Kickstarter FAQs

If the project youre backing is successfully funded, your card will be charged when the project reaches its funding deadline. If the project does not reach its funding goal, your card is never charged.

Some backers may see a temporary authorization of funds at the time of pledging, before a project has been successfully funded. Authorizations generally drop after a few days, but this process can vary depending on your financial institution. If you notice an authorization that doesnt drop, we recommend that you contact your bank for more details about their authorization procedure.

How do I provide a creator with my shipping address?

Kickstarter does not collect or store your shipping information. Instead, once a project is funded, a project creator will reach out with a survey, either via Kickstarter or a third-party survey provider, to request any information they might need to fulfill their rewards. This includes your shipping address, where applicable.

I havent received a survey via Kickstarter yet

Some creators send surveys right away; others wait untilthey'reready to deliver rewards. If you think you might have missed a survey email, please log in to your Kickstarter account to check.

When viewing the site through a desktop browser, youll see a notification at the top of the page for any surveys awaiting response. On our iOS and Android apps, you can access any pending surveys via your Activity feed.

Once you complete a survey through Kickstarter, you'll receive an email confirmation that includes a copy of your responses.

If you havent received a survey via Kickstarter, its possible that the creator is still preparing the survey and will send it out when ready. Alternatively, the creator may be using a third-party survey provider, such as BackerKit, to collect responses from backers. We recommend checking the projects latest update for information on the survey, or reaching out to the creator directly.

Can I update my shipping address after I submit the survey?

If the creator used Kickstarter to send their survey, and they have enabled address changes, you can update your shipping address by following the steps below:

Navigate to your account by clicking on your profile image in the top right corner of the homepage. If using the Kickstarter app, head to your profile section.

Select the project in the ' Successful pledges ' section of your Backed Projects page.

Click the 'Survey' option in the window that appears.

If the creator of this project has enabled address changes, youll notice an option that will allow you to change your shipping information when you revisit your survey responses.

Please note that, once a creator is ready to begin shipping rewards, they may remove the option to further edit shipping information and you will have 48 hours to finalize any changes.

If the creator has not enabled address changes, or youd like to modify your responses to any other questions on this survey (reward size, color, etc.), you should message the creator directly from your Backed Projects page.

If the creator used a third-party survey provider (such as BackerKit) to collect survey responses, and you need to make any changes, we recommend contacting the creator directly.

Pledged as a Guest backer? You'll first need to set up your Kickstarter account before being able to change your survey response.

Can I change the shipping country for my reward?

As a rewards shipping cost is determined during the pledging process, and this payment is taken as part of your pledge total, its not possible to change the country to which your reward will be shipped via the survey Edit address option.

Changing the address to a different country may affect the cost of shipping, so we do not allow backers to change the shipping country themselves. If you do need to change your reward shipping address to a different country from the one you selected when pledging, please contact the creator to see if such a change is possible.

To update the email address associated with your Kickstarter account youll first need to log into your account using the email address currently associated with the account in question.

Onceyou'velogged in, head over to your account page. Here you should see your current email address displayed in the email field. Enter your new preferred email address here, replacing the old one, and confirm your changes by entering your current password in the field below. Onceyou'vedone so, click Save settings, and you should see a pop-up screen confirming your changes.

Note that for security reasons, we require all Kickstarter users to verify their email addresses. Please look out for a verification email from us in order to finalize your email address change.

Unable to access the email address you used to sign up for your Kickstarter account? Get in touch.

If a project is successfully funded, Kickstarter applies a 5% fee to the funds collected for creators. Stripe, our payments processor will also apply payment processing fees (roughly 3-5%). The complete fee breakdowns are available here.

If a project does not reach its funding goal, no fees are collected.

Every project page has a "Report this project to Kickstarter" button at the bottom of it. You can use this option to notify us about a violation of Our Rules, Community Guidelines, or Terms of Use (there's also some information about our Copyright & Trademark policies).

If you receive any messages that appear to be spam or outside of our guidelines, please mark them as spam to flag them for our team. Creators can also mark comments as spam.

Once a member of our Trust and Safety team has reviewed your report, you should receive an email to let you know if we took action based on your report. For reports about rewards or communication issues after a projectfunds, we cannot follow up on each individual report. However, in these cases we may use your report as a basis for taking action or closely monitoring the project in question. We appreciate you bringing anything out of the ordinary to our attention!

We expect all members of the Kickstarter community to act with honesty and openness. Our Community Support and Trust & Safety teams monitor Kickstarter's system and review reports received from users. Some actions taken may include:

Reaching out to creators and reminding them to post project updates as well as respond to backer messages

Revoking account privileges, including the ability to run another campaign on Kickstarter, until rewards have been fulfilled or an update has been posted for backers

Suspending or restricting account privileges if there is sufficient evidence of abuse against our system or trust of others.

We track creators' fulfillment histories as comprehensively as possible - from snags to more serious complications - to help ensure creator accountability. We may adjust our policies based on feedback from backers and creators, and/or data aggregated across projects.

While we can't speak to the nature of actions taken, we're constantly working on improving our vetting process for creators and we are grateful for any feedback from our community.

