us vs them
Aug 9, 2025
When it comes to running online giveaways, referral contests, and viral campaigns, three names often pop up: Gleam, UpViral, and QueueForm.
All three tools help you capture leads, engage audiences, and encourage sharing, but they take different approaches and offer different strengths.
In this guide, we’ll compare them across key criteria so you can decide which one fits your needs.
Quick Comparison Table
Feature / Criteria | QueueForm | Gleam | UpViral |
|---|---|---|---|
Main Focus | Viral waitlists, giveaways, and built-in email marketing | Contests & giveaways with extensive entry methods | Referral giveaways & viral campaigns |
Campaign Types | Waitlists, milestone rewards, random winners, spin-the-wheel, scratch cards | Giveaways, competitions, reward-based actions | Giveaways, referral programs, leaderboards |
Gamification Options | Spin-the-wheel, scratch cards, leaderboard rankings | Points-based entries, random draw | Leaderboards, points, milestone rewards |
Ease of Setup | Very beginner-friendly (no-code) | Moderate (requires choosing and configuring many actions) | Moderate (requires setup of referral mechanics) |
Integrations | Built-in email, Zapier, Webflow, Shopify | 100+ integrations including Shopify, YouTube, Facebook | Email marketing tools, Zapier, CRM systems |
Best For | Startups, SaaS, e-commerce, creators | E-commerce, content creators, agencies | Digital marketers & referral-driven campaigns |
Pricing Style | Flat, transparent pricing | Feature-based tiers | Campaign & contact-based tiers |
Email Marketing | Built-in | Requires external ESP | Requires external ESP |
Unique Strength | Combines viral waitlists + gamification + email automation | Huge variety of entry methods | Strong referral tracking & leaderboard mechanics |
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
1. Campaign Types
Gleam: Known for its wide variety of entry methods — from social follows to uploading content. Great for campaigns that require multi-step participation.
UpViral: Focused on referral mechanics and leaderboard-based giveaways, making it ideal for word-of-mouth style growth.
QueueForm: Offers both — but adds viral waitlists and gamified widgets like spin-the-wheel, making it a fit for pre-launch hype and ongoing campaigns.
2. Ease of Use
Gleam: Offers a lot of flexibility, but setup can be overwhelming for first-time users.
UpViral: Fairly straightforward, but setting up referral logic may take some learning.
QueueForm: Designed for non-technical founders, with a drag-and-drop interface and quick campaign templates.
3. Gamification
Gleam: Points-based entries and multiple prize tiers.
UpViral: Leaderboards and milestone rewards to encourage competition.
QueueForm: Combines leaderboards with fun, instant-win mechanics like scratch cards and spin-the-wheel — boosting engagement during and after the campaign.
4. Integrations
Gleam: Works with major e-commerce and social platforms.
UpViral: Connects to email marketing tools, CRMs, and Zapier.
QueueForm: Direct integrations for Webflow, Shopify, and email, plus Zapier for everything else — and built-in email marketing.
5. Email Marketing
Gleam: Requires integrating a separate ESP.
UpViral: Also relies on external email platforms.
QueueForm: Has email campaigns built-in, so you can send updates, rewards, and reminders without paying for extra tools.
6. Pricing Approach
Gleam: Pricing scales with features and capabilities.
UpViral: Tiers based on campaign and subscriber limits.
QueueForm: Flat, transparent pricing that includes all features.
Final Thoughts
If your priority is:
Maximum entry method variety → Go with Gleam
Pure referral mechanics → Choose UpViral
A mix of viral waitlists, gamification, and built-in email → QueueForm is your best bet
Why Many Are Choosing QueueForm in 2025
While Gleam and UpViral have strong reputations, QueueForm stands out for combining:
Viral waitlists for pre-launch hype
Ongoing referral campaigns
Gamified widgets for engagement
Built-in email automation
… all in one platform.
This means fewer tools, simpler setup, and more ways to grow while you engage your audience.
