12 Best Places That Buy Gift Cards Nearby & Online

A wallet containing gift cards and cash.

There are several gift card resellers and money service stores that will buy your unwanted gift cards.

While you won’t likely receive the full amount of the gift card, you can typically expect to get at least half of its value in the form of cash or a different gift card, which is better than keeping a gift card you won’t use.

Your card’s resale value will depend on the brand and the current balance, so if you’ve used the card, you’ll need to check the remaining balance.

You should also be sure to check the card’s terms of service before you try to sell it. Some stores won’t let you sell their cards or swap them for any item of value (like another gift card). Others allow resale through authorized vendors.

What We Recommend

For the most convenient selling options, online resellers will likely be your best bet.

For the highest possible payment amounts and flexible payout options, consider listing your gift card(s) on Raise. You can set your own price for the card, and since Raise claims a 15% fee of the selling price, you can expect to get up to 85% of your listing price.

Other good options include resellers like CardCash. These resellers won’t allow you to set your own price, but they claim to offer up to 92% of the value of the gift card (actual offers vary).

The List

Below, we list the gift card resellers, financial service stores, and other retailers that buy gift cards.

We’ve included relevant information about minimum accepted values and payment options, and we’ve ordered the list starting with the best and most convenient overall options.

Raise logo

Raise

  • Locations: Online only
  • How it works: You can set your own price, and there are no fees to list your card. You get paid when someone buys your card, and Raise will take a 15% fee out of the selling price. You can upload the card information for electronic transfer.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: None
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? No
  • Restrictions: None specified; Raise accepts virtually any brand of gift card or store merchandise credit
  • Payment amount: Varies
  • Payment options: Check, PayPal, or direct deposit
  • Start selling online

CardCash logo

CardCash

  • Locations: Online only
  • How it works: Enter the gift card brand and its current value, and you’ll get an instant offer. You can print a free shipping label to mail in the card, or you can enter the card number and pin and transfer the balance electronically. You’ll be paid within one to two days of approval (or after the card has been delivered, if you choose to mail it)
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $10
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Restrictions: Cards cannot have an expiration date
  • Payment amount: Up to 92% of the value of the gift card (possibly more if you trade for another card)
  • Payment options: Check, PayPal, direct deposit, or a different gift card
  • Start selling online

Ebay logo

eBay

  • Locations: Online only
  • How it works: If you don’t already have a seller account, you’ll need to join the site and set one up. You may be charged a listing fee, and eBay charges 10% of the total amount of sale. You can then create your own listing and set up an automatic payment method.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: None specified
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Restrictions: eBay does not accept electronic gift cards, store merchandise credits, Visa, Mastercard, or American Express gift cards. There are additional restrictions on how you can list gift cards and how many you can sell at once.
  • Payment amount: Varies by listing
  • Payment options: PayPal, wire transfer, cash, or another payment method
  • Start selling online

Gift Card Bin logo

GiftCardBin

  • Locations: GiftCardBin partners with physical retailers nationwide, such as The Check Cashing Store and Family Financial Centers
  • How it works: Bring your gift cards to one of the affiliate locations along with a valid form of ID, then get cash for your cards on the spot.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $10
  • Accepts partially accepted gift cards? No
  • Restrictions: You can’t trade in more than $300 worth of gift cards within a 30-day period. You also can’t sell “promotional” cards with limitations and rules that are more like a coupon than a gift card.
  • Payment amount: Offers vary by location
  • Payment options: Cash, prepaid debit cards, or money orders
  • Find a location

Check Into Cash logo

Check Into Cash

  • Locations: Stores in 25 states
  • How it works: Bring either a new or used gift card into a Check Into Cash store for a free quote. The location manager will make you an offer and, if you accept, you can walk out with cash in hand. You’ll need to show your driver’s license or other state-issued ID.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $20
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Restrictions: You must sell in person — you cannot send gift cards in by mail
  • Payment amount: Varies, depending on the popularity of the store the gift card is for. The company’s website does not provide a specific percentage, but you can expect to get less than face value.
  • Payment options: Cash or U.S. Money Card prepaid debit card
  • Find a location

Money Mart logo

Money Mart

  • Locations: Locations in 13 states; operates under the names Money Mart, The Check Cashing Store, American Check Casher, American Payday Loans, Check Casher, and Payday Loans
  • How it works: Bring your gift cards into a Money Mart – or affiliate store – and you’ll receive an offer for cash. If you accept the offer, you can walk out with the cash.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: No limit given
  • Restrictions: You must sell in person — you cannot send gift cards in by mail
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Payment amount: Varies according to the popularity of the gift card
  • Payment options: Cash or Momentum Card prepaid debit card
  • Find a location

