Turn drops into a merch business.

Best Makeship Alternative for VTubers & Content Creators

Makeship takes 30-50% of every drop. Your own store keeps 96%+. Same crowdfunding mechanics, but fans become YOUR customers for every future release.

  • Keep 96%+ revenue vs 50-70% on Makeship
  • Fans in your systems for every future drop
  • Any product, any manufacturer, your brand

Why Creators Switch

Keep 70%+ more revenue

vs 30-50% Makeship cut

Own 100% of customer data

Email, retarget, sell again

Any manufacturer, any product

Not limited to plushies

You handle production. Most creators use Alibaba, Budsies, or local manufacturers.

Makeship made plush crowdfunding easy for creators—design a plush, they handle everything. But that convenience costs 30-50% of your revenue. On a $20,000 campaign, you might only see $10,000-14,000.

Fundpop lets you run the same plush crowdfunding campaigns as pre-orders on your own Shopify store. Yes, you'll need to find a manufacturer and handle fulfillment—but you'll keep $19,800 instead of $10,000, and every buyer lands in your Shopify and Klaviyo for the next drop. For established creators, the math is obvious.

Why Makeship Users Switch

Common reasons that drive the move to Shopify-based crowdfunding

1

Revenue Split Kills Your Margins

Makeship takes 30-50% of every sale. That's not a fee—it's a revenue share. On a $50 plush selling 500 units ($25,000), Makeship keeps $7,500-12,500. With Fundpop (~3.5% total including Shopify Payments), you'd keep around $24,125 instead.

2

Limited to Plush and Their Partners

Want to sell apparel with your plush? A vinyl figure? An art book? Makeship only does what Makeship does. On your Shopify store, your campaign can include any product from any manufacturer—bundle a plush with a t-shirt and a signed print.

3

Your Fans Become Their Customers

When fans buy on Makeship, Makeship owns that relationship. You can't email those buyers about your next drop, can't retarget them with ads, can't build a direct relationship. On your store, every buyer joins your customer list forever.

4

No Control Over Production

Makeship handles manufacturing, which is convenient—but you have no control over quality, timelines, or changes. With your own manufacturer, you can request modifications, rush orders, and maintain the quality standards your fans expect.

5

No Brand Building

Your Makeship campaign looks like every other Makeship campaign. On your own store, fans experience your brand—your aesthetic, your messaging, your world. That builds loyalty that transcends any single product.

6

Long Production Times

Makeship campaigns typically take 4-6 months from funding to delivery. Working directly with manufacturers can often be faster, especially for repeat orders or when you have established supplier relationships.

Fundpop vs Makeship

See how the features compare side by side

FeatureFundpopMakeship
Business modelFee-based (you manage production)All-in-one (production included)
Platform fees~3.5% of salesIncluded in revenue share
Your cut~96.5% (minus your COGs)50-70% (COGs included)
Product optionsAny product, any manufacturerPlush only
Customer dataInstant in Shopify, Klaviyo, pixelsLimited access
Brand experienceYour Shopify theme, or custom templateMakeship template
Email marketingKlaviyo, Mailchimp, etc.No direct access
Manufacturing controlFull controlMakeship handles
Production timelineYour manufacturer's schedule4-6 months typical
Bundle productsYes, any combinationLimited to plush
Minimum orderYour MOQ200 units typically

Do the Math: 3 Campaigns, 1 Year

Compare the numbers side by side

Most successful creators run 3-4 merch drops per year. Here's what that looks like over 12 months with a $15,000 average campaign:

On Makeship (40% cut)

Per campaign$9,000
Yearly (3 campaigns)$27,000

On Your Store (~3.5% total incl. processing)

Per campaign$14,475
Yearly (3 campaigns)$43,425
+$16,425
Extra yearly profit
+$5,475
Per campaign
73%
Repeat rate (higher LTV)

Numbers based on 3 campaigns × $15,000 each. Your results depend on campaign size and Makeship's specific revenue share (30-50%).

Why Merchants Choose Fundpop

Shopify App Store Review

I installed a couple different crowdfunding apps and this one was the best by far. This app is very simple and uses familiar Shopify UI so it feels like you never leave Shopify. So many useful features such as brand customization, campaign milestones, and the ability to set your campaign goals as number of orders or sales revenue.

L

Lootbloc

Gaming Merchandise, United States

Shopify App Store Review

This is by far the most robust, flexible crowdfunding app I've found on the Shopify app store. My favorite part is that it allows you to be flexible with your site design using widget modules. So many apps force you to use their campaign pages, but those tend to lack the customization we need.

S

Spiceology

VP of Marketing, United States

Making the Switch from Makeship

1

Install Fundpop

Add Fundpop from the Shopify App Store. Takes less than 2 minutes.

Pro Tip

7-day free trial included.

2

Create Your Campaign Product

Set up your product with funding goals, timeline, and reward tiers.

Pro Tip

Use your existing product photos and descriptions.

3

Configure Funding Settings

Choose all-or-nothing or flexible funding. Set your goal and deadline.

Pro Tip

All-or-nothing creates urgency. Flexible funding reduces risk.

4

Launch to Your Audience

Share your campaign with your email list, social followers, and community.

Pro Tip

The first 48 hours are crucial—plan your launch promotion in advance.

Makeship vs Fundpop FAQ

Finding a plush manufacturer is a one-time effort. Many creators use Alibaba or established merchandise partners. The 30-50% you give Makeship on EVERY campaign adds up fast. On a $20K campaign, that's $6,000-10,000 gone. With your own manufacturer and Fundpop, you keep 96%+ and build a business you control.

Many creators use Alibaba suppliers (search "custom plush manufacturer"), work with established merchandise companies like Crowdmade, or use platforms like Printful for smaller runs. Your community likely knows recommendations too.

You'll need to manage sampling and quality approval yourself—or work with a fulfillment partner who does this. It's more hands-on than Makeship, but you also have more control over the final product.

Absolutely. Fundpop supports campaign deadlines and quantity limits. Create scarcity however you want—time-limited, quantity-limited, or both.

No—any creator selling merchandise can benefit. YouTubers, Twitch streamers, artists, musicians. Anyone with an audience who's been giving 30-50% to merchandise platforms.

Ready to Own Your Crowdfunding?

Join 500+ creators who run campaigns on their own Shopify stores. ~3.5% total fees, full customer ownership.

500+
Creators
500+
Live Campaigns
73%
Repeat Campaigners