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Q. Do you know if someone can “gift” an app? Would they have to purchase an iTunes gift card?
A. Finding a great app is fun, but you know what’s even more fun? Sharing that app with others! Whether you’re looking for a gift for a friend or just want to brighten someone’s day, giving an app can be a simple way of letting someone know you care.
Giving an app isn’t as simple or obvious as you might think, but it is possible. Just make sure you know which device your friend has before you send an app. You don’t want to send an Android app to someone who has an iPhone.
I’ll explain how to give an app as a gift using the example of the app iRewardChart, not only because it’s The Best App Ever!, but also because the app is available on so many platforms.
Giving an App from iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
To give an app to someone who has an iDevice (an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch), you and your friend both need to have an iTunes account. You don’t need to have an iDevice to have an iTunes account, but anyone who uses an iDevice has an iTunes account.
If you don’t have an iTunes account and don’t want to sign up for one, you can buy an iTunes gift card instead from a local store or from Facebook.
[note]These instructions apply to the new update for iTunes (version 11.0) that was released yesterday, as well as to previous versions of iTunes. [/note]
To send an app as a gift, go to iTunes and search for the app you want. Open the page and look for the app icon in the upper left corner. Click on the down arrow below the app’s icon and a drop-down menu will appear.
Click Gift This App:
A form will appear for you to fill in to send the gift. You can send the gift via email or print out the gift. (Note that the email address you send the gift to does not need to be the email address the recipient has registered to an iTunes account.) You can include a personal message with your gift.
Your gift will be emailed immediately, there is no way to delay sending the gift unless you print out the gift and deliver it yourself.
Your friend will receive a code which they can then use in the iTunes App Store to get the app and download it to their iDevice. This code can be redeemed just like a code from an iTunes gift card.
To learn how to redeem an iTunes gift code, check out How to Redeem an iTunes Gift Card, for instructions on how to redeem a gift code in iTunes.
You can only send an app as a gift from your computer, you can’t send it from your iDevice. Make sure that your friend doesn’t already have the app before you send the gift as gift codes are for a specific app.
Giving an Android App from the Amazon Appstore
The easiest way to give an Android app is to give it from the Amazon Appstore. Apps from the Amazon Appstore work on Android devices and Kindle Fire tablets (not on Kindle ereaders though).
Although you can’t purchase an app directly for someone, you can purchase an Amazon gift card for the price of the app. You can state in the gift card the name of the app you intend to give, though your friend can use the gift card for any Amazon item.
To purchase a gift card on Amazon, go to Amazon.com Gift Cards and choose how you want to send the gift. You can select email, Facebook, or print at home as your method of delivery. If you choose Facebook or email you can include a video you create with your gift. You can also use a custom photo with your gift card if you email it.
You can add the app icon to your gift card if you are sending it via email (see Smile! It’s Awesome Screenshot Time for how to download an image from the Internet onto your computer.)
Amazon lets you set the delivery date so if you can send the gift instantly or delay delivery until a future date.
Giving an Android App from Google Play
Although the Amazon Appstore has an easier way of giving apps, you want to give an Android app that is available exclusively at Google Play.
The only way to give an app from Google Play is to purchase a Google Play gift card. The cards come in $10, $25 and $50 denominations and are sold in retail stores such as Target, Walmart, RadioShack and GameStop. Find out more information about Google Play gift cards at Google Play.
Giving Apps for Windows and Blackberry Phones
If you’re looking to give a gift of an app to a Windows or Blackberry phone owner, you can’t give the app directly. You could give a Visa gift card instead, and place it inside a greeting card suggesting the app that you want to give.
Bottom Line
Apps make great gifts to brighten a friend’s day, as stocking stuffers or to share great tech. If you’re looking for a thoughtful and unexpected gift, consider giving an app to a friend!
Have you ever given an app as a gift? Have you ever received an app as a gift? Do you have any apps you would recommend as great gifts? Let us know in the Comments section below!
*Gifts image by Harsh Patel.
