35 KiB
Kickstarter Project Creation & Pre-Launch Editor — Field Inventory
Research window: 2025–2026 (help articles last-seen dated August 6, 2026; rules/prohibited list current as of fetch 2026-09-23 WAT)
Scope: Draft creation → editor completion → Submit / Send to review → approval → pre-launch (Promotion) → launch readiness.
Method: Official Kickstarter Help Center, Creator Handbook, Rules, Updates blog, Discover category URLs. Cloudflare blocked some WebFetch calls; content retrieved via direct HTTP to help.kickstarter.com / kickstarter.com.
Confidence: Fields marked CONFIRMED cite official sources. UNKNOWN = not found in public docs (UI labels may still exist in-product).
0. Ordered UI flow (Start → Submit for review → Pre-launch)
| Step | UI surface | When it appears | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Account | Before create | Must have Kickstarter account not Apple-ID-only signup (Continue with Apple cannot start a project). help: start a project |
| 1 | Create your project wizard (/start) |
First visit | Select primary category + subcategory, then optional additional subcategory. kickstarter.com/start, category help |
| 2 | Project editor — Basics | Draft | Title, subtitle, image, videos, location, categories, duration, Late Pledges toggle, Target Launch Date, currency (where eligible), etc. |
| 3 | Story | Draft | Campaign story (Text Editor 2.0) + Risks and Challenges (mandatory) + Use of AI disclosure prompts (on submit / page) + Environmental Commitments (Design & Tech, voluntary). |
| 4 | Plan (conditional) | Draft | Product-development milestones for select Design / Technology / Games hardware subcategories. Creator-only; not shown to backers. Plan tab |
| 5 | Rewards | Draft | Sub-nav: Items → Reward tiers → Add-ons (+ Late Pledge settings if enabled). |
| 6 | People | Draft | Creator profile completeness, Collaborators, optional demographic survey (~38 Qs). |
| 7 | Funding | Draft | Funding goal; Project Budget spreadsheet tool (Design, Technology, Arts, Fashion). Currency choice may appear here for Euro Flexibility. |
| 8 | Preferences | Draft | At least Shipping collection preference (charge shipping at pledge time vs later via Pledge Manager / third-party). shipping options |
| 9 | Payment / Payments | Draft | Raise-as (individual / business / nonprofit) → Stripe onboarding: identity, tax, bank, payment source card. Blocks launch if incomplete. |
| 10 | Checklist / overview | Draft | All required sections need completion (green checks). Submit via “Send to review” / “Submit for review”. prepare to launch |
| 11 | Trust & Safety review | Post-submit | Auto-approve or manual review (≤ ~3 business days; longer if revisions). All Design & Technology projects are manually reviewed. |
| 12 | Promotion | After submit (repeat creators: earlier access); first-timers after approval | Generate/confirm project URL, activate pre-launch page, Pre-Launch Editor content, Google Analytics / pixels (optional). |
| 13 | Launch | After approval | I’m ready to launch → confirm rules checkbox → Launch project (manual; not schedulable). |
FAQ note: Public FAQ Q&A on the live project page is not a pre-launch required editor section. Creator-community guidance (Stonemaier) states FAQ cannot be created until the project is live — prepare offline and paste at launch. Official campaign-page guides list FAQ as a live-page section you can grow during the campaign. Treat FAQ as post-launch optional, not a submit blocker. UNKNOWN whether a draft FAQ UI exists in 2026 editor.
