- Browse Businesses
- Guides
- Consumer Tips
- Write a Review
- For Business
- Request a Review
- Backed by the National Science Foundation
- Sign up
- Log in
StartEngine has a rating of 2.9 stars from 178 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about StartEngine most frequently mention customer service, phone number, and email address problems. StartEngine ranks 1st among Crowd Funding sites.
This company responds to reviews on average within 2 days
I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the exceptional support I have received from StartEngine, particularly from Nicole on your support team. As a user of StartEngine's platform, I have been consistently impressed with its ease of use and intuitive interface. However, what truly sets StartEngine apart is the quality of its support team. They are responsive, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that my needs are met. In my most recent support interaction, I had the pleasure of working with Nicole. She demonstrated an unparalleled level of thoroughness and attentiveness in addressing my inquiries. Not only did she provide comprehensive answers to my initial questions, but she also took the time to address several follow-up concerns I had. Her dedication to ensuring that I received all the necessary information was truly commendable. What impressed me the most was Nicole's proactive approach. After providing the initial answers, she circled back to confirm that I had received everything I needed and that there were no outstanding issues. This level of care and attention to detail is rare and greatly appreciated. I want to commend Nicole for her outstanding service and extend my gratitude to the entire StartEngine support team. Your commitment to customer satisfaction is evident, and it is one of the key reasons why I continue to use and recommend your platform. Please convey my heartfelt thanks to Nicole and the team for their hard work and dedication. It is employees like her who make the StartEngine experience truly exceptional.
In April 2023 I did a one-time investment of $500 through StartEngine and they signed me up for some "annual fee" I did not agree to. In 2023 and again in April 2024 my credit card was charged $275, a total of $550, which I have requested be refunded immediately. There is no way to speak to a live person to rectify the problem and I have heard of many others taken in by their deceptive business practices.
I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the exceptional support I have received from StartEngine, particularly from Nicole on your support team.
As a user of StartEngine's platform, I have been consistently impressed with its ease of use and intuitive interface. However, what truly sets StartEngine apart is the quality of its support team. They are responsive, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that my needs are met.
In my most recent support interaction, I had the pleasure of working with Nicole. She demonstrated an unparalleled level of thoroughness and attentiveness in addressing my inquiries. Not only did she provide comprehensive answers to my initial questions, but she also took the time to address several follow-up concerns I had. Her dedication to ensuring that I received all the necessary information was truly commendable.
What impressed me the most was Nicole's proactive approach. After providing the initial answers, she circled back to confirm that I had received everything I needed and that there were no outstanding issues. This level of care and attention to detail is rare and greatly appreciated.
I want to commend Nicole for her outstanding service and extend my gratitude to the entire StartEngine support team. Your commitment to customer satisfaction is evident, and it is one of the key reasons why I continue to use and recommend your platform.
Please convey my heartfelt thanks to Nicole and the team for their hard work and dedication. It is employees like her who make the StartEngine experience truly exceptional.
In April 2023 I did a one-time investment of $500 through StartEngine and they signed me up for some "annual fee" I did not agree to. In 2023 and again in April 2024 my credit card was charged $275, a total of $550, which I have requested be refunded immediately. There is no way to speak to a live person to rectify the problem and I have heard of many others taken in by their deceptive business practices.
Products used:
Investment platform
Hello! Thanks for sharing your feedback. I want to respond here and confirm that we spoke directly and the refund for the Owner's Bonus subscription has been processed and the funds are on the way to you. We apologize for this negative experience and hope to be more clear and helpful in the future.
Alice M assisted me with my issue and was very helpful and professional. Although I have to wait and see how long it will take to be reimbursed for my money, Alice M solved my problem.
Hello Darrell! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with Alice M! We're glad to hear she was able to assist you effectively. Rest assured, we're committed to resolving your reimbursement as quickly as possible. If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to reach out. We appreciate your patience and support!
I have invested in a number of start engine companies. One of them went public (knightscope). I have no idea how to convert what I invested into actual shares in my Charles Schwab account and no one will reply to me! Terrible waste of money. Don't do it!
Tip for consumers:
No one replies to me when I try to get my shares in the publicly traded company out of start engine and into my Charles Schwab account. It's a black hole to throw money into. You'll never see your money again.
Products used:
I invested in a number of companies
Hi Emily,
Thank you for providing your valuable feedback. First, I apologize that you did not receive the level of service expected.
I would be happy to provide you with more information here. Typically, brokerages do not hold private securities.
StartEngine provides investors an opportunity to invest in early-stage start-ups. What this means is that you are often investing in early-stage companies. Investments in these types of companies are risky by their nature, and many often fail without any element of fraud or misconduct.
