How to Get Free Gift Cards With Minimal Effort (25 Hassle-Free Ways!)

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Last Updated on February 4, 2023 by Rebecca Lake

Would you like to know how to get free gift cards without a lot of extra work?

Finding ways to get free gift cards can be a great way to save money. You can collect free gift cards to give as gifts for birthdays, holidays or other special occasions. Or you can stockpile free gift cards, then use them for everyday purchases at your favorite stores.

The good news is that there are plenty of options for how to get free gift cards and other free stuff without leaving home.

Whether you’re looking for free Amazon gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, iTunes gift cards or a Best Buy gift card, it’s possible to earn them all online. Today, I’m walking you through some of the best ways to get free gift cards legitimately, with minimal effort. 

Related post: 27 Easy Ways to Make Instant Money Online Absolutely Free

How to Get Free Gift Cards Fast (10 Easiest Ways to Get Free Stuff!)

There are different ways to get free gift cards fast and sometimes even instantly. That means you have multiple opportunities to earn gift cards that are worth real money, without much effort.

For example, some of the easiest ways to get free gift cards include:

  1. Taking online surveys. Survey companies, survey apps and websites can offer free rewards for sharing your opinions. Depending on which rewards site you sign up for, you can redeem points for cash or free gift cards.
  2. Playing video games. You might spend part of your day playing video games online so why not get some free gift cards for your efforts? It’s possible with apps that reward you with gift cards when you play mobile games and do other simple tasks online. If you’re an Xbox fan, you can also earn free Microsoft Rewards when you play games with friends and family members or participate in sweepstakes.
  3. Online shopping. Shopping online can pay you back with free gift cards if you’re using cash back apps. These apps let you earn a percentage of what you spend back as gift cards or cash that you can deposit into your bank account.
  4. Scanning receipts. Some online shopping apps (or a cash-back app) reward you with points for scanning receipts after the fact. Once you collect enough points you can redeem them to get free gift cards. 
  5. Watching videos. Aside from earning gift cards for free by taking online surveys or playing video games, you can also earn them by watching videos. This might be the easiest way to get free gift cards if you’re already spending time on YouTube or other streaming services.
  6. Giveaways. Gift card giveaways can be another legit way to get free gift cards without spending money. Social media accounts like Instagram and Twitter are great places to search for gift card giveaways or contests. 
  7. Cash in your spare change. If you’ve got change lying around the house that you don’t plan to spend, you could easily convert them to free gift cards. The key is using a coin-counting kiosk that offers gift cards as an option. 
  8. Referral programs. Referring friends or family to a business or brand could open the door to free gift cards. Brands can offer free gift cards as a reward for encouraging other people to try their services. 
  9. Redeem credit card rewards. If you use a rewards credit card for purchases, you could turn your points, miles or cash back into free gift cards. Many card issuers offer gift cards as a rewards redemption option. 
  10. Bonus cards. Depending on where you shop or dine out, you may be able to get a free gift card just for making a purchase. Target, for example, can offer free gift cards when you buy certain items. And around the holidays, restaurants often offer $10 in bonus gift cards when you make a $50 gift card purchase. 

That’s 10 ideas right there for ways to get free gift cards! Some survey companies and cashback apps will also reward you with free gift cards just for using your favorite search engine to surf the web.

Still not sure where to start? I’ve rounded up some of the best ways to earn gift cards for free quickly and easily in your spare time.

Related post: 50 Easy Free Money Hacks to Get Cash Now

?Pro tip: Gift Card Granny used to be one of the best sites for selling unwanted gift cards but they no longer allow it. If you have gift cards you don’t plan to use learn how to find a gift card exchange kiosk near you to turn them into cash.

How to Get Free Gift Cards With Online Surveys

One of the most popular ways to get free gift cards is by taking surveys online or joining online focus groups. There are a number of websites that offer PayPal cash or gift cards when you complete surveys from your mobile device. This is a simple at home job you can do in your spare time.

All you need to get started in most cases is an email address. If you’re interested in participating in this kind of market research, here are some of the best places to complete surveys online in exchange for free gift cards.

1. Swagbucks

swagbucks screenshot

Swagbucks is one of the most popular options for earning free gift cards with little effort. 

Here’s how it works. 

You can also earn rewards points with Swagbucks when you complete tasks like watching videos or browsing online through your favorite search engine.

This is an easy way to earn gift cards for doing things you already do online. And Swagbucks works with some of the most popular retailers to offer free gift cards, including:

  • Amazon
  • PayPal
  • Walmart
  • iTunes and the App Store
  • Visa

These are digital gift cards so once you redeem points you’ll receive a free gift card code, which can take up to 10 business days to arrive in your inbox. Once you get the code, you can use it to shop online at your favorite brands.

