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Cancel Gofundme: The Right Way
How to cancel your GoFundMe account in australia and stop unwanted charges
What GoFundMe is and why australians use it
GoFundMe is a global crowdfunding platform that lets you start a fundraiser for personal needs, medical bills, community causes, or charitable organisations. The platform accepts one-off donations and recurring monthly donations, stores donor receipts, and processes payments through third-party payment processors to move funds to beneficiaries. GoFundMe does not charge you a platform fee to create or host a fundraiser; instead, it applies transaction charges and a separate recurring-donation fee for donors who opt into monthly support. The service also provides a donor protection policy called the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee, which investigates suspected misuse and returns funds to donors where appropriate.
If you are an Australian donor or organiser, you may decide to cancel your account, stop a recurring donation, deactivate a fundraiser, or request a refund. This guide walks you through every option.
How GoFundMe makes money in australia
GoFundMe generates revenue through transaction fees and recurring-donation fees charged to donors. When you donate, GoFundMe applies a percentage-based transaction fee plus a small fixed amount (typically around 1.9% plus AUD $0.30 per transaction in Australia). If you choose monthly recurring support, you also pay a separate recurring-donation fee. These fees are deducted from your donation before the full amount reaches the fundraiser organiser. Understanding these charges helps you recognise them on your bank statement and makes cancelling easier if you decide recurring support is no longer needed.
Who typically cancels GoFundMe
Australian users cancel GoFundMe for several common reasons: they accidentally enabled recurring donations and did not realise they would be charged monthly; they donated to a time-limited fundraiser that has now closed or reached its goal; they no longer wish to support a particular cause or person; they experienced fraudulent charges or unauthorised transactions; or they are an organiser who wishes to close an inactive fundraiser. Each scenario follows a different cancellation path, and Stopee helps you identify which applies to you.
Your consumer rights under australian consumer law
Australian Consumer Law protects you when you donate or make purchases online, including on crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe.
Refunds and the australian consumer law
Under the Australian Consumer Law, you have the right to a refund if GoFundMe or a fundraiser organiser engages in misleading or deceptive conduct, if the service was not provided as described, or if you cancel within 14 days of purchase (the cooling-off period). However, this 14-day right does not apply to all donation types, and GoFundMe's own Giving Guarantee provides an alternative dispute mechanism. If you believe you were misled about recurring charges or if you donated to a fraudulent fundraiser, you can lodge a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) or your state's Office of Fair Trading. Stopee recommends documenting all communications and transaction records before lodging a complaint.
Chargeback rights and your bank
If GoFundMe refuses to refund an unauthorised or fraudulent charge, you can contact your bank or credit card issuer and request a chargeback or dispute. Your financial institution can reverse the transaction if they agree the charge was unauthorised or the merchant failed to provide the service. This is your strongest lever if GoFundMe's support does not respond within a reasonable timeframe (typically 5-10 business days). Keep all email correspondence and transaction confirmations to support your chargeback claim.
Methods to cancel or stop charges on GoFundMe
GoFundMe offers three main ways to reduce or end your account activity: cancelling a recurring donation, deactivating your account, and requesting a permanent data deletion.
Stop recurring donations without closing your account
If you want to cancel a monthly recurring donation but keep your account active, you can stop the recurring charge directly. This is the fastest way to prevent future charges while retaining access to your account history and receipts. Log in to GoFundMe, navigate to your account dashboard, find the fundraiser to which you are donating, and look for a "manage recurring donation" or "stop recurring donation" option. Once you click stop, no further monthly charges will be applied, but any charge already processed before you clicked stop will remain on your statement.
Deactivate your account to hide your profile and fundraisers
If you are an organiser and wish to hide your fundraiser and profile from public view without permanently deleting all your data, you can deactivate your account. Deactivation removes your profile from search results and hides your fundraiser, but it does not delete your account or donation history. You can reactivate your account later if you change your mind. This option is useful if you want to pause your fundraising temporarily or step back from public visibility without losing your account records.
Permanently delete your account and all personal data
If you want GoFundMe to erase your account, personal information, and donation history permanently, you can request a full data deletion. This is a more severe step than deactivation because you cannot recover your data afterward. Full deletion may take several weeks to process and may not remove your data from third-party payment processors or backups. Use this option only if you are certain you no longer need any records of your GoFundMe activity.
How to cancel a recurring donation step by step
This is the most common cancellation task and takes just a few minutes once you log in.
- Open your web browser and go to www.gofundme.com (or use the GoFundMe mobile app).
- Log in with your email address and password. If you have forgotten your password, click "Forgot password" and follow the email reset link.
- Click your profile icon or account menu (usually in the top right corner).
- On mobile, this may appear as a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) or your profile initials.
- Select "My donations" or "Donations" to view all fundraisers to which you are donating.
- Find the fundraiser where you want to stop the recurring donation and click it.
- Look for a "Manage donation," "Stop recurring donation," or "Donation options" button near the fundraiser name.
- Click "Stop recurring donation" or "Cancel monthly support."
