29 Best Employee Gift Cards to Show Appreciation in 2026

Giving employees gift cards is not only a good way of expressing your appreciation for a job well done, but it also shows how you value them as an integral part of the team. While it is important to keep tax requirements in mind, a gift card is an excellent way to show your employees that you care. No matter how self-motivated your team is, a little bit of recognition can go a long way. Research from Gallup shows that workers who feel appreciated are significantly more engaged and productive, which is exactly why thoughtful employee gift cards should be considered an investment.

So, what is the appropriate gift card amount for employees? The answer will depend on your specific budget and the tax laws of your state. Understanding the tax laws can be tricky, but the National Conference of State Legislatures has a nifty tool where you can check the tax laws of your state concerning employee gift cards. 

Now that the legal stuff is out of the way, let's dive into our picks for the best gift cards for employees that will boost morale and actually be used and appreciated, rather than lost in a drawer.

Jump to Section

• Best Employee Gift Cards to Encourage Creativity
• Best Employee Gift Cards for Foodies
• Unique Employee Gift Cards
• Educational Employee Gift Cards
• Employee Gift Cards That Give Back
• Subscription-Based Employee Gift Cards

Best Employee Gift Cards to Encourage Creativity

1. Classpop! Experience Gift Card

What is the best employee gift card? While material products fade over time, experiences can educate and inspire, leaving lasting memories and new skills. Treat your employee to a unique gift card from Classpop! to open up a world of possibilities for them to explore.

This experience gift card will give them access to a range of workshops, classes and adventures ranging from energizing hip hop dancing classes to interactive cooking intensives. Whether you’re searching for employee gift cards online or something they can enjoy in person, this option covers all the bases.

2. Promptly Journals

Invest in your employee’s happiness and mental health with a Promptly Journals gift card. Why this gift and not a fancy notepad? Promptly is more than a few blank pages. Their journals provide quotes, insights, and inspiration for what to write each day with the aim of improving mental health and well-being.

Whether or not your employee is a writer, this is one of the best employee gift cards to help them practice mindfulness and find peace. This is an especially great self care gift for employees who are going on parental leave because they can capture each moment of their new addition's life. Promptly gift cards are a no-strings-attached employee gift card idea, with no expiration date.

3. The Crafter’s Box

Inspire your employees to get creative with The Crafter’s Box gift card. With high-quality craft materials delivered straight to their door, your employees can choose their own workshops, materials and digital classes.

There are classes in all areas from fiber art, textile and sewing, and needlework to leather and woodworking, glass and metals, printmaking, drawing and more! It can be a fun employee gift card idea for parents who love taking on new craft ideas with their kids. 

4. Personalized Accessories from Zazzle

For fun, personalized employee gift cards, give them the gift of personalized accessories. Zazzle gift cards will allow your employees to show off their kids or fluffy friends at the office by putting their mug on a, well, mug! Whether they go for funky socks or a custom-engraved dart board, this gift card for employee appreciation allows them to design their own or commission a professional artist.

Best Employee Gift Cards for Foodies

5. DoorDash

If you're looking for the best virtual gift cards for employees who could use some extra time, look no further than DoorDash gift cards. When the work week gets too hectic and your employees are craving some comfort food from their favorite restaurants, this employee gift card idea will come into its own. 

6. Hello Fresh

If your employees enjoy spending time in the kitchen, help them level up their cooking skills with a Hello Fresh gift card. This meal kit delivery service provides organic food and easy recipes delivered straight to their door. It's one of the employee gift cards that allows them to learn to cook new meals without having to spend time visiting the market to get the produce.

7. Milk Bar

Treat your hardworking employees to excellent team gifts with a Milk Bar gift card. Employees can turn it into birthday cakes, cookie assortments, truffle boxes or a treat to share with their household after a big project launch. Beyond being fantastic employee appreciation gift cards, this also makes a tasty treat for the holiday work party.

Strawberry shortcake, S'mores truffle balls, chocolate peanut butter crunch pie — the list is mouth-watering. Milk Bar also provides gluten-free options and samplers. Because everything ships beautifully packaged, Milk Bar cards double as employee recognition gift cards and team-wide surprises: your team can pool their balance for one big office cake, or each person might use their gift card for employee appreciation to choose a favorite box to enjoy at home.

8. Purple Carrot

A Purple Carrot gift card is one of the most thoughtful employee appreciation gift ideas for vegans or vegetarians on your team. A card here covers vegan meal kits or heat-and-eat dishes that are high-quality, hearty dinners, not just side plates and salads. Purple Carrot might just be the best gift card for employees who follow plant-based diets or are trying to cut back on meat.

