Scratch Card Popup Apps for Shopify — Turn Visitors Into Customers with Interactive Discounts
Scratch card popups combine the thrill of physical scratch-off tickets with the convenience of digital shopping. They engage visitors the moment they land, capture emails, and drive purchases with irresistible reveal mechanics. Here's everything you need to know about adding scratch cards to your Shopify store.
What Are Scratch Card Popups?
Interactive overlays that let visitors scratch to reveal hidden discounts, prizes, or offers
Scratch card popups are gamified marketing tools that transform the standard discount popup into an interactive experience. Instead of simply displaying a coupon code, visitors physically scratch a digital card to reveal their prize — mimicking the satisfying experience of real lottery scratch-off tickets. The mechanic is simple but powerful: a popup appears with a scratchable surface. The visitor uses their finger (on mobile) or mouse (on desktop) to scratch away the covering and reveal what's underneath — typically a discount code, free shipping offer, or special deal. This tiny bit of effort creates a psychological investment that dramatically increases the likelihood of redemption.
Higher Engagement Rates
Scratch cards see 3-5x more interaction than traditional static popups. The tactile, game-like experience captures attention and keeps visitors on your site longer.
Better Email Capture
By gating the scratch card behind an email signup, stores consistently see 30-50% opt-in rates compared to 5-10% for standard email popups.
Increased Coupon Redemption
Because visitors 'earned' their discount through interaction, redemption rates are 2-3x higher than passively displayed coupon codes.
Memorable Brand Experience
The playful interaction creates a positive emotional association with your brand, improving recall and encouraging return visits.
The Psychology Behind Scratch Cards
Why the reveal mechanic is one of the most powerful conversion tools in e-commerce
Variable Reward Theory
Behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner demonstrated that variable, unpredictable rewards are far more engaging than fixed ones. Scratch cards tap into this by making the reward uncertain — the visitor doesn't know what they'll get until they scratch. This uncertainty creates dopamine-driven excitement that fixed discount popups simply can't match. The brain's reward center activates not when the reward is received, but when it's anticipated.
The Endowment Effect
Once a visitor starts scratching, they feel a sense of ownership over the prize — even before they see it. This psychological principle, known as the endowment effect, means people value things more highly once they feel they possess them. A scratched-and-revealed 15% discount feels more valuable than the same 15% displayed on a banner, because the visitor invested effort to 'earn' it.
Loss Aversion
After revealing their prize, visitors experience loss aversion — the fear of missing out on something they already 'have.' A revealed discount code with a countdown timer creates urgency: 'I've already won this — I'd be foolish not to use it.' Studies show that people are roughly twice as motivated to avoid losing something as they are to gain something of equal value.
The IKEA Effect
People place disproportionately high value on things they helped create or discover. The scratch card mechanic requires active participation — the visitor is doing the revealing. This labor, minimal as it is, creates a stronger emotional connection to the reward. The discount feels personally earned rather than generically distributed, dramatically increasing the likelihood of use.
Reciprocity Principle
When your store gives a visitor a 'gift' (the scratch card experience and resulting prize), they feel a subconscious obligation to reciprocate — often by making a purchase or at minimum sharing their email. This reciprocity principle is amplified because the experience was fun and engaging, not transactional. Visitors feel the store gave them something entertaining, not just a sales pitch.
Top Scratch Card Popup Apps for Shopify
We reviewed the most popular options — here are the best scratch card solutions for Shopify stores
Superpop — Gamified Popups
Our PickSuperpop stands out by offering scratch cards as one of multiple gamification types including spin wheels, slot machines, and pick-a-gift. The scratch card feature includes full customization of the card design, prize distribution, and reveal animation. Seamlessly integrates with Shopify's discount system and major email platforms like Klaviyo and Mailchimp.
WooHoo — Gamified Popups
WooHoo offers scratch card functionality alongside other game types. It focuses on simplicity and quick setup, making it a solid choice for stores that want basic gamification without extensive customization needs.
Spin-a-Sale
Primarily known for spin wheel popups, Spin-a-Sale offers scratch card variants as part of their gamification suite. The app is well-established in the Shopify ecosystem with a focus on email list building.
