Your friend spoiled the finale. Or kept your hoodie for two years. Or won an argument by Googling it at the table and then read the answer out loud. Twice. They deserve revenge. They also deserve to still be your friend afterward, so this list sticks to pranks that land, get a laugh and break nothing.
The one rule
Prank the friendship, not the person. The joke should be about the borrowed hoodie, not their weight, their job, their family or their ex. If the only way it is funny is if they feel small, pick another one. A good friend prank ends with both of you laughing and them plotting the comeback.
11 ways to get revenge on a friend
1. The certificate of defeat
Did they win an argument? Did you? Make it official either way. Our **Certificate of Participation in an Argument You Lost**, $6.99, comes from The Society of People Who Were Right, an invented issuer. It reads: “This certifies that [Name] took part, fully and with energy, in an argument and did not win it. Signed, The Winner.” It shows up in their mailbox, addressed in pen, and says “Novelty item. Not a real document.” on it so nobody gets confused.
2. The hoodie return form
If they still have your hoodie, hand them an official “Hoodie Return Form,” signed by you. Boxes to tick: “Item borrowed (date),” “Item returned (date),” “Reason for delay (please explain in 50 words or fewer).” Ask for it back filled in. Laminate the copy.
3. The googly eye ambush
While you are at their place, stick googly eyes on everything that will hold still. Their coffee maker. Their bathroom mirror. Their houseplant pot. The frame glass on every framed photo. They peel off clean, and they will keep finding them for months.
4. The fake spoiler
They spoiled your show? Spoil theirs, except make it up. Drop a confident, completely invented twist about the series they are watching. “Can’t believe the mom was a ghost the whole time.” They will spend the whole season waiting for it.
5. The contact name upgrade
Change their name in your own phone to something ridiculous, like “Hoodie Thief” or “Spoiler Alert.” Then call them while you are together so the screen lights up. Your phone, your rules, zero harm.
6. The rubber duck stakeout
Hide twenty rubber ducks in their apartment while you are over for dinner. Bookshelf, shoe rack, behind the TV, in the coat pocket. Text them a week later: “How many have you found?” Do not tell them the real number.
7. The award ceremony
Buy a tiny gold trophy and have it engraved, or just use a label: “World’s Okayest Friend.” Present it at the next hangout with a full speech. Thank their parents. Thank the hoodie. Make them hold it for the group photo.
8. The worst photo, framed
Find their worst photo ever. Print it, frame it nicely, and give it to them as a gift, just the two of you, before the birthday dinner. Watch them decide whether to hang it. Private photo, private moment, nothing online.
9. The dramatic reading
Print out the group chat argument where they were wrong. Read it aloud at the next hangout, with voices. Do it once. Laugh. Move on.
10. The gift that is a joke and also a gift
Wrap a real present inside something absurd. A huge box for a tiny gift. A gift bag of gift bags. For more ideas, see our white elephant gag gifts list.
11. The Mystery Trap
Can’t decide how petty to be? Let us decide. **The Mystery Trap**, $14.99, mails your friend one of three pranks: a Trap Letter, a Trap Card or a Decoy Mailer. You will not know which. Two of the three hold loose glitter, so treat it as if it could spill, and pick a friend with a vacuum.
Both shop picks come from GlitterBombTrap, the shop we run alongside HowToRevenge. Orders are not open yet, so leave your email on the product page to hear when it ships. US shipping is included. The shop mails only to US homes, both of you need to be 18 or older, and every piece has a card that says it was a joke and how to block more mail.
What not to do to a friend
Even a friend who spoiled the finale does not earn these:
- Nothing in their food or drink. No hot sauce, no laxatives, no “secret ingredient.” That is not a prank, it can make someone sick.
- Nothing in their soap, shampoo or skincare. Same reason.
- Nothing that damages their stuff. Not their home, not their clothes, not their phone.
- Nothing to do with their car. No wrapping it, no stuffing it, no smells in the vents.
- Nothing posted online. A private joke stays private.
- Nothing for anyone who asked for no contact. If a friend has asked you to leave them alone, there is no prank, card or package. That is the line.
When it is not a prank situation
Sometimes “how to get revenge on a friend” really means “my friend hurt me.” They lied about you, broke a big promise, or betrayed something you told them in confidence. A prank will not fix that, and it can make it worse, because now the conversation is about the prank and not about what they did.
If that is where you are, here is our honest advice:
- Say it directly. “That hurt, and here is why.” It is harder than a prank and it works better.
- Take space. You do not owe anyone your time while you figure out how you feel.
- Let living well do the work. It really is the best revenge.
And if a friend has asked you to leave them alone, leave them alone. No mail, no pranks, no messages.
FAQ
What is a good revenge prank on a best friend?
Something that pokes at what they did, not at who they are. A certificate saying they lost the argument, a signed hoodie return form, googly eyes all over their kitchen, a fake spoiler for their favorite show, or a rubber duck stakeout in their apartment. Pick one and let it land.
How do I get back at a friend without ruining the friendship?
Keep it harmless, keep it private, and do it once. Nothing in their food, nothing broken, nothing posted online, nothing in front of people who were not in on it. If they laugh, you won. If they are hurt, apologize fast and mean it, then buy the next round of coffee.
Can I send a friend a prank anonymously?
Yes. GlitterBombTrap puts no sender name on the outside unless you add one, and every piece carries the shop’s return address instead of yours. It is anonymous to your friend, not to a court: the shop keeps order records and shares them when the law requires.
How do I get revenge on a friend who betrayed me?
Honestly, a prank is the wrong tool for a real betrayal. Tell them how it landed, take some space, and decide whether the friendship is worth keeping. If they ask you to leave them alone, do. Pranks are for borrowed hoodies, not broken trust.