4 min read

Top 5 Ways to Run a Giveaway: SOM and Alternatives

In 2026, social media giveaways remain a powerful tool for audience engagement, brand promotion, and emotional connection with followers. With more contests, the question of fairness becomes increasingly relevant. How to choose winners quickly, transparently, and without risking accounts? Here are five convenient ways to select winners on Instagram, including two solutions: SOM and Rando, which have become standards among marketers.

In 2026, social media giveaways remain a powerful tool for audience engagement, brand promotion, and emotional connection with followers. With more contests, the question of fairness becomes increasingly relevant. How to choose winners quickly, transparently, and without risking accounts?

This selection includes five convenient ways to determine winners on Instagram, including two solutions: SOM and Rando, which have become standards among marketers.


1. SOM — Web Service for Automatic Winner Selection

SOM is an online service that allows you to select winners for Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok giveaways without needing to connect accounts or share passwords.

randomizer for Instagram TikTok Facebook

How SOM Works

  1. Log in via Google or create an account with your email.
  2. Paste the link to your post from Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.
  3. Specify the number of winners.
  4. The service automatically collects all comments, removes duplicates, and randomly selects winners.
  5. Results can be exported in CSV or Excel format.

Advantages:

  • Safe operation without account access.
  • Complete transparency in the selection process.
  • Support for the Ukrainian language and local payment systems.
  • Free testing (up to 100 comments per post).
  • Free randomizer from the list
  • Partner offers

For whom: marketers, SMM specialists, businesses, and bloggers who regularly run giveaways on social media and value safety and speed.


2. Rando — Telegram Service for Quick Winner Selection

Rando is a Telegram service that allows you to determine winners directly in the chat. No apps or complicated settings: just paste the link to the Instagram post and click “Select Winner.”

Advantages:

  • Works without registration.
  • Simple interface available in Telegram.
  • Supports the Ukrainian language.
  • Perfect for bloggers who run giveaways “on the go.”

Feature: Each giveaway can have up to 10 winners, which can complicate some processes.


3. Random.org — Classic Randomizer for Manual Selections

The good old Random.org remains a basic tool for randomness. It generates random numbers based on atmospheric noise, ensuring scientific accuracy, but lacks direct integration with Instagram or Facebook.

Advantages:

  • Completely free.
  • Suitable for manual contests or internal lotteries.
  • You can record a video of the selection process for transparency.

Disadvantages:

  • Requires manual uploading of lists.
  • Not suitable for large-scale giveaways.

4. International Services for Giveaways

For those working with a global audience, there are international services like Woobox, CommentPicker, Easypromos. They allow you to select winners from comments, likes, or tags.

Advantages:

  • Wide range of features.
  • Some offer free versions.

Disadvantages:

  • Mostly English-speaking.
  • Require caution when selecting to avoid fraudulent platforms.
  • Not all support Ukrainian payment systems.

5. Manual Selection — For Small Contests

If your audience is small and transparency is key, you can run a giveaway completely manually:

  • Collect comments in a spreadsheet.
  • Assign numbers.
  • Select a random number using Random.org.
  • Record a video of the process.

This is free but time-consuming.


Service Comparison

Service / Method Free Instagram Integration Account Security Interface Language Ease of Use
SOM Up to 100 comments Yes ✅ 100% no access required Ukrainian ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rando Yes Yes ✅ No access required Ukrainian ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Random.org Yes No English ⭐⭐
International Services Partially Yes ⚠️ Depends on API English ⭐⭐⭐
Manual Selection Yes No Any ⭐⭐

In 2026, the market offers worthy local tools for fair giveaways on social media. SOM is the best choice for businesses, agencies, and marketers who prioritize transparency, security, and automation. Rando is a quick solution for those running giveaways on Telegram or who simply want results without complications. Random.org is a classic for manual selections.

No matter the scale, fairness remains key to audience trust.
Try SOM or Rando for free and see how easy it is to choose a winner without stress.

Try SOM for free

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