The Project Review Process: From Submitting to Getting Approved

What is the project review process and why do you review projects at all?

We review projects before they launch just to make sure that they’re suitable for the Kickstarter community. We check to make sure that each project falls into one of these 15 creative categories and meets our rules. These rules and review process are in place to ensure that Kickstarter remains a community that’s all about supporting creative ideas. All-in-all, we accept about 80% of the projects that come our way.

How long does the review process take?

We crunched the numbers, and it takes us an average of about 30 hours to review most projects. However, if anything needs to be changed on your project to make sure it can launch, this could add to the review time. Our team recommends allowing at least 2-3 business days for the review process.

What's the best way to know if I can launch my project on Kickstarter?

The best course of action is to read through our rules and also make sure that your project doesn't include any of these prohibited items. If you’re making something based in one of these categories that can be shared with others, then you’ll probably be good.

Aside from that, we’d recommend filling out a project draft (that way we can understand the full scope of your project) and sharing it with us for review.

Can I continue editing my project while I’m waiting for it to be reviewed, or even after it’s been approved?

Yes and yes.

Is there anything I can’t edit after I launch?

Once you launch your project, there are a few things that you won’t be able to edit, including:

• Your profile name 
• Your funding goal and campaign duration 
• Your bank account and verified identity details 
• Any reward that has been pledged to (this includes shipping costs related to the reward)

What happens after I click the “Submit for review” button?

Click “Submit for review” and we’ll run an automated check to make sure you’ve completed each section of your project draft, and that your project meets a cursory check against our rules. After that check, there are two possible outcomes:

Outcome 1
If we need to double-check that your project is good-to-go, or if you’re launching a project in the Design or Technology category, the flow will look like this:

If your project is flagged for this additional review, you’ll hear from us within a day or so. If any changes need to be made in order for your project to launch, the review process could take up to a few business days.

Outcome 2
If your project is good to go after the automated check, you’ll go through the flow below. You’ll have the option to submit your project to our team for feedback or to launch whenever you’re ready. 

 If my project has been approved do I need to launch right away? Will it go live automatically?

Nope. You’ll manually launch your project (by clicking the “Launch project now” button) when you’re ready. A lot of creators have asked if it’s possible to schedule their project to launch automatically, but there’s not a way to set this up through Kickstarter right now.

Before you click the “Launch project now” button, we recommend double-checking your goal, campaign duration, and doing one last read through your rewards and shipping costs. Here’s a checklist to help you make sure everything is in order. And remember, just because your project has been approved doesn’t mean that you need to launch right away. Take your time and only go live once you’re ready.

Further Reading

• Wondering what sort of tips we share with creators during the review process? Our Resources Compendium contains everything. 
• On this Campus thread, creators share what they wish they had known before launching a project. 
• If you’re ready to go live, here’s a checklist to help you have a super smooth launch day.
• Still have questions? We're here to help! Talk to us on Twitter.