# Altruisto browser extension generates donations via online shopping - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/04/13/altruisto-browser-extension-generates-donations-via-online-shopping/ - Published: 2018-04-13T11:06:02+01:00 - Author: Howard Lake **Altruisto is a browser extension which generates an affiliate commission for three charities when shopping at participating merchants’ sites.** Altruisto has partnered with [over 1,000 companies](https://altruisto.com/partners) such as Barnes & Noble, AliExpress, eBay, and Microsoft. It is available for Chrome and [Firefox](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/altruisto-com/), with versions for Opera and Edge soon to be available. ## Advertisement After installing Altruisto, when you visit one of the partner stores you see a special box with a button stating ‘Start raising money’. When you click the box and confirm your choice you are redirected back to the partner store. From then on, whenever you buy something Altruisto receives a portion of the price you paid. This is typically between 1% and 6%. After deducting its running costs Altruisto donates the remainder of its income to three charities. The organisation is a Community Interest Company, meaning that it has an obligation to use its profits and assets for the public good. Consequently it donates 100% of the remainder income to charities. > [https://t.co/MmN56VIUHK](https://t.co/MmN56VIUHK) – Do good just by shopping > online [https://t.co/FjxtwGWxNV](https://t.co/FjxtwGWxNV) > — Steven Pinker (@sapinker) [August 21, 2017](https://twitter.com/sapinker/status/899723513627648001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   ## How Altruisto works ![How Altruisto works - infographic](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2018/04/ How-Altruisto-Works-1024x576.jpg) ## “Effective charities” It has chosen three charities to support, which tackle extreme poverty and global health. It has selected them based on recommendations from the [Givewell](http://GiveWell.org) site. This conducts “in-depth research into how well charities do what they are supposed to do and chooses the best one”. > This chrome extension raises money for [@givewell](https://twitter.com/GiveWell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > charities whenever you buy stuff online at no extra cost to you! [https://t.co/1FvezCJoOj](https://t.co/1FvezCJoOj) > — Liv Boeree (@Liv_Boeree) [August 7, 2017](https://twitter.com/Liv_Boeree/status/894597256384577537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   The three charities are: * Against Malaria Foundation * Schistosomiasis Control Initiative * Give Directly The startup plans to add more charities to benefit, but not to expand it beyond Givewell’s recommended charities. An app is also planned to help make mobile purchasing via the browser even easier. > Help [https://t.co/kYYVV2bEzI](https://t.co/kYYVV2bEzI) raise money for highly > effective charities (GiveWell approved) at no cost to you: [https://t.co/bGYj1eKJhy](https://t.co/bGYj1eKJhy) > — Peter Singer (@PeterSinger) [August 1, 2017](https://twitter.com/PeterSinger/status/892286979030765568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) The browser extension has raised over $1,000 so far. ## Source code The source code of the extension is publicly available on [GitHub](https://github.com/Altruisto/altruisto) for anyone to view, audit, and improve. As well as demonstrating transparency in how the extension works, this also means that other developers can participate in the development of the extension.   ## Extension only Altruisto does not operate a web version of its service, with services like daily deals, product feeds, vouchers, and coupons. In this way it differs from existing charity affiliate services like GiveAsYouLive, The Giving Machine, Easyfundraising and GoRaise.co.uk.   ## AmazonSmile Since the browser was developed Amazon has extended its AmazonSmile donation service to charities in the UK. Does that remove the need for Altruisto when shopping on Amazon? Altruisto’s FAQ points out that its other partners “usually donate 2-12 times more through Altruisto (1-6%) than Amazon does through Amazon Smile (only 0.5% of the final price)”. In addition its partner stores include products or services that are not available on Amazon, such as financial products and sports clubs’ official apparel. * **[TheGivingMachine CEO calls for fairer treatment over affiliate commission payments](https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/08/13/thegivingmachine-ceo-calls-for-fairer-treatment-over-affiliate-commission-payments/)**( 13 August 2019) * **[UK Fundraising is Amazon.co.uk Associates site of the Week!](https://fundraising.co.uk/1999/11/13/uk-fundraising-amazoncouk-associates-site-week/)**( 13 November 1999) * **[Holy cowshed!](https://fundraising.co.uk/1999/12/02/holy-cowshed/)** (2 December 1999) ![Loading](https://fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/page-views-count/ajax-loader- 2x.gif)