Gift Card Systems For Small Business Guide: Best Ways To Sell Small Business Gift Cards In 2023

Stripe Gift Card System Features

Stripe is a payment processor that also allows business owners to create a custom checkout page, send invoices, and take occasional in-person payments using the Stripe Terminal.

Some of Stripe's most popular features include:

• Excellent developer tools
• Highly customizable
• International selling and multicurrency capabilities
• Easily integrates with a variety of supported languages/frameworks (Ruby, Python, PHP, Java, Node, Go, etc.)
• Gift card integrations include GiftPro (pictured above), Gift Up!, Splose, Loyal Patron, GiftFly, and more
• eCommerce platform integrations include WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Shopify, and more

Stripe Gift Card System Pricing

There are no costs to implement Stripe into your eCommerce website aside from payment processing fees. Whatever gift card program you use with Stripe may charge its own fees, however.

Hardware Cost

The Stripe Terminal app is compatible with five card readers. Pricing ranges from $59 to $299.

Payment Processing

Stripe's online payment processing has a flat rate of 2.9% + $0.30, while in-person payment processing costs 2.7% + $0.05.

The gift card software you use with Stripe may or may not charge an additional transaction fee on gift card purchases.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Stripe is pay-as-you-go with no contract.

However, one thing to be aware of with Stripe is that it is a PSP/third-party processor like Square or PayPal. (Shopify Payments, another PSP, is actually powered by Stripe.) In addition to having potential issues with account stability, PSPs are not suitable for high-risk businesses.

Where Stripe Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

Stripe is a flexible online payment processor that is ideal for online businesses that want to sell gift cards using a professionally developed website. To get the most out of Stripe, you will need developer expertise; Stripe is not a DIY all-in-one solution for beginners to sell gift cards online.

If you don't have technical web developer skills, you may need to hire a web developer to implement Stripe into your website. You can use one of Stripe's prebuilt website builder integrations, such as WooCommerce, to create your eComm website, but again, given its advanced capabilities, Stripe is mainly geared toward professionally developed websites.

Stripe has pre-built integrations with several digital gift card software solutions, but you can also build your own integrations using the API.

Square Gift Card System Features

Square is a highly popular POS option for small businesses in many areas. Small business owners can use Square to sell anything from nail services, to artisanal baked goods, to CBD oil, without paying any monthly fees.

Square POS includes the following POS gift card system features:

• Sell digital gift cards online
• Sell physical and digital gift cards at the register
• Attach a gift card to a customer's phone number or email
• Sell gift cards with discounted promotional pricing
• Allow customers to check and add to a gift card's balance online
• Reissue a physical or digital gift card if a customer loses theirs
• Track gift card activity in Square's gift card sales reports
• Issue physical and digital gift card refunds
• Sell with highly affordable hardware (or none at all!)
• Integrates with Gift Up!, Pintuna, GoParrot, and other gift card software

Square Gift Card System Pricing

Square POS is a free app, and it's free to sell and accept gift cards with Square as well; you only have to pay payment processing fees and the cost of any plastic gift cards you purchase.

Physical gift cards, which include a barcode, numerical code, and/or QR code (depending on your design) cost between $0.81 and $2. The price difference depends on how many cards you order and how customizable you want your cards to be.

Hardware Cost

Square can be used with just about any mobile device using either Square checkout links and/or the Square card reader, which allows you to take in-person payments for lower payment processing rates.

Restaurants and retail stores should consider purchasing one of Square's proprietary hardware solutions such as the Square Terminal ($299) or the Square Register ($799). The Square Terminal allows employees to take orders and payments at the table or while customers roam a store. The Square Register allows you to take orders and payments at a countertop register.

Payment Processing

Square Payments charges a payment processing fee of 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person transactions and 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions. Card-not-present (i.e., manually-keyed-in card numbers) have a 3.5% + $0.15 processing fee.

If a customer purchases an eGift card in person, you will be charged the in-person payment processing fee.

Square does not integrate with any outside payment processors, so higher-volume businesses may want to choose a different POS provider for better payment processing rates.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Square is pay-as-you-go, meaning there is no commitment and you can stop using the POS at any time without incurring any penalty.

One thing to know is that Square does not come with your own merchant account; as a payment service provider (PSP), Square has an aggregate merchant account model, which can sometimes lead to account instability, withheld funds, and (rarely) sudden account terminations.

