Free is my favorite word, and the phrase “gift cards” is pretty close to the top as well.
So when I learned that that there are ways to earn free gift cards, I not only got excited, I went into full out research mode. Not only did I find out there were legitimate ways to get gift cards quickly, but there are also so many offers that you have to sort through them.
I put together this list of top options so that you can get started earning gift cards and included my favorite strategies for generating free gift cards fast.
Ways to Get Free Gift Cards
GetUpside
GetUpside has become my favorite app for buying gasoline. Once you install the app, they will pay you cash back for filling up at a partner gas station, which can then be redeemed for gift cards.
Before you get gas, you pull up the app, and it shows you a map of gas stations in your area. If a station is participating in their program, you can see the gas price and how much you receive from their per gallon cashback.
Shell, BP, and Exxon are just a few of the gas stations that participate.
Summary:
- Difficulty – easy
- Payout – 25 gift card options and Paypal
- Time to Cash out – If you drive regularly, you should be able to cash out each month.
- Review of Get Upside
TopCashBack
TopCashBack pays you for shopping online. They do this by having relationships that pay them a commission for sending buyers to the retailers website.
Instead of keeping that money to themselves, TopCashBack pays that commission to you and only keeps whatever bonuses they get from the sheer bulk of buyers they send from their members.
The cashback rebates can be anywhere from 1% to 25%.
Summary:
- Difficulty – easy
- GiftCards Available – Gift cards from
- Cashout time – Depends on how much online shopping you do
- Review of TopCashBack
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the top sites that pay you for completing tasks online. They are a catch-all of ways to get paid.
They got their start paying you to do internet searches through their search engine and expanded to getting paid for surveys, shopping, watching videos, playing games, and several more.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Varies by the task
- GiftCards Available – More than 50 gift cards can be cashed out at $5
- Cashout time – Should be able to cash out each month.
- Review of Swagbucks
SurveyJunkie
SurveyJunkie is a highly regarded paid survey site. They have a large number of surveys, which makes it easy to qualify and keep earning regularly.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Medium
- Payment – More than five gift card options and Paypal
- Cashout time – If you complete surveys regularly, you can cash out every one to two months.
- Review of SurveyJunkie
LifePoints
LifePoints is one of the largest survey sites in the world. They do market research for large corporations.
Like SurveyJunkie, they have a lot of surveys available so you can keep earning.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Medium
- Payment – Turn in points for gift cards from a large selection of merchants and restaurants.
- Cashout time – 30-60 days
- Review of LifePoints
Inbox Dollars
InboxDollars got their start paying people to read emails from their advertisers.
They have since expanded into a much larger GPT program and compete directly with Swagbucks.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Varies by the task
- Payment – Gift cards and cash are available.
- Cashout time – Most people can earn enough to cash out each month.
- Review of InboxDollars
MyPoints
MyPoints is one of the oldest GPT programs getting their start back in the late 90s. They now compete with InboxDollars and Swagbucks as one of the top programs that pay you for online tasks.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Varies by the task
- Payment – A huge assortment of gift cards to choose from.
- Cashout time –
- Review of MyPoints
Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel
Nielsen will pay you for having an app running on your phone. They keep track of your data usage and use that information to help marketers.
The idea is that you are already giving your data away for free to companies like Apple and Google, so why not get paid for it. You can also get paid on each device that has the app installed (computer, phone, tablet).
Summary:
- Difficulty – easy
- Payment – Can redeem points for gift cards or merchandise.
- Cashout time – Monthly
- Review of Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel
Ibotta
Ibotta has separated themselves as the top app for coupons. You install the Ibotta app, check their list of coupons, and claim the ones you are going to use.
You can then either have them pick up your purchases through your loyalty card or scan your receipt to get credit. I use this right before I hit the grocery store.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Easy
- Payment – Everything from restaurants to gas stations.
- Cashout time – Usually 30-60 days
- Review of Ibotta
Drop App
Drop is a cashback app, but it works by monitoring the spending on your credit or debit card. Instead of having to click through a link, you get cash back when you use your registered card at any of thousands of retailers.
Major retailers that are included in their partners include Walmart, Safeway, Costco, Trader Joe’s, and many more.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Easy
- Payment – There many major retailers and restaurants to choose from.
- Cashout time – With all shopping apps, your habits determine how fast it can cash out.