Kickstarter does not issue refunds. Transactions are between backers and creators directly.

To request a refund for a pledge, please contact the project creator. To message a creator, visit the project page and click on the creator's profile name. This will open their bio page where you can then click the "Contact me" button.

If the project is still live, you can always cancel your pledge.

Kickstarter is not a store, its a place where creators come together with backers to bring creative projects to life. Pledges on Kickstarter must be made in good faith. For more information, please visit our Terms of Use.

Project delays can happen for a number of reasons. Sometimes creators hit unexpected roadblocks whilethey'reworking on their project, or underestimate how much time it takes to complete a project and fulfill rewards. Unlike an online shop, theres a chance something could prevent the creator from finishing the project as promised.

However, creators are expected to communicate these setbacks and keep backers in the loop along the way. The updates section on a project page is the best place to check on a projects status.

If the creator hasnt posted an update, you can send them a message to check in and see how things are going, or post a comment on their project page. To message a creator:

Visit the project page

Click on the creator's profile image, found to the left of the projects name

This will open up their bio page where you can click the "Contact me" link and send them a message.

We have a dedicated Trust & Safety team that monitors the system for suspicious activity. They screen reports sent to us by our community and take action if they find something that does not align with our rules.

It's important to remember that Kickstarter is built on an all-or-nothing funding system. No one is charged until a project meets its funding goal and the funding period ends. This gives backers time to fully evaluate a project, and it also gives our Trust & Safety team some time to look into any concerns raised by backers.

Our Trust and Safety team also tracks creators' fulfillment track record as comprehensively as possiblefrom snags to more serious complicationsto help ensure creator accountability. We may adjust our policies based on feedback from backers and creators, and/or data aggregated across projects. Some actions taken may include:

Reaching out to creators and reminding them post project updates as well as respond to backer messages

Revoking account privileges, including the ability to run another campaign on Kickstarter, until rewards have been fulfilled or an update has been posted for backers

Suspending or restricting account privileges if there is sufficient evidence of abuse against our system or trust of others.

For more information about how Kickstarter works, visit our Trust & Safety page.

When a project is successfully funded, the creator is responsible for completing the project and fulfilling each reward to the best of their abilities. Their fundamental obligation to backers is to finish all the work that was promised, honestly address backers concerns, and deliver rewards.

One of our biggest expectations for creators is that they regularly update backers on their projects progress and notify them of any delays or roadblocks that may impact their estimated delivery time. We expect creators to be open and honest with their backers during all stages of their projects life cycle.

At the same time, backers must understand that Kickstarter is not a store. When you back a project on Kickstarter, youre helping create something new not pre-ordering something that already exists. As Kickstarter does not offer refunds, we encourage backers to investigate the project idea first, to vet the creator thoroughly, and to assess the inherent risk of the project for themselves before making a pledge.

Theres always a chance something could happen that prevents the creator from being able to finish the project as promised. When it comes to shipping in particular, we find most rewards are delivered as promised. However, it's important to realize that some projects might hit some speed bumps, including customs for international shipping or postal mishaps for domestic shipping. In these cases, we recommend continuing to reach out to the creator regarding the shipping issue, in the hopes that it is resolved as soon as possible.

If you have specific questions about the status of a project, please don't hesitate to reach out to the project creator directly. To message them:

Visit the project page

Click on the creator's profile image, found to the left of the projects name

This will open up their bio page where you can click the "Contact me" link and send them a message.

We do ask that if a creator is absolutely unable to complete the project and fulfill rewards, they must make every reasonable effort to find another way of bringing the project to a satisfying conclusion for their backers. For more information, see Section 4 of our Terms of Use.

For projects that launched before May 25, 2018, please see our previous Terms of Use.

When a project ends, the Campaign tab (the page with the projects description, rewards, and funding details) is preserved and no further edits can be made. If there is new information you would like to share with your backers, we encourage you to post a project update.

If your project has ended and was successfully funded, you are also welcome to use our Spotlight feature to share news, updates, links to finished work, and anything else you wish to share about your project.

If your project is still live, there are a few areas that you can continue to make changes to. However, please keep in mind that when the funding period ends these areas will be locked from any further edits.

The following can be edited while the project is live:

Project category* Project description* Project video and image* New rewards, or rewards without backers* Rewards quantity (this can be increased but not decreased)* Project FAQs* Kickstarter profile bio

The following cannot be edited once a project has launched:

Funding goal Project deadline Rewards tiers that have already been selected by a backer Information in your Account tab, including your bank account and verified identity ** Kickstarter profile name**

* These items can no longer be edited once the project has ended.

** Our policy states that your profile name and verified identity cannot be changed once a project is launched. However, we understand that this is not appropriate in all circumstances. If you have a personal or safety concern, please reach out and we'll consider your request at that time.

If youd like to give backers the option to update their shipping information, select this option on the Reward surveys page. Alternatively, if you decide to add this functionality afteryou'vealready sent out your surveys, select the Edit option next to Address changes not allowed" on the same page.

If youre ready to ship out rewards and youd like to disallow survey changes, visit the Reward surveys page and select Edit next to Address changes allowed. A modal will appear asking you to confirm this change. Once you select Send notifications now, backers will be notified that they have 48 hours remaining to finalize any changes to their shipping information. Want more details on this feature? Visit our blog.