?Get started with Swagbucks now and claim a $5 bonus.

2. InboxDollars

inboxdollars screenshot

InboxDollars is another legitimate survey company that’s paid out close to $60 million in rewards to its members. 

Some of the different ways you can make money online with InboxDollars include:

  • Taking surveys
  • Getting paid to read emails
  • Watching videos
  • Playing video games
  • Earning cash back when you shop online

With InboxDollars, you can choose between PayPal cash rewards or free gift cards to your favorite major retailers, including Target, Amazon and Starbucks.

And just like Swagbucks, InboxDollars gives you free money just for signing up!

?Sign up now to snag your $5 bonus from InboxDollars.

3. MyPoints

mypoints screenshot

MyPoints is a sister site to Swagbucks and Tada, which rewards you with points for online shopping. When you join MyPoints, you can earn MyPoints Rewards for doing simple online activities, including taking surveys and making online purchases.

It’s easy to sign up for MyPoints and even easier to earn points toward free gift cards. Some of the retail brands MyPoints works with include:

  • Amazon
  • Walmart
  • Best Buy
  • Target
  • Groupon
  • Kohl’s
  • eBay

This site has over 20 million active members so it’s a legit way to get free gift cards online. 

And when you sign up you can choose between one of two welcome bonus options:

Want to learn more about how to get free gift cards? Check out my full MyPoints review.

4. Survey Junkie

survey junkie screenshot

Survey Junkie is one of the best online survey sites for making easy money.  

When you sign up for Survey Junkie, you can earn rewards by taking surveys online and participating in market research. The surveys you’re offered are based on the information you share when creating your account profile. 

You’ll need at least 500 points to redeem your rewards for gift cards. But Survey Junkie lets you exchange points for egift cards to Amazon and Target, to name a few. 

If you’re ready to start earning with Survey Junkie, sign up now to claim your $5 bonus!

And to learn more, take a look at my in-depth Survey Junkie review

5. Toluna

toluna screenshot

When you join Toluna, you have a chance to get paid for sharing your opinions as an influencer. 

You’ll earn points for each survey you take. Once you accumulate enough points, you can redeem them for free gift cards. 

Some of the gift card options Toluna offers include:

  • Amazon
  • Kohl’s
  • Chili’s
  • Target
  • iTunes
  • Starbucks
  • Walmart
  • PayPal

The number of points you’ll need to redeem varies, based on your choice of gift card. But you can get a head start by earning 500 points just for creating your profile. 

?Become a Toluna influencer today to start earning rewards.

6. Pinecone Research

pinecone research screenshot

Pinecone Research allows you to earn points for taking surveys and sharing your opinions about products. 

This site is a great option for how to earn gift cards because there’s no minimum requirement to redeem points. 

You can redeem points for virtual gift cards to Amazon and other stores. Or you can redeem them for PayPal money or even charitable donations.

?Sign up to start taking surveys with Pinecone Research.

7. Opinion OutOutpost

opinion outpost screenshot

Opinion Outpost is another top survey site in the United States that rewards you with gift cards for sharing your opinions. 

It’s free to sign up and create an Opinion Outpost account. You earn rewards for every survey you take, so your time is never wasted. 

When you’re ready to redeem points earned, you can trade them for gift cards to top brands, including:

  • Home
  • Depot
  • CVS
  • Amazon

You can also get Visa gift cards or cash through PayPal. 

Opinion Outpost offers more than three million surveys per month, paying out roughly $390,000 in cash prizes and gift cards to its members. 

?Join Opinion Outpost and get free gift cards for sharing your opinions. 

8. Zap Surveys

Zap Surveys has paid out over $30 million to its members in rewards. 

When you sign up with Zap Surveys, you can get paid to take surveys daily. The best thing about this survey company is that there’s no limit on cash outs and you can choose from 12 different cash-out options, including Visa, PayPal and Amazon gift cards. 

Zap Surveys is easy to use and the surveys don’t take a lot of time to complete. And you can get an instant bonus just for signing up!

?Join Zap Surveys and get $6.25 on your first survey. 

9. OpinionInn

opinion inn screenshot

OpinionInn is one of the most generous options for earning free cash and gift cards. 

When you create an OpinionInn account, you can get a $10 bonus to start. And surveys offered through the site can pay as much as $100 apiece. 

It’s free to join OpinionInn. You just create an account and enter your personal information to start completing surveys.

Once you hit $25 in earnings, you can cash out. Plus, OpinionInn offers monthly drawings with a chance to win $500 if you’ve completed at least five surveys. 

?Claim your $10 bonus now with a new OpinionInn account. 