Even omnivores who like to experiment will appreciate a box that introduces new grains, sauces and vegetable combinations. This employee reward gift card also makes your approach feel more inclusive: everyone appreciates it when their company reflects their values.

9. Winc

Celebrate your team by lining up a surprising bottle or two with a Winc employee gift card. Winc starts with a palate profile quiz to assess your employee's unique tastes and then provides recommendations to match their profile. They can also see recommendations and ratings from other Winc members after joining the community to easily find their new favorite bottle of vino.

This gift for wine lovers will deliver the wines of their choice directly to their door, so they don't have to travel for their wine o'clock fix. These gift cards for employee appreciation would also work great as corporate gifts.

Unique Employee Gift Cards

10. Stitch Fix

Help your employee update their wardrobe with a Stitch Fix gift card. This is probably one of the best employee gift cards online, because the service pairs each person with a stylist who sends curated pieces based on their preferences, budget and feedback. 

Expert stylists and fashion experts will help your employees to create a style that fits them (both physically and emotionally). Stitch Fix is also involved in equity and sustainability initiatives if social impact is important to your company's vision. It's one of the better-known employee gift cards online, which also means that it works well for staff in different regions, since everything is handled through shipping and an app. 

11. Care.com

For a gift with a heart, assist your most valued employees with a Care.com employee recognition gift card. There are various packages for families that provide family care needs for children, the elderly, those with special needs, pets, and even housekeeping and tutoring.

There is also an employee-specific solution called Care@Work that provides care benefits to employees so that you can attract and retain talent while increasing productivity and reducing absenteeism. This is by far one of the best employee appreciation gift cards if you're interested in going beyond novelty.

12. Barkbox

If your employee has a furry friend, give them one of the best virtual gift cards for employees with doggos from Barkbox. Every month, they'll receive two original plush toys, two bags of healthy doggie treats (customizable for diva dogs), with a new theme each month.

Employee appreciation gift cards should take into account what matters most to your staff, and that includes all members of the family, furry or otherwise. Just be careful because this gift for dog lovers doesn't have options for their feline counterparts, so it might make the cat owners a bit jealous. 

13. Flowerbx

Nothing says "you're important to me" better than flowers. A Flowerbx gift card is one of the best gifts for employees to brighten up their space and their day. The company focuses on single-variety bunches in generous quantities, so the result looks like something from a magazine shoot rather than a cheap supermarket bunch.

Because flowers mark both celebrations and tough seasons, Flowerbx cards are versatile gift cards for employee appreciation. They’ll love receiving a fresh arrangement to give their space an extra dash of beauty. It's one of the most aesthetically pleasing employee gift cards, for sure. 

14. Zappos

If you've got a fashionista in the office who is constantly updating their work attire, then a Zappos gift card is an outstanding choice. Zappos may have started as an online shoe store, but they now have tons of cute wardrobe items available from big-name brands in fashion, sports and beyond.

With fun, seasonal clothes in a variety of styles, they can use the voucher on their favorite clothing label, which makes this an easily personalized employee gift card idea.

Educational Employee Gift Cards

15. Barnes & Noble

Employee gift cards from Barnes & Noble are a classic choice for a reason. They give readers an excuse to wander the aisles, grab a coffee and pick up whatever genuinely excites them. As a teacher appreciation gift for bookworms or as an employee reward gift card for training completions or other milestones, this idea encourages them to keep learning and growing. Barnes & Noble also stocks other items, which means your employees can get cute office supplies, fun electronics or practical carriers.

16. National Geographic

If you have employees who are endlessly curious or love to share interesting facts, get them a National Geographic employee reward gift card. They can put it toward print or digital subscriptions packed with longform reporting, photography and deep dives into science, culture and history. This is one employee gift card idea that can bring them a little bit closer to the great wonders of the world.

17. Babbel

If you know that one of your employees is heading to a foreign country for their vacation, help them learn a new language with a Babbel gift card. It's also one of the best retirement gifts for lifelong employees who are hopping over the pond to enjoy a European lifestyle.

Lessons on Babbel are structured enough to keep progress steady but brief enough to fit into everyday life. With 14 different languages available, this employee gift card will give them the freedom to choose their own path while showing that you value their world outside the office.

18. Audiobooks

If your employees aren't big fans of physical books, you can indulge their inner bookworm with an employee gift card from Audiobooks.com. It offers everything from research-heavy nonfiction to sprawling novels that they can take on a walk or listen to during a commute.

Your employees can even get social by joining an audiobook club to discover the next best read. If you need an employee appreciation gift card for visually impaired staff members, this is a great option.

19. Curiosity Box

Curiosity Box appeals to the tinkerer — the teammate who keeps a puzzle on their desk or loves explaining how something works. Each shipment delivers hands-on experiments and clever objects that will encourage their curious spirit.

