- Gift certificate makers at a glance
- Ten gift certificate makers to try
- Which gift certificate maker fits your business
- Check the expiry date before you print
- Printed certificate, eGift card or voucher system?
- Six details every gift certificate needs
- Signs your gift certificates need a system
- My plain advice on gift certificates that bring people back
- Frequently asked questions
A gift certificate maker helps a business design printable gift certificates or sell digital gift cards that customers buy for someone else. Some are design tools with templates, some sell eGift cards on your website and some are full voucher systems for hotels, spas and restaurants. Ten options follow in no particular order.
Gift certificates bring in money before you've done the work, and they bring new customers through the door when the gift is spent. For cafes, salons and gyms, they're one of the simplest ways to fill quiet weeks.
The ten tools below cover printed certificates and digital gift cards. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. My list of loyalty programme ideas for holiday sales pairs well with a gift certificate offer.
Gift certificate makers at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website or store listing, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canva | Online design tool with a gift certificate maker | Designing a printable certificate | Yes |
| Fotor | Online design tool with gift certificate templates | Personalised certificates from templates | Yes |
| Gift Up! | Online gift card sales tool | Selling gift cards on your own website | Yes |
| Giftbit | Digital gift card rewards platform | Sending gift cards as rewards | Yes |
| GiftFly | eGift card platform for local businesses | eGift cards for Clover merchants | Yes |
| Giftpro | Gift voucher platform for hospitality | Hotel, spa and restaurant vouchers | Not stated |
| Square | Gift cards inside a point of sale system | Physical and digital cards in one system | Yes |
| VistaPrint | Online printing service | Professionally printed certificates | Not stated |
| VoucherCart | Gift card software | Growing gift card sales with software | Not stated |
| Yiftee | Community gift card platform | Town-wide gift cards for local shops | Yes |
Ten gift certificate makers to try
Canva
Best for: Shops and salons that want to design a gift certificate from a template in a drag-and-drop editor, then print it.
Fotor
Best for: Small businesses that want free, printable gift certificate templates they can personalise for customers.
Gift Up!
Best for: Independent businesses that want to sell gift cards on any website, with payment and delivery handled automatically.
Giftbit
Best for: Companies that want to send digital gift cards as rewards or incentives in bulk, with tracking and a Zapier link.
GiftFly
Best for: Local shops and restaurants, including those on Clover, that want a custom eGift card platform they can start without a setup bill.
Giftpro
Best for: UK hotels, spas and restaurants that want to sell personalised gift vouchers and redeem them in seconds.
Square
Best for: Shops already ringing up sales on that till system that want digital and physical gift cards they can sell in person and online.
VistaPrint
Best for: Owners who'd rather order professionally printed gift certificates and custom gift cards than print their own.
VoucherCart
Best for: Hospitality and leisure businesses that want dedicated gift card software and a demo before they choose.
Yiftee
Best for: Towns, business districts and community groups that want a closed-loop gift card spent only at chosen local businesses.
Which gift certificate maker fits your business
- Printable certificates from a template: Canva or Fotor.
- Selling gift cards on your own website: Gift Up! or GiftFly.
- Gift cards as staff or customer rewards: Giftbit.
- Hotel, spa and restaurant vouchers: Giftpro or VoucherCart.
- Gift cards in your existing till: Square.
- Professionally printed cards: VistaPrint.
- Town-wide gift cards: Yiftee.
Check the expiry date before you print
The FDIC explains that under the Credit CARD Act a gift card in the US cannot expire until at least five years from the date it was activated, and that the law also places general limits on fees.
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Plenty of printed certificates still carry a short expiry date. For US businesses, a short expiry on a gift card can clash with federal rules, and some states go further. If you sell certificates in another country, check the local rules too. Either way, decide the terms before you design the certificate, print them clearly on it, and keep a simple record of every code you issue.
Printed certificate, eGift card or voucher system?
A printed certificate is quick to design and feels personal. It suits small shops that sell a handful at the counter, as long as you track the numbers.
An eGift card sells itself online. Customers buy it on your website at midnight, and it arrives by email, which is why digital cards suit busy seasons.
A voucher system handles packages, experiences and redemptions at scale, which suits hotels, spas and restaurants with lots of offers.
Six details every gift certificate needs
- A unique code or number
- The value or the service it covers
- Clear terms and any expiry date
- How and where to redeem it
- Your business name and contact details
- A record of who bought it and when
Signs your gift certificates need a system
- You can't tell which codes are used. Keep a register.
- Customers ask to buy online. Add eGift cards.
- Terms are missing. Print them clearly.
- Nobody comes back after redeeming. Follow up.
Do you make a gift certificate maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on gift certificates that bring people back
Sell experiences, not just amounts. A certificate for a named treatment, a tasting menu or a class gets used sooner and feels more thoughtful than a round number. Make it easy to buy online in the weeks before holidays and birthdays, and follow up when it's redeemed, because that new customer is the real prize.
Looking for more gift ideas for your own clients? My Christmas gift ideas for small business owners has some.
Frequently asked questions
What is a gift certificate maker?
It's a tool that helps a business design printable gift certificates or sell digital gift cards for customers to give.
Are gift certificate makers free?
Several design tools and gift card platforms have a free version. Check the free plan column above, then confirm on each vendor's site.
Can gift cards expire in the US?
Under the Credit CARD Act, the FDIC says a gift card can't expire until at least five years from activation, and some states add stricter rules.
Should I sell digital or printed gift certificates?
Both, if you can. Printed ones suit counter sales, while digital cards sell online at any hour.
What should a gift certificate include?
A unique code, the value or service, clear terms, how to redeem it and your contact details.
How do I stop gift certificate fraud?
Give every certificate a unique code and keep a record of what was issued and redeemed.