Looking for a remote gig or work-from-home job? Virtual Vocations features remote jobs and at-home jobs in over 50 categories so you can find a role that fits your skills. Create a Virtual Vocations account and start browsing listings to find your next remote job!

Get Free Gift Cards With Cashback Apps

Cashback apps pay you back a percentage of what you spend with a linked debit card or credit card. You can deposit cashback to a bank account or PayPal account, or redeem it for gift cards to popular brands.

Looking for the best apps that pay cash back or gift cards to shop? These apps make it easy to get free gift cards when you shop online or in stores. 

10. Ibotta

Ibotta screenshot

Ibotta is one of the best cash-back apps for everyday spending.

When you download the Ibotta app, you can use it to shop at your favorite grocery store or retail stores.  

As you take advantage of partner offers, you can earn up to 10% cash back on grocery shopping and other purchases. Ibotta lets you earn cash back online or in stores at thousands of top brands. 

You can link the Ibotta app to your store loyalty program cards to stack cash back earnings with coupon savings. And you can even use Ibotta to earn cash back when you shop with Instacart or Walmart Grocery. 

Once you’re ready to use the cash back you’ve earned with Ibotta, you can get cash. Or you can turn it into free gift cards at more than 20 stores, including:

  • Amazon
  • Sephora
  • Starbucks

Right now, Ibotta is offering up to $20 in cash bonuses when you sign up and make your first purchase.

So if you haven’t downloaded the app yet, get Ibotta now to claim your $20 bonus. And you can also read my thorough Ibotta review to learn more about how it works. 

11. Rakuten

Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is one of the best-known apps for earning cash back from shopping. 

With Rakuten, you can browse deals to earn cash back online through the website. Or you can download the Rakuten browser extension. 

Earning cash back is easy. You simply shop Rakuten partner merchants and make an eligible purchase to earn cash back. 

You can even use Rakuten to take advantage of cash back offers in stores. The amount of cash back you can earn depends on the offer, but I’ve seen some cash back rates as high as 40%. 

Rakuten gives you multiple ways to redeem the cash back you earn. You can get cash back:

  • As a paper check
  • Via PayPal deposit

Now, where do free gift cards come in?

First, you can get a free $30 gift card when you make your first $30 purchase with Rakuten. That in itself is a pretty sweet incentive to sign up.  

But you can also scoop up free gift cards for shopping partner deals. 

For example, here’s a deal I recently found on the site. 

When you sign up for Sam’s Club membership, you can get a free $45 gift card. And you get up to 8% cash back on purchases. 

That’s a win-win if you’re looking for cash back and free gift cards!

?Head to Rakuten to sign up now and grab your $30 gift card bonus. 

12. Tada

Tada (formerly ShopAtHome) is also a sister site to both Swagbucks and MyPoints. 

With this site, you can get paid cash back when you shop at more than 2,000 retail partners. Some of the brands Tada works with include:

  • Walmart
  • Best Buy
  • Home Depot
  • Amazon
  • Macy’s
  • Target

It’s super easy to use Tada to get free gift cards.

It’s that simple! And just like MyPoints, Tada offers you two ways to get a $10 bonus:

13. Dosh

dosh screenshot

Dosh pays you cash back automatically when you shop, dine or book travel with partner brands. 

All you have to do to earn cash back that you can turn into free gift cards is download the Dosh app. Dosh even works with Venmo to make earning cash back as simple as possible. 

You’ll need to earn at least $25 in cash back to cash out. And you can earn up to 10% cash back when you shop, dine or travel. 

Dosh doesn’t offer gift cards as a direct redemption option. But you can use the cash you’re earning to purchase gift cards without spending any money out of pocket. 

?Download Dosh to get free bonus cash, plus cash back on purchases. 

14. Drop

drop screenshot

Just like Dosh, Drop rewards you when you shop, dine out or travel with partner brands. 

All you need to do is download the Drop app and link your debit card or credit card. From there, you can shop through the app to earn Drop points. 

Points are as good as cash and can be redeemed for free gift cards to Walmart, Amazon, Netflix, Starbucks and more.

More than three million people use and love the Drop app. So if you’re wondering whether Drop is a legit way to get free gift cards, the answer is a solid yes.

?Sign up for Drop now to start earning points toward free gift cards. 

15. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards is an app that lets you earn points for scanning receipts. 

You download the Fetch Rewards app, then snap a photo of your receipt. You can also link your email and Amazon accounts to the app to earn points from digital receipts. 

Fetch Rewards pays points on everything from groceries to dining out to gas. You can earn extra points through special offers or by referring friends and family. 

Once you’re ready to use your points you can turn them into free gift cards for stores like:

  • Amazon
  • Lowe’s
  • Target
  • Walmart

?If you’re not using Fetch Rewards yet, download the app now to start earning points. 

