Terms of Service

Last updated: 19 September 2026. Please read these Terms carefully. By creating an account, starting a campaign, or making a donation, you agree to be bound by them. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

1. About these Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") form a binding agreement between you and YouFundMe ("we", "us", "our") and govern your access to and use of the YouFundMe website, applications, and services (together, the "Platform"). They incorporate our Privacy Notice and any policies referenced within them.

2. Definitions

"Organizer" means a user who creates a campaign. "Donor" means a user who contributes to a campaign. "Campaign" means a fundraising page created on the Platform. "Donation Amount" means the amount a Donor chooses to give, before any fee, tax, or tip. "Funds" means the Donation Amounts recorded for a Campaign, less the platform fee described in Section 9, that are available for the Organizer to withdraw. "Beneficiary" means the person or cause a Campaign is intended to benefit.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and able to form a legally binding contract to use the Platform. By using the Platform you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements and that all information you provide is true, accurate, and complete.

4. Our Role

YouFundMe is a technology platform that lets Organizers raise money and Donors contribute. We are not a bank, broker, charity, trustee, fiduciary, or payment institution, and we do not hold Funds as a trustee for any party. Payments are processed and settled by licensed third-party payment providers. We do not guarantee that any Campaign will achieve its goal, that Funds will be used as described, or that any Beneficiary will receive any particular outcome. Donations are made at the Donor's own risk.

5. Accounts and Security

You are responsible for the accuracy of your account information, for keeping your credentials secure, and for all activity under your account. Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use. We may refuse, suspend, or reclaim any username and may require re-verification at any time.

6. Organizer Obligations

Organizers must: describe the Campaign and its purpose truthfully and without misleading statements; use all Funds solely for the stated purpose and for the Beneficiary; deliver any promised updates; complete identity verification (KYC) before withdrawing; and comply with all applicable laws, including tax and charitable-solicitation laws. You are solely responsible for determining and paying any taxes that apply to Funds you receive. Misuse of Funds is a serious breach of these Terms and may be unlawful.

7. Prohibited Campaigns and Conduct

You may not use the Platform for anything unlawful or for the following, which are prohibited: fraud or misrepresentation; money laundering, terrorism financing, or sanctions evasion; weapons, ammunition, or explosives; illegal drugs or controlled substances; hate speech, harassment, or content that incites violence; sexual or adult services; gambling, lotteries, or games of chance; pyramid or multi-level marketing schemes; the sale of regulated goods without a licence; violation of any third party's intellectual property or privacy rights; or any attempt to interfere with, probe, or compromise the security or integrity of the Platform. We may review, pause, or remove any Campaign at our discretion.

8. Donations

Donations are voluntary gifts. A Donor receives no goods, services, equity, interest, or repayment in return, and a donation is not an investment or a loan. A Donor pays the fees, tax, and optional tip described in Section 9 in addition to the Donation Amount. Donations are final and non-refundable except as set out in Section 10 or where required by law.

9. Fees, Charges and Taxes

Creating an account and a Campaign is free. Charges apply only when a donation is made and when Funds are withdrawn. The rates below are the current rates and are also published on our platform fees page. We may change them. The total shown to a Donor at checkout is the total for that donation, and the rate in force when a donation is paid or a withdrawal is requested is the rate that applies to it.

9.1 What a Donor pays

A Donor who gives a Donation Amount pays the total of the following:

• the Donation Amount;
• a payment processing fee of 4% of the total the donor pays, rounded up, which is charged by our payment processor for collecting the payment;
• tax of 3.5% of the Donation Amount, which we collect and pass on to the tax authority, and which is not our income and is not credited to the Campaign; and
• an optional tip, in an amount the Donor chooses, which we keep to support the Platform.

The Donor sees the exact total before confirming payment. The Campaign records the full Donation Amount as raised.

9.2 What an Organizer pays

We deduct a platform fee of 7.5% of each Donation Amount when it is received. What remains is the Funds available for withdrawal. When an Organizer withdraws Funds, we deduct a disbursement fee of 4% of the requested amount, which covers the cost of paying it out, and the Organizer receives the requested amount less that fee and an SMS fee of USh 50 for the withdrawal code (USh 150 if the Organizer's account has no email address). A Donor who pays in Ugandan Shillings and gives no email address receives an SMS receipt for a fee of USh 100 (USh 150 per monthly gift), shown before payment. We do not charge any other fee for creating or running a Campaign.

