Which gift card do you give employees? Choice gifts and gift cards compared (2026)

TL;DR: in 30 seconds

• The best gift card for employees lets the recipient choose: a choice gift card that can be spent at many brands.

• A brand card (one shop) only works if you are sure everyone likes shopping there.

• Check four things: freedom of choice, WKR overview, own branding and whether the recipient needs an account.

• The message matters. A card with a personal line from the manager is valued more than a higher amount without explanation.

💡 Why Giffy writes this

Since 2019 Giffy has supplied business gift cards to employers. We hear "which card should we choose?" every week. Below is the honest comparison, including options we do not supply ourselves.

Choice gift for staff: what is it?

A choice gift for staff is a gift where the employee decides what they get. You give a balance, the recipient chooses a gift card from a brand of their choice, a donation or a prepaid card. You may also hear it called a choice gift card or choice voucher: it is the same principle.

For whom

For employers who do not want to guess taste, diet or living situation. It works for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, onboarding and a spontaneous thank-you, and for the office, home workers and international teams at the same time.

What does a choice gift cost?

With Giffy you choose the amount, from €10 per card. You only pay for the value you send; there are no platform, service or subscription fees. Volume discounts apply from €10,000 per year.

Which shops take part?

With Giffy the recipient chooses from 150+ brands worldwide and 100+ physical store locations, or donates the value to a charity. The offer differs per country: a recipient in Belgium or Germany sees the brands that can be spent there. The recipient redeems on ilovegiffy.com.

How a choice gift works

• You choose amount, design and message, in your own branding.

• You send it by email, QR code or as a physical card.

• The employee chooses without creating an account and immediately receives the chosen gift card.

🎁 Arranging a choice gift for staff?

A choice of 150+ brands, digital or physical, in your branding and on invoice. From €10 per card, no platform fees. → Request a quote

How do you assess a business gift card?

• Freedom of choice: one brand or spendable at many brands?

• WKR-friendly: can you designate it within the free allowance and see what you spent?

• Own branding: can you add your logo, colours and message?

• Ease of use: does the recipient need to create an account, or can they redeem straight away on their phone?

• Scale: is sending to 10 people as easy as sending to 10,000?

• International: does it also work for colleagues outside the Netherlands?

The 6 types of business gift cards compared

1. Choice gift card (multi-brand): best all-round choice

The recipient receives a balance and decides at which brand to spend it, or donates it to a charity.

• Strong in: freedom of choice, diverse teams, home workers and international teams.

• With Giffy: a choice of 150+ brands, donations and prepaid cards, in your own branding, no account needed for the recipient. From €10 per card and no platform fees.

2. Brand card from one shop

Recognisable and easy to buy.

• Strong in: a small, targeted thank-you if you know the team's preferences.

• Less strong: not everyone shops at the same chain, and own branding is usually limited.

3. Universal gift card

Spendable at a fixed network of participating shops.

• Strong in: familiarity and broad use on the high street.

• Less strong: online spending options and personalisation vary per provider. Check beforehand where the card can really be used.

4. Balance at one large webshop

Many products, one shop.

• Strong in: a broad assortment.

• Less strong: the recipient is tied to one webshop, own branding is limited and an account is often needed.

5. Gift card in your own brand

A card completely in your branding, from email to redemption page.

• Strong in: clearly linking the gesture to your brand, also towards customers.

• Tip: combine own branding with freedom of choice. With Giffy a choice gift card in your own branding is standard.

6. International reward platforms

Intended for worldwide teams.

• Strong in: many countries at once.

• Less strong: often not tailored to the Dutch WKR and with few local Dutch brands.

Which gift card suits which occasion?

More guideline amounts: how much do you give an employee?

Digital or physical?

• Digital: with the recipient within minutes, no addresses needed, ideal for hybrid and international teams.

• Physical: a card in hand for the handover at the office or the Christmas drinks.

• Combination: a physical card or small gift with a digital balance. Giffy supplies all three.

What does the WKR say about gift cards?

Gift cards for employees are designated as final levy wages within the free allowance: 2% of the first €400,000 of the tax payroll and 1.18% of the remainder. Within that allowance they are tax-free; above it you pay an 80% final levy on the excess. Read the full story in are gift cards to employees taxed?.

🎁 Arranging the right gift card for your team?

A choice gift card from 150+ brands, digital or physical, in your branding. From €10 per card, no platform fees. → Request a quote

How to turn a gift card into a real gift

• Personal message: one sentence from the manager about what the employee did this year.

• Own branding: the recipient sees your brand, not a generic voucher.

• Timing: on the moment itself, not weeks later.

• No barriers: no account, redeem on the phone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best gift card to reward employees?

A choice gift card that can be spent at many brands. The employee chooses, so there is always something that fits. For Dutch employers it helps if the card offers a WKR overview and own branding.

What kinds of gift cards are there?

Roughly six types: choice gift cards (multi-brand), brand cards from one shop, universal gift cards, balance at one webshop, gift cards in your own brand and international reward platforms.

Are business gift cards taxed?

Within the WKR free allowance a gift card for an employee is tax-free. If you exceed the free allowance, you pay an 80% final levy on the excess.

Can I put my own logo on the gift card?

With a business platform like Giffy, yes. You add logo, colours and a message to the email and the redemption page.

Does a gift card also work for employees abroad?

Yes, if the offer is tailored per country. With Giffy a recipient in Germany or Belgium sees different brands than a recipient in the Netherlands.

How does a digital gift card work?

The recipient gets an email or link with a unique code, chooses a brand and immediately receives the gift card of that brand. Creating an account is not needed.

What is a choice gift for staff?

A gift where the employee decides what they get: a gift card from a brand of their choice, a donation or a prepaid card. Choice gift card and choice voucher are other names for the same thing.

Which shops take part in a choice gift?

That differs per provider. With Giffy the recipient chooses from 150+ brands worldwide and 100+ physical store locations, or donates to a charity. The offer is tailored per country.

What does a choice gift cost?

With Giffy from €10 per card. You only pay for the value you send, without platform, service or subscription fees. From €10,000 per year a volume discount applies.

Related articles:

• Business gift card 2026: ordering, WKR and own branding

• Christmas hamper alternative 2026

• Rewarding employees: 12 tips

• Gift card for staff

About the author

Giffy is the Dutch platform for business gift cards and choice gifts, founded in 2019 and B Corp certified. Companies use it to reward employees, customers and partners, digitally and physically, with a transparent chain from issuer to recipient. → getgiffy.com