Do you have a bunch of gift cards you don’t need? I’ll show you the best places to sell your gift cards online for cash!
Every year I receive gift cards for my birthday and for holidays like Christmas, but 90% of them are for stores I don’t really shop at. So I put the gift cards in a shoebox with the intent to use them later, but the pile of cards just keeps getting bigger and bigger each year.
If this is something you can relate to, then take a look at the 7 sites below where I sell my gift cards in exchange for cash.
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Selling Gift Cards Overview
I don’t know why giving money is considered tacky. Cash is universal whereas gift cards lock you into a specific retailer. It’s a little crazy to me because in many cultures, giving cash is the norm.
I actually googled this because I’m genuinely curious:
“Why don’t people give money instead of gift cards?”
One of the first search results comes from a Reddit thread. Here’s a sample of reasons why gift cards were preferred over money:
There were some good points made that I could understand, but I still don’t quite get it. Unless they’re Amazon gift cards, I’ll take cash any day every day.
This won’t change people who think giving money is taboo though, so the next best thing is to accept it graciously and figure out a way to sell them for cash.
Best Places To Sell Gift Cards Online
Selling gift cards online is the easiest and quickest option.
Don’t expect to get the entire face value though. Gift cards in demand will sell at a higher value than less popular ones, but these places that let you sell your cards need to make money too so plan on having some commission fee being involved.
Generally speaking, expect to get 70% to 85% of the gift card value in cash.
1. Raise
Raise is the largest online gift card marketplace. I’ve bought and sold thousands of dollars of gift cards on Raise without any issues. When a card is sold, you can be paid via direct deposit, PayPal, or check.
What makes Raise different than other places is that you can set your own selling price. For example, if you have a $100 Best Buy gift card to sell and another person is selling theirs for $98, you can list yours at $97.99 to become the lowest priced listing and make a quick sale!
Listing gift cards for sale on Raise is free. If one of your cards sell, Raise charges 15% of the selling price as commission.
2. Gift Card Granny
Gift Card Granny gives you 3 different options to sell your gift cards:
- Find A Location
- Sell It Now
- Name Your Price
Find A Location: Get cash today! Sell your gift cards for cash (or trade it in for a different gift card) at a gift card exchange location near you. They’ll make you an offer on the spot, and if you accept, you’ll get paid instantly.
Sell It Now: Choose this option if you need to sell your gift card quickly. Gift Card Granny will list the top gift card websites that will accept your unwanted gift card and you’ll get paid within 2-3 business days by PayPal, direct deposit, or check.
Name Your Price: Select this choice if you want to get paid more. Monitor and maximize your earnings when listing a card online. You’ll get paid once the gift card is sold and delivered.
3. CardCash
CardCash allows you to sell or trade your unwanted gift cards. You get instant offers for cards you want to sell and you can earn up to 92% of the card value. Payment is sent via PayPal, direct deposit, or check within 48 hours.
You can also trade your gift card for a gift card from a different brand. By trading, you can get up to 7% more for your card.
I use CardCash strictly for selling gift cards. You can get very competitive discounts buying gift cards through CardCash, but they only offer a guarantee of 45 days.
If you can use the card within that time frame, then it’s a great deal. Otherwise, I would stick to the other options where the guarantee can be as long as 1 year.
4. ClipKard
ClipKard accepts physical gift cards (even partially used ones as long as it has a value of at least $15) from more than 100 retailers. Department stores and fast food restaurants seem to be the most popular.
They have a quote tool that tells you if your card is currently being accepted and, if so, how much it’s worth in cash. If you agree with the offer, ClipKard will pay for the cost of shipping the cards to them via USPS First Class Mail.
If you’re in a rush, you can also use USPS Priority Mail, but they will deduct the shipping cost from the final payment total.
You can email support@clipkard.com if your gift card brand is not accepted. They might make a personalized offer for it depending on the current demand.
5. Cardpool
Ninja Update: Unfortunately, Cardpool became another victim of the Covid-19 pandemic and has closed down permanently.
Cardpool is another popular gift card exchange. They buy gift cards from brands like:
- Best Buy
- GameStop
- Gap
- Home Depot
- Kohl’s
- Marshalls
- Nike
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Staples
- Target
- T.J. Maxx
- Walmart
Cardpool recently streamlined the process for sellers by offering 2 options for payouts; you can get cash via a bank transfer or an Amazon or Walmart gift card in exchange for your unwanted card.
Bank account payouts incurs a $1 fee while exchanging for an Amazon or Walmart card is free.
6. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a section of Facebook that allows people and businesses to buy or sell new and used items.
You can list the gift cards locally where you’ll meet the buyer at a mutually agreed upon place or sell it nationally and ship it to them.
Keep in mind that selling on Facebook Marketplace (or eBay which I discuss next) can be more of a hassle. Unlike the gift card exchanges I’ve previously mentioned, buyers can be flaky and ghost you. Other potential buyers will also play the haggling game to death.
If you’re selling it locally, you’ll need to arrange a meetup too.
If you’re shipping it, be aware of scams. To avoid fraudulent buyers on Facebook Marketplace, follow these tips:
- Don’t show the card number or PIN number in your listing
- Don’t email or message the card number or PIN code even after the buyer pays for it – make them wait to get the physical card
- Send the gift card with a tracking number in case there are any issues with shipping
Most people are honest, but there are bad apples in the mix. A common scam is for the buyer to pay for the gift card and request the card number and PIN is before receiving it in the mail.
The scammer will then use the gift card before receiving the actual card in the mail, file a complaint with Facebook that the gift card has no money in it, and you end up being forced to refund the buyer.
Follow the 3 tips above and protect yourself.
7. eBay
eBay is an OG of the internet and has always been a popular place for buying and selling things online. However, I would only use eBay if you can’t use the other sites on this list.
Why?
For starters, an eBay buyer is looking for a good deal so you’re unlikely to sell a gift card for more than 85% of its value. On a $100 gift card, your margins are already down $15.
On top of that, eBay charges a fee to list an item for sale and a final value fee based on the selling price. Then, since most buyers pay using PayPal, you’ll get charged an additional 2.9%.
That’s a lot of fees.
Remember that eBay is similar to Facebook Marketplace. There are more hassles and risks when compared to gift card exchanges.
Sometimes you can’t avoid eBay though. There are gift cards from brands that exchanges don’t take so eBay suddenly becomes your best option. If you do end up using eBay, follow the same tips I called out for Facebook Marketplace:
- Don’t show the card number or PIN number in your listing
- Don’t email or message the card number or PIN code even after the buyer pays for it – make them wait to get the physical card
- Send the gift card with a tracking number in case there are any issues with shipping
The Bottom Line
Selling your gift cards is an excellent way to make extra cash. Rather than forcing yourself to use the cards at brands you don’t shop at, you can turn it around for cash and improve your finances.
The gift cards will go towards someone who can really use it and save them some money at the same time.
Have you ever sold gift cards for cash before? If so, what was your experience?
