Simple & Clear Prices
£35 to run a race, and we take no percentage of what you raise. The money belongs to your charity from the moment a supporter's card clears. It never passes through us.
Race setup fee: £35
One flat fee per race. This covers absolutely everything you need: setting up your event page, the organizer dashboard, the live race on the night, and support in the run-up.
- No monthly charges
- No long-term contracts
- Nothing to pay between races
Our share of donations: 0%
We take no percentage of entry fees, donations or sponsorship. Payments are made directly to your charity, so what supporters give is yours from the start.
Card processing is the only deduction, it is disclosed per payment, and we neither mark it up nor absorb it.
What a payment actually costs
The card processing charge, shown in full. These are illustrative figures at a UK domestic card rate of 1.5% + 20p.
| Supporter pays | Processing | You receive | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| £5.00 · adopt a duck | £0.28 | £4.72 | 94.5% |
| £25.00 · donation | £0.58 | £24.42 | 97.7% |
| £50.00 · banner | £0.95 | £49.05 | 98.1% |
Card rates are set by the payment processor and may change. A registered charity can usually apply for discounted nonprofit rates, and because we add no markup, that discount reaches you in full. Note how the fixed 20p weighs on a small payment: it is 4% of a £5 duck but 0.4% of a £50 banner, which is worth bearing in mind when you set your prices.
The donor contribution
How Pledglings is paid for, and how the processing charge can come off the supporter's side rather than yours.
An honest ask, at checkout
When a supporter gives, they are offered the chance to cover the processing cost plus a small amount for Pledglings, so the charge comes out of what they add rather than out of the gift they meant you to have.
It is one payment and one line on their statement. The default is modest, you set it for your race, and a supporter can set it to zero with one tap, with no hunting for a hidden control.
Contributions are never counted in your race total. The figure you announce when the race is run is money raised for your charity, and nothing else.
A £25 gift, worked through
- Gift to your charity
- £25.00
- Contribution to Pledglings
- £1.00
- Processing, covered by the donor
- £0.60
- Supporter is charged
- £26.60
- Your charity receives
- about £25.00
Worked at the same illustrative rate. The real charge depends on the card (an overseas one costs more, an open banking payment less), so the last line lands within a few pence either way rather than exactly on it. If the supporter declines, the gift still goes through: your charity receives £25.00 less the processing charge, and we still take nothing.
Fundraising options: it's your choice
Turn on the streams that suit your event, and set every price yourself.
Duck entry fees
Banner sponsorship Coming soon
Standard donations
Payouts
Your money reaches your bank without passing through ours.
Every payment goes directly to your charity and is paid out to your bank automatically, usually within a few working days of a payment settling. We add no charge for receiving your funds, and there are no hidden fees or extra costs after the race is complete.
Because the funds are never ours to hold, there is nothing to invoice, chase or reconcile with us at the end of your event.
Card payments are handled by Stripe, on an account held in your charity's name.
Pricing questions
When do we pay the £35?
- When you create your race, before it goes live. Creating an account costs nothing, and you can try the free demo first. The fee is charged once per race rather than per month.
Do you take a percentage of donations?
- No. Not of entry fees, not of donations, not of sponsorship. The only money that comes out of a payment is the card processing charge, which we neither mark up nor absorb.
Then how does Pledglings make money?
- The £35, and the optional contribution supporters can add at checkout. It is presented honestly, it is never hidden, and a supporter can set it to zero in one tap.
Does the contribution count toward our total?
- No. It buys a service from us rather than being a gift to you, so it is kept out of your race total and out of your report. The figure you announce when the race is run is money raised for your charity.
What about refunds?
- If a donation is refunded, the contribution goes back with it. The card processing charge on a refunded payment follows our payment provider’s policy.
Are there contracts or monthly fees?
- Neither. Run one race a year or one a month; you pay £35 each time and nothing in between.
Ready to launch your virtual duck race?
£35 to set up, and nothing after that.