MakeContest vs Gleam: which platform should you choose for your contest?
Gleam is one of the best-known tools in the world for creating multi-action contests (follow an account, share, refer a friend, subscribe to a newsletter...). It's a solid reference, but it isn't always the right choice depending on your actual need. Here's a factual comparison with MakeContest to help you decide.
What Gleam offers
Gleam lets you combine a very large number of action types within a single contest: follow an Instagram account, retweet, visit a page, answer a quiz, refer a friend via a unique link, and more. This richness makes it a popular tool among content creators and brands wanting to maximize the social touchpoints of a single campaign. In return, this feature depth requires a longer setup time, and the free plan remains very limited: to remove Gleam's branding from your page or exceed a small number of participants, a monthly subscription becomes necessary.
What MakeContest offers
MakeContest focuses on the essentials of a contest: a page customized to your brand (logo, colors, an AI-generated banner if needed), a short entry form, compliant rules, and an automatic, cryptographically secure prize draw on the end date. Creation and publishing are free with no MakeContest branding shown from the start, you only pay 19 dollars, once, if you decide to export the full list of your participants.
Direct comparison
| Criteria | Gleam | MakeContest |
|---|---|---|
| Creation and publishing | Free with visible Gleam branding | Free, no branding imposed |
| Pricing model | Monthly subscription to unlock features | 19 dollars once, only to export |
| Card required at sign-up | Often yes (trial) | No |
| Automatic prize draw | Depends on plan | Included for free |
| Setup time | Longer (many options) | About 3 minutes |
| Number of action types | Very high (dozens) | Focused on the essentials (entry + referral) |
The differences that actually matter
If your goal is to stack multiple social micro-actions in a single campaign (following several accounts, completing a quiz, sharing across several networks), Gleam has a genuine functional advantage. But for the vast majority of contests, collecting qualified entries around a prize, with a transparent draw, this richness mostly adds complexity and setup time, without a proportional benefit. MakeContest makes the opposite bet: go straight to the point, and never charge to remove its own branding.
When Gleam might be the better choice
If your strategy specifically relies on stacking varied social actions (Instagram + TikTok + newsletter + referral in a single campaign) and you have the time to configure a more complex contest, Gleam remains relevant. For everything else, the vast majority of cases, MakeContest gets you an equivalent result in a few minutes, with no recurring budget.
In summary
Gleam bets on feature richness and charges for that richness through a subscription. MakeContest bets on simplicity and only ever charges for one thing, once: exporting your leads. For a contest with a prize draw that needs to go live quickly, MakeContest is the fastest and financially least risky option.
Ready to try it? Create your free account on makecontest.io and publish your first contest in under 3 minutes, no credit card, no commitment.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gleam free?
Gleam offers a very limited free plan (few participants, visible Gleam branding, reduced features). As soon as you want to remove Gleam's branding or exceed a limited entry volume, a monthly subscription becomes necessary.
Can MakeContest replace Gleam for a multi-action contest?
For a classic contest with an entry form and a prize draw, yes, and in a fraction of the setup time. If you need dozens of different action types (Gleam offers many), Gleam remains more complete on that specific point.
What is the main pricing difference between MakeContest and Gleam?
Gleam charges a recurring monthly subscription as soon as you go beyond its limited free tier. MakeContest is free to create, customize and publish your contest; you only pay 19 dollars once, and only if you export your leads.