As we try to remind you in various places throughout the website, including in the educational materials which all users agree to when creating an account, the universal website footer, and every investment agreement used in conjunction with any offering on our platform, these investments are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk including the possible loss of your entire investment.
Even if a company is successful, it takes some time, often years, before an investor can have an opportunity to realize any returns on these types of investments. While we wish all the companies who raise our platform the best of success, we also encourage investors to remember when making any investments through the platform that all investments are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk including the possible loss of your entire investment, and to take this risk under consideration and invest responsibly.
Please allow us to answer any other questions and concerns directly by reaching out to us at contact@startengine.com.
Again, we appreciate your feedback and would love the opportunity to address any further concerns with the level of service you deserve.
-StartEngine Support
Love this site! Was able to invest in few startups which is now on the stock market! Another one is out in the market for sale already! Let's get rich y'all!
Tip for consumers:
Invest in Startengine!!!!
Products used:
Buying IPOs
Hi Jipu! Thank you for leaving this positive review for us! We are so glad to hear that you are enjoying our platform!
We look forward to continuing this positive experience for you!
Ease of use. The site is comprehensive in its offerings. Friendly design. I felt that I was in charge of my choices.
Hi Randal,
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're thrilled to hear that you found our site easy to use. It's wonderful to know that you felt in charge of your choices. If you ever have any more feedback or suggestions, we'd love to hear them.
We are looking forward to continuing this experience for you.
Have an awesome day!
-StartEngine Support
I have a lot of money here that I could have put in crypto. One of my investments for a solar power tractor was bought by another company. My $225 ended up being paid out as $13.99. A lot of risk involved. If my other twenty-seven or so companies get bought out like this, I will be close to $30k
I had accounts created with different email addresses. Investor Experience support was promptly able to help me. Thank you, Stella Lane.
Hi David! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with Stella! We're pleased to hear that our Investor Experience support team was able to promptly assist you with your accounts. If you ever need further assistance or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your support!
My experience was good all my questions were answered
Hey Randy! We're glad to hear you had a positive experience! Thank you for leaving this feedback! If you have any more questions in the future, feel free to reach out. Thank you for choosing us!
I'm a public figure with a $9 million dollar domain, which we are launching a business around. The entity is formed, the business plan created and vetted by multiple VCs. My previous startup was acquired by a major tech company. I've decided to crowdfund for this one and was about to launch a campaign on WeFunder dot com. A friend suggested I check out StartEngine. I've never heard of them but reached out. I had a call with a woman named Doryn and that conversation was what motivated this review.
1. She was incredibly condescending.
2. She said Start Engine does not accept "pre-revenue" companies. That's a lie: they do.
3. Oddly, she told me to go with WeFunder! She told me her employer, StartEngine, is too expensive and only has interest in week established companies seeking late rounds of financing. It was so surprising and weird.
I cannot tell you how surprised I was and how put off I was by this arrogant woman who had the people skills of an alligator.
I'm headed over to WeFunder as she instructed, and I'll let you know how it goes!
Hello Troy,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We apologize for any frustration caused during your conversation with us. We take your feedback seriously and are investigating the issues raised regarding our acceptance criteria. We aim to provide transparent and professional service, and we're sorry your experience fell short of that.
Your feedback is valuable, and we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss your concerns further and work towards a resolution. If you're open to it, please let us know a convenient time for a follow-up.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
-StartEngine Support
Business owner with a successful 2 year old start up looking to augment its funding. After providing a highly detailed business overview and summary, which they solicited but never read, scheduled call which they were not prepared for, talked in circles reading a script the entire call. It felt like a joke as the call was so ridiculous. When he realized he had a knowledgeable business asking real questions, his scripting went to "not good fit" mode. Don't waste your time here. Next!
Tip for consumers:
For business owners looking for financing options,
Avoid this site.
Products used:
Did not end up utilizing service but wasted a substantial amount of time.
Its a good website but they did leave a bad taste in my mouth after they did NOT make it clear about the owners bonus. I thought the owners bonus was referring to the owner of the business I was investing in. In other words, I thought the owner was offering up a special, if you invest this amount you will get 10% more shares. Owners Bonus refers to a subscription on Start Engines website. You pay 275 smackaroos and you get 10% more shares of everything you invest in on smart engine. I like to invest in things but I wasn't prepared to pay that much for just 10% more shares. Especially when I planned to use the website once. Start Engine needs to make it more clear. I feel bad for those smaller investors, they may be turned away from investing ever again. Maybe call it something else, like StartEngine Membership? You will get less pissed off people and maybe even more customers once you make it clear *******@StartEngine Please fix!
Tip for consumers:
Beware of the "Owners Bonus", its a subscription and not shares of the company.
