Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more

Volunteering to sort out the teacher's gift sounds straightforward, but as any school parent who has raised their hand for this particular task knows, it can quickly become tedious and awkward.

Figuring out the fair amount to ask people to chip in, keeping track of cash contributions, chasing stragglers, then trying to find a present they'll actually like… you'll soon wish you just signed up for canteen duty instead.

But a platform now used by more than one million Aussies has transformed group collections for everything from end-of-term teacher gifts to office farewells, baby showers, and birthdays.

GroupTogether has simplified group gifting. No more ticking off names, no more chasing, and setting up a collection takes less than three minutes.

The organiser shares a link, contributors click and chip in the amount they choose with a secure online payment (or simply sign, with no monetary contribution) and add a personal message or photo to a digital group card.

When the collection closes, the funds can be gifted as an AnyCard digital gift card redeemable across more than 100 retailers, as a gift card specifically for brands including Myer, Woolworths, Apple, The Iconic, Sephora, JB Hi-Fi, and Airbnb, or the total can be transferred directly to the organiser to spend if they prefer.

More than one million Aussies are using GroupTogether to organise group collections for everything from end-of-term teacher gifts to office farewells, baby showers, and birthdays

The organiser shares a link, contributors click and chip in the amount they choose and add a personal message, and the recipient is gifted with a gift card of their choice

No more figuring out the fair amount to ask people to chip in, keeping track of cash contributions, chasing stragglers, or trying to find a present they'll actually like

Cards and gifts can be sent entirely digitally, or the organiser can choose to print as a PDF to present to the recipient in person.

Created by Australians Julie Tylman and Ali Linz in 2015, GroupTogether has solved a common pain point for school parents, friendship groups, and office teams.

Contribution amounts are left entirely up to each person, removing the awkwardness of nominating a figure in a group where budgets vary. 

The organiser doesn't handle any cash and there's no mental accounting of who paid what, sharing of bank details or someone ending up out of pocket because they covered for the stragglers.

GroupTogether has also risen in popularity in workplaces where increased remote working makes office collections tricky to manage

With EOFY a popular time for business owners to reward their teams, GroupTogether's bulk eGift Card platform enables users to send up to 1000 gift cards in under five minutes

Read More

How Aussie wellness brand with over 500 five-star reviews is helping women over 40

GroupTogether has also risen in popularity in workplaces where increased remote working makes office collections tricky to manage. 

And it's not just for team collections. With EOFY a popular time for business owners to reward their teams with a bonus or gift, GroupTogether's bulk eGift Card platform enables users to send up to 1000 gift cards to employees in under five minutes.

Each recipient receives a personalised digital card and their own AnyCard to redeem across 100-plus retailers, allowing them to choose a gift they actually want.

In a recent survey of 1,066 Australian employees conducted by GroupTogether, gift cards and an extra day off were the top two preferences nominated by workers as their preferred company gift, together accounting for nearly 73 per cent of responses, well ahead of hampers, company merchandise and team lunches.

Each recipient receives a personalised digital card and their own AnyCard to redeem across 100-plus retailers, allowing them to choose a gift they actually want

Traditional bonuses may affect superannuation and tax, so a cash gift can cost businesses more while the employee receives less. 

But infrequent gifts under $300 that comply with the ATO's minor benefits exemption may be exempt from fringe benefits tax, meaning business owners pay face value, while their employees receive the full gift card amount.

It couldn't be be easier to manage: business owners simply upload their gift recipient list, set the amount, and send.

With an 'excellent' rating on TrustPilot, with an average 4.5 stars from more than 4,300 reviews, GroupTogether has become the go-to for many Aussies. 

'Fabulous for the time poor,' one recent user wrote, 'Easy peasy. Everything in one place and no chasing monies through private bank accounts,' another reviewer shared.

Whether you're organising a teacher gift, in charge of a group collection, or saying thank you to your team, using GroupTogether not only simplifies the admin, but also gives the person you're treating the gift of choice.