55 reward ideas

by Rebecca Hughes | Jan 26, 2022 | Learn, Stories

How can you motivate potential supporters to make a pledge? This is where rewards come in.

Rewards are the perfect way to say ‘thank you’ and give people something awesome in return for their support.

Many people would naturally approach this task by thinking about what they can offer. Instead, we would suggest flipping this around and thinking about what would motivate your supporters.

Think about the different groups of people who might want to pledge and offer rewards to suit each of them. This could include physical products, unique experiences, digital goodies or creative mementos.

To get you thinking about rewards, we’ve compiled a list of 55 brilliant examples. You should find plenty of inspiration for your own project below.

Yoga Nidra meditation download. A dreamy deep meditation audio recording.
Vegan cookery class. Learn to make delicious vegan meals with a three course lunch.
Wall of Fame. Have your picture appear in the Workington Zebra’s club house.
Cupcakes. Six delicious homemade bakes.
Handmade tile workshop. Learn how to make beautiful, unique pottery tiles.
Get out of burpees. Members of this club can pledge to skip this exercise during training.
Wild flower seeds. These rewilding seed packets are loved by pollinators.
Evil curse. Have a playful hex put into a beer to the detriment of anyone/thing you desire.
Personal training session. Get ready to feel the burn.
You’re in my seat. Get your name etched into a barstool at Little Door & Co.
Plant a tree. Have an apple tree planted in your honour at Narrowboat Farm.
Scoreboard sponsorship. Have your name on the board at Church Eaton CC for a year.
Season ticket. Grab a spot at every home game for South Shields Westoe RFC.
Wine and wall painting. Learn about unique medieval wall paintings with a glass of vino.
Digital recipe videos. Watch and learn to cook some of JoJo’s favourite dishes.
Rainbow dove. Handmade wooden toy with the special edition rainbow on one side.
Get the album. Pop this in your CD player and enjoy some new music.
Wine tasting. Bring five friends for an evening of sophisticated slurping.
Afternoon tea for two. Yummy goodness delivered right to your door.
Exclusive tshirt. Specially designed organic cotton tee in your size.
Postcard art print. Signed on the back with personalised thank you message.
Read the book. Advance copy of ‘Great Adaptations – In the shadow of a climate crisis’.
Nebula mug. Gorgeous handmade mug inspired by the Orion Nebula.
Launch party. Come along to the big bash at this new venue in Shoreditch.
Swimming lessons. Get in the pool and make a splash.
Cameo appearance. Your five seconds of fame in a PhD film.
Band art. Framed handwritten lyrics of ‘Things in Heaven’ with doodles by the band.
Read the book, donate the book. One copy for you, one copy for someone else.
Museum annual pass. Visit the exhibitions as many times as you like for a year.
ImagiCharm Smarter Kit. Learn coding and program it to look different every day.
Organic cotton bag. A handy reusable shopping bag featuring the KLOTH logo.
Appear in the programme. Be credited as one of the people who made this show possible.
Ride the wave. Enjoy a surf Lesson at Bournemouth Beach.
Bonus episode. An exclusive extra episode from The Second Circle podcast.
Your name in the credits. A heartfelt thank you at the end of this animated film.
Learn the drums. With instruction from Pete you’ll be shredding in no time.
Skateboarding hero. Have your name permanently etched into the side of the bowl.
Golden ticket. Full weekend pass for Marsden Jazz Festival with a goody bag thrown in.
Film prop. Get your hands on one of the props used in the film.
E-Tarot card readings. Get exclusive cosmic insights direct to your inbox.
Cemetery tour. Explore the newly restored catacombs and graves of historic importance.
Exclusive follower content. Access to behind the scenes Instagram snaps and videos.
Guest list at The Jazz Cafe. Entry to every gig at the venue for a whole year.
Stream the film first. Receive a link to watch The Great Game before everyone else.
Date night dinner. Enjoy a romantic meal for two at Yuu Kitchen.
Scented candle workshop. Learn how to create your own upcycled glassware candles.
Match sponsorship. Support Lancaster CC and enjoy hospitality for five people.
Children’s party. Get your dancing shoes on for a musical party at Prout Bridge.
Social media audit. Receive expert advice for your business from @digitalmother.
Livestream the concert. A ticket to enjoy the concert from the comfort of your own home.
Name a character. Get a character named after you, or a person of your choice.
Two pints. Grab two pints and a Chain House Brewing Co. beer glass.
Tea towel. This colourful tea towel shows the lively illustrated vision of Refugee Cafe
Hand dyed yarn. An exclusive blend of hand dyed yarn in a new special colourway.
Sponsor a beehive. Get up close with a bee experience, honey and bee bomb stickers.

