16 Real Ways To Earn Free Gift Cards (Amazon, Target, Visa)

Looking to learn how to earn free gift cards? Are you looking for ways to save money and enjoy some extra perks? Earning free gift cards is a great way to accomplish both goals. Luckily, there are many legitimate ways to get gift cards from popular retailers, such as Amazon or Target, without breaking the…

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Last Updated: March 20, 2024

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Looking to learn how to earn free gift cards?

Are you looking for ways to save money and enjoy some extra perks? Earning free gift cards is a great way to accomplish both goals. Luckily, there are many legitimate ways to get gift cards from popular retailers, such as Amazon or Target, without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best strategies and apps that can help you get free gift cards.

Now, you might be skeptical about the idea of free gift cards, but they do exist.

Several platforms reward users with gift cards in exchange for completing simple tasks, participating in surveys, shopping online, trading in items, and more. So, whether you want to expand your shopping budget or treat yourself to something special, these methods are worth a try.

After trying out these suggestions, you’ll find that earning gift cards can be a fun and easy way to stretch your budget. Learning how to earn free gift cards can help you pay for things throughout the year for free, such as gifts, household items, treating yourself out to eat, and more.

Related content:

Ways To Get Free Gift Cards

Here’s a quick list before we begin:

Popular Rewards Websites and Apps

Earning free gift cards has never been easier, thanks to popular rewards websites and apps. In this section, you’ll learn about a few of these platforms that can help you get free gift cards.

1. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is one of the most popular rewards websites. With Swagbucks, you can earn points for completing a variety of tasks such as answering surveys, watching videos, online shopping, using Swagbucks as your default search engine, and playing games. These points can then be redeemed for gift cards to your favorite stores.

Swagbucks is a company that I started using years ago, and it has helped me easily earn some extra cash on the side, all from home or while traveling. In fact, I have earned over 105 free Amazon gift cards (I like to redeem my points for free Amazon gift cards) from Swagbucks over the years.

Here’s how Swagbucks works:

  1. You join Swagbucks through my referral link (and receive a $10 bonus).
  2. Earn points by taking online surveys on their website, searching the web just like you normally would with their search engine, watching videos on Swagbucks, shopping online, and so much more.
  3. Then, you can use your Swagbucks points for PayPal cash or a wide variety of gift cards.

Free gift cards that you can get through Swagbucks include Amazon, Walmart, Apple, Target, Starbucks, Home Depot, Macy’s, and many other stores and restaurants.

2. InboxDollars

InboxDollars is another rewards platform that has many different ways for you to earn points, such as taking online surveys, watching video clips, redeeming grocery coupons, playing games online, and more.

You can also earn cash back on your online purchases at retailers that collaborate with InboxDollars.

With InboxDollars, you can get free gift cards to places such as Target, Amazon, PayPal, iTunes, Apple, Nordstrom, Xbox, Safeway, eBay, and more.

It is free to sign up and free to become a member on InboxDollars.

By signing up for InboxDollars, you can receive a free $5 too.

laptop on desk with blue background - earn free gift cards

Participating in Online Surveys For Free Gift Cards

Participating in online surveys is a simple and effective way to earn free gift cards. Many companies are willing to reward you with free gift cards for sharing your opinions and experiences through these surveys by answering questionnaires on survey websites. The process is straightforward: sign up, complete surveys, accumulate points, and redeem your points for gift cards.

Remember to be honest and thoughtful while completing surveys, as the quality of your feedback is important. By dedicating a bit of time daily to participating in online surveys, you’ll gradually earn points that can be redeemed for free gift cards to use at your favorite stores.

3. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is a free online survey company. It’s free to sign up and you’re paid around $1 to $5 (longer surveys pay more than shorter ones) for each survey you answer.

They have paid out over $35,000,000 to survey takers and have posted over 20 million surveys. They have over 7,000,000 members as well.

They give out free gift cards all the time too.

You can sign up for American Consumer Opinion here.

4. Survey Junkie 

Another survey company that you will want to check out is Survey Junkie. Complete three surveys daily on Survey Junkie and you can earn as much as $40 each month.

You can redeem your points for PayPal cash, free Amazon gift cards, free Target gift cards, and more.

You can sign up for Survey Junkie by clicking here.

5. Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys is an online survey company that pays around from $0.50 to $5.00 per survey that you answer. Like with all survey companies that I recommend, it is free to join.

Branded Surveys has paid out over $39,646,696.31 to its members over the years.

They also have over 100 different free gift card options, to places such as to Amazon and Apple.

You can sign up for Branded Surveys by clicking here.

6. Prize Rebel

Prize Rebel is another survey platform that pays in free Amazon gift cards, free Walmart gift cards, free Visa gift cards, and more.

One thing that makes Prize Rebel stand out is that it is open to those in the U.S., but to also many other countries around the world. So if you are finding it hard to find a survey site to accept your location, check this one out!

Prize Rebel has paid out more than $29,000,000 in cash and free gift card rewards since the year 2007.

You can sign up for Prize Rebel by clicking here.

7. User Interviews

User Interviews is a little different from the others in this section as it’s much higher paying than a traditional online survey site, but it’s a little more involved as well because it’s more of a market research study.

Participants can earn $50 to $100 per hour or more for sharing their opinions and feedback on User Interviews. The average pays over $65. These are typically completed over the phone or in a video call where an interviewer is asking you questions.

They launch over 2,000 studies monthly and they have paid over 87,000 people in the last year.

You can click here to sign up for User Interviews.

Earning Cash Back and Points For Free Gift Cards

Earning cash back and points is a great way to get free gift cards. In this section, I discuss several methods that you can use to start earning rewards to put towards free gift cards.

8. Honey

You can install the Honey browser extension, which automatically finds and applies available coupon codes and promo codes when you shop online.

Then, shop like normal and when you’re ready to checkout, Honey will instantly find and apply the best coupon codes directly to your shopping cart.

You can then redeem your points for cash, gift cards, or PayPal shopping credits.

It’s super easy to use – Honey only takes two clicks and it is 100% free.

You can learn more about Honey by clicking here.

9. Rakuten

Rakuten is a cash back website that allows you to earn free money for spending just like how you normally would online.

With Rakuten, you simply click on a store that you want to shop through (Walmart, Target, Chewy, Old Navy, Sephora, Best Buy, and over 3,000 other stores) and shop just like how you normally would shop online.

By using Rakuten, they earn a commission for referring you to the store, and then Rakuten gives you some of that money back as a reward for using their platform.

Rakuten does not pay you in gift cards, instead they give you a check or PayPal cash quarterly. But, I still wanted to include Rakuten because they are so easy to use.

You can sign up for Rakuten here and get a $30 sign-up bonus.

10. Upside

Upside is a cell phone app that gives you cash back for using the gas stations that are listed in their app. You simply sign up for a free account, and then look at the Upside app to find gas stations located near you.

With Upside, you can make up to $0.25 per gallon cash back at gas stations.

You can then redeem your earnings for cash to your bank account, but also for free gift cards to places such as Amazon, AMC Theaters, Dunkin Donuts, Kohl’s, Nike, Target, Uber, and more.

You can sign up for Upside by clicking here.

Also, you can also learn more by heading to my Upside Review.

11. Rewards credit cards

Rewards credit cards can allow you to redeem your points for free gift cards.

The way that rewards credit cards work is that every time you use your credit card, you can earn points for spending money. Yes, spending money just like how you normally spend money.

I have rewards credit cards and I earn points every single time I shop and I don’t have to do anything special. Just pay my bills and expenses like I normally do!

With rewards credit cards, you can earn plane tickets, free gift cards, cash back, and more. You can redeem gift cards through your credit card rewards, you can transfer the points that you have earned to your credit card as cash back, and more.

Two credit cards that I personally like include:

Credit card points can easily be converted into free gift cards, making them a great way to save money on items from your favorite stores. Most credit card companies offer points for purchases made on their cards, and these points can often be redeemed for gift cards at popular retailers like Google, Starbucks, and Sephora.

Note: Using credit cards for their rewards is only wise if you are a responsible credit card user. You do not want to add debt to your life to earn credit card rewards, as debt that gains interest is not free nor worth it! You need to make sure you’re paying your credit card balance in full each month for the gift card rewards to be worth it.

roll of money on green background to earn free gift cards

Scan Your Grocery Shopping Receipts For Free Gift Cards

Did you know that you can get free gift cards just by simply scanning your receipts?

