You can delete a GoFundMe account, but the process depends on whether you have an active campaign
GoFundMe lets you delete your account through your account settings, but the steps change based on your situation. If you have a campaign that is still raising money, you will need to decide what happens to the funds first — you cannot simply delete the account and walk away. If your campaign is closed or you never started one, deletion is straightforward and takes a few minutes.
The account deletion itself is permanent. Once you confirm, GoFundMe removes your profile, your personal information, and your campaign history from public view. However, the company keeps records of transactions for legal and tax reasons, so deleted accounts may still appear in payment records or donation receipts that other people received.
Key Takeaways
- If you have an active campaign raising money, you must close it and decide what to do with the funds before you can delete your account.
- Closed campaigns and their donation history remain visible to donors even after you delete your account, unless you specifically request removal.
- To delete your account, go to your profile settings, select "Account," and choose the delete option — you will need to confirm your password.
- If you only want to hide your campaign from public view without deleting your account, you can make it private or deactivate it instead.
- Refunding donors before you delete your account prevents confusion and protects you from chargebacks or complaints later.
How to delete your account if you have no active campaign
Start by signing into GoFundMe on a web browser — the mobile app does not have a delete option. Go to your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Account Settings." Look for the "Account" tab on the left side of the page.
Scroll to the bottom of the Account page. You will see a red button labeled "Delete Account." Click it. GoFundMe will ask you to confirm your password and will show you a final warning that deletion is permanent. Type your password again and click the confirmation button. Your account will be deleted within a few minutes.
What to do with funds if you have an active campaign
If your campaign is still accepting donations, you cannot delete your account until you close it. GoFundMe will not let you proceed past the password confirmation step if money is still being raised.
To close your campaign, go to your campaign page and click "Campaign Settings" (or "Manage" on mobile). Select "Close Campaign." You will see options for what to do with the money: you can keep it, refund all donors, or donate it to a nonprofit through GoFundMe's charity feature. Choose your option and confirm. Once the campaign is closed, you can then delete your account using the steps above.
If you refund donors, the money goes back to their original payment method — credit card, bank account, or PayPal depending on how they donated. Refunds typically process within 5 to 10 business days. If you keep the funds, GoFundMe transfers them to your bank account, and you will receive a tax form (1099-K) if the total exceeds a certain threshold, which varies by state and year.
Difference between deleting and deactivating your campaign
Deleting your account removes your profile entirely, but it does not remove campaigns from GoFundMe's servers. Donors who gave money will still see the campaign page and their donation receipt, though your name and contact details will no longer be visible.
If you want to keep your account but hide a specific campaign, deactivate it instead. Go to Campaign Settings and choose "Deactivate Campaign." The campaign stops accepting donations and becomes hidden from search results, but you can reactivate it later if you change your mind. Deactivation is useful if you want to pause fundraising without losing your account history.
Making a campaign private is another option. Private campaigns are hidden from public view and search, but people with a direct link can still see and donate to them. You control who knows about it.
What happens to your data after deletion
Your profile, bio, and public campaign list disappear from GoFundMe's website. However, GoFundMe retains transaction records, donation receipts, and payment information for legal compliance and fraud prevention. If you donated to someone else's campaign, that donation record stays in their account even after you delete yours.
If you created a campaign and then deleted your account, donors can no longer contact you through GoFundMe, but they may still have your email address from the campaign page or from their donation receipt. The campaign itself remains visible to people who have the link or who donated to it.
If you want to request that GoFundMe remove your data beyond what automatic deletion covers, you can contact their support team and ask about data removal requests. Response times vary, and GoFundMe may retain some information if required by law.
How to delete your account on mobile
The GoFundMe mobile app does not have an account deletion feature. You must use a web browser on a computer or phone to delete your account. Open GoFundMe in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, sign in, and follow the web browser steps listed above.
If you are on a phone, you can request the desktop version of the website. In most browsers, tap the menu icon (three lines or dots) and look for an option like "Request Desktop Site" or "Desktop Version." This will load the full account settings page where the delete button appears.
Troubleshooting if deletion is not working
If you see an error message when you try to delete your account, the most common reason is an active campaign still raising money. Check your campaign list to make sure all campaigns are closed. If you have a campaign you forgot about, close it first, then try deleting your account again.
If you are still seeing an error after closing all campaigns, try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then sign out and sign back in. Sometimes cached data prevents the deletion button from working. If the problem persists, contact GoFundMe support through the Help Center on their website — they can manually close campaigns or remove blocks preventing deletion.
If you are locked out of your account or cannot remember your password, use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page to reset it. You will need access to the email address associated with your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete my account if I still owe money to someone I fundraised for?
GoFundMe does not prevent you from deleting your account based on what you did with funds after you received them. However, if you received money for a specific purpose and did not use it that way, the person who organized the campaign or donors themselves may pursue legal action separately. Deleting your account does not erase your legal obligations.
Will deleting my account remove me from campaigns I donated to?
Your name will no longer appear as a donor on campaigns you gave to, but your donation record will remain in the campaign organizer's account. They will still have a receipt showing the donation came through, even though they cannot see your profile anymore.
Can I reactivate my account after I delete it?
No. Deletion is permanent. You can create a new account with the same email address after a short waiting period, but you cannot recover the old account or its history. If you think you might want to use GoFundMe again, consider deactivating your campaign instead of deleting your account.
Do I need to delete my account to stop receiving emails from GoFundMe?
No. You can unsubscribe from GoFundMe emails without deleting your account. Scroll to the bottom of any email from GoFundMe and click "Unsubscribe." You can also go to Account Settings, find the Notifications or Email Preferences section, and turn off the types of emails you do not want to receive.
What if GoFundMe owes me money from a campaign I closed?
If you closed a campaign and chose to keep the funds, GoFundMe transfers the money to your bank account within a few business days. You can check the status in your account under "Payouts" or "Withdrawals" before you delete your account. If the transfer is still pending, wait for it to complete before deleting, or contact support to confirm the status.