Looking to give your Shopify store a boost? Offering gifts to customers can increase conversions, improve customer loyalty, and encourage repeat purchases. Shopify gift apps make this process easier by automating gift offers, adding gift wrapping options, or allowing customers to purchase gift cards. Whether you’re an eCommerce store owner trying to clear excess stock or an agency managing multiple stores, the right gift app can be a game-changer.
In this article, we’ll review the 10 best Shopify gift apps that can help you increase your average order value (AOV) and enhance the overall shopping experience.
What Are Shopify Gift Apps?
Shopify gift apps are tools designed to enhance the shopping experience by offering customers perks such as free gifts, gift wrapping, gift cards, or even personalized gift messages. These apps are especially useful for increasing average order value (AOV), boosting customer loyalty, and providing a seamless way for customers to give and receive gifts through your store.
Using gift apps, you can set up promotions like “Buy One Get One Free” (BOGO), offer discounts based on cart value, or allow customers to choose a gift after hitting a spending threshold. Some apps also offer features like multi-address shipping, gift registries, and the ability to send branded gift cards directly to the recipient’s email.
How do Shopify Gift Apps Benefit Your Store?
- Increased Conversion Rates: By offering free gifts or discounts, you incentivize customers to add more products to their cart.
- Higher AOV: Customers often spend more to qualify for free gifts or other promotions.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Personalized gifts or messages create a unique shopping experience that keeps customers coming back.
- Automation: These apps automate gift offers, reducing the manual work for store owners.
Next, we’ll break down the best Shopify gift apps, covering their features, pros, cons, and pricing.
10 The Best Shopify Gift Apps for 2024
1 BOGOS: Free Gift & Buy X Get Y
Rating: 4.9/5
Key Features:
- BOGOS offers (Buy One Get One Free) and custom promotions for cart-based gifts.
- Supports automatic gift additions when certain cart thresholds are met.
- Allows for a variety of free gift options, including product-specific gifts or broader cart-wide promotions.
Pros:
- Easy to set up and customize gift promotions.
- Helps increase conversions by encouraging customers to spend more to qualify for gifts.
- Free plan available, making it accessible for small businesses.
Cons:
- Limited advanced customization options for more complex promotions.
- Some users report occasional bugs during setup
Pricing:
- Free Plan available.
- Paid plans offer more advanced features.
2 Giftship
Rating: 5/5
Key Features:
- Offers multi-address shipping for sending items to different locations from a single order.
- Supports personalized gift messages, date scheduling, gift wrapping, and one-click upsells.
- An all-in-one gifting solution that combines multiple gifting functionalities into one app.
Pros:
- Perfect for stores that want to provide a full gifting experience, especially during peak holiday seasons.
- Extremely versatile, offering features like multi-address shipping, which is rare in other apps.
- Customizable to suit the look and feel of your store with no coding required.
Cons:
- The starting price may be high for small businesses.
- Some users report limited customization options for gift wrapping designs.Pricing:
- Starts at $29.99/month.
3 Rise.ai: Gift Cards & Loyalty
Rating: 4.8/5
Key Features:
- Create gift cards, loyalty programs, and store credit systems.
- Automates referral programs, rewards workflows, and customer retention strategies.
- Integrates easily with Shopify to issue digital gift cards directly to recipients via email.
Pros:
- Great for businesses that want to foster long-term customer loyalty with gift cards and rewards.
- Works well for both digital and physical gift cards, making it versatile across industries.
- Features automated workflows for tracking loyalty points and referrals.
Cons:
- Limited customization for the loyalty program’s look and feel.
- Can be complex to set up for businesses new to loyalty and rewards systems.
Pricing:
- Starts from $19.99/month, with additional charges depending on usage.
4 Gift Box by Digismoothie
Rating: 4.7/5
Key Features:
- Easily adds gift boxes and personalized messages to orders.
- Offers a wide range of customization options for the gift boxes.
- Automates the process of offering free gifts or promotional items based on cart value or specific product purchases.
Pros:
- Simple to set up and customize, even for users without technical skills.
- Helps improve customer satisfaction by offering custom gift options.
- Allows scheduling of promotions and specific gifts to be included during set periods.
