Gift card program management is offered by four kinds of provider. Full-service program managers like Blackhawk Network and GiftCard Partners run the whole program for big brands, including sales through other retailers. Gift card and loyalty platforms like Givex (now part of Shift4), Valutec, Factor4, and Paytronix supply the technology for restaurants and multi-location retailers. Managed-program providers like PerfectGift set up and run branded cards and an online store for local businesses. And payment processors like Elavon add gift cards to the merchant account you already have.

The right one depends mostly on your size and where you want to sell cards. Of the eight providers here, only Blackhawk Network and GiftCard Partners say they'll get your cards into other stores. If you're a single shop on Square or Toast, start with the gift cards built into your system.

Quick picks

If you...	Look at
Want your cards sold on other retailers' gift card racks	Blackhawk Network
Want a partner to plan and run the whole program	GiftCard Partners
Run many locations on different systems	Givex (Shift4)
Are switching providers and have cards to move	Valutec
Want gift and loyalty on one card	Factor4
Run a restaurant group or c-store chain	Paytronix
Own a local business and want it run for you	PerfectGift

What gift card program management includes

Program management means a provider handles some or all of the work of running your gift cards, so your team doesn't have to. Depending on the provider, that can include:

Card design and production, for plastic cards, carriers, and displays.
Processing: activating cards, taking them as payment, and tracking balances.
Digital gift cards and an online store where customers buy and send cards.
Fulfillment, shipping physical cards and delivering digital ones.
Reporting on sales, redemptions, and the balance still outstanding.
Fraud monitoring and customer support.
Compliance, including working out who legally issues the cards.
Sales through other retailers, which only the full-service managers here offer.

No provider here handles all of it the same way, so compare what's included as well as the brand name.

Gift card program management providers, compared

Provider	Type	Best for	Sells your cards in other stores	Pricing, as listed
Blackhawk Network	Full-service manager	National brands	Yes, 300,000+ locations (per Blackhawk)	Not listed
GiftCard Partners	Full-service manager	Retail and e-commerce brands	Yes	Not listed
Givex (Shift4)	Gift card platform	Multi-location brands	Not stated	Not listed
Valutec (Worldpay)	Gift card platform	Franchises and multi-location retail	Not stated	Not listed
Factor4	Gift and loyalty platform	Merchants of all sizes	Not stated	Monthly program fee, no amount listed
Paytronix	Gift and loyalty platform	Restaurants and c-stores	Not stated	Not listed
PerfectGift	Managed local program	Local businesses	Not stated	Not listed
Elavon	Processor add-on	Elavon merchants	Not stated	Not listed

"Not stated" means the provider's own gift card page doesn't mention it. Features and pricing as listed on each company's website in October 2026.

Full-service program managers for big brands

These companies can run the whole program for you. Of the eight providers here, they're the only two that say they'll get your cards sold at other retailers.

Shopper picking a gift card from a supermarket gift card rack while a store merchandiser restocks the display — Full-service managers can put your gift cards on other retailers' racks, right where shoppers already look for them.

1. Blackhawk Network

Blackhawk Network sells partner brands' gift cards at third-party retail in what it says are more than 300,000 locations worldwide, plus online through its own consumer sites, GiftCards.com and GiftCardMall.com.

Its program management covers account management, 24/7 customer support, fraud monitoring, risk and compliance, and fulfillment for both physical and digital cards. There's an in-house team that can run gift card promotions for you, and field staff who look after Blackhawk's displays in stores. If you're a national brand and shelf space in other stores is the goal, this is the company built for it.

2. GiftCard Partners

Brands that want advice as well as a vendor tend to look at GiftCard Partners. It offers to manage every part of a gift card program, and its list runs from strategy and channel distribution to revenue recognition, financial reporting, code creation and activation, an e-commerce store for your site, and fulfillment for digital and physical cards.

It helps brands choose a gift card processor and decide who the legal issuer of their cards should be. It says it's been in business for more than 20 years and is a women-owned, certified diversity supplier. Its page speaks most directly to retail and e-commerce brands.

Gift card and loyalty platforms for restaurants and retail chains

These platforms supply the gift card technology and, in most cases, the cards themselves. Several also run loyalty on the same system.

3. Givex (now part of Shift4)

Givex says on its site that it has been acquired and will be rebranded as Shift4. It handles gift card and eGift card programs from transaction processing to card production and fulfillment, with real-time reporting and a branded online store where customers can buy, redeem, and reload cards.

The software works with any POS system, according to Givex, which lists more than 1,100 integrations. Apple Wallet and Google Pay are supported, and support runs 24/7 in multiple languages. Wendy's and the Philadelphia Phillies are among the clients quoted on its page.

4. Valutec (Worldpay)

Valutec has run gift card programs since 1998 and is now part of Worldpay, where it says it serves more than 60,000 merchant locations. Its packages include Essential Gift, Digital Gift Plus, and Loyalty Plus.

The basic package covers card reload, card registration so lost cards can be replaced, reconciliation across locations, and help moving your existing cards over from another provider. Digital Gift Plus adds a branded gift card website that sells digital and physical cards, plus fraud management and design help. That migration help is worth noting if you're leaving another provider and don't want to strand the cards your customers already have.

