Kickstarter is adding the ability to collect money even after their campaign ends

Kickstarter is introducing a new option that allows project creators to continue raising funds even after their initial campaign has ended. Traditionally, Kickstarter campaigns have had a fixed duration, ranging from one to 60 days. If creators wanted to attract more funds beyond this period, they had to look for alternatives outside Kickstarter.

With the introduction of the late pledge feature, creators now have the opportunity to extend their fundraising efforts indefinitely, according to their preference. This is particularly advantageous for those fans who discover the project too late but still wish to contribute. It also benefits creators who offer rewards in return for donations, such as digital or physical goods, as they can close late pledges once they start to deliver these rewards. Kickstarter suggests terminating late pledges if no new support has been received in 30 days.

This concept of extended fundraising isn't entirely new. Indiegogo, a similar crowdfunding platform, has offered a “forever funding” model for almost ten years, allowing for an ongoing collection of funds beyond the campaign’s original end date. This feature has even attracted some Kickstarter creators to Indiegogo for the benefit of continuous funding.

Kickstarter has started to test this late pledges feature with a select group of users and plans to make it available to all creators in the upcoming months. Once creators decide to end late pledges, they cannot reactivate this feature.

This move by Kickstarter to allow continued fundraising could significantly impact how projects are financed and sustained over time, offering a new avenue for both creators and supporters to keep the momentum going beyond the conventional campaign timeframe.