Fundl

Fundl is a reward-based crowdfunding platform engineered to replace blind trust with verified, real-time metrics. It is designed for founders who have built genuine traction and want to raise capital without the gatekeeping of traditional venture capital, and for backers who demand evidence before making a commitment. The core value proposition is simple: creators connect their actual business tools, such as Stripe for revenue, GitHub for development activity, and analytics for audience size, and Fundl displays that data live and auto-refreshing on every project page. There is no manual entry, no staged screenshots, and no room for inflated claims. Contributions go directly to the creator's own Stripe account, with Fundl never holding or escrowing funds. This creates a transparent, trust-minimized environment where backers can inspect real metrics like Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), commit frequency, and active user counts before they contribute. Fundl is built for a new generation of builders who have proof of product-market fit and want to offer rewards in exchange for funding, rather than equity or financial returns. The platform empowers backers to make informed decisions based on data, not just a compelling pitch deck, and empowers creators to leverage their existing traction as the most powerful fundraising tool available.

Live Verified Metrics

Fundl eliminates the opacity of traditional crowdfunding by pulling key performance indicators directly from a creator's connected platforms. Instead of relying on manually uploaded screenshots or optimistic forecasts, backers see real-time data such as Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) from Stripe, weekly commit activity from GitHub, and Monthly Active Users (MAU) from integrated analytics tools. This data is not static; it auto-refreshes throughout the campaign, providing a constantly updated snapshot of the project's health and momentum. This feature transforms a campaign page from a static pitch into a live dashboard of actual performance.

Direct-to-Creator Payments

Fundl fundamentally rethinks the flow of capital in crowdfunding. When a backer chooses to support a project, the transaction is processed directly through the creator's own Stripe account. Fundl never holds, escrows, or touches the funds at any point. This direct payment path has significant advantages: it eliminates a major point of counterparty risk for creators, who get immediate access to their funding. It also builds immense trust with backers, as there is no centralized intermediary that could delay or complicate the distribution of funds. The platform serves purely as the proof and discovery layer.

Evidence-First Discovery

The entire discovery and browsing experience on Fundl is built around verifiable data. Every project page features a standardized "verified metrics dossier" that allows backers to compare different opportunities on a level playing field. Instead of judging projects solely on their marketing copy or video quality, backers can evaluate objective signals like revenue growth, engineering velocity, and audience engagement. This evidence-first approach elevates projects with genuine traction and provides a powerful filter for backers seeking to fund momentum rather than just promises. The platform prioritizes proof over polish.

Automated Data Refresh

Once a creator connects their accounts, Fundl handles the ongoing verification process automatically. The platform continuously syncs data from connected sources, ensuring that the metrics displayed on a project page are always current. This eliminates the need for creators to manually update their progress or provide periodic reports. For backers, this means they can return to a project page at any point during the campaign and see the most recent numbers. This feature creates a persistent layer of accountability that extends beyond the initial fundraising period, reinforcing long-term trust between creators and their community.

SaaS Founders Seeking Growth Capital

A SaaS founder with a proven product, a growing subscriber base, and a healthy MRR can use Fundl to raise capital for specific growth initiatives, such as hiring engineers or expanding marketing efforts. By connecting their Stripe account, they can display their actual revenue trajectory to potential backers. The live MRR data serves as a powerful trust signal, allowing the founder to raise funds based on real traction rather than a speculative forecast. This bypasses the time-consuming and often fruitless process of pitching to venture capital firms.

Open-Source Maintainers Funding Development

Maintainers of popular open-source projects can leverage Fundl to secure funding for continued development. By connecting their GitHub repository, they can display live data on commit frequency, pull requests, and contributor activity. This demonstrates to backers that the project is actively maintained and has a strong development cadence. Backers can see the engineering velocity for themselves, providing concrete evidence that their contributions will support an active, ongoing effort rather than an abandoned project.

Content Creators Launching New Products

A creator with a large, engaged audience on platforms like YouTube or Substack can use Fundl to pre-sell a new product, such as a software tool or a physical good. By connecting their audience analytics, they can display their monthly active users or subscriber counts. This provides backers with tangible proof of the creator's reach and influence. The campaign becomes a direct channel to monetize their existing audience's trust, backed by verifiable data that shows the scale of their community.

Indie Hackers Validating a New Feature

An indie developer can use Fundl to gauge demand and fund the development of a specific new feature for an existing application. By linking their Stripe account to show current revenue and their GitHub to show development progress, they can present a complete picture of their project's current state. Backers can see the existing user base and the team's activity, which builds confidence that the new feature will be delivered. This allows for a targeted, metric-driven fundraising round that is directly tied to a specific, measurable outcome.

How does Fundl verify the metrics shown on a project page?

Fundl verifies metrics by connecting directly to the creator's source accounts via secure API integrations. For example, when a creator links their Stripe account, Fundl pulls the revenue data directly from Stripe's servers. There is no option for manual data entry or uploading screenshots. This ensures that the numbers displayed on a project page are a true and accurate reflection of the creator's data as it exists in real-time.

Does Fundl hold the funds contributed by backers?

No. Fundl is designed as a proof and discovery layer, not a financial intermediary. All contributions are processed directly through the creator's own Stripe account. When a backer completes a contribution, the funds are sent directly to the creator's Stripe balance. Fundl never holds, escrows, or has custody of any contributor funds at any point in the transaction.

Is backing a project on Fundl an investment?

No. Fundl is a reward-based crowdfunding platform. Contributions made by backers are not investments and do not offer equity, financial returns, or any form of ownership in the project or company. Backers contribute in exchange for rewards offered by the creator, such as early access to a product, exclusive merchandise, or recognition. The verified metrics provide context for the project's momentum, but they are not a guarantee of delivery or future performance.

What types of data can a creator connect to their Fundl project?

Currently, Fundl supports connections to several key platforms that provide a comprehensive view of a project's traction. Creators can connect Stripe to display revenue metrics like Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), GitHub to show development activity such as commit frequency and contributor counts, and audience analytics tools to display metrics like Monthly Active Users (MAU). This combination of financial, engineering, and user engagement data provides a holistic view of a project's health.