PLS Check Cashing logo

PLS

  • Locations: Stores in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin
  • How it works: Bring your gift cards or store credit, a valid photo ID, and a debit or credit card to a PLS store. A cashier will give you a quote for free.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $20
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Restrictions: You must sell in person — you cannot send gift cards in by mail
  • Payment amount: The offer will be less than the card’s remaining balance and varies depending on which payment option you choose.
  • Payment options: Cash or Xpectations! Visa Prepaid Card (PLS offers 5% higher than cash if you choose the prepaid card)
  • Find a location

United Check Cashing logo

United Check Cashing

  • Locations: Stores in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas
  • How it works: Bring any unwanted gift cards to a participating United Check Cashing location. A cashier will make a cash offer on the spot.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: Varies by retailer; $10 for most large chains like Target and Walmart
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? No; the pin on the back of the card cannot be scratched off.
  • Restrictions: You must sell in person — you cannot send gift cards in by mail
  • Payment amount: Varies by location and depending on the gift card; usually around 50% of the card’s value
  • Payment options: Cash
  • Find a location

Checkmate logo

Checkmate

  • Locations: Select stores in the western U.S.
  • How it works: Checkmate’s “Cash for Gift Cards” program is available at select locations. Bring your gift cards and a photo ID to a participating location for a quote. A cashier will verify the value of the gift cards and make an offer. If you accept, you will receive cash in exchange for your gift cards.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $10
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Restrictions: The list of accepted cards changes frequently based on demand
  • Payment amount: 50% of the card’s value
  • Payment options: Cash
  • Find a location

Currency Exchange logo

Currency Exchange

  • Locations: More than 350 locations in Illinois
  • How it works: Bring your gift cards to a Currency Exchange location, along with a form of ID, and get cash for your gift card.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $20
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Restrictions: You must sell in person — you cannot send gift cards in by mail
  • Payment amount: Varies by store
  • Payment options: Cash
  • Find a location

Cashback Loans logo

Cashback Loans

  • Locations: More than 20 stores in southern California
  • How it works: You can either bring your gift cards to a Cashback Loans location for a quote or get a quote at the Cashback Loans website. At the store, a customer service representative will verify the value of each gift card and pay you in cash.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $10
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? Yes
  • Restrictions: You must sell in person — you cannot send gift cards in by mail
  • Payment amount: Prices change frequently based on demand, so the amount you receive will depend on which gift cards you are selling. The cash-out value is usually around 70% of the gift card value.
  • Payment options: Cash
  • Find a location

Target logo

Target

  • Locations: Nationwide
  • How it works: Bring the gift cards to any participating Target store and exchange them for a Target gift card at the mobile phone Customer Service Desk in the Electronics Department.
  • Minimum gift card value accepted: $20
  • Accepts partially spent gift cards? No
  • Restrictions: While Target accepts a variety of gift card brands, you can only exchange gift cards in-store, and only for Target gift cards.
  • Payment amount: Varies
  • Payment options: Target gift card
  • Find a location

Other Ways To Get Rid of Your Gift Cards

  • When you receive a gift card you don’t want, a good first course of action is to try and return it, though not all stores allow this. Our related research explains gift card return policies by store and state.
  • Use GiftCardGranny to search many different exchange sites at once and find your best option — whether that’s to sell, auction, or trade your card. You can also use tools on the site to find your card balance or earn reward points for free gift cards.
  • Sell, trade, or gift to someone you know. Think of any family or friends who might use your card, and offer to sell or trade the card to them. You’ll probably get the best price, and you won’t have to fill out any forms or bother with ID or online listings. You could even re-gift the card (as long as it doesn’t expire), freeing up the money you would have spent on someone else’s gift.
  • If you’re feeling generous, you can donate your gift card to a site like CharityGiftCertificates.org.
  • If you want to turn your unwanted gift cards into airline miles with United, check out United’s MileagePlus Gift Card Exchange.

4 comments


  • Sero

    Hi,

    Is there any place that will take eGift cards? A couple of places on your list, such as check cashing places, don’t. And yes thanks MnM, I didn’t think of letgo or Craigslist.

    Also, Wal-marts gift card t&c’s say they do not want their cards resold, so is Facebook a good idea?

    Thanks for your help!

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Rebecca Turley

      Hi Sero,

      It looks like the most popular places to resell e-gift cards remains letgo and Craigslist, but you may also try Facebook marketplace. Good luck!

  • MnM

    Pawn shops also buy gift cards, although their rates are not always the best. However, if you have have a loan on an item held for collateral or see something you want for sale in the pawn shop, you can always apply your unwanted gift cards towards paying your loan or purchasing the item you want…
    The other place I have found is on Craigslist. People, often GC dealers, meet in person to purchase them for cash on the spot…also Letgo.com is another place to sell them locally.

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Rebecca Turley

      Hi there!

      Thanks for the great suggestions! We always appreciate suggestions from our readers! We will add these to the article.

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