With the help of certain apps, you can turn those paper or digital receipts of your purchases into free gift card rewards.

These apps pay you for the data they get from your receipt. They don’t see your name or other private or personal information. Instead, they are observing trends in shopper behavior. The apps use this information to help their partners better understand their customer’s shopping habits.

In this section, I discuss several apps that you can use for this purpose.

12. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards is my favorite receipt scanning app.

It is easy to use and I scan all of my receipts into this app as it literally takes less than a minute to do and you can earn points so easily.

Fetch Rewards gives you points for shopping that you’ve already done (both online and in-person shopping).

You can take pictures of your receipts from grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and anywhere else. They will accept a picture of any receipt from any store.

With your points, you can then redeem them for free gift cards to places such as Amazon, Walmart, Airbnb, Athleta, Barnes and Noble, and many, many others.

Below is how Fetch Rewards works:

  1. Shop like you normally would, either online or in-person
  2. Take a picture of your receipt after you’re done with your cell phone
  3. Earn points on Fetch Rewards

What I do is – I go to the grocery store and shop like normal. You don’t have to open the Fetch Rewards app before you go. I then check out. Once I get home, I open the Fetch Rewards app and take a picture with my receipt. Fetch Rewards automatically scans my receipt and puts the points in my account. Takes just a moment to do!

You can sign up for Fetch Rewards by clicking here.

You can also read my review at My Honest Fetch Rewards Review.

13. Ibotta App

Ibotta is a cash back app that lets you earn gift cards by shopping at your favorite stores.

You can simply download the app, browse available offers, and complete the required tasks to earn cash back on your purchases.

You can then redeem your earnings for free gift cards to places such as Starbucks and Amazon.

You can sign up for Ibotta by clicking here.

You may be wondering – Is Fetch Rewards or Ibotta better?

Fetch Rewards and Ibotta are similar, and I recommend bot!.

Fetch Rewards is a little easier to use than Ibotta because all you need to do is scan your receipt into the Fetch Rewards app, and then you are done. With Ibotta, it’s more like clipping coupons and takes a little more time, but you may be able to earn a little more cash with Ibotta.

The great thing is that you can use the same exact grocery receipt for both Fetch Rewards and Ibotta, which will maximize your rewards. If you have the time, I recommend signing up for both so that you can increase your earnings by not doing too much more work.

Other Ways To Earn Gift Cards

There are many other ways to find gift cards. These include earning points through referral programs, trading in your unwanted items and selling them online, and finding sweepstakes and giveaways to enter. I will be talking about each of these in the sections below.

14. Referral Programs

Another popular way to find free gift cards is taking part in referral programs. Many companies offer refer-a-friend incentives, which can include free gift cards for both you and your friend.

One example of this is Gift Card Granny. When using Gift Card Granny, you can recommend their website to your friends, and whenever one of them makes a purchase through your unique referral link, you’ll receive $5 to put towards a gift card on Gift Card Granny.

Referral programs aren’t limited to gift card sites alone. Even credit card companies have referral programs allowing you to earn extra points, gift cards, or cash back for recommending their card to friends. This comes with the added benefit of helping your friends earn rewards and potentially free gift cards as well.

So, if there is a website, service, or product that you like using, you may want to see if they have a referral program.

15. Trading in and Selling Items

Trading in your unwanted items and selling them online can be a great way to earn free gift cards. Whether it’s an old cell phone, video game console, or other electronic devices, there are many different stores that will exchange your used stuff for gift cards.

Amazon Trade-In is one platform to start with. They accept trade-ins for a wide range of products like Amazon devices (such as Fire tablets, Kindle e-readers, Echo devices, Fire TV devices, Ring and Blink devices, and more), cell phones, voice speakers, and gaming consoles. In return, you’ll receive an Amazon gift card with the value determined by the condition and demand for your specific item.

Best Buy and Target also have trade-in programs for tech items that allow you to exchange your items for store gift cards. You can head to their websites to determine the value of your items.

You will want to keep in mind that different retailers might provide varying amounts for your trade-in, so it’s a good idea to compare offers. This can help you make the most money as one website may pay you more than another.

By trading in the stuff you no longer want or need, you can earn free cards to Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and more.

