Republic Alternatives for Startup Investing and Fundraising

Republic is still operating, but it is a different business from the startup crowdfunding site many investors joined. The Republic homepage now leads with the Republic Note, a single asset tied to its portfolio of 750+ ventures, a marketplace for tokenized securities and a digital asset wallet. Startup raises under Reg CF and Reg D still run, and investors pay an administrative fee of typically 2.5%, with a $5 minimum and $250 maximum, though Republic says the fee may vary by offering. In Europe, Seedrs, which Republic bought in 2021, became Republic Europe in 2024.

This page is for two readers: investors who want another place to back early-stage companies, and founders comparing where to raise. It is not investment advice. Startup shares are illiquid and most early companies fail, so FINRA's crowdfunding guide is worth reading before any of the platforms below: it says you can lose some or all of your money and will be limited in reselling for the first year.

Prices below are as of November 6, 2026. Our method is on How we review tools.

Quick comparison

Wefunder

Wefunder is the largest US Reg CF portal by volume. KingsCrowd figures cited by Angel Investors Network in 2026 put Wefunder at $99.4 million in Reg CF raises in 2024, against $15.6 million on Republic. That means more deals to choose from, and more local businesses such as breweries and restaurants next to tech startups.

Most Community Rounds start at $100. Investors pay 2% when paying by bank transfer, wire or check, with an $8 minimum and $100 maximum, or 5.5% by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Best for: Non-accredited US investors who want many small checks across many companies.

Pricing:

• Bank transfer, wire or check: 2% ($8 minimum, $100 maximum)
• Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay: 5.5% ($8 minimum, no cap)
• Standard minimum investment: $100 in most Community Rounds

Watch out for:

• Paying by card costs 5.5% with no cap, which adds up fast on larger checks.
• Your Reg CF limit counts investments on every platform, not only Wefunder: the greater of $2,500 or 5% of income or net worth if either is under $124,000.

Official site: Wefunder.

StartEngine

StartEngine covers more deal types than most portals: Reg CF raises through StartEngine Capital, larger Reg A+ offerings, and accredited-only Reg D pre-IPO deals. The StartEngine homepage claims $1.5 billion invested and 2.1 million community members, and says startup investments typically start at $500, pre-IPO deals at $15,000.

It also runs StartEngine Secondary, an SEC-registered alternative trading system where holders can list shares for sale. The site itself warns that an active market may never develop for a given security.

Best for: Investors who want a shot at selling shares before an exit, and founders planning a Reg A+ raise later.

Pricing:

• Investor fee: investors generally pay 3.5% (capped at $700), though StartEngine says most offerings are free for investors
• Typical minimum: $500 for startups, $15,000 for pre-IPO deals

Watch out for:

• The 3.5% fee depends on the offering, so check the fee line on each investment form.

Official site: StartEngine.

Crowdcube

Crowdcube is the UK alternative for readers who used Seedrs before it became Republic Europe. Crowdcube Ventures Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and some equity pitches are marked as eligible for EIS tax relief, which UK investors weigh heavily.

The listings mix equity rounds with mini-bonds that pay fixed interest. The Crowdcube site says investing in early-stage businesses should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio and is aimed at investors sophisticated enough to understand the risks, including illiquidity, dilution and losing everything.

Best for: UK investors who want EIS-eligible startup and scale-up deals.

Pricing:

• Investor fee: no public price list; the amount is shown before you confirm each investment
• Minimum investment: set by each pitch

Watch out for:

• Fees and minimums are not listed on the main site, so compare them in the investment flow before committing.

Official site: Crowdcube.

OurCrowd

OurCrowd sits at the other end from Wefunder. It is a venture investing platform for accredited investors only, and the team picks and negotiates each round before offering it to members, so you see fewer deals with more due diligence behind them.

The OurCrowd FAQ says private rounds start at $10,000, residents of most countries can join, and local-currency funding works from Australia, the UK, Singapore, New Zealand and 20 euro-area countries, with a 0.6% fee for guaranteed-rate currency conversion.

Best for: Accredited investors outside the US who want professionally sourced venture deals.

Pricing:

• Minimum: from $10,000 per private round
• Deal fees and carry: set per deal, shown in offering documents
• Currency conversion: 0.6% for the guaranteed-rate service

Watch out for:

• Closed to non-accredited investors, and fees are not published on the FAQ.

Official site: OurCrowd.

AngelList

Republic investors who want to move from backing campaigns to leading deals end up at AngelList. It is not a retail crowdfunding site; it runs the back office for syndicates and venture funds, from fund setup to tax filings and audits.

The AngelList pricing page shows two fund plans: Institutional at 0.1% of fund size a year plus $10,000, and Full Service at 0.15% plus $20,000, with a one-time implementation fee at first close.

Best for: Experienced angels launching a syndicate or a first venture fund.

Pricing:

• Institutional: 0.1% of fund size a year plus $10,000
• Full Service: 0.15% of fund size a year plus $20,000
• One-time implementation fee and a minimum fund size

Watch out for:

• Built for fund managers; a first-time investor writing $100 checks has no place here.

Official site: AngelList.

Gust

Founders who looked at Republic as a way to raise have a quieter route through Gust. It does not sell shares to the public. Instead, angel groups and accelerators use it to take applications, and the Gust FAQ says applying through its accelerator platform is free.

Gust Launch is a separate paid product that sets up and runs the company itself, with plans at $450, $1,250 and $3,500 a year. For India-focused angel networks, see our LetsVenture alternatives.

Best for: Founders who would rather pitch angel groups privately than run a public campaign.

Pricing:

• Applying to angel groups and accelerators: free
• Gust Launch: Start $450 a year, Accelerate $1,250 a year, Raise $3,500 a year

Watch out for:

• Each accelerator needs a fresh application, so applying widely takes time even though it is free.

Official site: Gust.

How to choose

When to stay with Republic

Stay if you already hold Republic investments: your shares and notes are tracked there, and leaving does not make them liquid. Republic also suits investors who want crypto and tokenized assets next to startup deals, which Wefunder and Crowdcube do not offer. Its investor fee is typically 2.5% with a $250 maximum, though Republic says it may vary by offering.

Frequently asked questions