1. Step 1 — Create wizard (/start)
| Field | Type | Limits | Required | Validation / notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary category | Single-select enum | 15 categories | Yes | Art, Comics, Crafts, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Journalism, Music, Photography, Publishing, Technology, Theater | start, rules |
| Primary subcategory | Single-select enum | Category-dependent | Yes (UI prompts subcategory) | Project lists under both category and subcategory | category help |
| Additional / second category + subcategory | Optional second pair | — | Optional | Does not appear on project page or search; used for Kickstarter guidance only. Editable while live. | Same |
2. Basics tab
| Field | Type | Limits | Required for submit/launch | Validation / notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project title | Text | ≤ 60 characters | Yes (for a complete page / URL generation) | Used to slugify project URL after “Generate my URL” | level-up 2024, publishing guide, URL help |
| Subtitle / blurb | Text | ≤ 135 characters | Yes (shown under video; treated as core page element) | Often called subtitle or short description | Same |
| Project image (main) | File upload | 1024×576 recommended (16:9); max 50 MB; JPEG/PNG/GIF/BMP recommended | Yes for complete Basics | Replace via up arrow; delete via trash. Avoid text-heavy overlays | help/images |
| Project video (horizontal) | File upload | Formats: MOV, MPEG, AVI, MP4, 3GP, WMV, FLV; max 5120 MB (5 GB); encoded display 640×360 16:9 | Optional (strongly recommended) | Not required to launch | video required? |
| Discovery Mode / vertical video | File upload | Same formats; 9:16; max 5120 MB; aim 60–90 s | Optional | Basics tab; reviewed at submit | video help, Mobile Discovery PDF |
| Captions / subtitles | Media accessibility | — | Optional | Separate help for adding captions | captions |
| Project location (city / place) | Location picker | — | Yes (public location; can differ from verification country) | Verification address must still be in supported creator country | who can use, eligibility |
| Primary category / subcategory | Selects | — | Yes | Changeable while live | Category help |
| Second category / subcategory | Selects | — | Optional | Guidance only | Category help |
| Campaign duration mode | Enum | Fixed end date+time OR N days from launch | Yes | Range 1–60 days; recommend ≤30. Locked after launch. | duration, funding handbook |
| Duration value | DateTime or integer days | 1–60 | Yes | End time = launch clock time if “days” mode | Duration help |
| Target Launch Date | Date | — | Optional | Guides when to verify / submit; does not auto-launch | awaiting review |
| Enable Late Pledges | Toggle | — | Optional | Must enable in draft or while live; cannot enable after campaign ends. Then configure per reward. | Late Pledges |
| Project currency | Enum (native vs EUR) | Country-dependent | Required where shown; else auto from country | Euro Currency Flexibility: DK, NO, SE, CH, PL can choose native or EUR. Locked once bank account added. May appear on Basics or Funding. | Euro flexibility, display currency |
| Tags / keywords | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN | Marketing copy mentions keywords in description; dedicated Basics tags field UNKNOWN | — |
3. Story tab
3.1 Campaign story (Text Editor 2.0)
| Field / capability | Type | Limits | Required | Validation / notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project story / description | Rich text blocks | Hard char limit UNKNOWN | Yes (empty story fails automated completeness) | Headings auto-create TOC; images-as-headers supported | TOC, text editor 2.0 |
| Inline images | Upload | ≤ 50 MB; JPEG/PNG/GIF recommended; not TIFF/BMP/HEIC/HEIF; scale ≥ ~700px width; WEBP for animation | Optional | Alt text supported; compressed on upload | media help |
| Embedded video | URL embed | YouTube/Vimeo/etc. | Optional | Story embeds are URL-only (not direct upload into story) | Media help |
| Embedded audio | URL embed | SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Spotify, etc. | Optional | Bandcamp: use *.bandcamp.com URL |
Media help |
| Livestream embed | URL | YouTube / Twitch / Facebook Live | Optional | During funding period | Media help |
| Image caption / link / alt text | Contextual toolbar | — | Optional | text editor 2.0 | |
| Heading / TOC entry | Block type | — | Optional | + → Heading |
TOC help |
Recommended story content (not separate fields): who you are, what you’re making, history, plan/timeline, budget breakdown, why you care. story handbook
3.2 Risks and Challenges
| Field | Type | Limits | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risks and Challenges | Text (title fixed by Kickstarter) | Char limit UNKNOWN | Yes (mandatory page section) | Text-only; cannot rename section | Campaign guides + Stonemaier anatomy (community) confirming mandatory |
3.3 Use of AI (disclosure)
Asked during project submission; accepted projects show a public “Use of AI” section.
