About GiftBetter
The company helps St. Louis residents and employers send gift cards for nearby businesses. Buyers choose an amount, personalize the gift with a note or media, and suggest a participating business. Recipients may keep that suggestion or switch to another local option. Cards can arrive digitally within minutes or as custom physical cards. They never expire. GiftBetter covers restaurants, shops, wellness businesses, and experiences. Businesses can also use the service for employee and client gifts.
GiftBetter is based in St. Louis, and GiftBetter Inc. is a Delaware corporation. Mark Sawyier is chief executive officer and a director, while Stephen Sawyier is a director. Payment details go directly to a processor or banking partner. GiftBetter does not store full payment card numbers or full bank account and routing numbers. It neither sells personal information nor shares it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Funding Rounds (SEC Form D)
| First sale | Filed with SEC | Amount sold | Investors | Avg. check | Terms | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | $500,000of $1.2M target | 12 | $41,667 | EquityRule 506(b) | Form D ↗ |
First sale is the date the first investor in the offering committed to invest. Companies must file Form D within 15 days of that date, so filing dates run later.
Why Investors Backed GiftBetter
GiftBetter is building a St. Louis marketplace for local merchant gift cards. It serves individual gift buyers and organizations that send rewards. The model brings existing merchant card programs into one place, creating a shared channel for discovery and sales.
The problem it targets
GiftBetter argues that gift buyers often struggle to choose one local business. A single-business card can also limit the recipient’s options. Its approach keeps the giver’s suggestion while allowing the recipient to make the final choice. The local focus aims to direct gift spending toward neighborhood businesses.
What the product does
Digital gifts use web links tied to a set dollar value. After a recipient chooses a merchant, the card works only at that business or an affiliated group. For recipient-directed gifts, GiftBetter stores a tokenized credential, a digital substitute for the buyer’s payment details. It charges the buyer when the recipient applies funds to a merchant. Daily purchases are capped at $2,000 for one recipient and $10,000 across all recipients.
Progress so far
The homepage highlights seven St. Louis businesses. They include Nicky’s Slices, Truffles Restaurant, and AO&Co. GiftBetter supports bulk orders for employees and clients. It can also handle recipients outside St. Louis for those orders. Merchants can connect an existing card program and begin reaching new customers in minutes.
We wrote this summary from public statements by GiftBetter and its investors. It is not investment advice.
GiftBetter in the News
Leadership Team
Executive officers and directors listed on GiftBetter's Form D filed Nov 9, 2026.