CAMPFIRE vs READYFOR for backers: screening, fees, and tax-deductible giving compared
Conclusion: pick CAMPFIRE if you want to casually back products, gadgets and community projects; pick READYFOR if a tax-deductible, cause-driven donation matters to you. Both are among Japan's largest crowdfunding platforms, but they pull in different directions for backers. This is a different pairing from our CAMPFIRE vs Makuake comparison — here we look at READYFOR from a backer's seat.
Scale and what each is known for
- CAMPFIRE: ¥100B+ in cumulative funding, 5.1M+ members, 100,000+ projects (CAMPFIRE, official, April 2025). Strong at community, regional, music and entertainment projects — things that spread by story.
- READYFOR: Japan's first crowdfunding service, launched March 2011. 30,000+ cumulative projects and 3,000,000+ pledges as of June 30, 2025 (READYFOR, official). Carries a large share of social-cause, medical, disaster-relief and NPO/municipality-linked projects.
What backers pay in fees (different mechanics)
Both charge backers a small fee on top of the pledge — but the structure differs.
| CAMPFIRE | READYFOR | |
|---|---|---|
| Backer-side fee | System fee: ¥228 + tax under ¥10,000; 2.27% + tax at ¥10,000 and above | Backer system fee: a flat ¥220 (tax included) per pledge |
| Creator-side fee (on success) | ~12% platform fee + 5% payment fee (tax excl.) on the standard plan | 12% on the "Simple" plan, 17% on the "Full Support" plan (tax excl., payment fee included) |
Your backer-side fee shows up in the checkout total — always check it before you confirm.
Screening rigor
- CAMPFIRE: review typically takes 1–5 business days. It screens out employment-brokering, rights infringement, gambling-adjacent uses, and (with narrow exceptions) projects aimed at donating to a third party.
- READYFOR: review weighs feasibility, specificity of fund use, third-party rights, and legality of claims, taking 3–7 business days (up to ~2 weeks with revisions). It carries a strong track record with socially-oriented projects, and its Full Support plan pairs creators with a dedicated curator from before the review even starts.
Neither platform's approval means "safe" — passing screening is not the same as being risk-free (see screening ≠ safety).
Which one lets you claim a tax deduction?
If a tax-deductible donation matters to you, READYFOR has the edge. It runs a dedicated "donation-deduction type" listing track for organizations that can legally issue tax-deductible receipts — national/local government, universities, school corporations, certified NPOs, public-interest associations/foundations, and social welfare corporations. If a project is run by one of these eligible bodies, backers may be able to claim a donation deduction on their tax return (eligibility and paperwork vary by case — always confirm on the project page). CAMPFIRE is built primarily around reward-based "cheering purchases"; donation-only listings are narrower and limited to specific approved cases. If you want the deduction, confirm the project page explicitly promises a donation receipt — a standard reward receipt, or the platform's own system-fee receipt, won't qualify.
Backer protection if a campaign fails
On both platforms, an All-or-Nothing campaign that misses its goal refunds your pledge in full, including the backer system fee. An All-in campaign, by contrast, hands the creator whatever was raised even if the goal wasn't met — no refund. The funding model is stated on every project page; check it before you pledge.
Which fits you?
- Want new products and gadgets early, or to casually back a local or personal challenge → CAMPFIRE
- Want to seriously support a social cause, potentially with a tax deduction, via a project that went through a hands-on review → READYFOR
For the six funding types overall, see types compared; for a pre-pledge checklist, use Check.
Sources
- CAMPFIRE surpasses ¥100B cumulative, 5.1M members (CAMPFIRE, official, April 2025)
- CAMPFIRE listing fees (CAMPFIRE Help)
- Backer system fee (CAMPFIRE Help)
- CAMPFIRE project screening criteria (CAMPFIRE Help)
- READYFOR launches lowest-in-industry 12% "Simple Plan" (READYFOR, official)
- Plan names and fee revision notice (READYFOR, official, Feb 2024)
- Donation-type crowdfunding for public-benefit organizations (READYFOR, official)
- READYFOR crowdfunding data report 2025 (READYFOR, official note, as of June 30, 2025)
FAQ
- I just want to casually back something — which platform fits?
- CAMPFIRE, if you want new products, gadgets, or a local/personal challenge. It has Japan's largest member base and project count, and skews toward community-flavored campaigns.
- Which platform should I check if I want a tax-deductible donation?
- Look at READYFOR's donation-deduction-type project track. If the project is run by an eligible organization (a certified NPO, a local government, etc.), you may be able to claim a deduction on your tax return — always confirm the project page promises a donation receipt.
- If the goal isn't reached, do backers get their money back?
- It depends on the funding model. An All-or-Nothing campaign refunds your pledge in full (including the backer fee) if it misses its goal. An All-in campaign hands the creator whatever was raised regardless — no refund. Both platforms state the model on every project page.