Where Square Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

We like that Square has become known throughout the restaurant and retail industries for its free, easy-to-use POS and mobile processing system. The same could be said of the company's free program of gift cards for businesses. Square stands out for its affordable, transparent gift card pricing and easy ordering. You can set up digital or physical gift cards with just a few clicks within the Square app.

Square offers starter packs as well as fully customized physical gift cards featuring your own art. Square's physical gift cards (which you'll need to order from eCard Systems) come with a magnetic stripe as well as a QR code and a standard bar code and are reloadable. Square also offers digital gift cards, which you can sell online or in person. One of the only limitations is you can't sell physical gift cards from your Square website.

Read our guide to Square gift cards for more on how to use Square's gift card feature.

TouchBistro Gift Card System Features

TouchBistro is an affordable restaurant POS system specifically designed to make the lives of servers, kitchen staff, and restaurant management easier. The POS was created by seasoned restaurant staff and has taken every aspect of the restaurant management experience into account.

Here are some things to know about TouchBistro and its gift card system for small businesses:

• Sell gift cards on an online ordering page, customer web app, and in person
• Schedule digital gift cards to be sent to friends and family on a certain date and time
• Customers can earn gift cards as part of loyalty rewards
• Personalize physical gift cards for holidays, birthdays, and other occasions
• Customers can redeem gift cards at any restaurant location
• Take gift cards at a customer's table and at the register
• Suitable for any type of bar or restaurant (cafe, fine dining, fast-casual, food truck, brewery, etc.)
• Restaurant management features such as KDS, menu management, table management, and tableside ordering

TouchBistro Gift Card System Pricing

TouchBistro plans start at $69/month, and adding gift card functionality is another $25/month. If you want an online ordering website where customers can buy and redeem gift cards, you will pay an additional $50/month, for a total monthly spend of $144/month.

Hardware Cost

TouchBistro uses iPad POS hardware. To get pricing, you will have to reach out to TouchBistro for a custom quote.

Payment Processing

TouchBistro integrates with several payment processors, including its own TouchBistro Payments, powered by Chase. TB Payments uses a cost-plus processing model.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

TouchBistro does require a contract that you cannot exit early without penalty and does not offer month-to-month pricing. Your contract length will be specified in your TouchBistro pricing quote.

Where TouchBistro Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

TouchBistro is an affordable, easy-to-use restaurant POS for iPad that lets you sell branded, customized gift cards from your restaurant, and digital gift cards online or from your POS. TouchBistro gift cards can be tracked using your POS and redeemed at any of your store locations; digital gift cards can be redeemed online or in person from your customer's smartphone. TouchBistro gift cards also integrate with your loyalty program if you have this TouchBistro add-on enabled as well. For example, customers can earn gift cards as rewards through the TouchBistro loyalty program.

One thing to note about TouchBistro is that it is compatible with various payment processors, but not all of those processors have gift card-compatible terminals. Notably, TouchBistro is compatible with Square POS, whose readers are indeed gift card-compatible (via swipe or manual card number entry).

Lightspeed Retail Gift Card System Features

Lightspeed Retail is a POS system built for retailers. The software includes excellent inventory management (Lightspeed is the best POS for retail inventory management) and sales features.

While in-person retailers will benefit the most from Lightspeed Retail, the POS system does offer an integrated eCommerce store builder so you can sell gift cards anywhere, anytime.

Lightspeed Retail offers the following POS and gift card system features:

• Built-in physical and digital gift card acceptance
• Sell digital and physical gift cards online
• Issue printable barcode gift cards
• Sell rechargeable gift cards
• Issue promotional gift cards
• Set gift card expiration dates
• Honor expired gift cards
• Tie together gift card program and loyalty program
• Gift card tracking, history, and details
• Retail-centric feature set
• Advanced retail inventory management
• Gift card integrations with TapMango, Incentivio, LoyalAction, vOucher, MDware, and Kangaroo Rewards

Lightspeed Retail Gift Card System Pricing

Lightspeed Retail pricing starts at the Lean plan, which costs $69/month (billed annually) or $89/month (billed monthly).

If you get the Lean plan without Lightspeed Payments, you'll spend $119/month (with annual billing) or 139/month (with monthly billing.)

Plans that include eCommerce and Lightspeed Payments start at the Standard plan, which costs $119/month (billed annually) or $149/month (billed monthly).

