Rafflecopter vs Gleam
The two most-asked-about giveaway tools in 2026, compared honestly across 19 features. We built Rafflecopter, but we will tell you when Gleam is the better pick.
Rafflecopter wins
12
Tied
5
Gleam wins
2
TL;DR
Pick Rafflecopter if you run social media giveaways (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube comments) and want a free or pay-per-draw tool with cryptographic fairness proof, cinematic animations, and zero subscription lock-in. This is the case for 80% of creators in 2026.
Pick Gleam if you need email lead capture, complex multi-step entry forms, or reward fulfillment integrations — Gleam was built around the older website-widget giveaway model and still leads in those niches. Be ready for monthly subscriptions starting at $39/month.
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Rafflecopter | Gleam |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Up to 100 comments per draw | 1 active competition, branded |
| Pricing model No subscription lock-in | Pay-per-draw ($4.99 standard / $7.99 premium) | Monthly subscription ($39 → $149+) |
| Cryptographic fairness proof SHA-256 verifiable certificate per draw | Yes | No |
| AI anti-bot detection | Yes | Limited |
| Cinematic draw animations | 7 themes with audio | Static reveal |
| Multi-winner with podium | Up to 10, 1st/2nd/3rd display | Yes, plain list |
| Live draw room | Premium tier | No |
| Video export (Reels/Stories/Feed) | MP4 9:16, 1:1, 16:9 | No |
| Instagram comments | Yes | Yes |
| TikTok comments | Yes | No |
| YouTube comments | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook / X / Reddit / Threads / Bluesky | All 8 platforms | Limited |
| Account / signup required | No (paste link, draw, done) | Yes (email + business profile) |
| Email entry forms / questions Gleam is better if you need lead capture | No | Yes |
| Reward fulfillment integrations | No | Yes |
| Embeddable widget on your site | Available | Yes |
| API access | Enterprise | Yes (paid tiers) |
| Multi-language UI | 16 languages | English only |
| GDPR / LGPD compliance | Yes | Yes |
Pricing breakdown
Rafflecopter — pay-per-draw
- Free tier$0 — up to 100 comments
- Standard$4.99 / draw
- Premium$7.99 / draw
No monthly fee. Pay only when you actually run a draw with 100+ comments.
Gleam — monthly subscription
- Free tier1 active comp, branded
- Hobby$39 / month
- Pro$149 / month
- Business$249+ / month
Recurring whether you run a giveaway that month or not.
A creator running 6 giveaways per year pays ~$30 with Rafflecopter vs $468–$1,788 with Gleam Hobby/Pro.
When Gleam is the right call
We are not the right tool for everyone. Use Gleam if any of these apply:
- You need to capture email leads as part of the entry flow.
- You run complex multi-step entries (visit page X, follow Y on N platforms, answer a survey).
- You need reward fulfillment integrations with Shopify/Klaviyo/Mailchimp.
- You run giveaways embedded on your own website (not just social posts).
- Your team has a recurring monthly budget for giveaway tooling.
When Rafflecopter wins
Most creators in 2026 are running social-first giveaways. If that is you:
- You run giveaways on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube (or Facebook, X, Reddit, Threads, Bluesky).
- You want participants to enter by commenting on a post, not filling a form.
- You want cryptographic proof that the draw was fair (so participants can verify).
- You hate monthly subscriptions and prefer paying only when you draw.
- You want a cinematic reveal (animation + audio) instead of a static name pop.
Try Rafflecopter free
Free for posts up to 100 comments. No credit card. No signup. Paste a link and draw a winner in 60 seconds.
Pick a winner nowTools mentioned in this article
Instagram giveaway picker
Pick a random winner from any Instagram post comments.
TikTok giveaway picker
Same flow for TikTok video comments.
YouTube giveaway picker
Pull comments from any YouTube video and draw a winner.
Comment picker
Universal comment picker that works across 8 platforms.
Wheel spinner
Animated wheel for offline lists or live events.
Random name picker
Paste a list of names, get a random winner instantly.