Source-backed analysis8
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
8 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
Change.org Review
Large online petition platform that says it is nonprofit-owned
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- Web
- iOS
- Android
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Change.org suits people who want to start or sign a free public petition aimed at decision makers. Keep in mind that signatures are public, data may be shared with advertising partners, and Trustpilot reviewers report many unexpected recurring contributions.
Best for: People campaigning on a policy or a company or agency decision through public signatures
Skip it if: Anyone who needs full anonymity: petition starters always receive signers' names and locations
Pros
- Starting and signing petitions is free; the site says it is funded by members, not ads
- Large scale: the About page cites 592+ million signatures, members in 196 countries and 125,000+ victories
- A free Petition Manager app for iOS and Android, rated 4.8/5 from 224 App Store ratings
Cons
- Trustpilot gives 3.9/5 from 6,032 reviews; many say one-off contributions turned into recurring ones that were hard to cancel (Trustpilot does not fact-check reviews)
- The privacy policy says device and analytics data is sold or shared with advertising partners, even though the About page says the site takes no ads
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- Community Guidelines spell out prohibited content, including misinformation and harassment
Cons
- Signatures are public and remain after account deletion unless you request removal
Best for
- Organisers who want signature stats, milestone alerts and supporter updates via the Petition Manager app
Skip it if
- People who need direct fundraising; the Community Guidelines ban links to direct payment methods such as PayPal or Venmo
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
What Change.org is
Change.org is an online petition platform run by Change.org, PBC. According to the official site, it connects petitions with decision makers such as mayors, CEOs and legislators, and notifies more than 1,000 of them every day. Per Wikipedia, the company was incorporated in Delaware on 7 February 2007 and founded by Ben Rattray; the site says it has been nonprofit-owned, with no corporate parent and no shareholders, and Wikipedia dates the move to the Change.org Foundation to 2021.
How it works
Petition starters create a page, share it and collect signatures; depending on country, signers' names may appear publicly. According to its store listing, the Petition Manager app offers real-time signature stats, milestone notifications, sharing tools (custom URL, QR code) and supporter update messaging. Content must follow the Community Guidelines, which ban misinformation, harassment, impersonation and changing a petition's core ask after it gathers signatures.
Pricing
The official pages list no specific prices. The terms of service (updated 8 September 2026) say Promoted Petitions are billed by impressions, monthly contributions are optional and renew automatically, payments run through Stripe, Braintree or dLocal, and Promoted Petitions can be refunded within 90 days. Many Trustpilot reviews describe one-off contributions turning into recurring ones, so read the checkout step carefully.
More analysis
Privacy and how it compares
The main consideration is that signatures are public and petition starters always receive your details. Wikipedia notes accusations of data selling from 2012 and a 2021 policy saying it does not sell personal information, while the current policy says identifiers and device data are sold or shared with advertising partners. For raising money for a specific situation, GoFundMe fits better; Change.org's strength is public campaigning through signatures.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Free
PersonalFree
Starting and signing petitions is free; the Petition Manager app is a free download on iOS and Android. The About page says Change.org is funded by member contributions, not advertising.
Promoted Petitions
PersonalContact sales
Per the terms of service, Promoted Petitions are priced per thousand impressions (CPM), with your contribution setting how many impressions you get. Separately, optional monthly contributions renew automatically until cancelled in Account Settings. The official pages list no specific prices.
- Free plan limits
- Creating, signing and sharing petitions costs nothing. Content must follow the Community Guidelines, and Change.org may remove or edit violating content.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
The terms of service (updated 8 September 2026) say refund requests for Promoted Petitions must be made within 90 days of purchase. Payments to Change.org (PBC) are not tax-deductible as charitable donations.
Privacy
The privacy policy (updated 21 May 2026) treats a petition as "a public expression of support": your name, general location and profile link may appear on the petition page, and the petition starter always receives your name, city/country and signing date even if you hide your name. It says it sells or shares identifiers, device/IP data and web analytics with advertising partners (US users can opt out). Signatures are kept until you ask for removal; deleting an account does not remove them. You have rights to access, correct, delete and object to some processing.
Change.org alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost money to start a petition on Change.org?
No. Starting and signing are free; the terms list charges only for Promoted Petitions and optional contributions.
Will my name be public when I sign?
Depending on your country, your name, general location and profile link may appear on the petition page. Even if hidden, the starter still receives your name and location.
Does deleting my account remove my signatures?
No. The policy treats signatures as public speech and keeps them until you ask for removal.
What is the minimum age?
The terms say users generally must be at least 16, or 13 in the United States. Younger users cannot set up an account alone, but a parent or guardian can create a campaign.
Review evidence & sources8
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.0
- Features
- 7.0
- Value for money
- 7.0
- Performance
- 6.5
- Support
- 5.5
- Privacy & security
- 5.0
Why this score
Starting and signing a petition is a simple flow, and Trustpilot reviewers frequently call it easy to use; the deduction is the repeated contribution prompts some reviewers describe.
Why this score
It offers petition pages, decision-maker pages, signature stats and supporter updates in the app. The scope remains narrower than broader campaigning suites.
Why this score
The core is free. However, Promoted Petitions and monthly contributions cost money, and Trustpilot carries many complaints about unexpected charges, so it scores below fully free platforms.
Why this score
No independent uptime data was found. The only public note is the company's April 2011 DDoS claim, so the score stays mid-range.
Why this score
There is a Help Center and a data-protection email, but no chat or phone. Several Trustpilot reviewers report emails going unanswered for weeks, while others praise the support team as quick.
Why this score
Broad collection (device, location, even US voter data for aggregate statistics), data sold or shared with ad partners, and public signatures. Offsetting this are clearly stated access, deletion and opt-out rights.
What users say
- App Store (Change.org: Petition Manager)4.8/5 · 224
- Google Play4.2/5 · 30
- Trustpilot3.9/5 · 6,032
Sources
- Vendor-providedChange.org AboutNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedChange.org Privacy PolicyNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedChange.org Terms of ServiceNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedChange.org Community GuidelinesNov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store: Change.org: Petition ManagerNov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play: Change.org: Petition ManagerNov 10, 2026
- review-siteTrustpilot: change.orgNov 10, 2026
- Community-reportedWikipedia: Change.orgNov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Change.org, PBC
- Headquarters
- United States
- Launched
- 2007
- Category
- Community
Capabilities
- Mobile app
Platforms
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Interface languages
- English
- German
- Spanish
- French
- Indonesian
- Japanese
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Thai
Support
- Help center
Change history
- Company.Wikipedia cites a 28 September 2021 report on ownership moving to the nonprofit Change.org Foundation.
- Update.An updated privacy policy states that Change.org does not sell users' personal information.
- Update.The "Justice for George Floyd" petition reaches about 19 million signatures, the most on the platform.
Full change history (6)
- Company.Raises $15 million in a round led by Omidyar Network.
- Update.Stef Gray's petition (about 77,000 signatures) leads Sallie Mae to change its forbearance fee policy the same afternoon.
- Launch.The company is incorporated in Delaware; founder Ben Rattray launches the site in 2007.
About the author
Reviews & comments
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