Backers can't directly update responses to other survey questions (reward size, color, etc.) but you can leave a note on a survey response if someone contacts you with an important edit.

If you werent able to pledge before the projects deadline, itwon'tbe possible to pledge to this project through Kickstarter at this point. If you still wish to support this project, you'll need to reach out to the creator directly.

To message them, visit the project page and click the creator's profile image. This will open up their bio. Click "Contact me" and send a message.

The Survey tool in the creator tools menu makes it easy to collect mailing addresses, shirt sizes, reward options, or anything else you need to fulfill rewards.

To use this tool:

1) Go to your project page.

2) Click the "Reward surveys" link in the creator tools menu on the left to start creating your surveys. You can make your questions open answer or multiple choice. You can also allow backers to update their shipping information.

3) You can start building your surveys at any time during your project's funding period. The questions you add are automatically saved as you work on them. When your project is successfully funded (and your funding period has ended) and you're ready to send them, just click "Send Survey."

4) As you're crafting your surveys, keep in mind that backers are unable to leave answers blank. If a question doesn't apply to everyone in that reward tier, make sure to provide them with the option to say "Not Applicable" or "Doesn't Apply."

We run the addresses that backers provide through a validation check, just to make sure that the address is properly formatted and to catch any typos.

You can view the responses in your Backer Report or export them as a CSV file that you can open in Excel and other spreadsheet programs.

Dont worry about gathering backers' info before your project is funded. If backers are curious, please let them know that youll follow up when you're ready to deliver their rewards. For more information about tools to help you with fulfillment, please visit the Creator Handbook.

Please note:The Backer Report export contains personal information about backers, and it is your responsibility to protect it. Do not share it with services or third parties you do not trust. If you do use backers information with another service, like a shipping partner, make sure to read their Terms of Use and Privacy Policy to see how they handle private information.

If your pledge was declined, log in to Kickstarter and click the Fix payment button in the banner at the top of your screen. This will guide you through the process of changing or retrying your payment method. We'll also send you an email every 48 hours with a direct link to correct the issue. But don't delay: backers have 7 days to resolve payment issues before they're dropped from the project. We'll also automatically retry your pledge at the end of this timeframe.

It may not necessarily be the case that theres a specific issue with your card, so much as that youll need to ask your bank why this charge in particular is being declined. You may also want to include the details of this transaction, such as:

The charge being from Kickstarter.

The amount pledged for the project.

The date when Kickstarter attempted to collect your pledge. This was the date that the project you backed ended. If the project hasn't ended yet, you can use the date you attempted to pledge.

Additionally, it may be helpful to request that your bank whitelist any charges from Kickstarter.

Onceyou'vecontacted your bank, feel free to log in to the Kickstarter account from which you pledged and click the Fix Payment button in the Important Notifications banner.

"Project updates" refer to what is essentially each project's blog posts. They are an important tool for creators to keep their backers informed; from when the campaign is live - to let backers know a milestone has been reached or to share how preparations are going - to while fulfillment is being completed - for example, a behind the scenes look at production.Project updates are also a great way to share any bumps in the road, or hurdles a creator has had to overcome - maintaining honesty with backers goes a long way! It is our expectation that creators will post at least one new update a month once funding is finished, to keep their backers in the loop - this could simply be a small note to check in with your backers, or a single photograph of what you are working on - just something to let your backers know youre still working on the project.Creators can choose to make their updates public (this means they will be visible to all viewers of the project page), or just for backers. Additionally, creators can opt to notify all of their backers about an update, or just backers of select reward tiers.

Why are project updates important?When a creator goes silent, backers assume the worst. Regularly updating your backers with information about your project helps to both keep backers minds at ease, but is also a great way to show your appreciation for the support you received from them.Project updates are also a great way to share more information with the public, especially if you decide to run another campaign in the future, or turn your Kickstarter project in to a business. Project updates will help people to learn more about your working practice, as well as giving them an insight into how communicative you were with the people who helped bring your creative idea to life.

Anyone that meets our creator requirements is eligible to launch a project on Kickstarter.

Just head to our start page to begin building your project. You can find tips on structuring and running your project in our Creator Handbook and Resources Compendium, and refer to our rules to make sure your project idea is a good fit. Meanwhile, feel free to save your project as a draft and return to finish it up or submit it for review at a later date.

Google Analytics is a tool that can provide you with extensive breakdowns of referrer data, as well as give you insight into traffic to your project page, overall conversion rate (theres more information on that here ), ad campaign conversion rate, and more!Tapping into this data can help you better understand how your promotion efforts are paying off, and where backers are finding your project.

Currently, its not possible to track traffic to your project from the Kickstarter app through Google Analytics.

The default sort of our Advanced Discover tool, magic, displays a rotating cross section of compelling projects on Kickstarter by surfacing a mixture of Projects We Love and what's popular from each of our 15 categories. In order to exhibit the creative spectrum of our community, weve designed the magic sort to be dynamic this means that it refreshes often. If you see your project pop in and out of this magical sort,don'tworry, it will still be searchable using the other finite sorts and filters.

