Kickstarter just unveiled a bunch of new tools for backers and creators. The most notable of the bunch is called Pledge Over Time and, well, it’s exactly what it sounds like. The tool allows backers to split a pledge into four payments that get pulled from a bank account every two weeks. It’s sort of like Affirm or Klarna.
This feature should also help creators, as it’ll entice more backers to buy into a campaign. It’s available right now, but only to select campaigns. Pledge Over Time is coming to everyone “by spring.” This follows a related tool that was released last year that allows folks to back projects after a campaign has ended.
The platform is also in the process of refining search and discovery to help backers find stuff that interests them. Kickstarter promises that new search filters and sorting options are coming to web and mobile this spring. The mobile app is also getting an update “by the end of 2025” that lets backers view all of their funded, live and unsuccessful projects in one place.
There are some changes coming down the pike to make backers feel more secure when pledging. If a project faces “significant fulfillment failures” it’ll get slapped with a notice on the main page. Backers of these projects will also get a notification that outlines the issues and actions that Kickstarter has taken. Project pages will also soon include more details about a creator’s overall track record. Indiegogo already does something similar via its Trust-Proven badge.
For creators, the fundraising platform is introducing add-ons. These are perks that can be added to a campaign after being successfully funded. It gives backers more opportunities to spend money and get cool stuff in return. Shipping management is also being streamlined, as is the tax collection system.