How To Gift An App From One Iphone/ipad User To Another

[shivvy]

I would like to give my father-in-law some free and paid apps as a birthday gift.
I have googled how to do it but can't seem to see where the 'gift' option is.
Bit of help please?

[Buenchico]

I don't use Apple devices, so I admit that I might be wrong here, but whenever I've looked online for iOS apps (in order to answer questions on AB) I've never encountered a 'gift' option.

I suspect that all you can do is to send a gift card for use on the App Store.

Physical cards (which can be sent by post) are only available in a limited range of values
https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/personalize/itunes?product=ITUNES_GIFT_CARDS-101703
(They can also be purchased in supermarkets and PC World where, oddly, you might find a wider range of values than when purchasing them directly from Apple. e.g. https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/audio-and-headphones/audio/mp3-accessories/15-app-store-itunes-gift-card-10088193-pdt.html

However emailed gift cards can have any value between £10 and £200:
https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/gift-cards/itunes-electronic

[shivvy]

Thanks for all that info Buenchico but unfortunately a giftcard isn't what I'm after.

[Mamyalynne]

I've looked on Google too and watched a video, but on opening my ipad I see I don't have the 'Gift' option either.

[Tuvok]

Just checking to see if you can still gift an app - I've done it in the past - but only with paid apps.

Found it - go to the app you want to gift, click on the app to get its description. Now look for the SHARE icon - thats the box with an arrow pointing up - click on that. You should then find GIFT as an option in there.

[shivvy]

Yes Tuvok those are the instructions that I found when I googled, but when I click on the share icon (box with arrow pointing up) I don't see the Gift option.

[Tuvok]

Its there on mine - on the bottom row.

Have you tried the More option - incase its not visible until yo do that?

[shivvy]

I am going to the app in the App Store. Then clicking on the blue circle in the top right hand corner with 3 dots in it.
That gives me 2 options ie More By This Developer, and Share App. When I click on Share App it brings up all the usual forwarding options ie Message, Mail, Twitter etc, but not Gift.
There are 2 boxes there which say More but one just lets me copy the link and the other gives a list of 'Activities' but again no Gift option.

[woofgang]

i have found the gift app option but I am not sure that all apps are giftable....could you say one of the apps that you want to gift?

[shivvy]

Ah, maybe that's it woofgang. The one I was trying was Lumosity. I will try another one.

[shivvy]

Did you have any luck with Lumosity woofgang?
I have tried a few more but no joy. With which app did you see the Gift option?

[shivvy]

UPDATE (in case it helps anyone else)
I found out that to gift an app it has to be a paid for app. You can't gift a freebie one.
And not all apps have the Gift option so you just have to check them individually.
My Father in Law is now the proud owner of . . .
A plane identifying app
A brain trainer app
A sleep assist app
And a weather app!