Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Funding goal to set
$98,815
Cash actually needed
$66,700
Fees, tax & losses
$32,115
Total leakage rate
32.5%
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One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter production cost ($).
- 2Enter fulfillment & shipping ($).
- 3Enter platform fee (%).
- 4Enter payment processing (%).
- 5Enter failed pledges (%).
- 6Enter tax set-aside (%).
- 7Enter contingency buffer (%).
- 8Read your funding goal to set on the right — it updates as you type.
- 9Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Crowdfunding goals set at production cost lose money. This adds platform fees, payment processing, failed pledges, taxes, and shipping.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Production cost: 40000 $
- Fulfillment & shipping: 18000 $
- Platform fee: 5 %
- Payment processing: 3.5 %
- Failed pledges: 4 %
- Tax set-aside: 20 %
- Contingency buffer: 15 %
Results
- Funding goal to set: $98,815
- Cash actually needed: $66,700
- Fees, tax & losses: $32,115
- Total leakage rate: 32.5%
What each field means
Inputs
- Production cost ($)
- The production cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 40000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Fulfillment & shipping ($)
- The fulfillment & shipping used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 18000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Platform fee (%)
- The platform fee used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 5 % so you have a working example on load.
- Payment processing (%)
- The payment processing used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 3.5 % so you have a working example on load.
- Failed pledges (%)
- The failed pledges used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 4 % so you have a working example on load.
- Tax set-aside (%)
- The tax set-aside used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 20 % so you have a working example on load.
- Contingency buffer (%)
- The contingency buffer used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 15 % so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Funding goal to set
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cash actually needed
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Fees, tax & losses
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total leakage rate
- Returned as a percentage. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How does the kickstarter funding goal calculator work?
Crowdfunding goals set at production cost lose money. This adds platform fees, payment processing, failed pledges, taxes, and shipping.
What do I need to enter?
7 values: production cost, fulfillment & shipping, platform fee, payment processing, failed pledges, tax set-aside, and contingency buffer. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move.
What does the funding goal to set result mean?
It is returned as a money amount in US dollars and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds.
Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?
Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser.
How accurate is the result?
It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
Who is this tool for?
It's built for anyone comparing money scenarios before committing — budgeting a payment, sanity-checking a quote, or seeing what a change in rate or term actually costs.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Kickstarter Funding Goal Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/kickstarter-goal
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/kickstarter-goal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kickstarter Funding Goal Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Kickstarter Funding Goal Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/kickstarter-goal) (2026).