A Curiosity Box employee gift card can have boxes sent up to four times a year and include unique science toys, inventive experiments and original collectibles. As the name suggests, this gift card for employee appreciation is an easy way to nurture wonder and intrigue. 

Employee Gift Cards That Give Back

20. Fire Dept. Coffee

Fire Department Coffee is a veteran-owned business certified by NaVOBA (National Veteran-Owned Business Association) and NVBDC (National Veteran Business Development Council). Not only do they make amazing Java, but they also have a mission to give back to sick and injured firefighters.

If you need gifts for nurses on your team (or anyone who works the late shift and needs coffee on hand), give a Fire Department Coffee employee gift card. This pick lets employees choose roasts that suit their taste while knowing the purchase serves a purpose.

21. Conscious Step

Conscious Step provides comfy, cute, ethical and sustainable socks that help to empower nonprofits and community causes. When you purchase a Conscious Step employee appreciation gift card, your team will be able to select the cause they're most passionate about and wear that cause with pride on their feet. 

This is an employee engagement idea that will land well with charitable and giving workers. Whether they're passionate about ocean conservation, literacy or mental health, it's an employee reward gift card that will feel thoughtful rather than transactional.

22. Pura Vida

Pura Vida gift cards work well for people who love easy, everyday jewelry or relaxed accessories. The brand partners with artisans and contributes to hundreds of charities, so each purchase reaches far beyond the wearer.

Similar to Conscious Step, a Pura Vida gift card allows your employees to select a cause that's close to their heart when they select their items. It's one of the best employee recognition gift cards for conscious companies looking to support good causes.

23. The Tote Project

Get the whole team involved by giving a Tote Project employee gift card. With lots of ethically-made tote bags to choose from, each purchase provides healing and hope to victims of human trafficking. It will also fit in well with your spirit week ideas if your company is looking for employee gift cards for their themed annual gatherings.

24. TOMS Shoes

TOMS is a Certified B Corporation™ and impact-focused shoe brand that donates one-third of its profits for good. With a focus on mental health, access to opportunity and ending gun violence, the company seeks to bring about sustainable change through grants and partnerships with community organizations. Not only will a TOMS employee gift card offer them shoes they'll love, but it will also emphasize the values of your organization.

Subscription-Based Employee Gift Cards

25. Disney+ Gift Card

For an employee appreciation gift for parents of toddlers and teens, a Disney+ employee gift card is the best option. Even for adults, this streaming choice is loved by fans of blockbuster franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, as well as other affiliated media companies like Pixar, FX, and National Geographic. What makes this choice one of the great streaming employee gift card ideas is that it can be bundled together with Hulu for a range of content that offers something for everyone.

26. Netflix Gift Card

Netflix blazed the trail for streaming services and continues to do so today with award-winning original content. If you get your employees a Netflix employee gift card and they already have an account, they can simply add the balance as a top-up. This gift card for employee appreciation is fuss-free and convenient! 

27. Apple Gift Card

Die-hard Apple fans will always use the tech giant's product no matter what. If you have a MacBook or iPhone user at the office, chances are they will really appreciate an Apple Gift Card. Not only can they use this employee appreciation gift card on the Apple TV streaming service, but also on Apple products like Apple Music, the Apple App Store or any physical product. 

28. Amazon Prime Gift Card

Similar to an Apple Gift Card, an Amazon Gift Card allows your employees to cash in on anything on the Amazon store, including its streaming service Prime Video. The fun thing about purchasing an Amazon Gift Card, and what makes this a special option, is that you can send a personalised employee gift card. This includes animated gift cards or your own custom design on the card. It can also be delivered physically, for that extra "wow" factor, or online. 

29. Spotify Gift Card

If your employee is a music lover, they will likely already have a Spotify subscription. Keep their tunes ad-free by giving them a Spotify employee gift card for an amount of your choosing (1, 3, 6 or 12 months) that they can apply to their account. 

This specific gift card does come with a few exceptions that you might want to be aware of. Your employee won't be able to apply their gift card on discounted plans like Premium Student, Premium Family, Premium Duo, or trial offers. You also can't get it directly from Spotify, so you'll need to look at sites like Amazon or get a physical gift card from a local electronics supplier, such as Best Buy. Either way, it still makes one of the best gift cards for employee appreciation. 

So, what is the best gift card to give to an employee? Something personal and practical is usually your best answer. It's always a good idea to give employee gift cards that give back to a cause or to the community. Consider what it is that drives your team and how they spend their time away from the office. Do they have a collection of pottery tools? Have they shared a desire to learn how to start oil painting?  The best employee gift card ideas are the ones that encourage creativity or help your employees feel appreciated in a way that is specific to them.

For even more fun gift ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!