Kickstarter Reviews 1,256

They're making money off your back without doing anything for it (except host a website that barely needs any upkeep).

They do nothing about scammers. Since they're in the middle they could perfectly provide some insurances between you and the Creators. A project may fail, sure and that's a risk that's part of investing in something new.

But when there are scammers, Kickstarters won't do anything about them either.

Not sure why people are still investing using Kickstarters. But it's really not safe.

It used to be good to support original ideas. My most recent support project took money for the project, and quite a large amount for shipping yet I am yet to receive anything. I raised concerns with Kickstarter and they've asked me to go to the creator who is not contactable. Those who have received the product believe it is a drop shipment from a mass produced factory without any brand name on the device. I will no longer be supporting Kickstarter until they can hold campaign owners accountable and put measures in place to prevent fraud and improve communication to supporters.

You put your money in somethisng that had been nicely advertized, but with high risk of loosing it.
The worst experience, when I decided to stop backing any project, was, when the respective start company had spent all our money so they couldn't go to production, but they are selling it on the market. Nothing forces them to deliver to us even though they have go a working product. In such a situation we should have had the support from Kickstarter but we don't.

I would have to say that 99% of the "projects" on kickstarter are scams. I've made charge backs to my payment card company for "projects" where the product never shipped despite being funded and some "creators" of these projects go months with no updates.

Kickstarter does not, will not, and can not enforce the creators of a project to actually fulfill the promises of that project. Kickstarter takes a portion of money raised for a successfully funded project, then washes their hands of responsibility. There is zero security in your investment, which means Kickstarter is tantamount to a gambling website, and should be treated as such.

They don't give support when you are scammed. Payed a lot of money, didn't get any product, no updates anymore for a year. Kickstarter does nothing about it. It's like they support scammers.

Reported a project for a blatantly dishonest claim / scam.

The project ("Planto") claims to be a lamp "powered entirely by water (...) no batteries".
Whereas in fact it has a battery in the base.

Kickstarter have "reviewed" the report and tell me it doesn't violate their rules.. which include "Projects can’t mislead people or misrepresent facts".

Too many projects I've supported as a back and to see the projects fund but then they don't deliver the product to us. I'm done using kickstarter. Since we don't get the products its actually cheaper to wait for the product to go to full market and not use Kickstarter. Also seems like Kickstarter doesn't even care if the backers receive the product. For example, this project funded but the creators have ghosted all the backers with no updates whatsoever on when the flashlight will ship out. Tunenge-t7-your-essential-in-car-emergency-companion project has not provided any shipping updates and has ghosted the backers..

I backed many project over the years, but I'm considering leaving Kickstarter. Scams are increasing and we backers have 0 support!! 2 weaks ago I tried to stop a creator to launch a new project because my reward of the previous one was never sent - emailed Kickstarter several times about the matter
and they let her launch and finnish the project without interfiering ... so upsetting!

Kickstarter backing has been a reasonably positive experience overall.
My golden rule has been not to put more money into a project than I am prepared to write-off - Most projects are genuine and offered by decent folks trying to fund a decent product but there are enough that are the opposite that I always assume I'll never see the end product and am happily surprised ifI actually do.

I have now 6 backed projects in 2025 (4 HKD & 2 USD) that looks like is clearly fraud/scam. The only projects that wasn't fraud was respectable companies with existing products for sale on internet. Will never back any new projects, unless they have already previously successfully launched products.

Kickstarter doesn't even follow their own rules and as soon as they get paid, they will let you down. I backed a Bertello pizza oven, took almost 8 months before the delivery starts but many kickstarter backers didn't receive their oven, while the company is saling their product on-line with delivery a few weeks after. I have been waiting a year to receive mine and still to this date, nothing. I contacted kickstarter as they have a nice menu to report project and, one of them is I didn't receive my order but the product was made available online for all the other customers. Kickstarter did nothing and I won't be backing up any more project moving forward.

I provided an address to kickstarter to ship my reward, but they said my shipping address was invalid ( I receive 5-6 packages a week at that address}. So now I don't know if they will ship to me. have email 5 times asking for help, but I never get an answer. I may try canceling charges on my card.

One star because I can't leave zero! Backed a product which then disappeared, Kickstarter no use whatsoever in helping resolve. I'm sure they kept their commission and moved on to the next one. Avoid.

This has become a scammers platform, KS facilitates and protects scammers because they get a fee.
They do not protect us backers at all, do not react to complaints, only comp. generated standard answers in which they decline responsibility.

I now only use KS to look for ideas and most of the time I find simular products already exist online and are direct available and often for cheaper price without any risk

Do not back anything on Kickstarter. They are a haven for liars, scammers and fraudsters. Kickstarter will not do a thing about it, just cookie-cutter emails that mean nothing, advising to 'contact the creator'.
Backed a venture earlier this year. It became very clear the creators had no intention of delivery, just took the money and disappeared. And I'm not alone.

First time i am writing negative review for kickstarter, they are all scammers. Don’t waste money on kickstarter products.

I have backed over 70 products and in the early days all was ok but recently the site has become inundated with scams and creators that have no intention of fulfilling their pledges or intend on making money from backers through extortionate shipping costs.

Just a few of the scams I have been subjected to so far on Kickstarter.

Wokpad - no updates since the product ended. A blatant scam.
CyperPro - ran with the funds after the campaign closed. Silence since then
Rocker 2.0 - scammed everyone of extortionate shipping costs.
Wecomfy - no contact since the campaign closed.
Gripsner - no contact since the campaign closed.
Jumpac - scammed by asking for the pledges value in shipping costs. Refuses to refund or acknowledge these costs.
Smarmat - radio silence the moment the campaign ended.
Maskmixer MM1 - radio silence the moment the campaign ended.
Tiki Tag - creator ran off with the funds.
Lovorok - failed to deliver everything people pledged for despite selling these on Amazon.
Easymax - an overpriced alarm clock that does nothing it was promised.

There may be a few more in the pipeline.

I have given up with this site as they do nothing to protect backers at all.

Kickstarter was intended so people could back projects and not as a pre-order platform now kick starter has started charging taxes on these investments that people are making on projects that they hope succeed or create something with the amount of failed projects where the creators just take the money and run it seems highly illegal for Kickstarter to tax the investors considering when you pre-order items you don't pay taxes or even full price till the day they ship or you pick up the item.. and for all the failed projects Kickstarter does nothing to try and get the backers their money back

So dont use kickstarters. Or should I say kick busters! So I found angry birds book when I went to these reviews. SO theres 19000000% bad stars. Whatever you do. Don't use kick starters ever! They are evil demons waiting to rob you. And you dont get anything. They take the money and walk away! Good thing i didn't buy the angry birds book. This website should be sued and banned forever! This creators are robbers and are scammers. All of you. We shall sue this website until this kickscammers get banned for good. (And maybe be gone forever)