The bank account used to set up a project must belong to the person who verifies their identity as the project creator the person running the project. If the funds are intended to be transferred to a company bank account (or an account belonging to a legal entity), then the bank account on file must be able to be accessed by the person who has verified their identity as the person behind the project.

The bank account must support direct deposit (for U.S. bank accounts, this means that the bank account needs to be ACH compliant). Typically, accounts matching these specifications are checking accounts. Accordingly, our payments processor, Stripe, only supports checking accounts at this time. More information about Stripes policies is available here.

If you have questions about whether or not your bank account is set up for these types of transactions, we recommend checking with your financial institution.

When entering your bank account information, we highly recommend taking extra care to ensure you have input the correct details. Failure to enter accurate information can lead to delays in the payout transfer. In addition, once the project is launched, we cannot facilitate changes to the bank account information.

Please note that we are not able to offer PayPal, Square, or other similar third party services as viable methods for payments collection or payout transfers at this time.

We encourage creators to research all costs involved in completing their project prior to launching. Your funding goal should include the amount you need to complete your project (costs of making and shipping rewards) and fees associated with running a project on Kickstarter. Once you launch your project, you cannot change your funding goal and deadline..

It helps to make a list of all the materials, resources, and expenses (such as shipping costs ) you'll need to complete your project, and the estimated costs for each. Research how much things will cost, and consider how your expenses could change if you had to switch suppliers or fulfillment partners (it never hurts to have a back-up plan). Keep in mind that additional fees collected for shipping will be reflected in your funding amount while your project is live.

Weve also compiled a list of services that can aid in the process of completing your project.

Check out this video for insight into how other creators have estimated their funding goals:

Fees

If a project reaches its funding goal, Kickstarter applies a 5% fee to the funds collected for creators. Stripe, our payments processor will also apply payment processing fees (roughly 3-5%). The complete fee breakdowns are available here.

If a project does not reach its funding goal, no fees are collected.

Taxes

Funds raised on Kickstarter are generally subject to taxes. How much you owe can vary based on a number of factors, including the deduction of project-related expenses. We highly recommend talking to an accountant or tax advisor. They can guide you through your particular tax scenario in the most advantageous way possible.

While we can't offer tax advice, we have compiled a guide for financial professionals who may not be familiar with Kickstarter.

Funding Calculator

Still unsure about your funding goal? The Funding Calculator, which you can access via the Basics section of your project build, is meant to help creators visualize the potential costs associated with running a project on Kickstarter, including fees and taxes, on top of how much money you will need to bring your creative project to life.

here

To use the Funding Calculator, follow the steps below.

Click Use our calculator to estimate a funding goal within the Basics section of Project Build.

Enter how much money you think youll need to create your project and fulfill all of your rewards.

Enter in a tax percentage, or use the slider, to account for taxes associated with your project. As were unable to provide tax advice, we recommend you consult with a tax advisor for more guidance.

Once you enter a funding amount and select a tax percentage, Kickstarters fee (5%) and our payment processors fee (~5%) will automatically calculate, revealing an estimated new total incorporating fees and your estimate of taxes. Note that payment processing fees vary depending on the country you select and the number of backers you receive. More detailed information on fees can be found .

Click Set funding goal to use this new amount as your funding goal.

Launching a Kickstarter is a very public act, and creators put their reputations at risk when they do. Creators are encouraged to share links and as much background information as possible so backers can make informed decisions about the projects they support.

If a creator has no demonstrable experience in doing something like their project or doesn't share key information, backers should take that into consideration. Does the creator include links to any websites that show work related to the project, or past projects? Does the creator appear in the video?

Don't hesitate to request information from a creator. You can always reach out to the creator before pledging.

We started Kickstarter as a new way for creators and audiences to work together to make things. Many traditional funding systems are risk-averse and profit-focused, and tons of great ideas never get a chance. Kickstarter opens the door to a world full of creative possibilities, one where anyone can help decide which bright idea will become tomorrow's reality.

Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative ideas. Many of the projects you see on Kickstarter are in earlier stages of development and are looking for a community to bring them to life. That Kickstarter allows creators to take risks and attempt to create new things is a feature, not a bug.

If your project is successfully funded, the funds pledged are debited directly from backers' cards. There is a 14-day window following your project's deadline for collecting and processing pledges. Once the 14-day window has passed, funds will automatically be transferred directly to your bank account. Please allow a bit of time for this transfer to take place; it can take an additional few days depending on the bank involved.

Funds should appear in your bank account as coming from Kickstarter PBC.

How long will it take to receive the funds?

Once a campaign ends having successfully reached its funding goal, we will begin to collect and process pledges. The payout is sent 14 days after a projects deadline, to the bank account originally linked to the project. Please note that depending on the bank, it could take an additional 3-14 business days from this point for the funds to appear. If you still can't see your funds three weeks from your project's deadline, please let us know.

Setting a unique password helps to ensure the security of your account. Tools like 1Password and LastPass are great for generating unique passwords and keeping track of them.Enabling two-factor authentication is an additional step you can take to further ensure that only you can access your account.With this feature enabled, you'll get verification codes via text message, phone call, or an authentication app whenever you try to access your account from an unfamiliar device. Youll be prompted to enter that code before you can access your account.

