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Your trust is our priority.

We are building KadoPool to be the safest, most transparent way to give as a group. Here is how we protect your money and your data.

Bank-grade security

We never store your card number. Payments are processed by Stripe, which also handles payments for companies like Amazon, Shopify and Kickstarter.

Privacy by design

Amounts are private. The recipient sees who contributed (unless you give anonymously), but never how much. Donation pools are the exception: the charity receives each donor's name and amount for its records and tax receipts, so no one gives anonymously there.

Smart custody

The organizer never touches the money. Contributions are processed by Stripe and held until the organizer sends the gift. When sending it, the organizer can put part of it on gift cards they pick; the recipient chooses how to receive the rest: gift cards, prepaid cards, or both.

Frequently asked questions

Money and safety

Is there a fee to use KadoPool?
Creating a pool is free. Each payment carries Stripe's card processing (2.9% + 30¢ in the US) and KadoPool's fee (2%, capped at $5, tax included), and the contributor pays them, in the way the organizer chooses: included in what they give (the default: the pool receives each gift less the fees), or added on top, so the pool receives each gift in full. KadoPool charges the recipient nothing. They choose gift cards or prepaid cards (up to $999); some cards carry a small fee from their provider, shown before they confirm.
Does the Organizer hold the money?
No. Payments go through Stripe, never to the organizer. The recipient receives the gift in the KadoPool app when the organizer sends it.
Do I have to set a fundraising goal?
No. KadoPool is completely open-ended. Whether the group raises $20 or $2,000, the recipient receives what the pool collected, less the fees and the price of the KadoClip if the organizer decides to buy it. There are no minimums to meet and no caps to hit. You just set a deadline, and we handle the rest.
Can family members abroad contribute?
Yes. They chip in from the link with their own card. The card is charged in dollars, on the website as in the app, and their bank converts it. Stripe charges 1.5% more for cards from outside the US; that extra is added to their payment and shown before they pay, so the gift stays whole. See what it costs from abroad.

Privacy and etiquette

Do I have to contribute to sign the KadoBook?
Yes, participation requires a contribution, but the amount is up to you. Whether you give the $10 minimum or much more, you appear exactly the same in the KadoBook. Our Privacy Shield ensures that minimal contributions are welcomed without judgment, allowing everyone to participate comfortably.
Does the recipient know exactly how much I gave?
No. The recipient sees the list of contributors and their messages, but only the Total Pool Amount. Your individual contribution stays confidential. The Total Pool Amount is hidden early in the collection, so no one can guess who gave what. On a donation pool, the charity does receive each donor's amount, for its records and your tax receipt.
How do reminders work? I don't want to nag people.
You have control. As the organizer, you can send reminders to your list at any time. With automatic reminders on, KadoPool also sends a polite nudge about 3 days and about 12 hours before the closing date, only to people who haven't contributed yet. Once someone chips in, they won't be bothered again.

Closing and receiving the gift

How does the recipient get the money?

When sending the gift, the organizer can put part of it on gift cards they pick. The recipient claims the rest in the KadoPool app, as gift cards, prepaid cards (up to $999), or a mix. When one prepaid card can't hold it all, it comes on several, and any card fee is shown before they confirm. Above $999, the rest of the gift is gift cards.

Example A: no gift cards picked

The organizer sends $200 without picking gift cards. The recipient can take it all on prepaid cards, or use some or all of it for gift cards in the app.

Example B: a gift card and the rest

The organizer puts $100 on a sporting-goods gift card and leaves $50 for the recipient to choose. The recipient gets the $100 card, which can't be changed, and $50 they can take on prepaid cards or use for another gift card.

When exactly does the pool close?
The pool closes at 11:59 PM on the closing date, in the organizer's time zone. After that, no new contributions are accepted.
Can I contribute after the pool closes?
No. A payment that arrives after the closing date is refunded in full automatically. Until the organizer sends the gift, they can move the closing date later to reopen the pool.
Can I get a refund?

Your account

I forgot my password. How do I reset it?
If you've lost access to your account, you can reset your password securely. You'll need access to the email address you signed up with. Use the "Forgot my Password" link on the app then update your password online. You will then be able to login with your new password nearly immediately.

Reset Password
I have two accounts. How do I link them?
If you created two accounts with two different e-mail addresses, you can merge them in the app (My Profile → Duplicated accounts). You choose the main account and everything moves to it; signing in with the other address then opens your main account. A merge can't be undone.
I signed in with Apple and a different email appeared — what happened?

When you sign in with Apple, Apple gives you the option to Hide My Email. If you chose this option, Apple created a private relay address (e.g. [email protected]) instead of sharing your real email with KadoPool.

This means your KadoPool account was created under that relay address, not the email address you normally use. As a result, pools you were invited to under your real email may not appear under your Apple login (or vice-versa).

The fix: use the Account Merge feature in the app (My Profile → Duplicated accounts) to link your two accounts. Once merged, everything will be under one account.

How do I link my Apple account with my regular email account?

You can merge your accounts directly in the KadoPool app:

  1. Open the app and go to My Profile → Duplicated accounts.
  2. Tap Link another account and enter the email address for your other KadoPool account.
  3. Choose which account should be the primary (all your data will move to this account).
  4. A confirmation email will be sent to the other account's email address. Open it and tap Confirm Merge.
  5. Done! Everything from both accounts is now in your primary account.

You can still sign in with your secondary account: once you're signed in, you'll see your primary account.

Can I undo an account merge?
Account merges are permanent and cannot be reversed in the app. If you merged by mistake, please contact us at [email protected] and we will look into it manually.
Can I use KadoPool in Claude?
Yes. Connect KadoPool to Claude, on the web or in the desktop app, and ask about your group gifts in plain words: who has chipped in, how much is in, when a pool closes, or which gift card fits the budget. Claude can read your pools; it can't pay, refund or change anything, and you can disconnect it at any time.

Use KadoPool in Claude

For non-profit partners

I claimed my organization. How do you validate it?

You give your EIN when you claim your listing, and we check it against the IRS list of tax-exempt organizations (a determination letter if you're not listed yet). We confirm you speak for the organization by your e-mail domain or a short call. Stripe verifies the organization and its bank.

Pools can be linked right away; payouts start once you're verified.

How does my organization get paid?
KadoPool pays your organization 30% of its platform fee on every pool linked to you, quarterly once the balance reaches $50 (otherwise yearly from $25), less Stripe's payout fee.
Can people donate to us directly?
Yes, if donations to you are tax-deductible (a 501(c)(3)): each donation goes to your organization's Stripe account as it is made, less the collection fees when the organizer chose to include them. When the pool closes, KadoPool sends its donations to your bank and e-mails you every donor's name, e-mail, ZIP code and amount for your records and tax receipts. Acknowledgment letters in your name are available on request.

Video guides

Step-by-step walkthroughs for every feature.

Still have questions?

We are real people based in New Jersey. Drop us a line and we'll get back to you.

Or e-mail us at [email protected].