29 Best Virtual Gifts & Online Experiences for 2024

Virtual gifts are the next best thing to a physical present, with the added bonus that they won’t take up space in your home or office.

If you’re wondering “What gifts can I send virtually?” consider sending an invite to a virtual event or one of many creative digital gifts. The links can be sent pretty much instantly, so no need to worry about trips to the post office or including a gift receipt. 

Whether a physical or a virtual gift, something good happens when you give a gift to someone you care about. The American Psychological Association says that giving a gift has a double benefit: you feel good because you’ve done something nice for someone else (dopamine release), but there’s an added social component that increases feelings of trust, safety and connection by releasing oxytocin.

Not to mention, this double-whammy of feel-good chemicals that get released also lasts longer together than either one on their own — all the more reason to up your gift-giving!

But it doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, there are tons of free virtual gifts for boyfriends, best friends, or free virtual gifts for your coworkers (or anyone else), which means you can stay gifting without worrying about your bottom line.

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• Virtual Gifts for Creatives
• Virtual Gifts for Foodies
• Unique Virtual Gifts
• Free Virtual Gifts

Virtual Gifts for Creatives

1. Online Painting Classes

Book an online painting class led by talented instructors for a creative virtual date idea for you and your honey. These are ideal experience gifts for long-distance couples or anyone who would enjoy a fun opportunity to explore their artistic side.

Painting and other online art classes can put your brain into a meditative state, which is great for reducing stress and helping you unwind after a long week. 

2. Make a Beautiful Bouquet

Virtual flower arranging classes are a surprisingly romantic date idea or fun activity for friends. It's a fun, interactive gift for crafters or anyone with a creative side, as you mix and match blooms to create a beautiful and shapely masterpiece. 

3. Classpop! Gift Card

With so many virtual birthday gifts for your boyfriend, girlfriend or best friend, it can be hard to choose exactly the right thing. Let them choose their own virtual gift with a Classpop! gift card.

There’s something so enjoyable about an experience gift card because it’s not just another item to fit in their closet or on their shelves. 

4. Songwriting Class

Whether you’ve got a friend who loves making mixtapes or performing at the local open-mic night, a songwriting class is a great virtual gift.

This songwriting session lasts two hours with an expert instructor who will guide you to turn your thoughts and feelings into beautiful melodies. 

5. Entertainment Subscription

Does enjoying cinematic arts count as a creative hobby? Why not! Give the creative digital gift of entertainment with a Disney+, Netflix or Hulu subscription.

The recipient gets to unlock a whole new world of movies and TV shows to appreciate. This is a thoughtful virtual gift, especially for those that love to critique acting or plot lines. 

6. Silk + Sonder Journal Subscription

For the creative writer in your life, a journal subscription like the one from Silk + Sonder is a thoughtful virtual gift that they’ll actually use.

Something about receiving a fresh journal or notebook just inspires you to fill it with beautiful words or creative thoughts. 

7. Spotify Premium 

Give the gift of uninterrupted music for one year to the wannabe DJ or melomaniac in your life. This creative digital gift is perfect for all tastes because there’s something for everyone on Spotify, from podcasts to music of all genres. 

Virtual Gifts for Foodies

8. Online Cooking Class

If you’re in a long distance relationship, you don’t have the luxury to cook dinner for your boyfriend or girlfriend whenever you feel like it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a similar vibe with this long distance date idea.

Online cooking classes make for a mouthwatering and romantic evening that you can enjoy almost anywhere. Learn to make classic dishes like hand-kneaded pasta dough, spicy Indian samosas or simple and healthy Mediterranean meals.  

9. Virtual Wine Tasting

Turn your kitchen or living room into a cozy winery for virtual wine tastings. Sip on wines from all over the world and get guidance from sommeliers on the perfect way to sniff and sip a glass of juicy red.

Virtual happy hour has never been easier (or more high-end) than with a private wine lesson from the comfort or your home or backyard. 

10. Online Mixology Class

Sometimes the best bars in town can get so packed, they’re no longer relaxing or romantic. Learn how to make all the same fancy drinks for yourself with an online mixology class so you don’t have to worry about getting a reservation or a seat at your favorite spot.

This is a fun virtual gift for the cocktail lover in your life or as an activity for a virtual birthday party idea for adults. 

11. Raw Spice Bar

Give the gift of flavor with Raw Spice Bar subscription for the foodie in your life. Thanks to your virtual gift, they will receive a new global spice blend each month to inspire them in the kitchen.

You can always send them spice mixes of your choice like the sazon blend, Hawaiian blend or one of the classics like Italian or Herbes de Provence. Their website offers tons of tasty recipes to get started with. 

12. Box of Le Vain Cookies

Nothing says “I love you” or “I’m thinking about you” like a box of fresh cookies. For the next gift your order online, send a box of Le Vain cookies to someone special.

The iconic NYC bakery offers boxes of four, eight or 12 cookies with flavor choices like their famous walnut chocolate chip or dark chocolate chunk cookies. 

13. Coffee Subscription Service

For the caffeine-lover, a coffee subscription is one of the best gifts that will definitely go to good use. The Coffee of the Month club from Bean Box sends different blends and types of beans from all over the world. 

14. Historic Recipes by Mail

Food has always had a way of uniting people, and certain classic dishes have stood the test of time, reminding all of us of our history. Give the creative digital gift of recipes by mail, courtesy of Uncommon Goods.

The subscription includes detailed replicas of historical recipes from figures like Rosa Parks or George Washington — perfect for the foodie in your life. 