| Prompt / field | Type | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does project use AI to generate outputs / develop generative AI / other AI use? | Questionnaire | Yes if AI involved; honesty required | Excessive AI with little human involvement prohibited | AI policy, AI guidelines, AI help, rules |
| What AI tech; how incorporated; original vs AI elements | Free text | If AI tools used | Same | |
| Databases/sources; consent & credit mechanisms | Free text | If developing AI tech | Without consent safeguards, project unlikely allowed | Same |
| Consent from owners of works used to train/produce AI portion | Yes/No + detail | Asked in submission flow | AI policy update |
Exact UI control labels/char limits: UNKNOWN beyond published question themes.
3.4 Environmental Commitments (Design & Technology)
| Field | Type | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commitments across 5 areas | Check/commit + public display | Voluntary | Areas: (1) long-lasting design (2) reusability & recyclability (3) sustainable materials (4) environmentally friendly factories (5) sustainable fulfillment & distribution. Originally US/CA/MX Design & Tech; expansion plans noted historically | EDF, Medium/KS |
Exact 2026 editor widget + whether Publishing sees it: UNKNOWN (docs still center Design & Tech).
4. Plan tab (conditional)
Visible when primary subcategory ∈: Product Design, Toys, Gaming Hardware, 3D Printing, Camera Equipment, DIY Electronics, Fabrication Tools, Flight, Gadgets, Hardware, Robots, Sound, Space Exploration, Wearables.
Plan tab
| Milestone group (summary) | Type | Required for submit? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functional + appearance + combined prototypes | Mark complete | UNKNOWN if hard-required for submit; strongly expected for D&T honesty rules | Backers cannot see Plan tab |
| Manufacturing review, BOM, MOQ sign-off | Mark complete | UNKNOWN | |
| Regulatory/compliance plan; replication process; QA test runs | Mark complete | UNKNOWN | |
| Produced/assembled all rewards | Mark complete | Post-campaign oriented | Locked after launch once marked |
Hardware/product design rules: show working prototypes; no photorealistic CGI standing in for nonexistent functionality; disclose unfinished software/hardware integration. hardware rules, rules
5. Rewards tab
5.1 Items
| Field | Type | Limits | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item title | Text | UNKNOWN | Yes per item | Clear short name; don’t embed project title | itemize |
| Item image | Upload | 3:2; ≥ 348×232; ≤ 50 MB | Optional | Itemize help | |
| Save item | Action | — | — | Build items before tiers/add-ons | Handbook rewards |
5.2 Reward tiers & Add-ons (shared field set)
| Field | Type | Limits | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Text | UNKNOWN | Yes | add rewards | |
| Amount / pledge price | Money | Min–max by country (US $1–$10,000; see §11) | Yes | max reward | |
| Description | Text | UNKNOWN | Yes | Add rewards | |
| Estimated delivery | Month/year (or date UI) | Future | Yes (mandatory per tier) | When all items in tier will be delivered | estimated delivery |
| Items included | Multi-select + qty | — | Expected | Quantities set on bundle, not on item master | Itemize + add rewards |
| Includes physical goods? | Boolean | — | Yes (contents) | Food/drink not counted as “physical goods” for this flag | Add rewards |
| Shipping mode | Enum | No shipping (digital) / Local pick-up / Limited countries / Worldwide + outliers | Yes if collecting shipping at pledge | Local pick-up needs location; cannot combine Ship + Pickup on same tier | shipping options, add rewards |
| Shipping destinations + rates | Country/region × money | EU region list defined in help | Conditional | Country rate overrides region | Shipping options |
| Local pick-up location | Text/place | — | If local | Title should clarify “City pick-up only” | Add rewards |
| Project quantity | Unlimited / Limited (integer) | — | Optional limit | Limited early-bird style | schedule/limit |
| Availability start/end | Launch / custom datetime / campaign end | — | Optional | Scheduling mid-campaign | Schedule/limit |
| Audience | All backers / Select backers only (Secret Reward) | — | Optional | Secret Rewards get unique private link; desktop/mobile web only; not for Late Pledges/PM | secret rewards |
| Reward image | Upload | 3:2; ≥348×232; ≤50MB | Optional | Add rewards | |
| Feature reward | Toggle | One featured tier | Optional | Featured appears at top of Rewards tab | Add rewards |
| Duplicate / Import from past project | Action | — | Optional | Import copies associated items | Add rewards |
| Late Pledge amount | Money | — | If Late Pledges enabled | Recommend +10% vs campaign price | Late Pledges help |
| Late Pledge availability window | Datetime range | Must start at/after campaign end for ≥1 reward | If Late Pledges | Late Pledges help |
Always present system tier: “Pledge without a reward” (default amount location-based, e.g. $10 US; backer-editable).