There are a few ways to get in touch with a project creator.

You can send questions you have for a creator by heading to the FAQ tab on the project page and clicking the "Ask a question" button.

You can also message the creator privately. To message a creator, visit the project page and click on the creator's profile name. This will open their bio page where you can then click the "Contact me" button.

If you're a backer and would like your question to be public, you can post a comment on the project under the Comments section.

Following project creators allows you to see when a new project of theirs is launched, as well as receive notifications on Kickstarter projects they back.

To follow a new creator, just click the follow link next to their profile image on their project page. To follow a creator whose projectyou'vepreviously backed, head to your profile settings and youll be able to follow them beneath the Find creators tab.

Once your project has been approved, youll be able to launch when youre ready. To launch your project:

Click on Prepare to launch

Review the details on the following page and click the checkbox confirmingyou'veread them, as well as our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Kickstarter Rules.

Click on the Launch now button to launch your project.

To change your pledge amount, visit the project page and click the Manage your pledge" button that appears next to your pledge amount and then select "Change your pledge" on the following page.

From here, youll be able to adjust your pledge amount or choose a new reward tier you'd like to pledge for and your pledge amount will update automatically. If you don't want to receive a reward, select "Make a pledge without a reward" and enter your new pledge amount. Alternatively, you may change your pledge amount within the reward tier modal.

Note that you are not adding to your existing pledge; the amount you enter will be the total amount collected if the project is successfully funded.

We require each creator to verify their identity when launching a new project. This helps to ensure that there is an actual human being behind each project. The person behind the project who verifies their identity will be held responsible and liable for running and completing it. The verified individual can vary from project to project, which is why ID verification is required on each new project, regardless of whether it has been completed in the past.

First Steps

You can verify your identity from the Payment tab of your project draft overview. There youll be prompted to select whether you will be collecting funds for the project as an individual or as a legal entity (a company). Then, under the Identity Confirmation section, you will be prompted to enter your personally verifiable information. During this process, its important to make sure youre entering the correct information and that your details are free of typos.

Please note: to ensure the best chance for a smooth verification process, make sure that you are able to meet the eligibility requirements with respect to the country from which you are launching your project.

Once you submit your details, you should see a note that reads Confirming your identity and Refresh this page in a few minutes for updates. Ifyou'verefreshed this page a number of times, its been at least a day, and youre still seeing this message, please contact us.

If the first verification attempt fails

If for any reason we are unable to verify your identity through this process, you should see a new message that reads We couldn't confirm your identity and Please upload a valid driver's license or passport to provide more information. From there, you will be prompted to use an automated system that will confirm your ID as valid and compare it with an image of your face, as uploaded by you or captured by your webcam.

If the second verification attempt fails

If the automated system still cannot verify your identity based on the images you uploaded in the previous step, you will see a message that the process could not be completed. This message should read We couldn't confirm your identity and Please check your email for next steps. (You may also see a banner notification at the top of the page whenever you log into Kickstarter, to remind you that action is required.)

At this point, our system will automatically send you an email with instructions on how to securely send us images of the required document so that our Trust and Safety team can manually verify your identity. Please check your email for a message from us with the subject line ACTION NEEDED: A message from Kickstarter about verifying your identity. If you do not see this message after a few minutes, please check your spam or junk folder.

Please note: this manual process can take up to a few business days from the time we receive your email reply. In order to make sure this process takes the least amount of time, please be sure to follow the instructions in the email and upload a clear, legible image.

If you have any trouble with these processes, or believe that your personal circumstances may warrant an exception, feel free to contact us so that our Trust and Safety team can take a closer look.

We take the security and privacy of our community very seriously. For information about privacy on Kickstarter, please read our Privacy Policy.

How do I know if my pledge went through?

If you didn't reach a "Thank you!" confirmation page and/or you didn't receive a confirmation email (title: "You just backed [Project Name]"), it's likely that your pledge did not go through. If the pledge cannot be submitted, you may also receive an error message on the pledge page.

I am having trouble pledging, what can I do?

In most cases, pledging troubles may be due to an issue with the card being used. We recommend the following troubleshooting steps:

Double check to make sure that the credit card number, cardholder name, expiration date, security code, and zip code have all been entered correctly.

Contact your bank to make sure there are no holds on your card, and to also make sure that:

No additional authorization is required of you

Your card is authorized for foreign transactions if your pledge is to a project in another country

If you're using a pre-paid card or debit card, that you have enough funds available

If you're pledging at a high amount, that your bank is aware that we may issue an authorization check for a portion of the total amount pledged.

Some banks may be unfamiliar with how Kickstarter works, in that we authorize your card when you first pledge, but we do not charge it until later, if and when the project ends having met its funding goal. It's worth explaining this to the representative you speak with at your financial institution.

If you continue to encounter errors, we recommend trying a different card.

If youre still having trouble pledging after that, please contact our Support team.

I pledged to a project, but Idon'tsee the pledge on my account?