9.3 Network and third-party charges

Mobile money network charges from MTN or Airtel may apply to a payment and are paid by the Donor directly to the network. Card networks, banks, currency conversion, and mobile-money operators may also apply their own charges, including when an Organizer cashes out or transfers money received. We do not set or control these charges, and they are separate from the amounts above.

9.4 Taxes

The tax in Section 9.1 is collected by us for the tax authority and is not part of our fee income. Organizers remain responsible for any other tax that applies to Funds they receive, as stated in Section 6. We keep records of the tax collected and may disclose them to the tax authority where the law requires.

10. Refunds and Chargebacks

Because donations are gifts, they are generally non-refundable. In limited cases (for example, confirmed fraud, duplicate charges, or a legal requirement) we or our payment providers may, at our discretion, reverse or refund a donation. When a donation is refunded, the Donation Amount is returned to the Donor's original payment method. The payment processing fee, the tax, and any tip the Donor paid on top are returned only where we are able to recover them from our payment processor or the tax authority, or where the law requires it, and the refund notice states the amount being returned. Fees already deducted from a refunded donation or from a completed withdrawal are not automatically returned to the Organizer. If a Donor initiates a chargeback, we may recover the disputed amount and associated costs from the relevant Campaign balance or Organizer, and may suspend withdrawals while a dispute is open.

11. Withdrawals and Fund Holds

Organizers may request withdrawal of available Funds after completing verification. All withdrawals require review and approval, are subject to a minimum amount, and are typically processed within 3 to 5 business days after approval. The disbursement fee in Section 9.2 is deducted from each payout, so the Organizer receives the requested amount less that fee. We may delay, hold, or reverse Funds where we reasonably suspect fraud, a policy breach, a chargeback risk, or a legal or regulatory obligation, and may require additional documentation before releasing Funds.

12. Identity Verification, Anti-Money-Laundering, and Sanctions

To meet legal and risk obligations we may verify your identity and the source and destination of Funds, screen against sanctions and watchlists, and report suspicious activity to the authorities. You agree to provide accurate verification information on request. We may refuse service to, or terminate, anyone we are prohibited from dealing with or who presents unacceptable risk.

13. Suspension and Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account or any Campaign, withhold or return Funds to Donors, and remove content, if you breach these Terms or applicable law, or to protect the Platform, Donors, or third parties. You may close your account at any time; obligations that by their nature should survive (including Sections 8 to 20) will survive termination.

14. Intellectual Property and Licence

The Platform and its content, other than user content, are owned by YouFundMe or its licensors and are protected by law. You retain ownership of the content you submit, and you grant YouFundMe a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to host, store, reproduce, display, and promote that content for the purpose of operating and marketing the Platform and your Campaign. You are responsible for having the rights to everything you submit.

15. Third-Party Services

Payments, identity verification, messaging, and other functions are provided by third parties whose own terms and privacy practices apply to their part of the service. We are not responsible for third-party services, and your use of them is at your own risk.

16. Disclaimers

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or that the Platform will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free. We do not endorse any Campaign, Organizer, or Beneficiary, and we do not verify every statement made in a Campaign. Donors are responsible for their own decisions to give.

17. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, YouFundMe and its directors, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of Funds, profits, data, or goodwill, arising from or related to your use of the Platform. Our aggregate liability for any claim will not exceed the greater of the total fees you paid to us in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim, or fifty United States dollars.

18. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless YouFundMe and its directors, employees, and agents from any claim, loss, liability, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Platform, your content, your Campaign, your use or misuse of Funds, or your breach of these Terms or of any law or third-party right.

19. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Uganda, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. You agree to first contact us to seek a good-faith resolution. Any dispute that cannot be resolved will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Uganda, or, where the parties agree in writing, to arbitration in Kampala under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act.

20. General

We may update these Terms from time to time and will notify you of significant changes by email or platform notice; continued use after changes takes effect constitutes acceptance. You consent to receive communications from us electronically. We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control (force majeure). If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions stay in effect. These Terms are the entire agreement between us on this subject. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets; you may not assign them without our consent. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. Questions? Contact support@youfundme.org.