Frequently asked questions

What is Bow & Tick?

Bow & Tick is an Australian-owned gift planner made for everyone you buy for, wherever you are. You keep a list of people, note what they love and need, save gift ideas against them, get email reminders for what is still to buy, and you and your collaborators can mark gifts as bought. Everything stays in one place, so nothing gets given twice and nothing gets forgotten, and lists can be kept in AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, NZD or CAD.

What's the best app for keeping track of Christmas gifts?

Bow & Tick is built specifically for this. It combines a gift list, reminders, a gift idea generator, shared lists and a spending tracker in one app, so you don't need a notes app, a spreadsheet and the family group chat.

How do I stop doubling up on gifts with my partner or family?

Share the list and everyone can see which gifts are already marked as bought, so the same present does not get bought twice. Open the Lists page, find the list and tap Share, then add their email address. Anyone you add gets the same people, gifts and bought markers with their own free account, and only the owner can add or remove people.

How do I share a gift list with my partner or grandparents?

Open the Lists page, find the list and tap Share, then add their email address. The Lists page always shows who each list is shared with, so you can see at a glance whether it is private to you. Anyone you add gets the same people, gifts and bought markers with their own free account, and only the owner can add or remove people.

How do I track my Christmas spending against a budget?

Set a total for a list, switch the tracker on, and the app adds up the gifts you have marked bought. You see what is spent, what is left, and roughly what your remaining ideas would cost.

Can Bow & Tick remind me to buy the gifts I still need?

Yes. Turn on purchase reminders for a list and choose daily, weekly or monthly: the email shows who is still to buy for and what is left, and it can go to you or to your partner. Birthdays are flagged from four weeks out, and you can subscribe to a birthday calendar in your phone's own calendar app, so the dates turn up where you already look.

How do I find gift ideas when I only know a few things someone likes?

Tell us a little about the person: relationship, age band, three things they love, three things they need, things to avoid and a rough budget. You get four specific, buyable ideas with a reason for each one and a link to a shop.

Can Bow & Tick suggest gifts by age or relationship?

Yes. Every person on your list is saved with their relationship and an age band, and the ideas are picked for them: when you set a child age band, the ideas are limited to things actually made for that age group.

How do I share the mental load of Christmas shopping?

Keep every name, idea and purchase in one shared list instead of one person's head. Open the Lists page, find the list and tap Share, then add their email address: anyone you add gets the same people, gifts and bought markers with their own free account, so the planning, the ideas and the budget all stay in the same place.

How much does Bow & Tick cost?

Bow & Tick is free to use. It is a new app so we have made it completely free especially whilst we trial the Idea Generator. Some shop links are affiliate links, so if you buy through one the shop may pay us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Is Bow & Tick available on iPhone and Android?

Yes. Bow & Tick runs in the browser on iPhone and Android, and you can add it to your phone's home screen for free in a few seconds. On an iPhone or iPad, open Bow & Tick in Safari, tap the Share button, then Add to Home Screen, then Add. On an Android phone, open it in Chrome, tap the three dot menu, then Install app, or Add to Home screen. You get an icon that opens the whole app full screen, no app store involved.

How is Bow & Tick different from a notes app or spreadsheet?

Two big ones. Unlike a shared notes app, it doesn't rely on everyone having an iPhone, and unlike a spreadsheet it is much more Grandma and Grandpa friendly. And neither of those can send reminders: Bow & Tick emails the people who still have gifts to buy, keeps the running total, and lets everyone mark gifts as bought, so nothing gets given twice and nothing gets forgotten.

Does Bow & Tick earn commission from gift links?

Some of the links we show to shops are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the shop may pay us a small commission. The price you pay is exactly the same either way. Ideas are never chosen or ranked by what pays us, and not every search earns us anything at all. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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