Scroll down for our guide to choosing, pricing and presenting your rewards

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How to create great crowdfunding rewards

Rewards are one of the most misunderstood parts of a crowdfunding project. Most project owners treat them as an afterthought, something to fill in before hitting publish. The best project owners treat them as part of the story.

Done well, rewards do more than raise more money. They turn supporters into advocates, create genuine urgency, and give people a way to show how much they care about what you’re doing. This guide walks you through how to think strategically about rewards: what to offer, how to price them, and the mistakes to avoid.

What is a crowdfunding reward?

A reward is something you offer supporters in exchange for their pledge. It could be a product, an experience, access to something exclusive, or simply a heartfelt thank you with your name attached to it.

Rewards are different from donations. When someone pledges to a reward tier, they’re making a transaction: they’re backing your project and getting something back. That changes how people think about giving. The right reward at the right price point can be what tips someone from “I’ll think about it” to “I’m in.”

What rewards can I realistically deliver?

Before anything else, consider this. The most common reward mistake isn’t bad pricing or poor photography. It’s overpromising.

When you’re mid-campaign, and the excitement is running high, it’s tempting to offer things that feel achievable in the moment but become difficult under pressure. Bespoke items, personalised experiences, hand-delivered packages, all fine in principle, but think hard about what it looks like when you’re fulfilling 80 of them at once while also trying to deliver the actual project.

The test: imagine you’ve hit 150% of your target. Can you still deliver every reward on your list? If the answer is anything other than yes, simplify.

Should I offer a low-price entry tier?

Yes. Always have a low-barrier entry tier (usually around £5 to £10) for people who want to back you without needing anything in return. Supporters can always give a straight donation without claiming a reward, but it’s also nice to give people a low-friction way to feel part of the project, with even a small token of acknowledgement in return, such as their name on a thank you page on your website.

Some of your warmest supporters are people who genuinely love what you’re doing but can’t afford £50 or don’t need a physical product. Give them an easy way to be part of it. A thank you, a named credit on your website, a backer update email: that’s enough.

The Bubble Club documentary does this well with a £10 “Support the film” tier. Five people claimed it. Those five people cared enough to give, and the barrier was low enough that they did.

How should I price my reward tiers?

Think of your reward tiers as a spectrum of commitment, from people who want to show solidarity to people who want to be genuinely part of what you’re creating.

A simple structure that works:

£5 to £10: entry tier, low barrier, thank you and a credit
£25 to £35: something tangible and personal, such as a digital download, early access or a signed print
£50 to £75: something more substantial, such as a physical product, a ticket or a named acknowledgement
£100+: something exclusive, such as behind-the-scenes access, a limited edition item, a named seat or a credit
£250+: an optional premium tier for organisations or major supporters, such as sponsorship, naming rights or a personal experience

You don’t need all five levels. Three or four clear, distinct tiers are better than eight overlapping ones. If two rewards are close in price and similar in what they offer, merge them. Supporters who have to choose between near-identical options often choose neither.

What makes a reward feel right for my project?

The best rewards feel connected to what you’re making or doing. They’re not generic merchandise or abstract credits; they’re a piece of the thing you’re creating.

