---
title: "How do Free gift tiers work, and can gifts stack?"
description: "Up to 5 Free gift tiers by cart value or items in cart. What counts toward a tier, and how Higher tier replaces lower decides one gift or several."
url: "https://smart-bundles.io/help/free-gifts/free-gift-tiers"
updated: "2026-11-02"
product: "SMART Bundles App & Upsells"
section: "Help center / Free gifts"
---


# How do Free gift tiers work, and can gifts stack?

A Free gift can have up to 5 tiers (a code gift has 1), each with its own minimum, gift variant and Free quantity. With two or more tiers, **Higher tier replaces lower** is on by default, so only the gift of the highest tier reached is in the cart. Untick it and every tier the cart reaches adds its own gift.

## Add tiers

1. Open the Free gift and pick the **Trigger**: **Cart value** or **Items in cart**. Every tier uses the same trigger. Switching it clears the maximum and the per-currency minimums and maximums.
2. In **Gift tiers** > **Tier #1**, enter the **Minimum cart value** (or **Minimum items**), the **Free quantity** (1 to 10), the gift product and its **Variant**, the **Gift price** and the **Checkout label**.
3. Click **Add tier** and fill in the next tier. You can have up to 5. Two tiers can't share a minimum ("Two tiers have the same minimum"), and tiers are sorted by minimum when you save.
4. From two tiers on, choose **Higher tier replaces lower**. Ticked: "Only the gift of the highest tier reached is in the cart." Unticked: "Every tier reached adds its gift."
5. Click **Save**. The **Summary** lists each tier, such as "Spend $50.00: Tote bag".

## Highest only or stacked: an example

Tier #1: spend $50, get a tote bag. Tier #2: spend $100, get a mug.

| Cart value | Higher tier replaces lower ticked | Unticked |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $40 | No gift | No gift |
| $60 | Tote bag | Tote bag |
| $120 | Mug (the tote is removed) | Tote bag and mug |

When tiers add up, each tier must give a different variant. The editor says "Another tier already gives this variant. When tiers add up, pick a different gift." otherwise.

## What counts toward a tier

- **Cart value** adds up the price times quantity of every item that counts, before any discount. A bundle's free or reduced units count at full price. Discount functions on Shopify run at the same time and don't see each other ([Shopify developer docs](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/functions/latest/discount)), so no setting changes this. Shipping never counts.
- **Items in cart** adds up the units of every item that counts.
- **All products** counts every item. **Specific products** counts only the products you picked, with all their variants. You can't count collections or single variants, or exclude products.
- **Require all of these products** also needs at least one of each picked product in the cart, on top of the tier.
- Never counted: the gift lines themselves, upsell add-ons added by a bundle widget, and custom items that aren't products.
- **Set a maximum cart value** (or **Set a maximum number of items**): "No gift above this. Applies to every tier." It can't be below any tier's minimum.

## Other currencies

Minimums and maximums are in your store currency and converted at Shopify's rate. When your store sells in other currencies, the globe button next to a Cart value amount sets an exact amount per currency. If you set them, each tier still needs a higher amount in that currency than the tier below. See [Markets and currencies](https://smart-bundles.io/help/getting-started/markets-and-currencies).

## Edge cases

- **Two gifts at the same amount:** tiers can't share a minimum. Create a second Free gift with the same trigger and minimum. Each automatic Free gift counts toward Shopify's 25 active automatic discounts ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/discounts/discount-methods/automatic-discounts)).
- **Code gifts** have one tier. See [Free gift with a discount code](https://smart-bundles.io/help/free-gifts/free-gift-with-a-discount-code).
- **Moving down a tier:** when the cart drops below a tier, its gift is removed. With highest only, the lower tier's gift is added back.
- **A gift the shopper deleted** isn't added again in that browser tab while that tier stays the one reached. Once the cart drops below it and reaches it again, it's added again.
- **Gifts inside a bundle** are set in the bundle editor (**Add gift** on an offer card, or the [Progressive gifts](https://smart-bundles.io/help/bundles/progressive-gifts) steps), show in the product page widget and are added only on pages that show it.

**Reward bigger carts with bigger gifts** SMART Bundles adds tiered free gifts to the cart by itself, up to 5 tiers per gift. Free, with every feature included. [Install SMART Bundles App & Upsells on the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/smart-automatic-discounts).

## Frequently asked questions

### Do discounted items count at their discounted price?

No. Cart value uses prices before any discount, so an item at 50% off in a bundle still counts at its full price toward the tier.

### Can one tier give two different products?

No, each tier adds one variant. Untick Higher tier replaces lower so several tiers add up, or create a second Free gift with the same minimum.

### Can I count a collection toward the tier?

Not in Free gift. Pick the products under Specific products, or use All products.