Cons:
- Limited in terms of design options for gift boxes.
- Some users report challenges in integrating the app with more complex store themes
Pricing:
- $9.99/month.
5 Corner Free Gift & Cart Upsell
Rating: 4.9/5
Key Features:
- Allows for multiple free gift promotions at once.
- Includes a progress bar that encourages customers to add more items to their cart in order to receive free gifts.
- Offers in-cart upsells, which lets you increase average order value with related products.
Pros:
- Offers multiple free gift options and can be customized to suit your store’s theme.
- Easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop widgets.
- Great for running multiple campaigns aimed at boosting sales through upsells and free gifts.
Cons:
- Some users report difficulty in integrating the app with variants.
- Lacks advanced language support, making it harder to use for international stores
Pricing:
- Free plan available; paid plans from $15/month.
6 EasyGift: Auto Add to Cart
Rating: 3.7/5
Key Features:
- Automatically adds free gifts to the cart based on cart value, items purchased, or other predefined rules.
- Offers upsell and cross-sell opportunities to increase AOV.
- Users can schedule promotions and decide when and what gifts should be added.
Pros:
- Ideal for automating free gifts and upsells with a simple setup.
- Increases AOV with upsell recommendations based on cart contents.
- Allows scheduling of offers, so customers always see relevant promotions.
Cons:
- Limited in terms of customization for the appearance of the gifts in the cart.
- Some users report occasional bugs, particularly with more complex product logic.
Pricing:
- Starts at $5.99/month.
7 Monk Free Gift with Purchase
Rating: 5/5
Key Features:
- Allows merchants to set up free gift offers based on cart value, product purchase, or customer type.
- Supports targeted promotions that can be fully customized for each campaign.
- Provides upsell and cross-sell opportunities to help increase sales.
Pros:
- High level of customization available for free gift campaigns.
- Great for creating specific promotions targeted at customer segments.
- Offers additional features like upselling to boost overall revenue.
Cons:
- Some users report compatibility issues with certain Shopify themes.
- Limited multi-language support.
Pricing:
- Free to install, with premium upgrades available.
8 Sales Motivator – Free Gifts
Rating: 4.5/5
Key Features:
- Allows you to create gift with purchase (GWP) offers to incentivize customer purchases.
- Custom discount codes are automatically applied, streamlining the checkout process.
- Works well for building promotional campaigns with free gifts based on order value or specific product purchases.
Pros:
- Easy to set up and manage campaigns through a user-friendly dashboard.
- Offers a variety of customization options for free gifts and discount conditions.
- Boosts sales by motivating customers to increase their order value.
Cons:
- Limited advanced customization for the presentation of discounts.
- Pricing can be high for smaller stores.
Pricing:
- $14.99/month.
9 CartKing – Free Gifts
Rating: 4.4/5
Key Features:
- Supports bulk gift promotions, allowing multiple gifts per order.
- Automatically adds free gifts to the cart based on predefined rules.
- Provides options for scheduling and creating gift campaigns to clear out excess inventory.
Pros:
- Simple to integrate with Shopify stores.
- Great for stores looking to promote multiple free gift options in a single order.
- Helps with managing and clearing excess inventory by turning it into free gifts.
Cons:
- Limited options for customizing the logic behind gift offers.
- Customer support can sometimes be slow to respond.
Pricing:
- Free to install, with paid plans for additional features.
10 DROP A HINT Premium
Rating: 5/5
Key Features:
- Allows customers to send “hints” to others via email, suggesting products they want as gifts.
- Grows your email list by capturing both the sender’s and recipient’s email addresses.
- Helps convert casual shoppers into buyers by encouraging them to “hint” at gifts they’d like to receive.
Pros:
- Unique feature that engages both the sender and recipient, increasing email list size.
- Increases conversion rates by turning casual browsers into potential gift recipients.
- Helps businesses tap into social gifting without requiring a heavy sales pitch.
Cons:
- Limited customization options for the “hint” emails.
- Best suited for stores focused on gift-based products, not general retail.
Pricing:
- Starts at $15/month.