16. Find Free Gift Card Sweepstakes and Giveaways

If you are wanting free gift cards, then finding sweepstakes and giveaways can be an interesting option to look into. There are many ways to find these sweepstakes and giveaways to enter, and with a little patience and time, you might just win some free gift cards (along with other prizes too!).

The main downside of this, though, is that there is no guarantee that you will win anything, of course. As, it all just depends on your luck. So, it may take awhile for you to win your first prize, if ever.

But, luckily it doesn’t really take any skill. You simply are just entering giveaways!

Back when I was paying off my debt, I entered giveaways like crazy, and got lucky a few times. I’ve also hosted a fair bit of my own giveaways over the years as well!

One popular method to find sweepstakes and giveaways is by following your favorite companies or brands on social media platforms like Instagram. These accounts often host promotions where you can win free Amazon gift cards, Visa gift cards, or other types of rewards. Keep an eye on their posts and stories for chances to win.

Another way to find sweepstakes and giveaways to enter is to search related hashtags on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Many times, sweepstakes and giveaways are tagged with these hashtags in order to grow even more and so that people can find them. I used to enter giveaways all the time, and this is exactly how I would find giveaways to enter.  Some hashtags to search or follow include:

  • #sweepstakes
  • #giveaway
  • #giveawayalert
  • #contest
  • #freebie

There are also sweepstakes websites that you can Google. These websites simply list all of the sweepstakes and giveaways that are available to enter, which makes it even easier as you can find a bunch to enter on one easy website.

Another way to earn free gift cards is by playing games on websites and apps that offer rewards to their users. Some of these platforms allow you to earn points by completing game-related tasks, which you can then exchange for gift cards. You may win other prizes as well.

Search engines can be another way to find sweepstakes and giveaways. It’s important to keep your data safe and secure while entering these contests, so be wary of scams and only provide information to reputable sources.

Frequently Asked Questions About Earning Free Gift Cards

If you have questions about how to earn free gift cards, I have included some common questions below:

Is it possible to get free gift card codes?

Yes, it is definitely possible to earn free gift cards.

In fact, I have earned many free gift card codes over the years!

I have earned over 100 free gift cards from Swagbucks alone. Swagbucks sends free gift card codes directly to your email inbox so that you can use them right away, and I have done it so many times over the years!

Plus, I have earned free gift cards from several other websites and apps on the list above as well.

My favorite type of gift card would be a Visa gift card, because you can use it anywhere just like you would with a credit card or debit card.

What are the best apps for earning gift cards? What app gives free gift cards?

There are several popular apps that can help you earn gift cards. These apps usually reward you for completing simple tasks, surveys, to watch videos, play games, and even shop. Here’s a list of the best sites to earn free gift cards:

These are available on your laptop, ios, or Android.

What websites can I use to earn gift cards?

Apart from the apps mentioned above, there are websites like Rakuten and Gift Card Granny that can help you earn gift cards. Signing up and using these websites may provide you with cash back, offers, or rewards for your online purchases or referring your friends.

How to earn gift cards without completing offers?

To earn gift cards without completing offers, you do have a few options.

One option is that you can use the Amazon Trade-In program, where you can trade in eligible items for Amazon gift cards. If you have items laying around your home that you can trade in, this can be a great way to declutter, while also earning some free gift cards.

You can also get paid to watch movies and earn free gift cards.

Can I earn gift cards by playing games on PC?

Yes, playing games on rewards sites such as Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and MyPoints will let you earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards. These platforms usually feature several casual and simple games that reward you for playing.

How to get a free $20 dollar gift card?

Many of the options above can help you to get a free $20 gift card.

One quick way is to find something around your home that you can trade in, such as a smartphone that you no longer use. Other ways to easily earn a $20 gift card that I would try include signing up for Fetch Rewards (I love how easy this app is to scan receipts!), Swagbucks, and more.

What are some ways to receive a $500 gift card?

Earning a free $500 gift card might require a bit of luck (well, a lot of time!), as they are usually part of sweepstakes or special promotions.

You can keep an eye out for such opportunities in the apps and websites mentioned above, and try to participate in any high-reward tasks (such as signing up for User Interviews), surveys, or competitions as much as you can.

Also, there is one way that may work and help you to earn a large amount on a gift card. If you have a lot of items that you could trade in, such as to Amazon, Best Buy, or Target, you may be able to earn enough to earn a free $500 gift card. This could be a gaming console, a cell phone, or several items traded in all at once.