Prohibited as rewards (rules): financial returns, equity, crypto/NFTs, resale of others’ goods, etc. See §13.
5.3 Preferences — shipping strategy
| Field | Type | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collect shipping at pledge time vs later (KS Pledge Manager / third-party) | Preference enum | Yes (decide before building rates) | If third-party later, disclose clearly on story | shipping options |
6. People tab
| Field / section | Type | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creator profile (name, photo, bio, location, website, social links) | Profile fields | Strongly expected; public on Creator tab | Editable in People and/or Settings → Edit profile | About the creator |
| Collaborators — invite by Kickstarter account | Email/username + permissions | Optional | Permissions: edit project (basics/story/rewards/FAQs/Spotlight); manage community (updates/comments/messages*); coordinate fulfillment (surveys/backer report); pledge manager; analytics/dashboard. Cap 100 collaborator-projects per user. All collaborators listed publicly. | collaborators |
| Demographic / preparedness survey | ~38 questions | Optional; not required to launch | One-shot; not editable after submit (email support to delete) | demographics |
Exact demographic question list: UNKNOWN (not published).
7. Funding tab
| Field | Type | Limits | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funding goal | Money | Must be achievable minimum to deliver; locked after launch | Yes | All-or-nothing | funding handbook, set goal |
| Project Budget spreadsheet | Google Sheet via email | Design, Technology, Arts, Fashion only (as of help) | Optional | Email → “Generate my spreadsheet”; optional public Project Budget graphic | Project Budget |
| Budget graphic share on page | Toggle/refresh | — | Optional | Encouraged for featuring odds | Same |
| Currency (Euro Flexibility) | Enum | See Basics | If eligible | Locked when bank linked | Euro flexibility help |
| Stretch goals | Not a dedicated locked field | — | Post-goal marketing | Cannot change goal; stretch goals are story/update content | Funding handbook |
Fees (US example): Kickstarter 5% + payment processing ~3% + $0.30/pledge (micropledge discount under $10). No fees if unsuccessful. fees
8. Payment tab (account verification blockers)
Flow: choose Individual / Business / Nonprofit → Continue to Stripe.
