A corporate gift card costs the same as a choice gift (from €10), but lacks personalization, custom branding and impact data. With a choice gift, the recipient chooses from 1,200+ products, gift cards, experiences and donations — in your own brand style. Tax-wise identical (both WKR).
Ordering a Corporate Gift Card? Why Smart Businesses Choose a Choice Gift
You’re looking for a corporate gift card or gift voucher for your employees. Makes sense — it’s quick, everyone knows it, and it fits the budget. But did you know there’s an alternative that costs the same, feels more personal, and gives you measurable data?
A corporate gift card is quick and functional, but it lacks personalization and impact data. A choice gift offers the recipient more freedom of choice from 1,200+ options, custom branding and measurable results for the same price (from €10). Both fall under the WKR. The difference is not in the cost, but in the experience and what you get back.
What you miss with a gift card (and may not realize)
A gift card is fine. There’s nothing wrong with it. But if you honestly look at what a gift card does and doesn’t offer, four things stand out:
No branded experience
Your employee receives a card from Bol.com, HEMA or VVV. The brand experience belongs to that company, not yours. The appreciation is linked to the store, not to you as an employer. Compare that with an own choice portal.
No impact data
You don’t know whether the card was used. You don’t know when, and you don’t know what it was spent on. Your budget is spent, but the feedback is zero. With a choice gift, you do get that data.
Limited freedom of choice
A Bol.com card can only be spent at Bol.com. A VVV card only at participating stores. You steer the recipient in a certain direction. Read more about the difference between a gift card, voucher and choice gift.
Low emotional value
Research shows that gift cards are experienced as the “easy option.” The gesture feels less personal than a gift that shows effort — even when the price is exactly the same.
These are not reasons to write off gift cards entirely. They are reasons to consider whether the alternative better matches what you want to achieve. Also read how Cadeo compares to a gift card.
Cost calculation: gift card vs. choice gift
The most common argument for a gift card: “it’s cheap and easy.” But what are the costs really?
Gift card (€50)
Choice gift (€50)
The conclusion: for the same or even a lower budget, you get a more personal experience, more freedom of choice for the recipient, and measurable data in return. The gift card is not cheaper — the choice gift simply gives more value for the same investment.
The full comparison: 8 criteria
| Criterion | Corporate gift card | Choice gift |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom of choice | 1 store or chain | 1,200+ products, gift cards, experiences, donations |
| Custom branding | Sometimes a logo on the card | Fully branded (portal, message, style) |
| Personal message | Limited (card included) | Yes (video, text, branded) |
| Impact data | No | Yes (redemption, timing, choices) |
| Logistics | Physical or digital | Digital, by post or physical card |
| Addresses needed? | Yes (for physical) | No (can be sent digitally) |
| WKR | Free space | Free space (identical) |
| Recipient appreciation | Average | High (self-chosen) |
Want a detailed comparison of all three options (gift card, gift voucher and choice gift)? Read our in-depth comparison article.
“We gave Bol.com cards for years. Functional, but it felt like a perfunctory gesture. When we switched to a choice gift, we started getting spontaneous thank-yous for the first time. Same budget, completely different reaction.”
When is a gift card the right choice?
A gift card is not inherently bad. There are situations where it’s the best option:
A gift card works best when...
It’s a small, quick token of appreciation (under €15). Or if you know for sure the recipient is a fan of a specific store. Or if it’s a one-off gesture without any need for branding or reporting. In all other cases, a choice gift gives more value for the same money. Want to handle this structurally? Read about automating your gifting policy.
Combine the best of both: gift cards as part of a choice gift
The great thing is: you don’t have to choose between a gift card and a choice gift. With platforms like Cadeo, you can include gift cards as part of the choice collection. The recipient who prefers a Bol.com card can choose that. The recipient who would rather have a physical product, experience or donation can choose that.
The difference: instead of giving everyone the same card, you give everyone the choice. Including the option of a card. Check out the choice portal to see what this looks like in practice. Also discover the full experience for employees.
What companies that switch choose
At Cadeo, we see that companies switching from gift cards to choice gifts offer employees a mix: physical products, digital gift cards, experiences and donations. The surprising part? Only 30–40% of recipients ultimately choose a gift card. The majority choose products or experiences — something they would never have gotten with a standard card. More data in our Cadeo Unwrapped report.
Tax-wise: no difference
Both corporate gift cards and choice gifts fall under the work-related costs scheme. There is no tax reason to choose one over the other.
WKR 2026: identical
Free space: 2% on the first €400,000 of taxable payroll and 1.18% above that. Both can be designated as a final tax component. Not redeemable for cash. The tax authorities make no distinction. More details in our WKR guide. Also see how to use gift cards for employees under the WKR most effectively.
Switch in 3 steps
Moving from a gift card to a choice gift is not a big project. Most companies make the switch in a few days.
Choose your platform
Compare branding, collection breadth and reporting. At Cadeo, you can set up your first campaign within an hour.
Build your collection
Choose which products, gift cards, experiences and donations you want to offer. Upload your logo and write a personal message. Connect it to your HR system.
Send and measure
Send the link to your employees. View the impact data: who opened it, what was chosen, when it was redeemed.
Conclusion
There’s nothing wrong with a corporate gift card. It’s a proven way to thank your employees. But when you compare it with a choice gift, it becomes clear that for the same budget you can offer more: more freedom of choice, a more personal experience, custom branding and measurable impact.
The question is not whether a gift card is “good.” The question is whether it’s the best use of your budget. And for more and more companies, the answer is no, a choice gift offers more value. Discover more ideas for rewarding employees.
Frequently asked questions
This article is compiled on the basis of publicly available information from corporate gift card providers (Cadeaubon.nl, Giftcards.nl, VVV), WKR regulations from the Dutch Tax Administration (2026), and platform data from Cadeo on recipient choice behavior when switching from gift cards to choice gifts.