Privy — Pop Ups & Email
Privy is primarily an email marketing platform with popup capabilities. While it offers gamified elements including scratch-style reveals, its strength lies more in the email marketing side with robust automation workflows.
OptiMonk — Popup & CRO
OptiMonk provides a wide range of popup types with some gamification features. While scratch cards aren't their primary focus, they offer interactive reveal mechanics as part of their broader conversion rate optimization toolkit.
Wheelio — Gamification Platform
Wheelio combines spin wheels with scratch card elements, focusing on gamification-first design. The platform emphasizes visual customization and works well for stores that want vibrant, eye-catching popup experiences.
When to Use Scratch Card Popups
Strategic timing and events where scratch cards deliver the highest ROI
Black Friday & Cyber Monday
BFCM is the perfect time for scratch cards. Visitors are already in a buying mindset and actively hunting for deals. A scratch card popup that reveals exclusive BFCM discounts creates excitement while capturing emails for your holiday campaign list. Use tiered prizes: most visitors get 10-15% off, with a few lucky scratchers getting 30-50% to create buzz and social sharing.
Holiday Season Campaigns
Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day — any gift-giving holiday is ideal for scratch cards. Theme your scratch card design to match the holiday (snowflakes for Christmas, hearts for Valentine's). The festive, game-like experience aligns perfectly with the holiday shopping spirit and encourages impulse purchases when customers are buying gifts.
New Product Launches
Launching a new product? Use scratch cards to reveal early-bird discounts or exclusive launch offers. This builds anticipation and creates a sense of exclusivity. Gate the scratch card behind email signup to build a launch waitlist. The 'scratch to reveal your launch day discount' mechanic drives both email signups and day-one sales.
Flash Sales & Limited-Time Offers
Flash sales paired with scratch cards create double urgency — the sale itself is time-limited, and the scratched discount feels personal and perishable. Add a countdown timer after the reveal to maximize conversion. This combination of gamification plus urgency consistently outperforms standard flash sale banners by 2-4x in conversion rates.
Email List Building Campaigns
Dedicated list-building campaigns benefit enormously from scratch cards. Instead of a bland 'Subscribe for 10% off' popup, offer 'Scratch to reveal your mystery discount' gated behind email signup. The curiosity factor alone drives 3-5x more signups. Once subscribed, the customer has both a discount to use immediately and is in your email flow for future campaigns.
Cart Abandonment Recovery
When a visitor shows exit-intent with items in their cart, a scratch card popup is significantly more effective than a standard 'Wait! Here's 10% off' message. The interactive element interrupts the leaving behavior, and the revealed discount feels like a personal reward rather than a desperate retention tactic. This approach recovers 15-25% of abandoning carts.
Best Practices for Scratch Card Popups
Design tips, prize distribution strategies, and optimization tactics for maximum results
Design the Card to Match Your Brand
Your scratch card should feel like a natural extension of your store, not a generic widget. Use your brand colors, fonts, and imagery. A well-branded scratch card builds trust and feels premium. Avoid garish, casino-like designs unless that genuinely fits your brand. The goal is engaging and on-brand, not gimmicky.
Set Realistic Prize Distribution
Structure prizes so most visitors (60-70%) win a modest discount (10-15% off), some (20-30%) win a mid-tier prize (20-25% off or free shipping), and a few (5-10%) win a high-value prize (30%+ off or a free item). This distribution keeps the experience exciting while protecting your margins. Avoid 'everyone wins the same thing' — it defeats the purpose of variable rewards.
Gate Behind Email Capture
Require an email address before allowing the scratch. This is the sweet spot where curiosity meets lead generation. The visitor wants to know what's under the scratch card badly enough to provide their email. Display the card but keep it unscratachable until they enter their email. This simple gate converts at 35-50% compared to 5-10% for standard email popups.
Optimize Trigger Timing
Don't show the scratch card immediately on page load — let visitors browse for 5-10 seconds first. Exit-intent triggers work exceptionally well for scratch cards because they catch leaving visitors with an irresistible interactive offer. Time-delayed triggers (8-15 seconds) also perform well. Test different triggers and track which timing produces the highest conversion rate.
Add Urgency After the Reveal
Once the prize is revealed, add a countdown timer (15-30 minutes works best). The combination of a personally earned discount plus time pressure creates powerful motivation to purchase immediately. Display the discount code prominently with a 'Use within 20 minutes' message. This simple addition increases redemption rates by 40-60%.
