A common question from Shopify merchants is how to let a customer check a gift card balance without emailing support every time. Shopify does not include a dedicated storefront widget for this, so most stores rely on one of a few approaches.
Key takeaways
- Shopify does not provide a public storefront widget for gift card balance checks out of the box.
- Customers can sometimes see a balance on a logged-in account page, but that depends on your setup.
- Support staff can look up a balance manually in the Shopify admin.
- A dedicated app adds a self-service widget so customers can check a balance themselves.
Option 1: Customers contact support
The simplest option is also the slowest: a customer emails or messages your support team, someone looks up the gift card in the Shopify admin, and replies with the balance. This works for a small number of gift cards, but it does not scale once gift cards become a regular part of your sales.
Option 2: A logged-in account page
Depending on your theme and setup, some balance information may be visible to a customer once they are logged into their account. This requires the customer to have an account and to be signed in, which is an extra step compared to a direct lookup widget.
Option 3: A self-service balance checker app
An app like Gift Card Checker By Maestro adds a widget to your storefront so a customer can check a balance directly, without an account and without waiting on support. Here is how to set it up:
- Install the appGet Gift Card Checker By Maestro from the Shopify App Store and start the free trial.
- Add the widgetUse the one-click setup to add the balance check widget to your storefront.
- Customize itAdjust the design so it matches your store.
- Test itCheck a real gift card balance to confirm it matches your Shopify admin.
- Enable checkout checks (optional)On the Business plan and Shopify Plus, turn on the checkout balance checker for a balance lookup during checkout as well.
Self-service checks reduce how often your support team has to manually look up a balance, since the customer gets the answer directly on your store.
Comparing the options
| Support contact | Logged-in account page | Balance checker app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No customer account needed | Yes | No | Yes |
| No wait for a reply | No | Yes | Yes |
| Works during checkout | No | No | Business plan, Shopify Plus |
| Analytics on balance checks | No | Not listed | Yes |
Which option fits your store
If you sell only a handful of gift cards, manual support replies may be enough. Once balance questions become a regular support ticket, a self-service widget on the storefront, and optionally at checkout, removes the wait and the manual lookup for both you and the customer.
Works great for checking gift card balance. Also, customer support has been really good in my experience.
RX LAB, merchant review on the Shopify App StoreFrequently asked questions
Can Shopify customers check a gift card balance without an app?
Shopify does not include a dedicated storefront widget for this. Customers typically need to view a logged-in account page or contact support, so many stores add an app for a direct, self-service lookup.
Do customers need an account to use a balance checker app?
With Gift Card Checker By Maestro, the widget is designed for self-service checks on the storefront, without requiring a customer account.
Does a balance checker work at checkout too?
On Gift Card Checker By Maestro, checkout-level balance checking is included on the Business plan for Shopify Plus stores.