How to Choose the Best Gift App for Your Store
With so many gift apps available for Shopify, it can be tricky to pick the one that best fits your store’s needs. Here are the key factors you should consider when choosing a gift app for your store:
1. Budget
- Free vs. Paid Plans: Many gift apps offer free versions with basic functionality, but advanced features like full customization, upsells, and detailed analytics usually come with paid plans. For small stores, apps like BOGOS or Monk Free Gift are great free options to start with. As your store grows, apps like Giftship or Rise.ai offer more advanced features that are worth the investment.
2. Store Size and Complexity
- Small Stores: Apps like EasyGift or CartKing are perfect for stores that want to automate simple gift-giving based on cart rules without complex setup. These apps are easy to install and manage, which makes them ideal for smaller operations.
- Larger Stores: For more complex gifting needs, Giftship or Rise.ai can help manage multi-address shipping, loyalty programs, and automated gift workflows. These apps are perfect for businesses with high order volumes or those looking to build customer loyalty through advanced gift and rewards systems.
3. Usability and Setup
- Ease of Integration: Some apps like BOGOS or Monk Free Gift are extremely easy to install and configure, making them a great choice for non-technical users. However, apps like Rise.ai may require more setup time and technical knowledge, especially for customizing loyalty and rewards workflows.
4. Key Features Needed
- Gifting Functionality: If you’re focused on free gifts, apps like Corner Free Gift & Cart Upsell or Sales Motivator – Free Gifts will work well for creating simple offers and upsells.
- Gift Cards: For stores that sell gift cards, Rise.ai is one of the best choices. It’s great for managing gift cards, store credit, and loyalty programs.
- Multi-Address Shipping: If you need your customers to ship products to multiple addresses within a single order, Giftship is the best option.
- Custom Gift Wrapping: If offering customized gift-wrapping is important to your business, apps like Gift Box provide that functionality.
5. Customer Support
- Check the level of customer support offered, especially for paid apps. Some users report slower response times for apps like CartKing, while others rave about the prompt support from apps like Monk Free Gift and Giftship.
6. Customization Options
- Look for apps that offer theme and style customization to ensure the gifting widgets match your store’s design. Apps like Giftship and Corner Free Gift & Cart Upsell are known for their flexible customization options.
7. Advanced Features
- If you’re planning to run more complex marketing campaigns or set up rules based on customer behavior, apps like Rise.ai or Sales Motivator will be valuable as they offer advanced automation features and in-depth analytics.
Conclusion
Gift apps are a powerful way to enhance the shopping experience in your Shopify store, whether you want to offer free gifts, personalized gift wrapping, or create advanced loyalty programs with gift cards. The apps listed above provide a range of options, from simple “Buy One, Get One Free” promotions to multi-address shipping solutions and automated loyalty workflows.
For smaller businesses just starting out, apps like BOGOS or Monk Free Gift offer easy-to-use solutions at no or low cost. Larger stores, or those with more complex gifting needs, will benefit from apps like Rise.ai and Giftship, which provide advanced features such as multi-address shipping, loyalty programs, and fully customizable gift card systems.
By choosing the right app, you’ll be able to increase your store’s average order value (AOV), boost customer loyalty, and make shopping more enjoyable for your customers.
FAQ
1. How do gift apps help increase my store’s sales?
Gift apps incentivize customers to spend more by offering perks like free gifts or gift cards when they hit certain cart values. This can lead to higher average order values and repeat business.
2. Are there any free gift apps for Shopify?
Yes, several apps like BOGOS and Monk Free Gift offer free plans. These plans usually come with limited features, but they can be a great starting point for smaller stores.
3. What’s the best app for offering gift cards?
Rise.ai is widely regarded as the best app for offering digital gift cards and creating loyalty programs. It allows customers to send gift cards via email and helps store owners set up store credit systems.
4. Can I offer multiple free gifts at once?
Yes, apps like Corner Free Gift & Cart Upsell allow you to run multiple free gift promotions at the same time. This is great for stores that want to offer different gifts for different cart values.
5. What should I look for when choosing a gift app?
Consider factors like budget, the features you need (e.g., gift wrapping, multi-address shipping, loyalty programs), and how easy the app is to integrate into your store. Also, make sure the app offers good customer support in case you run into issues.