%.
Pro and Premium plans get volume discounts on the commission from EUR 25,000 up, rising to 50% off the commissioned amount above EUR 1,000,000. Payment costs are not discounted.
Payments and hosting
Startnext says it is not a payment provider and works with Stripe and PayPal. It passes on their costs: PayPal at 3.5% + 45 cents, cards at 2% + 25 cents and direct debit at 0.5% + 35 cents, net of VAT. For planning it assumes about 3.5%.
The privacy text names Stripe Technology Europe in Dublin and also lists service providers such as an Amazon subsidiary in Luxembourg and Vercel Inc. in the USA, so not every component is run by a European-owned company.
Services around the campaign
The navigation lists a handbook, a coach, community spaces, cofunding campaigns and an AI assistant called Nexa. Extra services such as AI tokens, starter kits or consulting are billed separately from project success.
The interface is available in German and English, but most help material appears to be German. That is a limit for creators who need support in another language.
Where it falls short
The Basis plan gives less support, and the Pro and Premium commissions are well above Kickstarter's 5% before payment costs. The privacy text lists US-based providers among its sub-processors. Documentation is mostly German.
Who Startnext fits
Creators and organisations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland who want a plan with coaching, or non-profits that qualify for the lower fundraising tier. For a French-language option see Ulule.
What works, what does not
Pros
- Costs only arise when a payout happens
- Separate lower tiers for non-profit and private fundraising
- Public fee page with plan percentages and volume discounts
- Certified B Corp according to its own site
- Imprint with register number and managing director
Cons
- Pro and Premium commission is 11% and 14% before payment costs
- Some sub-processors are US companies
- Help material is mostly in German
- Payment costs are not discounted
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Costs only arise when a payout happens
- Separate lower tiers for non-profit and private fundraising
- Public fee page with plan percentages and volume discounts
- Certified B Corp according to its own site
- Imprint with register number and managing director
Cons
- Pro and Premium commission is 11% and 14% before payment costs
- Some sub-processors are US companies
- Help material is mostly in German
- Payment costs are not discounted
Alternatives to Startnext
More European crowdfunding platforms you can weigh against it:
See all European crowdfunding platforms or compare them directly against Kickstarter on our alternatives page.
Questions buyers ask
Startnext GmbH, Grundstraße 1, 01326 Dresden, Germany, registered at the Amtsgericht Dresden under HRB 29328 according to its imprint.
Nothing runs before success. At payout the fees page lists a commission of 5%, 11% or 14% for classic projects depending on plan, plus Stripe or PayPal costs of about 3.5% on average.
The pages we read say costs fall due at payout and may require a minimum amount to be reached, but they do not spell out an all-or-nothing rule in the text we saw, so check the current guidelines.