William Lipovsky
You can use your checking account to buy gift cards through CardCash by ACH payment.
By connecting your checking account to PayPal, you can also pay with your checking account on platforms like Raise, eBay, Gyft, and eGifter.
If none of these options work for you, you can use a personal check to buy gift cards at retailers like Walgreens and Target.
See below for more information about buying gift cards online with your checking account.
What We Recommend
The only online option that allows you to buy gift cards directly with your checking account information is CardCash, an online retailer that offers gift cards at a discount. However, note that there’s an application process for CardCash ACH payments.
To avoid this process, you can instead link your checking account to your PayPal account and buy gift cards from sites like Raise (which offers discounts similar to CardCash), Gyft, and eGifter.
ACH Payments on CardCash
CardCash allows you to purchase gift cards online with your checking account, and it also offers them at a discount.
To pay with a checking account on CardCash, you’ll first need to create an account, and you’ll need to have made at least three transactions on the site using a different payment method.[1]
You can then send a copy of your driver’s license, the email linked to your checking account, and a written request for ACH access to [email protected].[2]
CardCash will review your application. If you’re approved, you’ll be able to purchase gift cards directly from your checking account.
Additionally, like the sites listed below, CardCash allows you to link your PayPal account (which is connected to your checking account) to pay for gift cards.[2]
By shopping for gift cards on CardCash, you can save as much as 35% off the face value of a gift card. You can also use CardCash to sell gift cards at a discount or trade them for gift cards to other stores.[3][4]
Want to find more stores that will let you shop online with your checking account? Check out our list of where to buy things other than gift cards with your checking account numbers only.
Buying Gift Cards With PayPal
Many online retailers offer the option to pay with PayPal instead of entering checking account numbers directly on their websites. PayPal offers extra security features like dispute resolution, fraud prevention, and purchase protection.[5]
If you don’t have a PayPal account, you’ll need to sign up on the PayPal website. Select the type of account you’d like to open (business or personal), enter your name and email and create a password, and then follow the guided steps to add your checking account as a payment method.
If you already have a PayPal account but haven’t linked a checking account, head to your Wallet, where you’ll see an option to link a bank account or debit/credit card.
Once you’ve linked a bank account to your PayPal account, you can buy gift cards online and choose PayPal at checkout at these online stores, ordered starting with the best overall options:
1. Raise (Mobile App Only)
- Selection: Raise sells discounted gift cards to over 1,000 retailers through its mobile app. You can also sell gift cards through Raise.[6]
- Get the app
2. eBay
- Selection: eBay sells both physical and digital gift cards and offers PayPal as a payment option at checkout.[7] You can also sell most gift cards on eBay (excluding gift cards over $500, digital gift cards, and monetary gift cards like Visa).[8]
- Shop online
3. Gyft
- Selection: Gyft sells digital gift cards to more than 200 retailers. Digital gift cards bought from Gyft with PayPal are available immediately.[9] You can also use the Gyft mobile app to store gift cards and keep track of balances.
- Shop online
4. eGifter
- Selection: eGifter sells gift cards for over 300 retailers and accepts PayPal as a payment option.[10] eGifter also has a social component, giving you the option to give gift cards to others via social media, add a personal message or video, and invite others to chip in for a group gift.[11]
- Shop online
5. Target
- Selection: Target has a huge selection of gift cards to choose from for places like restaurants, movie theaters, bookstores, and airlines.[12] You can also purchase prepaid Visa or Mastercard gift cards on Target.com, but they’ll come with purchase fees between $4 and $6. Target also sells prepaid phone cards for several service providers.
- Shop online
6. PayPal Gifts
- Selection: With your PayPal account, you can purchase gift cards directly through PayPal Gifts, PayPal’s storefront for digital gift cards.[13] Note that you can’t buy plastic gift cards on PayPal Gifts. You must be logged in for the option to pay with your bank account via PayPal to appear.
- Shop online
7. Giftnix
- Selection: Giftnix specializes in digital gift cards for email delivery and also sells gift cards for fundraisers. In addition to accepting PayPal, it accepts debit and credit cards from nearly every processor, including Diner’s Club, JCB, Discover, and American Express.[14]
- Shop online
8. Game Card Delivery
- Selection: Game Card Delivery sells gift cards specifically associated with online gaming, video games, and entertainment. It exclusively accepts payment through PayPal and offers gift cards to PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, Google Play, Steam, iTunes, Facebook, Skype, Hulu, and more.[15]
- Shop online
Buying Gift Cards With Personal Checks
If none of the options listed above have the gift card you want, you can indirectly pay with your checking account by using a paper check at a brick-and-mortar store.
Generally, you’ll need to provide a valid photo ID, and the check will need to clear before you can use the gift card. (Most stores will cash the check and debit your account immediately, so this shouldn’t be a problem.)
Note that individual locations may have different policies, so you might want to contact the store you plan to visit before trying to buy a gift card with a paper check.
We contacted customer service representatives from several national chains and found that the following retailers generally allow you to purchase gift cards with personal checks:
Sonya Bateman
Kait Scirri
Cathy Desmet
Lindsey Desmet
Loren Eaton
Not true. Can’t buy a gift card with a checking account at Amazon, I just tried and the only option is debit card, no checking account.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Brandon! You are correct — while Amazon does allow you to make purchases with a checking account, gift cards are now on the list of excluded purchases and require a different payment method. We have updated our article to reflect this.