- Review of Drop app
Dosh
Dosh is another cash back app that pays you when you shop using a linked credit or debit card. Whenever you shop with your linked card at their partner stores, you earn points.
Dosh is good for online shopping, but it beats out the competition when it comes to getting free gift cards for in-store shopping.
Summary:
- Difficulty – easy
- Payment – Most people will choose cash, but several major retail gift cards are available.
- Cashout time – It will depend on how much you shop at partner stores.
- Review of the Dosh App
Shopkick
Shopkick pays you for visiting different stores. That’s right just visiting the store will earn you points, or “kicks” as they like to call them.
You get more points for actually making purchases, and they even have options to get discounts from time to time.
Summary:
- Difficulty – easy
- Payment – Cash in kicks for gift cards or merchandise.
- Cashout time – With anything shopping, it will depend on how much you shop or visit stores.
- Review of ShopKick
Checkout 51
Checkout 51 is a direct competitor with Ibotta. They work in a very similar fashion with you selecting coupons and taking pictures of your receipt to receive credit.
Summary:
- Difficulty – easy
- Payment – Both cash and gift cards.
- Cashout time – Another shopping app that depends on how much you use it.
- Review of the Checkout51 app
Amazon Trade-In
Amazon has a great trade-in program. They mostly focus on Amazon products like Kindle e-readers and tablets, home security, smart speakers, and streaming media devices.
They also allow you to trade in cell phones, gaming items, and books. It takes a little effort because you have to mail them in, but they do take care of the shipping.
Summary:
- Difficulty – Medium
- Payment – Amazon gift cards or credit.
- Cashout time – Some items, like a Kindle, will earn instant credit, while others will take being checked out before you receive the credit.
Ask for Them
Have you ever gotten a gift that was not at all useful? It could have been a piece of clothing or electronics that you will never use.
A way to avoid this and up your gift card game is to tell people you are happy with any gift but prefer gift cards.
Find Giveaways
Some companies will give away gift cards if you participate in their social media campaigns. Understand you may have to bother friends and family members by tagging them with your post, but you can always include them in spending your gift card.
Five of the most popular hashtags to find these giveaways on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are:
- #giveaways
- #giveaway
- #giveawaycontest
- #contest
- #freebie
While you are out there you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Strategies to Earn Free Gift Cards
All of the above options for earning free gift cards can be effective, but you can maximize your earnings by using these strategies.
Take the Easy Wins
If there is an option above where the difficulty is listed as easy, then I am using it.
I don’t fill up with gasoline till I check my GetUpside app, I check the Ibotta app before I check out to make sure I didn’t miss any coupons, and I use TopCashBack before making an online purchase.
These easy wins should form the backbone of our search for gift cards because they take so little effort that we have to take those deals to the bank.
Focus Your Effort
Don’t accept just any gift card, consolidate your efforts across platforms to earn one type of gift card.
I try to get Walmart gift cards as much as possible because I can buy just about anything there. I use these free Walmart gift cards for gasoline, groceries, electronics, and various other needs and wants.
Figure out which retailer works best for you. Maybe you want to focus on free Amazon gift cards or go for earning Applebee’s gift cards. Whatever it is, focus your efforts so you can maximize the impact of your earning.
Gift cards to consider:
- Amazon Gift Cards
- CVS Gift Cards
- Target Gift Cards
- Best Buy Gift Cards
- Gamestop Gift Cards
- Kohl’s Gift Cards
- Lowes Gift Cards
- Visa Gift Cards
Don’t Overdo the Programs that Take Time
If you are going to boost your earnings by doing paid surveys, reading emails, or completing online tasks, it is important not to sign up for too many programs at once.
While you aren’t spending money to get this free money. You are spending time so don’t over do it or you will get burnt out.
Use a Separate Email
Many of these programs will require that you sign up with an email. They will also send you emails regularly.
Instead of getting these to your primary email and getting frustrated, set up a separate email you can check regularly, but don’t have to see a steady stream of emails.
For example, I check my “get paid to” email once a day to see if there are any paid emails or offers that I want to take advantage of. This keeps me sane and my inbox clean.
Final Thoughts on How to Get Free Gift Cards
Earning gift cards is a great way to supplement your income because they act like cash, and when you get them, there are no income taxes to be paid. This tax benefit can make them more valuable than Paypal money or straight cash (both have to be accounted for in taxes).
Using the above strategies, you should be able to create a steady flow of free gift cards coming to your email or snail mailbox.
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