- Warning: double-check the fundraiser name and amount to make sure you are cancelling the correct donation.
- Confirm your cancellation by clicking "Yes, cancel" or "Stop donation."
- GoFundMe will display a confirmation message. Take a screenshot or note the confirmation number if one is provided.
- Check your email for a confirmation email from GoFundMe within 24 hours.
- Pro tip: if you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours, log back in and verify the donation is no longer listed as recurring. If it still shows as active, repeat steps 4-7 or contact GoFundMe support.
Important: stopping a recurring donation does not refund charges that have already been processed. If you were charged yesterday and you cancel today, yesterday's charge will remain on your statement. However, no future monthly charges will occur.
How to deactivate your GoFundMe account step by step
Deactivation hides your profile and fundraisers but keeps your account intact and allows reactivation later.
- Log in to your GoFundMe account at www.gofundme.com.
- Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Settings."
- Scroll to the bottom of the Settings page until you see an "Account" or "Account settings" section.
- Look for a link or button that says "Deactivate account," "Close account," or "Deactivate my account."
- This is usually near the bottom of the page in a less prominent location.
- Click the deactivation link.
- GoFundMe will ask you to confirm you want to deactivate and may ask for a reason (optional).
- Review the information about what happens when you deactivate: your profile and fundraisers will no longer appear in public searches, but you can reactivate anytime.
- Click "Confirm deactivation" or "Yes, deactivate my account."
- Pro tip: take a screenshot of the confirmation page in case you need to prove you deactivated on a specific date.
- Check your email for a confirmation message from GoFundMe.
- This email will confirm your account is deactivated and provide instructions on how to reactivate if you change your mind.
Important: deactivation does not stop recurring donations if you have any active as a donor. If you want to stop recurring donations and deactivate your account, cancel the recurring donations first using the steps in the previous section.
How to request permanent data deletion
If you want GoFundMe to erase all your personal data and account history permanently, follow this process.
- Log in to your GoFundMe account.
- Go to Settings (profile icon, then "Settings").
- Scroll to the bottom and look for a "Data deletion," "Delete my data," or "Right to be forgotten" link.
- Click the deletion request link.
- GoFundMe may ask you to confirm your email address or provide additional verification.
- Read the warning about what will be deleted: your account, fundraisers, donation history, personal information, and profile will be permanently erased.
- Warning: this action cannot be undone. Make sure you have downloaded or backed up any fundraiser records or receipts you need before proceeding.
- Click "Confirm deletion" or "Delete my account and all data."
- GoFundMe will send you a confirmation email.
- You may need to click a link in that email to complete the deletion request.
- Allow 30 days for GoFundMe to fully process the deletion.
- Your account will become inaccessible immediately, but backend data may take up to 30 days to remove from all systems.
Stopee recommends keeping the deletion confirmation email as proof that you requested permanent removal of your data.
How to request a refund for unwanted charges
If you were charged without authorisation, charged twice, or donated to a fraudulent fundraiser, you can request a refund through GoFundMe's Giving Guarantee or your bank.
Refund requests through GoFundMe support
Log in to your account, click your profile icon, and select "Help" or "Contact support." Choose "Report a problem" and describe the charge. Explain whether the charge was unauthorised, accidental, fraudulent, or the fundraiser was deceptive. GoFundMe will review your claim and respond within 5-10 business days. If the fundraiser organiser received the funds, GoFundMe may need to contact them to request a return. This process can take 2-4 weeks. Stopee advises keeping all screenshots of the transaction and your email exchange with support.
Chargeback through your bank (the faster option)
If GoFundMe does not respond or refuses to refund the charge, contact your bank or credit card issuer directly. Call the customer service number on the back of your card and request a dispute or chargeback. Provide your bank with the GoFundMe transaction details, the amount, the date, and an explanation of why you believe the charge was unauthorised or fraudulent. Your bank will typically reverse the charge within 5-10 business days while they investigate. Keep all correspondence with your bank and GoFundMe to support your dispute.
Refund timeline expectations
GoFundMe refunds (if approved) typically take 5-10 business days to process once GoFundMe approves the claim. Bank chargebacks take 5-10 business days for the initial reversal and up to 30 days for a final resolution if GoFundMe disputes the chargeback. If you are in a hurry, initiating a chargeback is faster than waiting for GoFundMe support to investigate and respond.
Common mistakes when cancelling GoFundMe
Cancellation can feel stressful, especially if you have been charged repeatedly without realising it. Here are the traps to avoid.
Mistake 1: deactivating your account instead of stopping the recurring donation
Many users think deactivation will stop all charges, but it only hides your profile. If you have an active recurring donation, you will still be charged every month even after deactivating. Always stop the recurring donation first (using the "My donations" section) and then deactivate if you wish. Stopee recommends cancelling the donation, waiting 24 hours for confirmation, and then deactivating your account as a second step.
Mistake 2: not checking the confirmation email
GoFundMe sends a confirmation email when you cancel a recurring donation or deactivate your account. If you do not receive this email within 24 hours, your cancellation may not have gone through. Check your spam or promotions folder. If the email is missing, log back in and verify the action was completed. Do not assume silence means success.