A documentary project might offer the soundtrack, early digital access, a limited poster, or a named credit in the film. A community garden might offer a named planting bed, a seasonal box of produce, or an invitation to the opening day. A theatre production might offer a rehearsal visit, a programme credit, or a signed script.

Ask yourself: if someone backed this project, what would feel like a genuine piece of the experience? That’s your reward.

The Bubble Club documentary’s reward section runs from £10 to £120. Every reward (the film itself, the soundtrack, branded t-shirts, a limited Radically Inclusive Nightlife poster) is something that exists in the world of the project. You’re not getting a tote bag with a charity logo. You’re getting something that came from the thing you helped make.

[EMBED: rewards idea picker]

Do my rewards need photographs?

Yes, and real ones. Every reward should have a photograph. Not a placeholder, not a text card, not stock imagery, but a real image of the actual thing.

The photograph is doing half the selling before the supporter has even read the description. A t-shirt photographed on a real person in natural light converts better than the same t-shirt on a white background. A print shown framed on a wall feels more desirable than a flat scan.

If your reward is an experience rather than a physical product, such as a workshop, a site visit or early access, photograph the thing itself. Show the space, the people, the atmosphere.

If you’re stuck, Crowdfunder has an album of generic reward images you can use as a starting point. And if your rewards aren’t physical at all, get creative. Mammy’s House: Untold Irish LGBTQ+ AIDS Play is a great example of a project that used powerful production imagery to bring its reward tiers to life without a physical product in sight.

Should I limit my higher-tier rewards?

If the limit is genuine, yes. Capping your higher-tier rewards creates real scarcity. When supporters can see “0 of 30 claimed” on a limited poster or “4 of 10 remaining” on an exclusive experience, they know it won’t be there next week. That’s real urgency: not a countdown clock, but a visible limit.

Only do this if the limit is genuine. Artificially capping something that could be unlimited isn’t good practice, and supporters will notice. But if your higher-tier reward is genuinely limited, by your time, your materials or the nature of what you’re offering, say so clearly and cap it accordingly.

Why do “claimed” numbers matter?

Something most project owners don’t think about: the “X claimed” number visible on each reward tier is social proof baked into your page. New visitors who arrive cold can see that real people have already committed.

“9 claimed” on a named supporter tier tells a stranger that nine people found this project compelling enough to back. Momentum is visible. This is one more reason why your entry tier matters: five claims at £10 is better for your page than zero claims at any price.

Does my project need rewards?

Not every project does. If you’re a charity running a pure donation campaign, or a community project where the reward is the outcome, such as a playground built or a hall reopened, rewards may not be appropriate or necessary.

The question to ask is: does offering a reward feel natural and connected to what we’re doing? If yes, offer them. If it feels forced, if you’re creating rewards just to have something in the tiers, it’s fine to run a donation-based project instead.

What should I check before I publish my rewards?

Entry tier at £5 to £10 for supporters who just want to show support
Tiers spread across a real price range, with no two similar rewards at the same price
Every reward feels connected to the world of your project
Every reward has a real photograph
Higher-tier rewards are capped if the limit is genuine
You could fulfil every reward at 150% of your target
Delivery timelines are realistic: better to under-promise
Reward titles are clear and specific, not “Tier 1” or “Bronze reward”

Can I claim Gift Aid on rewards?

It depends on the reward. If your organisation is eligible for Gift Aid, check each reward tier individually. A pledge may not be eligible if the supporter receives a reward, so only tick the Gift Aid box for rewards that meet HMRC criteria. See our Gift Aid help article for details.

Why do rewards matter so much?

Rewards are not just a fundraising mechanic. They’re a signal about how much you’ve thought about your supporters, and about what it feels like to be someone who backed your project. A well-designed reward section tells visitors that you’ve put the same care into the experience of backing you as you have into the project itself.

That matters. And it converts.

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