Firstly, we recommend double-checking that you are logged in to the correct Kickstarter account. If you are still not seeing your pledge on your account, and you didnt receive a pledge confirmation email, please contact our Support team.

If you pledged as a guest, check your email inbox for a pledge confirmation email and a link to activate your Kickstarter account. If you didnt receive a confirmation email, please contact our Support team.

Ican'tremember the email address I used for my pledge?

If you are having trouble finding a pledge, or remembering the email address associated with your Kickstarter account, its possible that you might have mistyped your email address when pledging, and consequently you might not be receiving updates to your account.

Were happy to help you locate your pledge or account, please get in touch with us to get this process started.

My pledge was declined. How can I retry my payment?

If your pledge is declined, youll be able to retry the payment. We recommend taking action promptly, however, as backers have 7 days to resolve payment issues before they're dropped from the project. Until your pledge has been successfully collected, well send you an email every 48 hours with a direct link to correct the issue.

During the 7-day timeframe you can also log in to your Kickstarter account and click the Fix payment button in the banner at the top of your screen. On the next page, click the Retry your payment button to retry or update your pledge with a different card.

When a payment is declined, it may not necessarily be the case that theres a specific issue with your card, so much as that youll need to ask your bank why this charge in particular is being declined. You may also want to include the following details for this transaction:

The charge being from Kickstarter

The amount pledged for the project

The date when Kickstarter attempted to collect your pledge. This will be the date that the project you backed ended. If the project hasn't ended yet, you can use the date you attempted to pledge.

Additionally, it may be helpful to request that your bank whitelist any charges from Kickstarter.

Onceyou'vecontacted your bank, feel free to log in to the Kickstarter account from which you pledged and click the Fix Payment button in the Important Notifications banner.

Please note that we'll automatically retry your pledge at the end of the 7-day timeframe, unlessyou'vealready fixed the payment.

How will I know when my pledge has gone through?

Once your pledge has been processed successfully, youll receive a confirmation email at the email address tied to your Kickstarter account. Rest assured, you will only be charged once for your pledge to the project.

If were still unable to process your payment at the end of the 7-day timeframe, your pledge will be dropped and you will no longer be considered a backer of the project. If your pledge is dropped and you would still like to support the project, we recommend contacting the project creator directly to try and sort out an alternative arrangement outside of Kickstarter.

I have a new email address and need help accessing pledges on an older account

If the email address associated with your Kickstarter account is no longer active, youll need to get in touch with us in order to answer a few security questions so that we can manually update your email address on the account.

Please contact our Support team and well be happy to help you with this process as quickly as possible. Please have the details of your most recent pledge handy before contacting us.

Im seeing multiple charges for the same pledge

Youwon'tbe charged for your pledge until the moment a successful project ends. However, our payments processor may temporarily authorize your card to make sure it can be successfully charged.

While authorizations generally drop after a few days, this process can vary depending on the financial institution. If the authorization doesnt drop in the week following a projects deadline, we recommend contacting your bank for more details about their authorization procedure.

If youre still unsure about any charges coming from Kickstarter, please get in touch.

Identity verification helps to ensure that there is a real person behind every project on Kickstarter.

Being a creator is a serious endeavor verifying that you are who you say you are strengthens the integrity of the Kickstarter system. It also protects you by preventing someone else from running a project under your name. Please note that ID verification is a mandatory step in each individual project.

When running a 2nd or 3rd project, please factor in verification time regarding your launch, as it must be completed even though the ID has been verified for a previous project.

It is not possible to edit your Verified Identity once a project is launched. However, we understand that in certain scenarios a name change is required for the safety of our community. If you believe that your personal circumstances may qualify you for an exception, please reach out to our support team.

If a project you've backed on Kickstarter reaches its funding goal, your chosen payment method will be charged your full pledge amount. The way that your charge appears on your credit or bank statement will differ slightly for each project you back, but they all follow the same format.

The statement charge will begin with KICKSTARTER: followed by the first 9 characters of the name of the project you backed. (i.e. A project titled "Platipay Debut Album" will appear on your statement as KICKSTARTER:PLATIPAY.) Although we format our charge descriptions in this way, your financial institution might adjust how this appears on your statement.

If you're unsure about whether or not a charge is from Kickstarter, or if you simplydon'trecognize the transaction, please reach out your bank or credit company first to confirm the charge's associated merchant. If, after doing so, you are still unsure about a charge, please contact our support team.

Kickstarter is open to backers all over the world. Anyone, from anywhere, can pledge to a project as long as they have a major debit or credit card.

Your pledge will be collected in the project's native currency. Note that in some cases, its possible that your final pledge amount may differ based on the exchange rate value at the time a successful project ends. In these cases, we use the service Open Exchange Rates to determine the final value of your pledge.

If you have questions about foreign currency transactions, we'd recommend reaching out to your financial institution for further clarification.

To pledge to a project as a guest:

Select your reward on either the right-hand side of a project page or after clicking the Back this project button

From here youll be taken to a page where you can continue as a guest

Enter your email address and select Continue as Guest.

Make sure to double check your email address thats where youll receive your pledge confirmation details, messages from the project creator, and a survey to provide details needed to deliver your reward if the project is successful.