| Field / requirement | Type | Required to launch | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funding entity type | Enum: individual, business, nonprofit | Yes | Hard to change after selection (community reports) | verify info |
| Government-issued ID | Document / Stripe Identity | Yes | Same country as launch (EU ID flexibility within EU) | who can use |
| Legal name, DOB, address | Text | Yes | Must match documents exactly | Verify help |
| Tax ID (SSN/ITIN/EIN/local) | Text | Yes (as prompted by country/entity) | Entity + all verified persons | Eligibility / verify |
| Entity legal name, address, tax ID | Text | If business/nonprofit | Representative must be owner/executive actively creating project | entity representative |
| Additional owners (≥25% stake) + directors as requested | Identity set | If applicable | Stripe/regulatory “additional owners” | owners |
| US business URL or 2-sentence product description | URL/text | US companies when prompted | URL must show product/service funded; public https://… |
Verify help |
| Bank account | Checking / Futsuu (JP) / IBAN (EUR cases) | Yes | Same country as project (EUR IBAN flexibility list); ACH in US; no savings/virtual/wires | bank account |
| Payment source (chargeback card) | Visa / Mastercard / AmEx credit or debit | Yes | Discover/JCB/Maestro/Visa Electron not accepted. Canada: credit only (eligibility article). Locked until successful end. | credit card why, eligibility |
| Age | Constraint | Yes | Creator 18+ | Who can use |
Supported creator countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US.
Verification typically updates within days; contact support if no update after 5 business days. Identity/bank lock after verification (support to change pre-launch).
Tax note: Funds generally income; US 1099-K via Stripe above thresholds — informational, not a pre-launch form in editor beyond Stripe tax fields. taxes
9. Submit for review & launch
| Control | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Send to review / Submit for review | Runs automated completeness + cursory rules check | prepare, review blog 2016 |
| Auto-approve vs manual | Algorithm uses category, description, rewards, goal, prior launches; all Design & Technology → manual | Prepare / awaiting review |
| Manual SLA | Up to ~3 business days (+3+ if revisions) | Awaiting review |
| Edit while pending / after approval | Allowed | Review blog |
| I’m ready to launch → Launch project | Manual; checkbox confirm rules; no scheduled launch | launch after approved |
Locked after launch (selected): funding goal, campaign duration/deadline, bank & verified identity details, profile name (policy), rewards already backed (incl. their shipping). edit after launch
10. Promotion / Pre-launch (post-submit)
| Field / action | Required | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generate my URL | Soft-required for sharing | Slug from title + vanity/user segment; confirm once; support to reset (breaks old links) | URL before launch |
| Activate pre-launch page | Optional but recommended ≥1 week pre-launch | First-timers: after approval; repeat: Promotion earlier | pre-launch setup, Pre-Launch Editor |
| Pre-Launch Editor body | Optional | Text, images, videos, links (revamped editor features) | Same |
| Auto-included on pre-launch | — | Title, subtitle, category, creator name/avatar, location | craft pre-launch |
| Notify me on launch / followers | — | Follower count shown at ≥10; creator cannot DM followers; pre-launch updates email followers | Pre-launch help |
| Deactivate pre-launch | Optional | Followers retained if reactivated | Pre-launch help |
| Preview share link | Optional | Different URL from pre-launch URL | Pre-launch help |
| Google Analytics ID | Optional | Promotions tab or dashboard | GA, funding handbook |
| Meta Pixel / CAPI | Optional | Separate help articles | Help collection Promoting / live |
11. Media specs (quick reference)
| Asset | Spec | Max size | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main project image | 1024×576 (16:9) recommended; JPEG/PNG/GIF/BMP | 50 MB | Yes |
| Story images | ≥~700px wide; JPEG/PNG/GIF (WEBP anim); no TIFF/BMP/HEIC/HEIF | 50 MB | No |
| Item / reward / add-on image | 3:2; ≥348×232 | 50 MB | No |
| Project / Discovery video | MOV/MPEG/AVI/MP4/3GP/WMV/FLV; Discovery 9:16 | 5120 MB | No |
| Story-embedded video | URL embed | n/a | No |
| Update-uploaded video | Same formats | 3 GB | Post-launch |
12. Publishing / Books category notes
Category: Publishing (one of 15).
Subcategories observed on Discover (2026-09): Academic, Anthologies, Art Books, Audiobooks, Calendars, Children, Comedy, Fiction, Letterpress, Literary Journals, Literary Spaces, Nonfiction, Periodicals, Poetry, Radio & Podcasts (slug radio%20), Translations, Young Adult, Zines.