All Lightspeed Retail plans come with one register. Additional registers cost $59/device/month.

Hardware Cost

Lightspeed uses iPad and desktop PC hardware, which you can source yourself or purchase from Lightspeed. Contact Lightspeed for a pricing quote if you need to purchase a hardware kit.

Note: Lightspeed Retail now requires all new merchants to use Lightspeed Payments, Lightspeed's payment processor. If you currently use a card reader from a third-party payment processor, you can't use it anymore. Since you can't use any existing payment terminals (card readers) with Lightspeed Payments, Lightspeed is currently running a free terminal replacement promotion for eligible merchants that includes two free Lightspeed POS terminals (card readers) per qualified merchant.

Eligible merchants include business owners that process a minimum of $100/day in credit card payments, as measured by a monthly average. Apple products are not included in this promotion, so you'll still need to source an iPad to take sales.

Payment Processing

Lightspeed requires all qualified Lightspeed Retail users in the US and Canada to use Lightspeed Payments, the company's in-house payment processor.

You will be charged a payment processing rate of 2.6% + $0.10 for all in-person payments, and 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction. This is on par with providers such as Square, Clover, and Shopify.

Note: If you are currently a Lightspeed Retail user in the US or Canada and use a third-party payment processor, and you qualify for Lightspeed Payments, you must switch to Lightspeed Payments within 30 days of receiving an email notifying you about the switch.

Lightspeed will buy out payment processing contracts, paying off merchants' early cancellation fees if you process a minimum of $25,000 in card sales, and then submit documentation of your previous payment processing contract that states your early termination fee within six months of meeting this minimum processing amount.

It's important to note that the "paying off" comes in the form of discounted payment processing fees, not a chunk of cash that goes towards your termination fees when you decide to switch to Lightspeed Payments.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

As mentioned, month-to-month plans are available, but you'll have to commit for at least one year to get the lowest price. However, if you cancel your plan, there is an early termination fee, so consider starting with a month-to-month plan before committing long-term.

Also, you must verify that you have received your Lightspeed hardware within five business days of receiving it, or the equipment is not covered under Lightspeed's 30-day warranty (14 days for Apple products.)

Where Lightspeed Retail Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

We love how customizable Lightspeed Retail is, especially for gift card sales. For no additional monthly cost, you can sell retail gift cards, offer promotional gift cards to incentivize people to visit your storefront, and reload gift cards to keep up gift card-related sales without buying more physical cards.

Also, the ability to add an expiration date to a gift card will drive customers to spend at least the balance, if not more, and (ideally) gain a lifelong customer. Combine your Lightspeed Retail loyalty and gift card program for further customer rewards and relationship building.

Yet another option is to use one of Lightspeed's many third-party integrations to sell physical or digital gift cards. One integration of note is the free MDWare integration, which lets you print paper barcode gift cards for free.

For these reasons and more, we believe that Lightspeed Retail is the best POS for retailers and retailers' customer bases.

Clover Gift Card System Features

Clover is a popular POS system with a variety of POS software and hardware options best suited for small retail, quick-serve restaurant (QSR), service-based, and mobile-first businesses.

Here are some popular features of Clover POS and its gift card system for small businesses:

• Sleek, purpose-built POS hardware, including a handheld mobile POS system
• Easy to customize your POS with free or purchased apps
• Sell QR code gift cards from POS or website
• Easy digital gift card redemption from smartphones
• Customers can send digital gift cards with text, email, or app
• Online ordering website included on all Clover plans for restaurants
• Integrates with third-party gift cards for POS systems, including Loopz, Givex, GiftFly, LoyLap, and Factor4

Clover Gift Card System Pricing

If you purchase your Clover hardware and software from Clover.com, then pricing for POS and gift card features starts at the $14.95/month Clover Essentials plan. However, most businesses will choose at least the Register plan or Counter Service plan, which both cost between $44.95/month and $54.95/month.

You may pay more or less per month if you purchase your Clover package elsewhere.

Clover software differs from other POS providers on this list because while Clover software and hardware must be sold together, there are several merchant service providers that resell Clover hardware/software packages.

These merchant services providers also offer payment processing fees that may vary from Clover's offering, which can mean saving money, (or that you'll get scammed, so make sure to follow our tips for avoiding Clover POS scams).

If you're confused about how pricing works for this system, read our Clover pricing guide for more clarity on how much you may pay for your Clover software/hardware package.