15. Gift Card to a Local Restaurant

A gift card to a local restaurant or favorite coffee shop is a thoughtful gift that will definitely be put to good use. Everyone eats and tons of people drink coffee, so this is a safe bet. Plus, you can support a local business in the process.

Unique Virtual Gifts

16. Ancestry DNA

Give the gift of a complete family tree with this virtual gift from Ancestry DNA. Your friend or loved one need only send in a swab from their cheek and they will automatically be mailed back tons of interesting information about their heritage and maybe even some long-lost family around the world. 

17. Box of Scents From Scentbird

Another subscription service, this virtual gift gets delivered with no work on your end. Offering three, six and 12-month subscriptions, Scentbird will deliver a box of luxurious perfumes and colognes for your friend or lover to enjoy all year long.

A great long distance relationship gift, your sweetie can unpack a couple of scents to remind them of you. 

18. Rosetta Stone

Give the gift of knowledge with this useful virtual gift for friends and family. Whether a loved one has a trip planned to a faraway place or is interested in brushing up on a language they studied years ago, Rosetta Stone offers 25 languages (and counting) to dig into.

It comes with an app, short lessons that can be viewed online or offline and speech recognition software to help with crafting the perfect accent. 

19. History by Mail

Uncommon Goods offers a special virtual gift for the history buff in your life: history by mail subscription. Each month, your friend will receive a copy of an important historical document such as Albert Einstein’s correspondence with FDR, the police report from when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus or original notes from the invention of the atomic bomb.

Each letter comes with an extra printout of relevant information to explain cultural significance or context. The letters themselves are carefully replicated by a graphic designer to include accurate handwriting and signatures. 

20. Work-From-Home Virtual Meeting Cards

Video calls are pretty much the norm nowadays, but they aren’t without their fair share of issues. From forgetting you’re on mute to slightly more embarrassing faux pas, these adorable cue cards make instant feedback fun and lighthearted.

They’re colorful and easy to read, making for a welcome break from the monotony of a group Zoom call. A fun virtual gift that you can send to your boss, coworkers or simply your WFH bestie.  

21. Bloomsy Floral Subscription

Give the gift of beautiful bouquets every week or month. Fresh flowers have a way of making your day automatically better and your kitchen (or office) a bit happier.

BloomsyBox has tons of options from 20 to 32 stem bouquets and you can select how long you’d like the subscription to last in addition to the frequency. 

22. Nest Diffuser Subscription

Nest makes tons of incredible scents for candles, room sprays and reed diffusers. Sign someone up for a beautiful virtual gift in the form of a diffuser subscription from Nest.

Each month they will receive a miniature candle and reed diffuser in a new scent to brighten up their home or office. 

23. Celebrity Cameo

Tons of celebrities from reality TV stars to influencers and big-screen actors have started offering videos on Cameo as a unique and personal virtual gift.

Each star sets their own rate, so prices may vary, but your loved one will receive a personalized message from their favorite star for everything from a birthday wish to “good luck at your new job” or “congrats on your breakup.” Get creative with this hilarious virtual gift. 

24. Instant-Download Star Map

This is a super thoughtful virtual gift for lovers or best friends that doubles as art for their home or office. This is a great gift under $50 that is really unique because it shows the night sky on any given night of your choice.

The night you met, the first time you said “I love you” or even your wedding night are all special occasions worth remembering in a variety of ways.

Complete with your choice of words (like names) and a date, you can find this cute virtual gift on Etsy. 

25. Subscription to Headspace

Perhaps one of the best relaxation gifts out there, a Headspace subscription is a super easy online gift that is sure to be appreciated by the recipient.

With recordings to help you manage anxiety, sleep, focus or get up and get going it’s the hottest app on the market for training your mind.

There are a variety of plans available with student discounts or family discounts plus monthly or yearly subscriptions. Finally, you can give the gift of peace of mind. 

Free Virtual Gifts

26. Care Card

Send a personal message with a little extra flair with this free virtual birthday gift. The cards can help you celebrate a variety of things from a birthday to a promotion or just to say hi.

Your first Care Card is totally free, then you can purchase a plan so you can send virtual gifts like a laugh or a smile to anyone and everyone you know. 

27. Bonus Mental Health Day

Maybe the most appreciated and useful of all virtual gifts, a bonus mental health day is the perfect gift from employer to employee. Who couldn’t use an extra day to catch up on sleep, errands and general self care? 

28. Audible Trial

Looking for free virtual gifts for your girlfriend or partner? Sign them up for a 30-day free trial of Audible so they can listen to their favorite books on the go.

With tens of thousands of audiobooks and podcasts to choose from, their sure to find something that piques their interest, whether they're into fiction, biographies or adventure novels. If they love it, the membership is super affordable so they can keep listening every month.  

29. DIY E-Card

Use design tools like Canva to design and create your own custom virtual e-card to send to someone. You can start from pre-made templates and make endless customizations, including photos, animations and more.

You could even design a funny custom gift certificate or a collage of your favorite memories together. 

Everyone loves to give (and receive) gifts, but sometimes the hassle of wrapping and shipping a present, or coordinating an in-person get-together, makes it a lot of work.

Take all the hassle out and give freely with all these fun virtual gifts that only require a working internet connection to make someone’s day. From the gift that keeps on giving every month to tons of interactive virtual experiences, it’s just as exciting to open an e-present as a real one. 

With so many exciting and thoughtful virtual gifts to choose from, you’ll be inspired to start gifting just for your own personal enjoyment. With something to please parents, co-workers and even the girlfriend who has everything, you can’t go wrong with a virtual gift.

For even more fun gift ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!