Try it now: draw names for your gift exchange
No account, no email addresses. Enter the names, add restrictions, then text each person their own private link. Each link shows only THEIR match, so the organizer can play too without seeing anything.
Turn on JavaScript to use the draw, or organize the exchange in the GIFTO app.
What the app does for your gift exchange
One group, one invite. Create the group for your exchange (family, friends, office) and invite with a link, a code or an email. Everyone joins from their phone or computer.
A secret draw in one tap. Each person gets one name to buy for, and never sees who drew them. Restrictions stop partners or roommates from drawing each other.
Wish lists with links and photos. Everyone adds a few ideas in budget. You open the list of the person you drew and know what to buy.
No duplicate gifts. Only one person buys for each participant, and reserved wishes are reserved for the whole group.
Questions without giving yourself away. When the organizer turns on anonymous messaging, you can ask for a size or a colour without revealing your name.
How to organize a gift exchange in 4 steps
1. Set the budget and the date. $20 to $40 is common for families; coworkers often go with $15 to $25. Tell everyone at the same time.
2. Invite the participants. One link in the group chat is enough. If someone isn’t in the group, they aren’t in the draw.
3. Run the draw. Restrictions are applied automatically, with no impossible loop worked out by hand.
4. Shop, then exchange. Everyone follows the list of the person they drew. On the day, reveal who had whom, or keep the mystery.
Gift exchange, Secret Santa, white elephant: what’s the difference?
Most Christmas gift exchanges are a Secret Santa: each person buys for exactly one other person. In Quebec it’s called a pige. Same idea, and GIFTO handles it in both languages.
A white elephant or Yankee Swap is a different game: everyone brings an anonymous gift and you steal in turns, with no pairs.
Common questions
Is the gift exchange app free?
Yes. The draw, wish lists and invites are free on iPhone, Android and the web.
Does everyone need to install the app?
No. The online draw above works without an account, and GIFTO also runs in any browser at www.gifto.world.
Can the organizer take part?
Yes. They draw like everyone else and only see their own match.
How does GIFTO compare to Drawnames or Elfster?
Honest side-by-sides: GIFTO vs Drawnames and GIFTO vs Elfster.