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A full look into the difference in features and pricing between Teamfi and PledgeStar
Last Updated:Â
September 30, 2026
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Modern organizations require modern solutions to fundraising. Teamfi and PledgeStar are two companies predicated on using fully digital software solutions to raise money efficiently through mobile outreach and donor engagement. While both platforms may help you increase your fundraising outreach and visibility, they differ fundamentally in software accessibility, campaign flexibility, and fee structures.Â
While PledgeStar doesn't take a cut of individual donations while your fundraiser is active, their standard plan sends you a bill for platform fees after your event wraps up, though they do cap that final cost at a maximum amount. PledgeStar also offers a free plan with no platform fee, funded by optional donor contributions at checkout. Teamfi keeps things completely platform fee-free on every campaign, with no paid tier, meaning your team keeps an average of 96.5% of every single donation the moment it comes in. For organizers trying to figure out which route leaves their program with the biggest paycheck, looking at how these two systems handle fees and setup makes the choice pretty simple.
Compare Teamfi vs. the fundraising platform PledgeStar.
Teamfi is a fundraising platform built for schools, clubs, and athletic organizations that want a high quality digital fundraising campaign without the platform fees.
Teamfi works best for:
This setup serves organizers who want year-round utility, enabling them to transition between different fundraising formats across different seasons from a single platform, as well as organizers wanting to gamify community support using visual tools like interactive calendar boards.
PledgeStar is built for K-12 schools, PTAs, and booster clubs running active, large-scale events, and schools that have diverse language and translation requirements.
PledgeStar works best for:
When evaluating fundraising platforms, pricing clarity matters. Some platforms such as Teamfi operate with total clarity about what you’ll pay. Teamfi has zero platform fees, meaning you will only pay 2.9% +$0.30 per transaction for standard credit card processing fees. This nets out to an organization walking away with upward of ~96.5% of all funds raised.
PledgeStar operates with a different fee structure. While PledgeStar is up front about their pricing structure, the actual take home from a PledgeStar fundraiser is going to depend heavily on a few factors. PledgeStar does not publish a processing rate for either of their plans, so the exact take-home on a PledgeStar campaign is difficult to calculate before you sign up.
On the standard plan, PledgeStar offers a "donor fee coverage option." This allows the fundraiser to set a recommendation for an additional charge on behalf of the donor to cover the processing and platform fees from PledgeStar. This additional fee reduces your fundraiser invoice, and allows you to keep more of your fundraiser when it is complete. The free plan has no platform fee to cover, though donors can add a small optional contribution at checkout that goes to PledgeStar directly.
On their standard plan, PledgeStar charges a 7% platform fee up to $1,195 on top of processing, which is where the bulk of the cost difference comes from. PledgeStar also does have an optional fee coverage system. On the standard plan, because fee coverage is entirely optional, your fundraiser remains vulnerable to unexpected costs. If you decide against requesting fee coverage, or if donors choose to opt out, you will be responsible for covering both the platform and processing fees. Here is a visual breakdown of how those fees may impact your bottom line.
While Teamfi and PledgeStar are both up front about their pricing, there is a clear disparity in transparency between the two. With Teamfi the math is simple. On average you will net 96.5% of all funds raised. With PledgeStar's standard plan you would need to raise almost $200,000 in an individual fundraiser to match this number.
When looking at these two platforms pricing the details matter. Teamfi has a simple and upfront model that guarantees no platform fees. PledgeStar's standard plan uses a pricing model that may appeal to large-scale fundraising involving hundreds of thousands of dollars due to their fee structure, but will likely result in higher fees for most single event fundraising opportunities. Knowing what you will walk away with before you begin is a crucial point for many organizations, and Teamfi wins on simplicity and predictability.
Compare the fundraising functionality of Teamfi vs. the fundraising platform PledgeStar.
Dakota Wesleyan University Women's Basketball
Mitchell, SD
"Loved this fundraiser and I thought it was the easiest thing ever. I had access to everything and was able to do things on my end. If I ever had a question, you were super easy to work with and got back to me right away. Also, you don't take advantage of the percentage on the back end, which we appreciate!"