Finally, there is no monthly fee to use the Clover Gift Cards app, but you'll be charged $0.05 for every $2 gift card value sold. You can use a different gift card app, but the pricing structure may be different.

Hardware Cost

Gift card-compatible Clover hardware options include Clover Station ($1,349 or $1,799), Clover Mini ($799), and Clover Flex ($499) if you purchase your hardware directly from Clover.com.

You can mix and match these devices and purchase additional Clover POS accessories. Note that all these devices have built-in barcode scanning, though only Clover Station has a cash register.

Note: You cannot use any other software with Clover POS hardware. If you purchase Clover hardware and then decide to switch to another POS software provider, your Clover hardware will become useless.

Payment Processing

When you purchase from Clover.com, Clover's in-person payment processing rates range from 2.3% to 2.6% + $0.10, depending on your monthly software plan. Clover gift cards are processed at a special flat rate of 2.5%.

If you get your own merchant account from a good Clover reseller, you could get much lower payment processing fees.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Business owners who get their POS package from Clover.com are required to sign a 36-month or 48-month contract, which is not favorable but also not uncommon in the POS market. The company also charges an early termination fee if you decide to cancel.

At the same time, business owners who purchase from Clover.com will have Clover hardware support and (usually) fewer Clover scams to worry about.

If you want to get month-to-month contracts, no early termination fee, and/or better payment processing fees, read our post on the best Clover resellers.

Where Clover Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

We like that Clover hardware and software are both versatile and easy to use. Since the software and hardware are connected, you get a smooth sales and inventory management experience. The software itself is designed to work as easily as smartphones do, where business owners install apps to add functionality to their Clover setup. Clover has one of the best mobile POS systems on the market, too.

Clover's app market allows you to equip your POS with several apps, including the free Clover Gift Cards app. Using the free Clover Gift Cards app, you can choose from traditional magnetic stripe gift cards or eGift cards that your customers can keep right on their smartphones and send to family/friends.

If you don't want to use the Clover Gift Cards app, you can choose from several other gift card apps.

Revel Systems Gift Card System Features

Revel Systems is a highly flexible retail POS system that works best for established small businesses in the retail and restaurant industry. The software makes it easy to manage multiple locations and a large inventory. It has many niche customizable features, such as drive-through sales capabilities.

The following are some of Revel System's small business gift cards features:

• Personalized onboarding
• Restaurant and retail management
• Sell digital gift cards on an online ordering website
• Design and order physical gift cards from your POS portal
• Preloaded and custom-pricing gift card sales
• Reloadable gift cards
• Issue promotional gift cards
• Gift card tracking and reporting
• Import current gift cards if switching from another POS or gift card app
• Gift card integrations include Givex, Incentivio, eCard Systems, Paytronix, LoyaltyPlant, Valuetec, and Synergy Loyalty Solutions

Revel Systems Gift Card System Pricing

Revel Systems' pricing starts at $99/month per terminal, with a two-terminal minimum, making the minimum starting price $198/month. There's also a one-time implementation fee of $674, but getting an established business's POS up and running with any custom features it may need can be worth it.

Gift cards are a paid add-on, but you'll have to contact Revel to find out how much it will cost to add the company's gift card features to your POS package.

Hardware Cost

Revel Systems POS registers, self-ordering kiosks, and kitchen display systems. You may purchase compatible iPads yourself or source them from Revel.

The company also offers standard POS equipment like card readers (Ingenio and Link2500 brand), cash drawers, and barcode scanners. You can integrate Revel-compatible card readers like the PayPal Zettle as well.

Revel also offers niche hardware, such as self-serve kiosks and drive-through menu boards.

Business owners must call Revel for a personalized hardware quote, which isn't unusual for larger POS providers, but we're still not a fan of less-than-transparent upfront pricing.

Payment Processing

Revel offers its own payment processor, Revel Advantage, which charges 2.49% + $0.15 for in-person transactions. You must use Revel Advantage to get the $198/month pricing.

Alternatively, you can integrate your Revel POS with an outside processor or payment gateway, such as Fiserv, Elavon, Heartland, TSYS, Worldpay, or Chase. Depending on your sales volumes and time in business, you could save money on fees if you shop around for a better payment processing rate.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

To qualify for the lowest monthly rate, you must commit to a three-year processing contract with Revel Advantage and agree to annual billing.