How To Get Free Gift Cards

I hope you enjoyed today’s article on how to get free gift cards and that you find some ways that will personally work for you.

Getting free gift cards is a great way to save money and treat yourself or those in your life at your favorite retailers, like Amazon, Target, and Walmart, your favorite restaurants, and more. You can even earn a free Visa gift card to use anywhere with many of the options above.

With a little effort and the right strategy, you can easily find opportunities to earn free gift cards both online and in physical stores.

One simple way to earn gift cards is by answering paid online surveys and signing up for rewards programs. Many websites let you earn points or cash rewards that can be redeemed for gift cards.

For your everyday purchases, consider using cash back apps or websites such as Rakuten or Fetch Rewards. By shopping through these platforms, you can earn cash back rewards that can be exchanged for free gift cards from popular retailers like Amazon, Target, or even free Visa gift cards.

Also, joining loyalty programs from the stores you shop at all the time can also help you earn points that can be redeemed for free gift cards.

If you want a large amount on a gift card, then you may want to try trading in or selling some of the things that you own. For example, if you have old electronics or unwanted items, consider using the Amazon Trade-In program. This allows you to trade in your used items for free Amazon gift cards.

Another easy option is to look for sweepstakes and giveaways to enter online. You can keep an eye out for gift card giveaways on social media and enter for a chance to win. Both digital and physical gift cards are often given away by influencers, brands, or retailers as part of promotional events or contests. Try to sign up for as many as you can as it is all based on luck, of course!

Lastly, don’t forget to install browser extensions like Honey, which automatically apply coupon codes at checkout and offer cash back rewards. This way, you can save money while shopping at your favorite online stores and, at the same time, enjoy free rewards.

By following the above tips on how to get free gift cards, you’ll be well on your way to getting a lot of them.

Earning free gift cards can be a great way to get some breathing room in your budget, and so that you can spoil yourself. I know many people who spend all year finding ways to get free gift Amazon and Visa gift cards, and then save them for big things, such as all of their holiday gift spending. This way, they can save money and simply use their free gift cards to get the gifts that they need.

Of course, there are many other reasons to get free gift cards as well. It can simply make your purchases more affordable, and you can buy things for free as well!

What ways to earn free gift cards do you take part in?


Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Author: Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Hey! I’m Michelle Schroeder-Gardner and I am the founder of Making Sense of Cents. I’m passionate about all things personal finance, side hustles, making extra money, and online businesses. I have been featured in major publications such as Forbes, CNBC, Time, and Business Insider. Learn more here.

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  1. Good morning and happy Wednesday Michelle,

    I just stumbled upon your blog post about free gift cards, and I couldn’t resist leaving a comment to express my gratitude. Your informative and helpful content never fails to amaze me, and this article is no exception.

    Gift cards are undoubtedly a fantastic way to save money and indulge in our favorite products and experiences. Your detailed guide on obtaining free gift cards is truly a goldmine of valuable information. You’ve provided a comprehensive list of legitimate sources and methods to acquire these coveted cards, ensuring that readers can benefit from your expertise without any worry.

    I particularly appreciated the emphasis you placed on the importance of caution and avoiding scams in the pursuit of free gift cards. It’s crucial to exercise vigilance and make informed decisions when exploring such opportunities. Your insightful tips and warnings serve as a vital reminder to stay vigilant and protect ourselves from potential pitfalls.

    Moreover, your dedication to sharing personal experiences and success stories adds an authentic touch to your writing. It creates a sense of community among readers, fostering an environment where we can learn from one another and collectively make the most of these free gift card opportunities.

    As always, your writing style is engaging, clear, and easy to follow. I appreciate how you break down complex concepts into digestible bits of information, making it accessible to readers of all backgrounds. It’s evident that you genuinely care about your audience and want to empower them to make informed financial decisions.

    Thank you once again for another insightful blog post. Your dedication to delivering high-quality content is commendable, and I’m eagerly looking forward to reading more from you. Keep up the fantastic work!

    Drewry 🙂

  2. Debbie

    I would like to thank you for this site,but I didn’t see anything for people on disability. It would be nice to have something on that line offers. Because we can I only make so much money can you help me with that.