Celeste Beck
Associate Head Coach
Fruitport Football
Fruitport, MI
“All-in-all, I absolutely LOVED TEAMFI. The communication and support was excellent, player acclimation was incredibly simple, and donors appreciated the text messages over emails. The campaign was light years ahead of similar programs."
Nate Smith
Head Football Coach
Fundraising doesn’t stop, and neither should your support. That’s why our team is available to help you quickly and clearly, without hidden fees or long wait times. From onboarding to live campaign questions, you’ll get practical, hands-on guidance from real people who understand how the platform was built and how fundraisers actually run—so you can stay focused on raising money, not figuring out software.
“The communication & support was excellent.”
NATE S.
HILLSDALE, MI
“The company, the software, the customer support. Everything was an absolute 10.”
DANIELLA L.
CONCORD, CA
“Your customer service is the best by far!”
PIA R.
SARASOTA, FL
Do I have to manually chase down pledges after our event is over?
No, on either platform! Both Teamfi and PledgeStar handle digital pledge collection automatically. After the results of your a-thon event are entered, both Teamfi and PledgeStar will automatically calculate the total owed by pledged donors, and send out an automated message to collect their donations. No knocking on doors or collecting envelopes required.
Does Teamfi support fundraisers outside of the US?
Teamfi currently only supports fundraisers within the United States including Alaska, Hawaii and all US territories.
How long does it take to set up a Teamfi campaign?
Teamfi's streamlined setup process allows for the user to create their fundraiser in 15 minutes or less. Once your fundraiser is created you will have full control of the timeline for onboarding, activating, and collecting your donations.
How do platform fees compare between Teamfi and PledgeStar?
Teamfi has no platform fees on any campaign. You pay only standard credit card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. PledgeStar offers two plans. Their free plan has no platform fee and relies on optional donor contributions at checkout. Their standard plan takes 7% of donations, capped at $1,195 per fundraiser, so past roughly $17,000 raised that cap is reached and no further platform fees apply. PledgeStar does not publish a processing rate for either plan.
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Will I receive an invoice from Teamfi after my fundraiser?
No, you will never receive an invoice or a bill from Teamfi. Because Teamfi charges 0% in platform fees, they do not take a cut of your earnings or send a bill at the end of your campaign.
When your fundraiser ends, the total amount you raised (minus standard Stripe credit card processing fees of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) is simply deposited directly into your organization's bank account or mailed via check. There are no hidden back-end costs, processing invoices, or delayed bills to worry about.
Does Teamfi offer rewards to incentivize participants to fundraise?
Teamfi does not directly give out rewards to incentivize fundraiser participants meeting their goals. However Teamfi provides all the digital tools necessary to make data such as individual and team goals easily accessible. Offering rewards such as spirit packs for individuals or team-outings for meeting team wide goals can drastically improve the success of your fundraiser. Â
Teamfi and PledgeStar both offer solid digital tools and automated outreach to help you run a successful web-based campaign. However, when you look past the standard features, the real difference comes down to pricing simplicity and your bottom line.
PledgeStar's standard plan uses a traditional percentage-based model, meaning they will send you an invoice for 7% of your total online donations after your event ends, up until their fee cap of $1,195. Their free plan avoids that invoice and relies on optional donor contributions instead. Teamfi eliminates the post-fundraiser bill on every campaign by charging $0 in platform fees.
PledgeStar's outreach tools and Teamfi's sport-specific formats solve different problems, and for some schools PledgeStar is the better fit. To see both alongside five other platforms, including cost on a $10,000 campaign and where each one wins, read our full comparison of the 7 best A-thon fundraiser platforms of 2026.
Teamfi is designed to simplify your next campaign so you can focus on your group, not the logistics, and keep more of your raised funds. Launch your fundraiser in minutes today!
Your team deserves 100%
Teamfi provides free fundraising software for school groups, sports teams, clubs, and nonprofits across the United States.