We recommend that you get a shorter contract at first. You won't get the $99/month base price, but it's worth it to pay more for a few months than regret a three-year contract.

Where Revel Systems Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

We like Revel Systems because it is a highly customizable iPad POS that gives midsize business owners their choice of POS hardware, software features, payment processing provider, and gift card program. Its reporting features, including gift card sales reporting and marketing campaign monitoring, give midsize retail and restaurant businesses an idea of how their gift card programs are performing (and how to improve their program.)

We also like that restaurant owners can sell gift cards on an ordering website. Revel is also one of our best restaurant POS and best drive-through POS providers, specifically because of these great restaurant-centric features.

Toast Gift Card System Features

Toast is an industry-leading restaurant POS system designed for restaurants to effectively manage inventory, take tableside orders, start a loyalty program, and more. With Android-based restaurant-grade hardware and lots of customization options, this POS system is best suited for midsize and multi-location restaurants.

Toast POS offers the following features for restaurant businesses that want to offer gift cards:

• Sell digital gift cards online and from POS
• Sell customized physical gift cards at your POS tailored to your restaurant’s brand
• Guests can redeem gift cards online or in-person
• Customers can check gift card balances online and reload gift cards online
• Customers can schedule gift card sends (via text or email) for a specific date and time
• Purpose-built restaurant-grade POS hardware
• Advanced restaurant features include delivery services, branded online ordering app, contactless dining, and more
• Gift card integrations include Paytronix, Punchh, Smart Transaction Systems, SwipeIt, and The Customer Connection (TCC)

Toast Gift Card System Pricing

Toast pricing starts at $0/month for the Pay-As-You-Go package. This package has a higher payment processing fee than the Standard package, and the processing fee is even higher if you choose to add gift cards and online ordering to your package.

If you pay upfront (recommended), your base price will be $69/month, +$50/month for gift cards, +$75/month for online ordering (if you want to sell and accept gift cards online), for a total monthly spend of $194/month.

Hardware Cost

You can get a Toast starter kit for $0 with the Pay-As-You-Go plan, but again, you'll pay a higher payment processing fee. If you purchase your hardware outright, you can get a Countertop Kit (includes Toast Flex POS terminal, Toast Tap payment device, and router) for $799. You can also buy accessories like cash drawers and handheld ordering devices from Toast's website.

Payment Processing

Toast's standard in-person payment processing fee is 2.49% + $0.15. On the Pay-As-You-Go plan, you'll pay 2.99% + $0.15, or 3.39% + $0.15 if you add gift cards and online ordering. For online transactions (including online gift card redemption), the fee is 3.5% + $0.15 on either plan.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Toast requires a minimum 2-year contract that includes a processing contract (you cannot use an outside processor with Toast so you are limited to using Toast Payments) and has an early termination fee. Make sure you closely read your contract to make sure you understand all the terms and fees.

Where Toast Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

We like that Toast is one of the best Android POS systems that's specifically designed for restaurants with especially strong digital ordering options. Toast is an excellent choice if you want an advanced restaurant POS with a digital and/or traditional gift card program as well as third-party options. You can also use one of Toast's third-party integrations to build your gift card program.

With a paid add-on, Toast includes the ability to sell gift cards online or at your POS. Your customers can also redeem their cards online or at your POS, and even reload cards themselves on your website. Toast makes it easy for customers to purchase digital gift cards as gifts, letting them schedule for the card to be texted or emailed on a specific date and time. Sold gift cards can be easily tracked from your Analytics & Reports portal.

Shopify POS Gift Card System Features

Shopify started out as an eCommerce store builder but has since branched out to offer a number of ways to sell physical and digital items. Shopify POS is fully integrated with all your online sales channels, making this POS especially useful for retailers and creatives who sell on several platforms.

Shopify POS offers gift cards for small businesses and other features:

• Multichannel retail POS
• Mobile and countertop POS options
• Sell physical and digital gift cards on POS and online
• Issue promotional gift cards
• Issue refunds on gift cards
• Customers can add gift cards to Apple Wallet
• Integrates with Gift Up!, Rise.ai, Growave, Govalo, and other gift card software

Shopify POS Gift Card System Pricing

Shopify POS plans start at just $5/month for the Shopify Starter POS plan, which includes gift card functionality.

If you want an online store where customers can purchase and redeem gift cards, you'll need at least the $29/month Basic plan.

