Frequently Asked Questions

Browse the FAQ below or use the search bar to find a specific answer. For step-by-step troubleshooting, see Common Questions.

Getting Started

How do I install BatchCard?

Go to the Shopify App Store, search for BatchCard, and click Install. The app works inside your Shopify admin. No separate account or login required. See the Installation guide for full steps.

How much does it cost?

BatchCard has four plans: Free ($0/mo, 25 cards), Starter ($4.99/mo, 500 cards), Pro ($9.99/mo, 2,500 cards), and Business ($24.99/mo, unlimited). All plans use flat pricing with no percentage fees. See pricing for details.

Is there a free plan?

Yes. The Free plan includes 25 gift cards per month with bulk creation, CSV export, custom code prefixes, and full code capture. No credit card required. No time limit. File import (CSV/XLSX) requires a Starter plan or higher.

Features

Can I bring my existing gift cards over from another system?

Yes, on the Starter plan and above. Import a spreadsheet with each card's code and its current remaining balance, and BatchCard creates Shopify gift cards that keep those codes working, as long as each code is 8 to 20 letters and numbers. See the migration guides for the export steps for Square, Toast, Lightspeed, and Clover.

Can I deactivate every card in a batch at once?

Yes, on the Starter plan and above. Open the batch, click More actions, and choose Deactivate all cards; BatchCard shows the card count and the balance you are voiding before you confirm. Deactivating cannot be undone, and a deactivated card can never be redeemed or reactivated, so read the updating a whole batch guide first.

Can I change the expiration on a whole batch?

Yes, on the Pro plan and above. Open the batch, click More actions, and choose Change expiration to set, shorten, extend, or remove the expiration on every enabled card, including cards created without one. Adding an expiration or shortening one asks you to confirm the count first, and the updating a whole batch guide covers both steps.

Can I archive a batch I am finished with?

Yes, on every plan. Archiving hides the batch from your default batch list while the gift cards stay live in Shopify and reminders keep sending, so nothing changes for your customers. You can unarchive the batch at any time, and Archive a batch has the steps.

What's the maximum number of gift cards per batch?

This depends on your plan. Free allows 25 per month, Starter allows 500, Pro allows 2,500, and Business is unlimited. A single batch can use your full monthly allowance. See Plan Limits.

Can I import from Excel?

Yes. BatchCard accepts both CSV and XLSX (Excel) files. Drop your .xlsx file on the From file tile on the BatchCard dashboard, or click Add file to browse. No need to convert to CSV first. See the import guide for the full walkthrough.

Can I import from Google Sheets or a URL?

Yes, on the Business plan. Paste a public Google Sheets, Dropbox, OneDrive, or SharePoint link into the From URL field on the dashboard and click Import from URL. The file must be publicly accessible. See importing spreadsheets for setup steps. Direct file upload is available on all import plans (Starter, Pro, Business).

What columns does the import support?

BatchCard supports 11 columns: Value (required), Code, Code Prefix, Code Suffix, Recipient Email, First Name, Last Name, Message, Expiration Date, Note, and Tags. Only Value is required. Code carries an existing card's own code so it keeps working after the card moves to Shopify. The app auto-maps common column name variations, so headers like "Amount" or "Price" are recognized as "Value" automatically. See the format reference for full details.

Can I customize gift card codes?

Yes. You can add a custom prefix to gift card codes (for example, HOLIDAY or VIP). The prefix appears at the beginning of each code. Set the prefix in the batch creation form or use the code_prefix column in your CSV. See Using Custom Prefixes.

Can I schedule deliveries?

Yes, on the Pro plan and above. You can schedule gift card delivery emails for a specific date and time. See Scheduling Delivery.

Can gift cards expire after a set duration?

Yes, on the Pro plan and above. Choose a preset (1, 2, or 5 years) or a custom duration from 1 month to 20 years when creating a batch. BatchCard converts the duration into a fixed expiration date at creation and shows a live preview first. You can also pick a specific date, and spreadsheet rows can override the batch setting per card. See Creating Gift Cards.

Billing

How does billing work?

BatchCard uses Shopify's built-in billing system. You pay through the same payment method as your Shopify subscription. Charges appear on your Shopify invoice. No separate payment setup needed.

Can I switch plans?

Yes, anytime from the BatchCard settings page, though when the change takes effect depends on which way you are moving. An upgrade is available right away, and a downgrade to a lower paid plan starts at the beginning of your next billing period, so you keep your current plan's features and card limit until then. A move to the Free plan takes effect right away, Shopify credits you for the unused time on your current period, and Plan Limits lists what each plan includes.

What happens when I cancel?

If you downgrade to the Free plan, your existing gift cards and batches are preserved. Your monthly limit changes to 25 cards. If you uninstall the app, your gift cards remain in Shopify as native gift cards.

Do you charge percentage fees?

No. BatchCard uses flat monthly pricing. You pay the same amount whether you create $500 or $500,000 in gift cards. No percentage fees, no per-card fees, no hidden charges.

Security and Data

Is my data secure?

Yes. BatchCard runs inside the Shopify platform and follows Shopify's security requirements for embedded apps. Data is transmitted over HTTPS and stored securely. BatchCard only accesses the Shopify data it needs to function (gift cards, customer records, and store settings).

What data does BatchCard access?

BatchCard accesses your gift cards, your customer records, and your store settings. It uses gift cards to create and manage the cards in each batch, and store settings to read your currency and timezone. It uses customer records to look up each recipient by email address and, when no matching customer exists, to create one. A customer record BatchCard creates is saved with NOT_SUBSCRIBED marketing consent and no tags, so creating it never adds anyone to your marketing list. Email delivery is available on the Starter plan and above. BatchCard does not access your orders, products, analytics, or financial data.

How long is data retained?

Gift card and batch data is retained in BatchCard as long as the app is installed. If you uninstall BatchCard, your data is retained for 2 days in case you reinstall, and permanent deletion runs when Shopify sends the shop/redact webhook, approximately 48 hours after uninstall. Gift cards themselves remain in Shopify. On the Starter plan and above, you can also turn on recipient data retention: a set number of days (1, 7, or 30) after delivery, BatchCard replaces each recipient's email and name with masked values and deletes the personal message, while card codes, values, balances, and redemption status stay untouched. That window is your store default, and any batch can follow it or pin its own window instead, including keeping its recipient data indefinitely. Retention is off by default. See Data Retention and Set a retention window for one batch.

Can I export my data?

Yes. You can export gift card codes and batch details as CSV files at any time from the BatchCard dashboard. This is available on all plans, including Free. See Exporting Codes.

Limits

What are the plan limits?

Each plan has a monthly gift card creation limit: Free (25), Starter (500), Pro (2,500), Business (unlimited). The limit resets at the start of each billing cycle. See Plan Limits for the full comparison.

What happens if I hit my monthly limit?

New batch creation is blocked until the next billing cycle. Your existing gift cards and batches are not affected. You can upgrade your plan at any time for a higher limit.

Can I buy additional capacity?

Not as a one-time purchase. To increase your monthly limit, upgrade to a higher plan. The Business plan offers unlimited gift card creation for $24.99/mo.