Turn drops into a merch business.

Best Makeship Alternative for VTubers & Content Creators

Makeship takes 30-50% of every drop. Your own store keeps 96%+ after Shopify Payments. Same campaign mechanics, but fans become YOUR customers for every future release.

  • Keep 96%+ after fees vs 50-70% on Makeship
  • Fans in your systems for every future drop
  • Any product, any manufacturer, your brand

Why Creators Switch

Keep 70%+ more revenue

vs 30-50% Makeship cut

Own 100% of customer data

Email, retarget, sell again

Any manufacturer, any product

Not limited to plushies

You handle production. Most creators use Alibaba, Budsies, or local manufacturers.

Makeship made plush crowdfunding easy for creators—design a collectible, they handle manufacturing. That convenience is a 30-50% revenue share, not a small fee. On a $20,000 drop, you typically keep $10,000-14,000. Makeship now sells plush, hoodies, vinyl figures, pins, and keychains; campaigns run about 21 days, with production often 2-3 months (up to 90 days).

Fundpop lets you run the same pre-order campaigns on your own Shopify store. You choose the manufacturer and handle fulfillment—and you keep around $19,300 after ~3.5% total fees (from 0.5% Fundpop + Shopify Payments), with every buyer in Shopify and Klaviyo for the next drop. For established creators, the math is obvious.

Last updated: August 2026

Why Makeship Users Switch

Common reasons that drive the move to Shopify-based crowdfunding

1

Revenue Split Kills Your Margins

Makeship takes 30-50% of every sale. That's not a fee—it's a revenue share. On a $50 plush selling 500 units ($25,000), Makeship keeps $7,500-12,500. With Fundpop (~3.5% total including Shopify Payments), you'd keep around $24,125 instead.

2

Limited to Their Catalog

Makeship now does more than plush—hoodies, vinyl figures, pins, keychains—but you still sell only what they manufacture. Want an art book, a custom enamel set, or a bundle Makeship does not make? On your Shopify store, the campaign can include any product from any manufacturer.

3

Your Fans Become Their Customers

When fans buy on Makeship, Makeship owns that relationship. You can't email those buyers about your next drop, can't retarget them with ads, can't build a direct relationship. On your store, every buyer joins your customer list forever.

4

No Control Over Production

Makeship handles manufacturing, which is convenient—but you have no control over quality, timelines, or changes. With your own manufacturer, you can request modifications, rush orders, and maintain the quality standards your fans expect.

5

No Brand Building

Your Makeship campaign looks like every other Makeship campaign. On your own store, fans experience your brand—your aesthetic, your messaging, your world. That builds loyalty that transcends any single product.

6

Fixed Production Timeline

Makeship's own docs put manufacturing at about 2-3 months after a successful campaign (up to 90 days), then 7-15 days typical delivery. Working directly with a manufacturer can be faster on repeat orders—or slower on a first sample. You set the schedule, not a catalog queue.

Fundpop vs Makeship

See how the features compare side by side

FeatureFundpopMakeship
Business modelFee-based (you manage production)All-in-one (production included)
Your cut after fees~96.5% (minus your COGS)50-70% (COGS included in their share)
Product optionsAny product, any manufacturerPlush, apparel, vinyl, pins (their catalog)
Customer dataInstant in Shopify, Klaviyo, pixelsLimited access
Brand experienceYour Shopify theme, or custom templateMakeship template
Email marketingKlaviyo, Mailchimp, etc.No direct access
Manufacturing controlFull controlMakeship handles
Production timelineYour manufacturer's scheduleTypically 2-3 months (up to 90 days)
Bundle productsYes, any combinationLimited to Makeship catalog
Minimum orderYour MOQ200 units typically

Do the Math: 3 Campaigns, 1 Year

Compare the numbers side by side

Most successful creators run 3-4 merch drops per year. Here's what that looks like over 12 months with a $15,000 average campaign:

On Makeship (40% cut)

Per campaign$9,000
Yearly (3 campaigns)$27,000

On Your Store (~3.5% total incl. processing)

Per campaign$14,475
Yearly (3 campaigns)$43,425
+$16,425
Extra yearly profit
+$5,475
Per campaign
73%
Repeat rate (higher LTV)

Numbers based on 3 campaigns × $15,000 each. Your results depend on campaign size and Makeship's specific revenue share (30-50%).

Why Merchants Choose Fundpop

Shopify App Store Review

I installed a couple different crowdfunding apps and this one was the best by far. This app is very simple and uses familiar Shopify UI so it feels like you never leave Shopify. So many useful features such as brand customization, campaign milestones, and the ability to set your campaign goals as number of orders or sales revenue.

L

Lootbloc

Gaming Merchandise, United States

VTuber Merchandise at Scale

UwU Market runs 500+ creator merch campaigns on Fundpop—plushies, apparel, and collectibles—with $188K+ raised across their marketplace. Creators keep the store relationship instead of splitting every drop with a merch platform.

UwU Market

UwU Market

VTuber Merchandise Marketplace, uwumarket.us

Making the Switch from Makeship

1

Install Fundpop

Add Fundpop from the Shopify App Store. Takes less than 2 minutes.

Pro Tip

7-day free trial included.

2

Create Your Campaign Product

Set up your product with funding goals, timeline, and reward tiers.

Pro Tip

Use your existing product photos and descriptions.

3

Configure Funding Settings

Choose all-or-nothing or flexible funding. Set your goal and deadline.

Pro Tip

All-or-nothing creates urgency. Flexible funding reduces risk.

4

Launch to Your Audience

Share your campaign with your email list, social followers, and community.

Pro Tip

The first 48 hours are crucial—plan your launch promotion in advance.

Makeship vs Fundpop FAQ

Finding a plush manufacturer is a one-time effort. Many creators use Alibaba or established merchandise partners. The 30-50% you give Makeship on EVERY campaign adds up fast. On a $20K campaign, that's $6,000-10,000 gone. With your own manufacturer and Fundpop, you keep 96%+ and build a business you control.

Many creators use Alibaba suppliers (search "custom plush manufacturer"), work with established merchandise companies like Crowdmade, or use platforms like Printful for smaller runs. Your community likely knows recommendations too.

You'll need to manage sampling and quality approval yourself—or work with a fulfillment partner who does this. It's more hands-on than Makeship, but you also have more control over the final product.

Absolutely. Fundpop supports campaign deadlines and quantity limits. Create scarcity however you want—time-limited, quantity-limited, or both.

No—any creator selling merchandise can benefit. YouTubers, Twitch streamers, artists, musicians. Anyone with an audience who's been giving 30-50% to merchandise platforms.

Ready to Own Your Crowdfunding?

Join 500+ creators who run campaigns on their own Shopify stores. ~3.5% total fees, full customer ownership.

500+
Creators
500+
Live Campaigns
73%
Repeat Campaigners