New (May 2026 release notes): Audiobooks (plus Games: TTRPG, STL) — creators “soon” able to select while building; Discover filters already live. release notes
Publishing-specific guidance (not unique fields):
- Title ≤60 / subtitle ≤135; book cover often used as project image.
- Video optional but recommended; keep ~1–2 minutes.
- Rewards centered on the book + digital/low-ship perks; estimated delivery with buffer.
- Prototype rules for hardware do not apply; still must create something new and honest.
- Plan tab not for typical Publishing (hardware subcategory list only).
- Project Budget spreadsheet not listed for Publishing (Design/Tech/Arts/Fashion).
Sources: publishing hub article, publishing project page guide, creator’s book guide.
Charity: Up to 10% of campaign funds may be donated if disclosed at submission; reward donations allowed. Nonprofits: specific projects only, not general operating support. entities/charity, rules
13. Crypto / NFT / prohibited (submit blockers)
From Our Rules (Prohibited Items/Applications), fetched 2026-09-23:
- Cryptocurrencies and NFTs — explicitly prohibited
- Service Providers (project centered on providing services)
- Marketplaces (primary purpose sell/re-sell)
- AI companions (romantic/sexual; or primarily advertising to children/parents)
- Items claiming to diagnose/cure/treat/prevent serious illness (incl. sexual dysfunction)
- Items claiming to prevent serious injury or death
- Contests, raffles, gambling
- Energy food/drinks (except coffee-bean or herbal-tea primary)
- Alcohol
- Equity
- Live animals
- Human/animal body parts or fluids
- Fighting/gambling spaces
- Drugs & paraphernalia (nicotine, tobacco, kava, psychedelics, cannabis)
- Weapons / replicas / weapon accessories; certain knives
Also: create something new; rewards produced/designed by project/collaborators; honest presentation; no misleading CGI for D&T; mature/pornographic content restricted (also subject to Stripe prohibited lists — Stripe may block even if KS allows). mature/Stripe note in rules, Stripe mature reviews help
AI companions banned; AI as a tool allowed with disclosure and human creative involvement.
14. Reward price floors/ceilings by country
| Country | Min tier | Max tier |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $1 | $10,000 |
| United Kingdom | £1 | £8,000 |
| Canada | $1 CAD | $13,000 CAD |
| Australia | $1 AUD | $13,000 AUD |
| New Zealand | $1 NZD | $14,000 NZD |
| Mexico | $10 MXN | $200,000 MXN |
| Japan | ¥100 | ¥1,200,000 |
| NL/DE/IT/AT/BE/LU/FR/ES/IE/GR/SI | €1 | €8,500 |
| Sweden | 5 SEK | 85,000 SEK |
| Denmark | 5 DKK | 65,000 DKK |
| Norway | 5 NOK | 80,000 NOK |
| Switzerland | 1 CHF | 9,500 CHF |
| Hong Kong | 10 HKD | 75,000 HKD |
| Singapore | 2 SGD | 13,000 SGD |
| Poland | 5 PLN | 37,250 PLN |
Source: max reward tier
15. UNKNOWN / gaps (need live editor or KS support to confirm)
- Exact Submit checklist itemization (which fields flip green).
- Story / Risks / reward description hard character limits.
- Whether FAQ editor exists pre-launch in 2026 UI.
- Full demographic question list.
- Whether Environmental Commitments expanded beyond Design & Tech / NA.
- Exact Stripe field names per country (tax form variants).
- Whether Preferences tab contains more than shipping strategy (pixels sometimes listed under Promotion).
- Pledge Over Time creator-side Basics toggles (backer feature FAQ exists; creator enablement UI partially UNKNOWN).
- Start wizard “Next: Additional subcategory” microcopy exact requiredness.
16. Primary citations
Inventory compiled for internal campaign ops (AiBook / WeOwnNet). Re-verify in live editor before submit; Kickstarter UI and Stripe prompts can vary by country and change without handbook updates.