Hi Carolyn
Gift are really the best way to show your love to the dear ones, and what a great gift you have given us today by letting us know about this
That is really amazing post, as I was thinking of going to go for google play for that, as most of my friends are techies.
Thanks again
Sapna
Hi Sapna, I’m so glad you liked this article. Yes, if you have friends who are techies, I’m sure they will appreciate apps from Google Play. In fact, by getting a Google Play gift card you don’t have to worry whether they already own the app that you want to get them as the Google Play gift card can be used for apps, books, videos and music.
This is fantastic! Who knew? Carolyn did. Wow.
I just tried gifting an app using iTunes from my computer. It worked perfectly, just as you said. Very easy. It also works as you described if you want to gift movies, music, etc. from the iTunes store.
Thanks, Carolyn! You’re the best!!!
Hi cho cho, Thanks for your great question! This clearly was an issue that people care about so I’m delighted that you asked your question.
You’re right, this also works for purchasing other content from iTunes.
Have a fabulous weekend, cho cho!
YOU are the Santa of our life Carolyn!
Thank you so much for spreading the word.
Can someone buy gift with iTunes gift card? Let’s say I had redeemed a $100 iTunes card, so my balance shows $100. Can I use that towards buying gifts? My guess is no.
Hi iRewardChart, Your app is so amazing that I want as many people to know about it as possible. iRewardChart can make a huge difference in family dynamics, improving lives for parents and kids alike. Thank you for developing such an important app and doing it so well.
So what you’re really asking about, iRewardChart, is whether you can use a gift card to send a gift. That’s somewhat like re-gifting if you got the gift card from someone else. Apparently, Apple doesn’t approve of re-gifting because you can’t use your balance from an iTunes gift card to purchase gifts from iTunes.
That being said, I often purchase iTunes gift cards when they are offered at a discount so if I were to use my iTunes gift card balance to purchase a gift, I would be using my own money. But Apple doesn’t know who bought the card so they don’t make that distinction.
I have actually thought about this for the past few days, since I’m going to buy a gift for the birthday of my cousins. They’re 17 and 19 years old, and it’s really hard to find the “perfect” gift, and since I know both of them have iPhones, I’ve been thinking about buying apps for them. Great tutorial Carolyn.
Hi Jens, That’s a great idea! I’m sure your cousins will really enjoy getting apps as a gift from you. Just make sure that they don’t already have the apps that you’re sending to them.
Hi Carolyn,
I confess I’m not a mobile-savvy person and I haven’t spent much time on the apps. But my kids love them and apps are their favorite pastime. Come to think of it – this is really a wonderful gift option for those who use the apps on their Smartphone, iPhones and others.
It’s a great idea and you’ve explained it nicely – the good thing is that I can gift iTunes even if I don’t have an iDevice. I also like your idea of the Amazon gift card; the receiver can use it for any Amazon item of choice if they already have the app we intend to give.
I agree that apps make a great gift because the person really uses it, though it won’t work for someone like me. 🙂 But I’m seriously thinking of using one of the options you suggested and gift one to my kids – I hope they don’t read it here before! Lol 🙂
Thanks for the great post!
~ Harleena
Hi Harleena, Yes, both iTunes and Amazon have good options for giving apps. iTunes has the advantage that you can give an app directly. But if the receiver already has the app then that doesn’t work well. Amazon has the advantage that you don’t have to worry if someone already has an app because they can use the gift card for anything on Amazon. But you can’t give an app directly on Amazon.
Either way, a friend will be very pleased to receive an app. It’s such a thoughtful gift. Often people will tell me how excited they are to have discovered a great app that makes a big difference in their lives. For a very small amount of money (usually), they can share that exciting discovery with others.
I hope your daughters enjoy their gifts, Harleena! 🙂
Hi Carolyn
I was not aware about the possibility of giving away apps from the different app stores. It is a great idea now with Christmas coming up. It is a great way to tell people that you care about them.
Hi Thomas, You’re not the only one. For some reason, iTunes hides the gift-giving feature, even in iTunes 11. I bet if they included a button for gifting the app on each page in plain view, a lot more people would give apps. And how great would that be!