Mobile-First Design
Over 70% of Shopify traffic comes from mobile devices. Ensure your scratch card works flawlessly on touchscreens — the scratch gesture should feel natural and responsive. Keep the card size appropriate for mobile screens and ensure the revealed prize and CTA button are easily tappable. Test on multiple device sizes before going live.
A/B Test Continuously
Test everything: scratch card design, prize amounts, trigger timing, copy, and gating strategy. Even small improvements compound significantly at scale. Start with testing the biggest levers (prize amounts and trigger timing), then refine design elements. A 2% improvement in conversion rate across thousands of visitors translates to substantial revenue.
Track the Full Funnel
Don't just measure popup impressions — track the complete journey: impression → scratch → email captured → coupon revealed → coupon used → purchase. This full-funnel view reveals where visitors drop off and where to focus optimization. Most analytics tools show the first few steps, but integration with your Shopify analytics gives you the complete revenue picture.
Scratch Card Popup FAQ
Yes, and the data is compelling. Scratch card popups consistently outperform traditional popups across key metrics. Average engagement rates are 3-5x higher than static popups, email capture rates reach 30-50% (vs 5-10% for standard popups), and coupon redemption rates are 2-3x higher because visitors feel they 'earned' the discount. The interactive, game-like mechanic taps into fundamental human psychology around rewards and anticipation.
Modern scratch card apps like Superpop are built with performance in mind. They load asynchronously, meaning they don't block your page from rendering. The actual scratch card assets are lightweight — typically under 50KB. If you're using a well-built app, the performance impact is negligible (less than 100ms of additional load time). Always check your PageSpeed score before and after installation to verify.
The best approach is weighted random distribution: assign a percentage chance to each prize tier. For example: 65% chance of 10% off, 25% chance of 15% off, 8% chance of 20% off, and 2% chance of free shipping. Apps like Superpop let you configure these percentages directly. The 'randomness' is controlled by the app server-side, so every visitor gets a fair chance at each prize. You control the odds to protect your margins while keeping the experience exciting.
Absolutely. Most quality scratch card apps integrate directly with Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Omnisend, and other major email marketing platforms. When a visitor enters their email to unlock the scratch card, that email is automatically synced to your email tool with tags like 'scratch-card-signup' and the prize they won. This enables targeted follow-up sequences based on their prize — for example, sending a reminder email if they haven't redeemed their discount within 24 hours.
Targeted display is more effective. Show scratch cards to: new visitors (first-time engagement), visitors who haven't purchased yet, visitors showing exit-intent, and visitors on specific high-value pages. Avoid showing them to returning customers who've already participated, visitors who are already in the checkout flow, and recently converted customers. Most apps allow you to set these targeting rules to maximize effectiveness without annoying repeat visitors.
Both are gamified popup types, but the mechanics differ. Spin wheels show all possible prizes upfront and the visitor watches the wheel spin. Scratch cards hide the prize entirely until the visitor actively reveals it. Psychologically, scratch cards create more personal investment because the visitor is doing the 'work' of revealing. Spin wheels are more visually exciting with the spinning animation. Both outperform static popups. Apps like Superpop offer both, so you can A/B test which works better for your audience.
Yes, modern scratch card apps are fully responsive and optimized for touch screens. The scratch gesture on mobile mimics real scratch-off tickets — visitors use their finger to scratch away the covering. Make sure you choose an app that specifically mentions mobile optimization. The scratch area should be large enough for comfortable finger swiping, and the revealed prize and CTA should be easily tappable. Test on both iOS and Android before going live.
Pricing varies by app and features. Most Shopify scratch card apps offer free plans with limited features (typically 100-500 popup views per month) and paid plans starting at $9-15/month for small stores. Mid-tier plans ($20-50/month) unlock advanced features like A/B testing, advanced targeting, and integrations. The ROI is typically significant — even a modest 2% increase in conversion rate easily covers the monthly cost for most stores.
Ready to Add Scratch Cards to Your Shopify Store?
Superpop offers scratch cards, spin wheels, slot machines, and more — all in one app. Set up in minutes, customize to match your brand, and start converting more visitors today. Free plan available.