Next, fill in your payment details and take a minute to review your pledge details. When youre ready, just click the green Pledge button. Congratulations,you'vejust helped a creator get one step closer to bringing their project to life!

Please note that pledging as a guest is only available through a web browser. If youre using the Kickstarter app, you will need to sign in or sign up for an account in order to pledge to a project.

Didnt receive your guest confirmation email? Let us know.

The Messages section of your Kickstarter profile contains any messages that you have sent or received via Kickstarters direct messages. Youll be able to read and reply to messages, filter them by status, and search for specific keywords. At this time it is only possible to send direct messages between backers and creators, and not from one backer to another.

If you receive any messages that violate our Community Guidelines, please feel free to mark them as spam and our Trust and Safety team will look into this as soon as possible.

Please note that turning off new message notifications will not disable direct messages or prevent folks from reaching out.

One of the best parts about being a backer and supporting creative projects on Kickstarter is getting a front row seat to the creative process. In exchange for your pledge, you get a window into what its like to bring something from concept to production, and as a backer you can also opt to receive a reward in return for your financial support. Sometimes, however and despite a creators best intentions thingsdon'tgo according to plan.

Estimated Delivery Dates for Rewards

When it comes to rewards, each creator lists an estimated delivery date under each reward tier on their project page. As a backer, you can view the estimated delivery date for your reward either on the project page itself or under your Backed Projects list under the Reward tab.

This date is determined by project creators as their best guess for when backers will receive their rewards. It is an estimate, however, because it can often be tricky to determine exact dates so early on in the creative process, when a project is still in its beginning phase.

Estimated delivery dates are not firm ship dates. The project itself must first be completed before rewards can be fulfilled. As such, its not uncommon for refinements and modifications to push back a projects estimated delivery date. In cases where a creator is delayed, we expect that they will be open, honest, and communicative with backers about the change in timeline and the cause(s) of the delays.

What to do if you have questions or concerns about a specific project or reward

If you have specific questions about the status of a project or your reward, check the project updates first. Creators are expected to share news of their progress and/or challenges in updates, so thats often a good place to start.

If youre not finding the information youre looking for in a creators project updates, the next step is usually to reach out to the project creator directly. To message them, follow the directions here.

We expect creators to maintain good communication with their backers. However, each creator may approach communication differently from the next. Its worth keeping in mind that you may not receive a response right away in many cases, a creator or a small team of creators is working hard to complete their project, both producing rewards, and communicating with backers. Thats a lot! Sodon'tbe dismayed if it takes a little more time than normal for a response.

What to do if you still havent heard anything after reaching out to a creator

If you have already checked the project updates, written at least once or twice to the creator via Kickstarter direct messages, and given them a reasonable amount of time to reply, there are a couple of other things you can do.

In some cases, creators may move their communications off of Kickstarter after their project ends, or they may be more responsive elsewhere. In light of this, see if the creator might have listed their own website, social media pages, or a direct email address in previous updates or in their creator bio. We recommend reaching out to a creator through their own website or social media as a next step.

If you are still having trouble connecting with the creator, even after giving them ample time to respond, you can let us know by sending a message to our Community Support team. In that case, please be sure to outline the stepsyou'vealready taken to contact the creator, and let us know a little more about the nature of the issue. In certain instances, our Support team may be able to send a message to the creator, as an extra way of reminding them to follow up.

As a backer, its important to keep in mind that the creator is making something new. This may mean its also their first time managing a project with production and shipping costs. A creator may have limited experience in anticipating changes in the scope of the project, which can translate into unexpected fees. We do urge creators to research and plan all costs involved in completing their project, and communicate realistic expectations for backers, but sometimes unforeseen issues (and unforeseen costs) are inevitable.

If you encounter a situation where a creator announces additional costs (for shipping, delivery, or otherwise) and you have questions or concerns, you will need to contact the creator directly. Since its up to each creator to determine costs for their project and rewards, they are the best person to address any and all related concerns. While we know these kinds of obstacles are not optimal, we hope that backers and creators can work together to understand and overcome them.

For more information on how to message a project creator, click here.

Being able to share your project prior to launching is a vital step when planning your promotion strategy. With the Project Pre-Launch Page, as a creator youcan now share all vital information necessary to start building hype for your campaign and present a direct call-to-action for backers to be notified when your project has launched.

Upcoming Projects

After your project has been approved for launch, youll be able to head to the Promotion section of the project editor build to set up your Pre-Launch Page. Youll be prompted to activate your Pre-Launch page afteryou'veconfirmed your project URL. Note that your project URL will serve as your Pre-Launch Page URL untilyou'velaunched your campaign. You can also continue to edit your project after creating your project's Pre-Launch Page, provided any changes made are in compliance with our guidelines.

Your Pre-Launch page will automatically include the following information regarding your project:

Your projects title

Your projects subtitle

Your projects category

Your creator name

Your profile avatar

Your projects location

All project Pre-Launch Pages will be searchable under the section of Explore.

When shared with your community, potential backers will have the option to be notified when your campaign has launched by clicking Notify me. Once 10 people or more opt-in to be notified of your launch, well reflect that number on your Pre-Launch Page as well.