Hardware Cost

Shopify POS runs on iOS and Android devices, though to use all the features you'll need an iPad. But all you really need to start selling is a mobile device and a Shopify card reader, which costs $49 on Shopify's website. You can also purchase other POS hardware like tablet stands, cash registers, and complete hardware kits.

Read our complete guide to Shopify hardware to decide what's best for your business type.

Payment Processing

Shopify payment processing rates range from 2.4% to 2.7% for in-person transactions, depending on your plan. Online transactions range from 2.4% + $0.30 to 2.9% + $0.30, depending on your plan. You can use an outside payment processor with Shopify POS, but you'll pay an extra transaction fee to do so.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Shopify plans are month-to-month with no contract, but you can receive a discount by committing to a one- or two-year plan. It's worth noting that Shopify Payments is a third-party payment processor like Square, which means you will not have a traditional merchant account.

Where Shopify POS Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

Shopify POS is a flexible, scalable retail system that lies at the intersection of eCommerce and iPad POS. Shopify offers a fully integrated gift card program, and there is no additional fee to add gift cards to your account. You can purchase plastic gift cards from the Shopify Hardware store, issue digital gift cards that are emailed to the customer, or even print a paper gift card from your receipt printer.

Shopify's gift cards can be purchased and redeemed either at your POS or in your Shopify eCommerce store. Both physical and digital Shopify gift cards use QR codes, and the digital cards can be added to your customer's Apple Wallet for easy redemption at your POS. Additionally, customers can redeem Shopify gift cards on your other online channels that use the Shopify checkout, such as a Shopify Facebook store, Pinterest, or using a "Buy" button on your WordPress or Squarespace website. You can also issue a free gift card with a set value to an existing customer as a reward, refund, or promotional incentive.

Shift4Shop Gift Card System Features

Shift4Shop is a fully-featured eCommerce platform with multichannel sales capabilities (including in-person sales) that the company offers for free, on the condition that you use its parent company's payment processor, Shift4 Payments.

Shift4Shop is an excellent option for small business owners who are primarily focused on online sales and want enterprise-level features but can't afford the price tag.

Here are some of the features you'll receive with this solution:

• All-in-one website builder and payment processing solution
• Generous free plan
• Free SSL certificate, domain name, and hosting
• Built-in gift certificate module (doesn't require any third-party app integration)
• Create free gift certificates as loyalty rewards
• Sell gift cards at a discount
• Create group certificates in bulk for promotions
• Numerous options for customer payment including digital wallets (Apple Pay, PayPal, etc.) and BNPL (Klarna, Affirm)
• Processor works with high-risk businesses

Shift4Shop Gift Card System Pricing

Shift4Shop plans range from $0 to $229/month, but the free plan is actually the most advanced plan. The only caveat is that the free plan requires you to use Shift4Shop's in-house processor.

Hardware Cost

Shift4Shop doesn't offer its own hardware, but you can integrate Shift4Shop with POS providers such as Square and Harbortouch.

You'll have no hardware costs if you sell gift cards exclusively online.

Payment Processing

Published rates for Shift4 Payments on Shift4Shop stores are the industry-standard 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Shift4Shop also offers an interchange-plus pricing option. On paid plans, you also have the option to integrate with 100+ payment gateways.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

There are various customer complaints regarding Shift4Shop's in-house payment processor, Shift4Payments. These complaints range from poor customer service to difficulty canceling accounts. If you decide to use Shift4Shop with Shift4 Payments, read all the fine print in your contract before committing.

Where Shift4Shop Really Shines For Small Business Gift Cards

Shift4Shop (formerly 3dCart) is an affordable, easy-to-use eCommerce website builder for businesses that want an online store to sell digital gift cards and/or other merchandise. Shift4Shop is an all-in-one solution with a generous free plan and built-in payment processing. Shift4Shop has numerous free templates and works great for retailers as well as service-based businesses such as spas that want to sell online gift certificates.

You can list gift certificates right alongside the other products for sale on your website, and upon purchase, the email address specified will be sent a digital code that can be used as a gift card code on your website. The customer can add names in the "To" and "From" fields and include a message of up to 500 characters. Though it's fairly straightforward to create these basic gift certificates using Shift4Shop, web developers can use the Gift Certificates API (REST) to create apps that expand on Shift4Shop's gift certificate features.