Products used:
Membership
Had some issues with my account and the representative was thorough in following up and making sure it was resolved.? Only issue I had was the amount of time it took. However at the end of the day it was resolved.
Hey Tim! Thanks for sharing your experience! We're glad our representative was thorough and able to resolve the issues with your account, even though it took longer than expected. If you need any further assistance, feel free to reach out. We appreciate your patience and understanding!
Good points:
- Customer service timing is quite good. They go straight to the point and solve your issues. They are very kind, respectful, and responsive. Very good customer service.
- Company referral program rewards are awesome.
- Investing in companies is easy and straightforward.
- The verification process is easy and straightforward.
- Transparency with fees and costs.
- Issuance of the subscription agreement is a fast and reliable process.
- Most momentum companies and listings' details are useful.
Not so good:
- I'm an international trader/investor. It was easy to purchase StartEngine shares, but trading is disallowed on the marketplace for international traders. Please support international investors because it's not easy to sell outside the marketplace.
- Company referral acceptance is complicated. Not every company is a good fit to raise money on StartEngine, which makes the prospecting process difficult.
- It could be great to show the current share value on the dashboard.
Products used:
Equity stock
Hi Carlos!
Thank you for taking the time to provide detailed feedback about your experience with our platform. We greatly appreciate your insights and are thrilled to hear that you've found many aspects of our service to be excellent.
We're delighted that you've found our customer service to be prompt, efficient, and courteous. Providing exceptional support to our users is a top priority, and we're glad to hear that our team has been able to assist you effectively.
Regarding your suggestions for improvement, we hear you loud and clear. These are all very valuable suggestions, and we'll definitely take them into consideration as we continue to enhance our platform for all users.
Once again, thank you for your valuable feedback. We're committed to continuously improving our platform to better serve your needs and provide you with the best possible investment experience. If you have any further suggestions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly at contact@startengine.com.
Have a great day!
Wide array of interesting investments in start up companies. Easy to use, intuitive interface. Reccomend!
Hi Anthony, We appreciate your feedback and are thrilled to hear you are having a great experience! We look forward to continuing this experience for you on our platform!
I've invested in 23 and growing start engine companies. I keep close tabs on progress, updates from each company. A few high potential companies on start engine were worth my time and money to invest in first, second, third round fundraising efforts.
I find it very easy to use, quite organized. Rather than issuing all my portfolio funds to wealth manager, I enjoy the hobby of reading about smaller start ups on my own.
I have made upwards of 15 investments, some of them are obviously crazy longshots a couple of them have paid out cash dividends at regular intervals. I think it's very important to know that these investments are very long term, not a year but many years. Some of them may never pay back, but there are (in my opinion) a few opportunities on the site that have the chance to turn out incredibly.
Don't make the investment if it is with money you will miss though.
Products used:
Invested in start-ups on the site
This business never addresses a problem.
Everything is directed to a web site "answers to your problems"
Web sites that answer nothing.
Can't get an order in, check this page. NO help
Problem with your statement, call this #. Answering machine directing you to the web site.
It's like when your computer has a problem and those little blue balls start going around in in a circle.
It's in a loop and you're not going anywhere.
After 4 e-mails, 2 with 3 pictures attached, as requested, my response was "sorry you had a problem."
(Original review - 1 star) I went to my Start Engine account and couldn't login. I selected to recover my account, entered my email on file and never received a response. I contacted directly and still no response. I'm thinking that this site is a scam and I have lost my investment. Have caution. I will not invest through Start Engine again. Motley Fool has also stated to stay away from Start Engine. Wish I would have seen this review before. Don't trust this company.
(New review) Conner with StartEngine reached out and worked with me on recovering my account. There was a mixup in the email accounts and he helped me access my account, change my password, my shares are safe and all is good.
Tip for consumers:
Customer service was solid. Not a foreign call center. Great communication. I panicked when I couldn’t access my account and didn’t hear from them that day. The customer service changed my opinion drastically.
Products used:
Purchased shares of a company.
Thank you for taking the time to update your review! We're glad to hear that Connor was able to assist you. We appreciate your positive feedback about our customer service. We value your trust and appreciate your continued support!
I bought JTAI before it went public for $600 for 800 shares. When it went public, I got 39 shares, which is $27.
Tip for consumers:
If you are trying to help others get on their feet, at a loss to you, this is a good place. If you want to make money, long term, just wait till the company goes public and buy then. If the company never goes public, then that means it did not do well, and you lucked out,unlike me, did not lose your @$$.
Products used:
I purchase stocks before the company goes public to try to get in early, then I found out
Hi Oscar,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience on our platform with Jet.AI. We appreciate all feedback, as it helps us continually improve our services and address concerns. We're genuinely sorry to hear about the challenges you faced, and we understand how frustrating it must be.
