Collecting money together for a common gift, a farewell party, or a solidarity project now goes through an online pot. The choice of platform directly determines what the organizer receives at the end, as pricing models vary much more than just a simple percentage displayed on the homepage.
Actual costs of an online pot: what the percentage doesn’t reveal
Most platforms display a commission rate, but this figure only reflects part of the cost. Some add fixed fees per participation, others charge for bank transfers, or offer an optional tip that inflates the final amount.
Let’s take a concrete example. You are organizing a pot for a common gift. Twenty people participate. If the platform takes a fixed share on each donation in addition to an overall percentage, the actual amount recovered can decrease significantly compared to what the displayed commission indicates.
Before publishing your collection link, check three elements: the commission on contributions, the withdrawal fees for bank transfers, and the potential existence of fees related to the payment method (credit card, in particular). A detailed comparison helps clarify things, and several guides publish their reviews of the Cotizup pot in comparison with other market players.
Cotizup vs. Leetchi, Tribee, and Le Pot Commun: a comparison of pricing models
Cotizup, Leetchi, Tribee, Le Pot Commun, OnParticipe, Lydia, Kagnotte, La Cagnotte des Proches: the French market has at least eight active players. Their differences lie less in functionalities (all offer a shareable link and participation tracking) than in how they generate revenue.
Cotizup
Cotizup operates on a model with no mandatory commission for the organizer. The platform offers an optional tip left to the participant’s discretion. The organizer receives the entire collection minus bank fees. This model appeals for small pots among friends, where every euro counts.
Leetchi
Leetchi has strong brand recognition. The platform applies a commission on contributions and offers several recovery methods, including gift cards from partner retailers. Recovering funds via bank transfer incurs additional fees. For a common gift, the gift card option can reduce the total cost if the retailer matches the intended gift.
Tribee
Tribee stands out with a solidarity model: no commission for the organizer, but a percentage donated to a charity chosen by the pot creator. Participants thus pay indirectly through this associative donation mechanism.
Le Pot Commun, OnParticipe, Kagnotte
These platforms offer variations of the model with decreasing commissions or withdrawal fees. OnParticipe highlights the free collection for the organizer. Kagnotte displays low fees and free transfers. Differences often hinge on the minimum withdrawal amount and transfer times.
Charitable pot or personal pot: a tax distinction to know
Have you ever participated in a solidarity pot thinking that your donation entitled you to a tax reduction? The reality is more nuanced.
Only a pot whose funds are donated to an eligible organization qualifies for a tax reduction. A personal pot among close ones (gift, trip, financial boost) generates none, regardless of the amount collected.
Since October 2025, the ceiling applicable to the increased rate of 75% tax reduction for donations to organizations helping the most disadvantaged has been raised from 1,000 to 2,000 euros. For high-value charitable pots, this change makes going through a platform compatible with a tax receipt even more relevant.
Not all platforms offer this feature. Before launching a solidarity collection, check that the chosen platform can issue tax receipts or that it donates the funds to an organization authorized to process these donations.
Security and banking approval: check the regulatory status of the platform
A pot platform that collects funds on behalf of a third party engages in a payment service activity under the Monetary and Financial Code. This activity is reserved for establishments approved by the ACPR (Prudential Control and Resolution Authority).
Why does this point deserve your attention? Because an unapproved platform, or one that does not rely on an approved payment service provider, exposes the collected funds to risk in case of failure. Major platforms like Leetchi, Cotizup, or Le Pot Commun rely on regulated payment service providers, but this is not always the case for newer players.
Before entrusting several hundred euros to a collection, a simple reflex is to check the legal mentions of the platform and identify the approved payment provider managing the flows.
Selection criteria based on project type
Not all pots are equal depending on the intended use. Here are the criteria that really matter based on your situation:
- Common gift among friends or family: prefer a platform with no commission or optional tip (Cotizup, OnParticipe). The collected amount remains low, and each deduction weighs proportionally heavier.
- Solidarity or associative collection: check the platform’s ability to issue tax receipts. HelloAsso (outside the classic comparison but used by associations) or platforms compatible with a public interest organization should be prioritized.
- Event with many participants (wedding, group project): fixed fees per participation become the determining criterion. A commission of a few cents per donation, multiplied by fifty participants, weighs more than a low overall percentage.
- Quick recovery of funds: compare bank transfer times. Some platforms impose a delay of several business days, while others allow for almost immediate withdrawal.
The best choice of online pot platform depends less on the service’s notoriety than on the alignment between its pricing model and your project. For a collection among close ones, transparency about actual fees remains the most reliable criterion. For a charitable collection, tax compliance takes precedence over everything else.