The URLs for your project's preview page (when sharing is turned on) and Pre-Launch Page will be different, meaning you'll be able to share both links. For instance, you may wish to share the project preview with a limited group of trusted peers so that they can offer feedback on the project before you launch, and then at the same time share your Pre-Launch Page more publicly to help build excitement. The "Notify me" functionality works the same for both pages, so when someone follows your project from either page, they'll get the launch notification email.

You can find your bank account number and routing details on your bank statement or in your account details online. For U.S. account holders, please list a bank account that is ACH-enabled. When listing your routing number, be sure to use the one designated for paper and electronic transfers (not wire transfers). If you can't find it, ask your bank they'll definitely know!

Please note that our payments partner Stripe only supports checking accounts at this time. More information about ACH transfers is available via their website. You can also findpayout account types here.

If you feel that your project does meet our rules, you can submit an appeal for reconsideration.

Before submitting an appeal, youre welcome to make any edits to your project page based on our response. Once ready, youll have 500 characters to let us know why you think your project meets our rules and should be reconsidered.

A Kickstarter staff member will review your project again and take your appeal into consideration. If your appeal is declined, the process ends there. The project submission in question will be closed, but you can always submit a different project.

On occasion, Kickstarter will partner with organizations, cultural institutions, or other entities that are aligned with our creative interests. If you'd like to explore that sort of partnership, you can reach us at [email protected]. We'll follow up if it feels like a good fit!

Please note that Kickstarter is not undertaking any sponsorship opportunities at this time.

Its not possible to generate referral information until after your project has launched.

A pledge can only be cancelled while a projects funding period is still live. To cancel a pledge:

Visit the project page

Click the "Manage your pledge button

From there you can click the "Cancel Pledge" link located next to the "Change your pledge" button

To cancel a pledge made as a guest:

Click the Manage your pledge link next to Pledge details in your confirmation email.

From this section on the manage pledge page, click Cancel pledge next to the Change your pledge button.

If problems come up, creators are expected to post a project update explaining the situation. Sharing the story, speed bumps and all, is crucial. Most backers support projects because they want to see something happen and they'd like to be a part of it. Creators who are honest and transparent will usually find backers to be understanding.

It's not uncommon for things to take longer than expected. Sometimes the execution of the project proves more difficult than the creator had anticipated. If a creator is making a good faith effort to complete their project and is transparent about it, backers should do their best to be patient and understanding while demanding continued accountability from the creator.

If the problems are severe enough that the creator can't fulfill their project, creators need to find a resolution. Steps should include offering refunds, detailing exactly how funds were used, and other actions to satisfy backers. For more information, see Section 4 of our Terms of Use.

For projects that launched before October 19, 2014, please see our previous Terms of Use.

The Kickstarter iOS app requires OS 11.4 or later. It's compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The Kickstarter app for Android requires Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or higher.

Once your SSN has been verified with Stripe, its no longer possible to update this information. If there was an error, youll receive an email from us and be prompted to re-submit your details.

You are free to cancel your project at any time.To do so:

Click on the Menu button located at the top-left of the project page

Click on the Edit project link in the creator tools menu

Click on the Cancel project link located at the bottom of the next page, also known as the Project Overview

Before you do so, please keep the following in mind:

Canceling a project does not remove it from Kickstarter. Projects cannot be deleted.

Canceling a project is not reversible. If you decide you want to relaunch the project, you'll need to build a new one from scratch and submit it to us for review.

Heres how you can start tracking your project's conversion rate:

(1)Head to your Google Analytics account and navigate to your admin settings.

(2)In the VIEW column, select Ecommerce Settings.

(3)In the Enable Ecommerce section, flip the switch to ON.

(4) Keep Enhanced Ecommerce Settings switched OFF (switching this on will prevent conversion tracking data from appearing in your Google Analytics account).

(5) Click submit and youre all set!

It may take up to 24 hours for data to start appearing in your Google Analytics account.

Stretch goals are not part of the official Kickstarter platform. Rather, a stretch goal is a funding target set by the project creator beyond the original Kickstarter goal. Stretch goals as a term and a practice emerged from the Kickstarter community as a way for creators to "stretch" beyond the initial, official goal of the Kickstarter project and raise more money (and often make cooler stuff!). Funds are collected whether stretch goals are met or not, as long as the project has met its Kickstarter funding goal.

What happens when a project is overfunded varies depending on the project, and stretch goals are not right for every project. If you are thinking about stretch goals you should consider:

Project complexity:Stretch goals can make a project more difficult to complete. Fulfilling rewards can be demanding, and any time you add new stuff (more songs on your album, better materials or options for your creation) the demands increase. More costs to consider, more things to ship things can get complicated fast. It can be tempting to add stretch goals especially if a project quickly exceeds its initial funding goal but this shouldn't be done without careful planning.

Communication:If adding stretch goals, think carefully about how to announce them to your community of backers. Take the time to explain your intentions, your motivations, and your plans. Any changes made midstream should be accompanied by an assurance that you are honoring your initial promises to backers. Simply proclaiming, New goal! without recognizing whatyou'veachieved together can rub backers the wrong way.