We want to address your specific situation and provide some context. If a company that raised on our platform previously makes the decision to go public, it is out of our hands and we have no control over the situation and your shares in the company.
StartEngine assists start-up companies in raising capital for their business and helps facilitate investments from investors but once an offering has ended, we are not involved in the IPO process other than providing information to the company’s Transfer Agent and trying to assist investors in the process to the best of our abilities.
If you have any specific concerns about your investment or if there's anything we can do to assist you further, please reach out to our customer support team at contact@startengine.com. We are here to address your queries and provide assistance to the best of our abilities.
Once again, we appreciate your feedback, and we remain committed to learning from our users' experiences to refine our platform. Your insights contribute significantly to our ongoing efforts to improve and provide a better service.
Thank you for your understanding, and we hope to have the opportunity to regain your trust in the future.
Being apart of a peoples owned movie production film company is exciting! It's a small cost per share and an affordable minimum requirement to start! Less than $40.00!
We are happy to hear you are excited about your investment! Thank you for using StartEngine!
I researched them all and IMO Start Engine is the best crowdfunding platform. Everything is laid out and easy to understand.You can get bonus shares and more and you can also invest in the platform itself. And it's backed by Mr.Wonderful so of course it's the best one!
Tip for consumers:
Make sure you purchase the owner’s bonus !
Products used:
I invested in the platform and another one, dronedek .
I bought what was described to be "shares" of "stock" in StartEngine itself which, by use of those terms, one would believe to be liquid and resalable on a stock exchange. This company is private and this is all a ruse to raise funds without any need to pay anyone back.
Hi Chris,
Thank you so much for your feedback here! We would be happy to share some additional insight into the platform and what we do!
StartEngine provides investors an opportunity to invest in early-stage start-ups. What this means is that you are often investing in early-stage companies. Investments in these types of companies are risky by their nature, and many often fail without any element of fraud or misconduct.
As we try to remind you in various places throughout the website, including in the educational materials which all users agree to when creating an account, the universal website footer, and every investment agreement used in conjunction with any offering on our platform, these investments are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk including the possible loss of your entire investment.
Even if a company is successful, it takes some time, often years, before an investor can have an opportunity to realize any returns on these types of investments. While we wish all the companies who raise our platform the best of success, we also encourage investors to remember when making any investments through the platform that all investments are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk including the possible loss of your entire investment, and to take this risk under consideration and invest responsibly.
To learn more about investing with StartEngine, please check out our Help Guide: https://help.startengine.com
We hope this helps to clear up any confusion about how investing on our platform works, if you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact us directly at contact@startengine.com.
Thank you!
It's a scam save your money, there crooks, invested almost 2 years ago haven't heard any haven't earned a penny and with the economy today no one can afford to throw away money and once you invest and they close the market, you can't pull your investment back out, I'm a Marine and a retired law enforcement officer so I have no reason too lie, I guess white collar crime pays cause you can rob people and get away with it.
I invested through start engine, pre-ipo, for jet ai, formerly known as jet token. I had 630 shares before the ipo. Somehow I ended up with just 21 shares and 33 warrants. Likely due to a reverse split, eventually leaving me with about $30 worth of shares for my $200 investment. I won't ever invest through start engine again, as it was a hassle to get simple information and is an even bigger hassle to transfer your shares. E-Trade won't even allow me to transfer my shares into my brokerage account because they are worth less than $500. I would highly recommend AGAINST it.
Products used:
I invested in a pre IPO through start engine. Terrible customer service, very little clarity and transparency about the process. Definitely would not recommend!
Hi Taron,
Thank you for leaving your feedback.
We sincerely apologize for the difficulties you have experienced.
If a company that raised on our platform previously makes the decision to go public, it is out of our hands and we have no control over the situation and what happens to your shares.
StartEngine assists start-up companies in raising capital for their business and helps facilitate investments from investors but once an offering has ended, we are not involved in the IPO process other than providing information to the company’s Transfer Agent and trying to assist investors in the process to the best of our abilities.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out directly to us at contact@startengine.com.
Again, we value your feedback and hope to improve this experience for you.
Have a great day!
Gain trust and grow your business with customer reviews.
Hi Brian!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you've had such a positive interaction with our support team, especially with Nicole. Providing exceptional customer support is a top priority for us, and it's fantastic to know that Nicole's dedication and thoroughness left such a lasting impression. Your kind words mean the world to us, and we'll be sure to pass along your gratitude to Nicole and the rest of our team. We're grateful for your support and look forward to continuing to exceed your expectations in the future. If you ever need anything else, please don't hesitate to reach out. Happy investing!