Mistake 3: expecting a refund for charges already processed
Once GoFundMe processes a donation charge, it is typically final and non-refundable unless fraud or the Giving Guarantee applies. Stopping a recurring donation does not refund previous months' charges. If you want a refund for past charges, you must either submit a Giving Guarantee claim or initiate a chargeback with your bank. Cancelling the subscription going forward is separate from recovering past payments.
Mistake 4: not documenting everything
Screenshot every step of your cancellation: the donation page before you cancel, the confirmation page when you click cancel, and the confirmation email. If you later need to dispute a charge or escalate to the ACCC, these screenshots prove you attempted to cancel. Do not delete emails from GoFundMe or your bank.
What to do after you cancel
Cancelling can bring relief, but follow these steps to make sure your cancellation sticks and to protect yourself from unexpected charges.
Verify no further charges occur
Wait until your next billing cycle (typically the same day of the month as your previous donation) and check your bank or credit card statement. If no charge appears, your cancellation was successful. If a charge appears after you cancelled, contact GoFundMe support immediately with your cancellation confirmation email and ask them to reverse the charge. If support does not respond within 5 business days, initiate a chargeback with your bank.
Keep your confirmation emails and receipts
Store all GoFundMe confirmation emails and bank statements showing the cancellation in a folder (digital or physical). These documents are essential if you need to lodge a dispute with the ACCC, request a chargeback, or prove you attempted to cancel. Do not assume GoFundMe will keep records accessible if your account is deactivated or deleted.
Check your account one more time after 30 days
If you deactivated your account, log in after 30 days to confirm it remains deactivated. Some services reactivate inactive accounts automatically. If you requested permanent data deletion, you will not be able to log in; if you can still log in after 30 days, contact GoFundMe support and ask for proof the deletion was completed.
When to escalate to consumer authorities
If GoFundMe refuses to refund a charge you believe was unauthorised, misleading, or fraudulent, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a consumer regulator.
Australian competition and consumer commission (ACCC)
The ACCC handles complaints about misleading or deceptive conduct, unconscionable conduct, and breaches of consumer guarantees. You can lodge a complaint online at www.accc.gov.au/consumers/complaints or call 1300 302 502. The ACCC may investigate if multiple complaints are received about the same practice.
Office of fair trading (state-based)
Each Australian state and territory has its own Office of Fair Trading or Fair Work and Fair Trading office. They handle local consumer complaints and can take enforcement action against businesses. Visit your state's website (e.g., NSW Fair Trading, Victorian Consumer Affairs) to lodge a complaint.
Information about the dispute resolution process
Before lodging a formal complaint, send GoFundMe a written dispute letter (email is acceptable). State the date of the charge, the amount, why you believe it was unauthorised or misleading, and the refund you are seeking. Give GoFundMe 14 days to respond. If they do not respond or refuse, then escalate to the ACCC or your state Office of Fair Trading. Keep copies of all correspondence.
Stopee checklist for cancelling GoFundMe
| Task | Done? | Notes |
| Log in to GoFundMe and navigate to "My donations" | ☐ | Keep browser open while you complete cancellation |
| Identify the fundraiser with the recurring donation you want to cancel | ☐ | Check the amount and frequency (monthly, etc.) |
| Click "Stop recurring donation" and confirm | ☐ | This is the critical step - do not skip it |
| Take a screenshot of the confirmation page | ☐ | Save with today's date in the filename |
| Wait for confirmation email from GoFundMe (allow 24 hours) | ☐ | Check spam folder if not in inbox |
| Monitor your next billing date for any charges | ☐ | If charged after cancellation, contact support or your bank immediately |
Comparison: cancellation methods explained
| Method | Stops recurring charges? | Deletes account? | Can reactivate later? | Best for… |
| Stop recurring donation | Yes (future only) | No | N/A | Donors who want to keep their account |
| Deactivate account | No (must do separately) | No (hides profile only) | Yes | Organisers pausing fundraising temporarily |
| Permanent data deletion | Yes | Yes (irreversible) | No | Users who want complete removal |
| Chargeback via bank | N/A (refund only) | No | N/A | Disputing unauthorised charges |
Summary: your next steps with stopee
Cancelling your GoFundMe account or stopping a recurring donation is straightforward once you know the correct steps. Log in, find the donation or account settings, confirm your cancellation, and monitor your next billing cycle. If you were charged without authorisation or if GoFundMe refuses to refund a disputed charge, contact your bank for a chargeback or escalate to the ACCC. Document every step and keep all confirmation emails.
Stopee has helped thousands of Australians cancel subscriptions and recover unauthorised charges by providing clear, step-by-step guidance and connecting them with the right consumer protections. If you run into resistance from GoFundMe or need help disputing a charge, Stopee is here to support you. Visit stopee.com for additional resources, templates for formal dispute letters, and guides to lodging complaints with the ACCC. You deserve clarity and control over your money, and Stopee is committed to making cancellations simple and fair.