Apple has just made it easier to gift an App. It has started selling iTunes gift cards with the new iTunes 11. I have gifted around 37 Apps till now. Sharing is Caring. I have recieved 50+ Apps in return 🙂
Hi Anchit, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! iTunes gift cards have been around for a while, as has the ability to purchase apps from the iTunes App Store. What’s new with iTunes 11 and gifts is the ability to redeem iTunes gift cards by using the camera on your Mac. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57556241-37/itunes-11-surprise-apple-sneaks-in-a-gift-card-scanner/
You have gotten a good deal by giving 37 apps and getting over 50 back. You have very wonderful friends, Anchit!
It’s not a deal for me . It’s just, giving without expecting anything in return 🙂 i am certainly not greedy. And yes, thank you for correctly the statement 🙂
Hi Anchit, Yes, you are very generous with your friends to give them so many apps! And they are very generous with you too. That’s wonderful that you have so many generous friends and they are lucky to have a such a giving friend as you! :-bd
Hi Carolyn,
I remember seeing that comment on your post 🙂 Now that’s an official reply 😉 lol…
It’s really a cool idea, even the app can mean that we care. I didn’t gift an app, but lately a kid I know needed to have a racing game app on his Android mobile which is not free. Then I found about Google Play gift cards and his father purchased that to gift his son on this Xmas. Kid doesn’t know that yet though 😀
Also I found gifting on Facebook is cool too 🙂 My friends did that.
Well, the Google Play Gifts link you mentioned is not working dear. You might wanna update 🙂
Cheers…
Hi Mayura, Yes, when I get questions from readers that I think will help others, I write an article in response so that others can see the answer. Often I get questions in emails, on Facebook and in comments that are very relevant. If one reader is having an issue, chances are other readers are having the same issue.
Yes, the gifts on Facebook are very cool. You can now send Karma gifts on Facebook. Karma was bought by Facebook soon after my review of Karma: https://wonderoftech.com/karma-gift-app/
I am sorry the Google Play link isn’t working for you. It’s working fine for me so I’m thinking that perhaps it doesn’t work in some countries. I will note that in the article. Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention.
I love this idea, I’m hoping Santa may purchase the Hootsuite pro for me this year 🙂 I never thought about giving an app. I know a few on my list that would probably love it! Thanks for sharing this gift idea.
Hi Lisa, Hootsuite Pro is a great idea for your wish list. Last year a blogger wrote an article about great gifts for bloggers and pro accounts at certain websites such as Hootsuite, Evernote, etc. were on the list. I would suggest a pro account for Clicky as a great gift for bloggers.
Okay Now That is a great gift to give and I appreciate you walking us through how to do this! I know what I’ll be passing out to a free of my friends..;)
Hi Elizabeth, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m sure your friends will really appreciate the apps that you give them. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us!
I myself is using an android phone but never knew that we can gift an application to a friend or an acquaintance through the app sore. This seems interesting and I should give it a try. I often search for good apps when free, now onwards I will shre them with my friends and relatives as well. Thanks.
Hi Shaun, Yes, with Android phones you can either give the app from the Amazon Appstore using an Amazon gift card or get a Google Play gift card. Enjoy your apps!
That’s pretty straight forward to give someone an app. So, all you need are iTunes account. Giving an App sounds like a 21 century gift. It’s actually pretty amazing. Thanks for the post.
Hi John, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
Carolyn – This is really cool and very innovative, i am sure most of us would love to send an app as a gift, it is so easy and convenient, but most of all – no gift wrapping 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Praveen, Excellent point, apps are easy to give and no gift wrapping is needed! :-bd
His Carolyn, thanks for the Christmas gift idea, sounds like an amzing gift. Nowadays most of my friends spend their free time on iDevices and other gadgets, so I know they will appreciate a nice app. Thanks for the idea!
Hi Spencer, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, if your friends have iDevices, they will enjoy getting apps. Just be sure that they don’t have the apps already. 🙂
Really a wonderful gift option for those who use the apps on their Smartphone, iPhones and others. I will gift this to my sister because she is crazy about these things. Thanks a lot for the Christmas gift idea.