5. Factor4

Whether you're a small business or a Fortune 500 company, Factor4 says its programs are built for you. It handles design, production, and distribution of plastic cards, eGift cards sent by text or email, and real-time processing at the point of sale.

One card can run gift and loyalty at the same time, so customers don't carry two. Factor4 is fully integrated with Clover, and its integration partners include Toast and Shopify. It sells the displays, window decals, and card holders for your counter, too. Its Clover offer mentions a monthly program fee, though no amount is listed.

6. Paytronix

Restaurants and convenience stores are who Paytronix is built for. Gift cards sit inside a bigger guest platform with loyalty, so guests can combine loyalty rewards and gift card balances and reload them easily.

For franchises, Paytronix reports each store's outstanding gift card balance on its own. That matters because every unspent card is money the business still owes in food or service, and each owner needs to know their share. Panera, Five Guys, and Dutch Bros are among the brands shown on its site.

Managed gift card programs for local businesses

If you run one shop or a handful, a national program manager is probably more than you need. A managed local program covers the setup and the day-to-day for you.

7. PerfectGift (that's us)

Smiling coffee shop owner handing a customer a kraft paper gift bag with a lilac ribbon across the counter — A managed program gives a local shop branded gift cards and an online storefront, without adding another job for the owner.

PerfectGift's local business gift card program handles strategy, design, distribution, tracking, and reporting for you. You get branded physical and digital gift cards and your own branded online storefront, so you can sell in your shop and online.

You sign up in a few minutes and can start designing your cards while your business is verified, which takes up to one business day. Then an Account Executive helps you go live, and you track every sale, in-store and online, from your dashboard. It's built for local businesses that want a program without managing it themselves.

Start your gift card program

Gift cards through your payment processor

Some payment processors offer gift cards as an add-on to the account you already have. It's more payment processing than program management, but it's a simple place to start.

8. Elavon

If you already process payments with Elavon, gift cards can be added to that account, so you can take them alongside credit cards and check balances and transactions online. Elavon also suggests loading small amounts onto branded cards to hand out as promotions in your community.

Its page doesn't mention digital gift cards, online sales, or card design services, so ask about those before you sign up.

Questions to ask any gift card program provider

Who's the legal issuer of the cards? It affects who holds the liability for unspent balances. GiftCard Partners lists issuance as part of what it works out with a brand.
Does it work with the POS I already have? Ask about your exact register, not just the brand.
Can you move my existing cards over? Customers will still have cards from your old program. Valutec, for one, includes migration of existing cards in its basic package.
What reports will I get? You'll want sales, redemptions, and the balance still outstanding, broken out by location if you have more than one.
Who handles fraud and customer support? Blackhawk and Givex, for example, list 24/7 support. Find out what's included before you count on it.
What does it cost, all in? Ask for every fee: setup, monthly, per card, per transaction, and printing.

What gift card program management costs

None of the eight providers here post prices on their gift card pages. The costs to ask about:

Setup and design, for building the program and your card artwork.
A monthly program fee. Factor4 mentions one for its Clover program.
Per-card printing for plastic cards.
Transaction or load fees each time a card is sold or reloaded.

If you'd rather see public prices, the gift cards built into POS systems in our gift card system comparison are the place to look. Square, for example, posts its load fee of up to 2.5%.

Where PerfectGift fits

If you own a local business and want branded cards in-store and online without running the program yourself, start your gift card program.

Looking for gift cards to give employees or clients instead? That's a different kind of program. See which companies run corporate gift card programs.

Frequently asked questions

Which providers offer gift card program management?

The main names are Blackhawk Network, GiftCard Partners, Givex (now part of Shift4), Valutec, Factor4, Paytronix, and PerfectGift, with processors like Elavon offering gift cards as an add-on. Which one fits depends on your size: national brands, multi-location chains, and local businesses each have their own options.

What does gift card program management include?

It depends on the provider, but it can cover card design and production, transaction processing, digital gift cards and an online store, fulfillment, reporting, fraud monitoring, customer support, and compliance. Blackhawk Network and GiftCard Partners also offer sales through other retailers.

How much does gift card program management cost?

None of the providers in this guide list prices on their gift card pages. Factor4 mentions a monthly program fee for its Clover offer without an amount. Ask for setup, monthly, per-card, per-transaction, and printing fees before you sign.

What's the difference between a gift card processor and a program manager?

A processor handles the transactions: activating cards, taking them as payment, and tracking balances. A program manager can also handle design, production, online sales, fulfillment, reporting, and marketing. Some companies do both.

Can I get my gift cards sold in other retail stores?

Yes, through a full-service program manager. Blackhawk Network sells partner cards at third-party retail locations, and GiftCard Partners helps brands get in-store placement. It usually makes the most sense for brands with national reach.

How do I set up a gift card program for a small business?

If you already use Square, Clover, Toast, or Shopify, start with the gift cards built into that system. If you'd rather have someone set it up for you, a managed option like PerfectGift's local business program handles the cards, the online storefront, and the reporting.

In conclusion

Start with one question: where do you want your cards sold? If the answer includes other stores, talk to a full-service manager. If it's your own locations and website, compare the platforms on POS fit, reporting by location, and the full list of fees. And before you sign anything, ask how you'd move your cards if you ever switch.