May 13, 2022

Can you trade gift cards for cash?

Written by Jessica Crosby
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Gift cards are one of the most requested gifts and one of the most unused. People often forget they have a gift card, and they end up in a junk drawer. Or you use part of a gift card and forget about the remaining balance. But you can trade gift cards you don’t plan on using into cash. 

There are many ways to trade gift cards for cash. Each method is slightly different, but they all follow the same premise. Typically the company will take a cut, and you can expect to get less than the full value of the gift card. 

You can sell gift cards for cash at online retailers as well as kiosks in stores. 

Here are a few of the places to trade gift cards for cash. 

Many kiosks in big-box retailers like Walmart, Target, and major grocery stores have kiosks where you can trade gift cards for cash. If your favorite retailer has a Coinstar, you can probably find a booth to convert cards to cash. 

CardCash is a site where you can sell gift cards. You also have the option to trade gift cards to a different store. With CardCash, you will never get the total amount for the gift card. The average cash-in value is around 92% so for a $50 gift card, you can expect to receive $46. Even though you will never get the full value of your gift card, you can still get a good chunk of money for it. 

GiftCash is another site that sells gift cards online. GiftCash makes it simple: just type in your gift card numbers, and you will receive an offer. If it’s to a more popular store like Wal-Mart or Amazon, you will get a better deal. GiftCash averages an 80% to 90% return. They also take a wide range of amounts through $2,500. 

QuickcashMI turns your cards to cash. They offer different amounts for different retailers. You may get a high percent back from selling a gift card like Amazon, but something lower from a retailer like Chilis. It depends on the demand for the gift card. So it can pay to shop around to see who is offering the best amount. 

You can sell your gift card through GiftCardBin. You need a valid photo ID, a camera, and a way to receive money, whether that’s a checking account, Venmo, or PayPal. GiftCardBin accepts over 600 retailers, and they pay between 60% to 70% of the total value. It’s easy to get an offer, and you can get paid fairly quickly as well. 

CardSell is another option for selling unwanted gift cards. CardSell functions like an app. You share the specifics of your gift card, wait for validation, and then get an offer. CardSell deposits your money through PayPal. CardSell accepts hundreds of retailers. 

Raise is different from other cards to cash websites. If you’re tired of lower offers on your gift card, then Raise is for you. You place your gift cards up for bid, and you get to choose the price. Then others can choose to buy the gift card or not. Raise charges a 15% commission. Gift cards can range in value from $10 to $2,000. 

ClipKard gives you a price fast with their quote tool. If you accept the offer, you mail in the gift card. ClipKard offers you a prepaid postage slip, so the mail-in process is a breeze. ClipKard provides points from buying or selling, and you can use these points for future gift card purchases. 

Gameflip isn’t just for gamers, but there are a lot of benefits for gamers on this site. You can list a variety of gift cards with Gameflip. Once you make a Gameflip account, you can list your gift card for your chosen amount. Gameflip takes an 8% commission and 2% digital fee once you sell your gift card. There are also ways to buy and sell NFTs on Gameflip. 

CardSwap is based out of Canada, so it’s a good option if you live to the north. Send CardSwap your gift card details, get an offer, accept, and send. Much like other sites, CardSwap will send an offer that is a percentage of the total value of your gift card. 

Prepaid2Cash aims to stop consumer waste with unused gift cards. They will send offers for a variety of gift cards. Simply give Prepaid2Cash your card details, wait for an offer, and choose to accept the offer. Within a few days, you will have the cash in your account. 

You probably have gift cards around your house that you can convert to cash. So as you’re cleaning up, try to create a pile of cards you can turn into money. You never know how much it can add up until you try.

Try a kiosk at a major retailer or an online service like Cardcash.

Yes! Most services will take a portion, but it’s still an easy way to convert your cards to cash.

Online services evaluate a value and then offer to buy. You will receive less money than the face value of the card.


Jessica Crosby
Written by
Jessica Crosby
Jessica is a freelance content writer from Nashville, TN. She specializes in writing finance and SaaS content. As a former educator, Jessica is passionate about taking complex topics and explaining them in ways that are easy to understand. You can find her outdoors with her kids, husband, and dog in her free time.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. You should consult your own financial, legal, and tax advisors before engaging in any transaction. Information, including hypothetical projections of finances, may not take into account taxes, commissions, or other factors which may significantly affect potential outcomes. This material should not be considered an offer or recommendation to buy or sell a security. While information and sources are believed to be accurate, MoneyLion does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information or source provided herein and is under no obligation to update this information. For more information about MoneyLion, please visit https://www.moneylion.com/terms-and-conditions/.