The modern Gleam alternative for Shopify
Gleam helped invent the giveaway widget. But it was built for a different era of the web, and it shows. Giveaway Ninja is the current, Shopify-native way to run giveaways that actually drive sales.
Install on Shopify
- Built for Shopify, not a widget dropped on top
- Purchase entries Gleam has no equivalent for
- Support from the people who build it
Which one should you run?
Gleam is one of the oldest giveaway tools around, and for years it was the default. Its entry-action combinations are still flexible, and the free plan gets you started at no cost.
The problem is age. The interface, the cross-campaign login flow and the support experience have not kept pace, and Gleam has no purchase-entry engine to turn a giveaway into revenue. Merchants move to Giveaway Ninja for a current product, a Shopify-native build and entries tied to real orders.
Giveaway Ninja vs Gleam
The differences that matter when a Shopify giveaway is what you are running.
| Feature | Giveaway Ninja | Gleam |
|---|---|---|
| Built for Shopify | Native app: purchase entries, storefront app blocks and sales attribution rely on the Shopify integration | Embeddable widget connected to Shopify, built platform-agnostic |
| Purchase-based entries | Entries per dollar, order or item, plus product, bundle, AOV booster and period-multiplier rules, read from the real order | No purchase-entry engine; entries come from social and action combinations |
| Revenue tracking | Sales attribution shows which entrants bought and how much revenue the giveaway generated | Pixel tracking and user data; no native Shopify sales attribution |
| Storefront presence | Native app blocks: entry badges on product pages, live counters in cart and cart drawer, thank-you page recap | Embedded widget and hosted landing page |
| Entrant login | Enter with email, no forced cross-site account | Persistent Gleam login across campaigns, a long-standing source of entrant confusion |
| Product and support | Actively developed, founder-led onboarding and code help when you want it | Mature product with a dated interface; support responsiveness is a recurring review theme |
| Shopify App Store rating | 5.0 out of 5 across 87 reviews | 3.6 out of 5 across 32 reviews |
| Pricing | Free plan available, paid plans scale on monthly entrants, with unlimited purchase tracking on every tier | Free plan available, paid plans from $59/mo up to $499/mo, key features gated by tier |
Compiled from the public Gleam and Giveaway Ninja Shopify App Store listings and product pages in September 2026. Gleam's rating and review count are taken from its App Store listing on that date. Both products change; check each app's current listing before you decide.
Four reasons to leave Gleam behind
Grounded in what actually differs when the giveaway is the job.
A giveaway that drives sales
Gleam collects entries and emails. Giveaway Ninja adds purchase entries: every order earns entries, and product, bundle and AOV booster rules push shoppers toward higher-value carts. The giveaway becomes a revenue channel, not a cost.
A modern, Shopify-native build
Native app blocks put entry badges on product pages and live counters in the cart, added right from the theme editor. This is a current Shopify app, not a widget designed a decade ago and embedded on top.
No login friction for entrants
Gleam's persistent cross-campaign login has confused entrants for years. Giveaway Ninja lets people enter with their email, with no forced account that makes shoppers think their credentials leaked.
Support from the people who build it
You get founder-led onboarding, real answers and code adjustments when you need them, instead of a support queue for a product that stopped evolving.
Giveaway Ninja pricing
Every plan includes the full entry engine and unlimited purchase tracking. You scale on monthly entrants, and annual billing saves 20%.
Free
- All entry actions
- Unlimited purchases
- Refer-a-friend
- API + tracking scripts
- Email support
Starter
- Everything in Free, plus
- Email validation + confirmation
- Campaign analytics
- reCAPTCHA spam protection
Pro
- Everything in Starter, plus
- Email integrations
- Full analytics + reCAPTCHA
- Priority email support
Premium
- Everything in Pro, plus
- AOV Booster
- White-glove onboarding + support
- Up to 3 stores
Ultimate
- Everything in Premium, plus
- Unlimited leads / month
- Up to 5 stores
- Priority white-glove + support
Enterprise
- Everything in Ultimate, plus
- Done-for-you campaign setup
- Custom integrations
Monthly billing. Annual plans are billed yearly and save 20%. See the full feature breakdown on the pricing page.
Moving from Gleam takes minutes
You are not starting from scratch. Install, set your entry rules, and bring your existing customers along.
Install and brand
Add Giveaway Ninja from the Shopify App Store, then set colors, copy and the widget to match your theme.
Rebuild your entry actions
Recreate your social and sign-up actions, then add purchase entries and AOV boosters Gleam could not offer.
Reward existing buyers
Import past Shopify orders so current customers earn entries at launch, and email each buyer the entries they earned.
Common questions
What does Giveaway Ninja do that Gleam cannot?
The biggest gap is purchase entries. Gleam builds giveaways from social and action combinations but has no engine to reward real Shopify orders. Giveaway Ninja calculates entries from the order and adds product, bundle and AOV booster rules, then attributes the revenue back to the campaign. See the purchase entry rules.
Can I keep my social entry actions?
Yes. Email and SMS sign-up, follows on Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook and YouTube, link visits, questions and photo voting galleries are all supported. You keep the action variety and gain purchase entries on top.
Will my entrants have to create an account?
No. Giveaway Ninja does not force the persistent cross-campaign login that Gleam entrants have flagged as confusing. People enter with their email and get on with it.
Is Giveaway Ninja actively maintained?
Yes. It is actively developed with founder-led support, regular releases and native Shopify app blocks, in contrast to Gleam's dated interface.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. Giveaway Ninja has a free plan with unlimited campaigns and purchase tracking, capped on monthly entrants, and every feature is available on every plan. Paid plans raise the entrant limit. Compare them on the pricing page.
Trade the legacy widget for a giveaway that sells
Install for free, or book a call and walk away with a campaign plan for your next launch.