16. Honey

Honey is a browser extension that you can download for Chrome to easily shop and earn gift cards online. 

When you shop at partner brands or merchants, you can earn Honey Gold. You can redeem Honey Gold for e-gift cards to places like:

  • DoorDash
  • eBay
  • Macy’s
  • Walmart
  • Apple
  • Target
  • Amazon

Plus, the Honey browser extension automatically checks for coupon codes and savings when you shop at 30,000+ sites. 

Honey also has a neat watchlist feature if you shop at Amazon. You can use Honey to track prices and get notified when the price for something you want to buy drops. 

?Install the Honey browser extension and start earning Honey Gold. 

17. Shopkick

The Shopkick app rewards you with free gift cards for the shopping you already do. 

Instead of points, you can earn “kicks” with Shopkick. You can then redeem these kicks for free gift cards. 

There are several ways to earn kicks with Shopkick:

  • Walking into partner stores
  • Scanning barcodes on selected products
  • Making purchases in-store
  • Shopping online at more than 80 partner stores
  • Watching videos
  • Browsing content in the Shopkick app

If you want to get free gift cards it doesn’t get much easier than that. And you can redeem kicks for gift cards to places like Amazon, Walmart, TJ Maxx, Best Buy and Starbucks.

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Other Ways to Get Free Gift Cards Fast

Need a few more ideas for how to get free gift cards? Here are a few more easy ways to earn gift cards in your free time. 

18. Mistplay

If you like to play games, then you’ll love the Mistplay app for getting free gift cards. 

With the Mistplay app, you can:

  • Discover new games
  • Play and collect units (the longer you play, the more you’ll earn!)
  • Redeem units for rewards

Mistplay has given away close to $16 million in rewards to players. 

That includes free gift cards to Amazon, Visa, PayPal and Google Play. Plus, you have a chance to enter monthly contests to win some epic prizes.

19. Coinstar

coinstar coin exchange homepage image

Coinstar lets you turn your loose change into free gift cards. 

When you take your change to a Coinstar kiosk, you can cash it in for free e-gift cards. The advantage of choosing gift cards instead of cash is that you don’t pay any fees with this option.

Some of the brands Coinstar partners with to offer free gift cards include:

  • Apple
  • Amazon
  • AMC Theaters
  • Chili’s 
  • GameStop
  • Domino’s
  • Hotels.com
  • Steam
  • Southwest Airlines

The minimum amount for gift card redemptions varies but it can start as low as $3. You might try Coinstar for getting free gift cards if you don’t want to pay fees to convert your change into cash. 

?Find a Coinstar kiosk near you.

20. Dabbl

dabbl screenshot

Dabbl is an app that lets you earn gift cards during your downtime. 

When you download the Dabbl app, you get a customized home feed that includes different ways to earn free gift cards. 

For example, you can earn gift cards by:

  • Answering questions
  • Playing trivia games
  • Watching videos
  • Clicking on ads

Dabbl makes it fun to earn gift cards for sharing your opinions. You can use the app to earn free Amazon gift cards, earn Target gift cards, get free Walmart gift cards and earn free Disney gift cards. 

?Get Dabbl and turn your downtime into gift cards. 

21. Gift card giveaways

Sometimes getting free gift cards is as easy as signing up for a giveaway or content. 

You can find free gift card giveaways on Instagram and Twitter. All you need to do is search using the right hashtags. For example, you could try:

  • #contest
  • #giveaway
  • #freegiftcards
  • #giftcards

You can also check with brands directly for free gift card opportunities. And sometimes you don’t have to do anything at all to benefit from a free gift card giveaway. 

For example, XBox is known for randomly giving out free $10 gift cards in Microsoft Rewards to gamers as a thank-you for being loyal to the brand. 

22. Referrals

Is there a product or service you absolutely love? 

If so, you could earn gift cards for free just by telling other people about it. A good way to find opportunities to get gift cards for referrals is to look at the services or products you already use. 

For example, you might be able to snag gift cards for referring people to:

  • Streaming services
  • Cellphone services
  • Internet services
  • Your gym
  • Tax preparation services
  • Lawncare services

Local businesses can be a hidden gem for finding ways to get free gift cards, as they often rely on word of mouth to connect with new customers. And if you’re not sure whether a local business you frequent offers gift cards for referrals, it never hurts to ask. 

23. Credit card rewards

Earning credit card rewards can put money back in your pocket. 

Some cards offer points or cash back on purchases; others offer travel miles. But depending on the card, you may be able to turn any of those rewards into free gift cards. 

If you’re not sure whether your card offers gift cards, there’s an easy way to find out.

Log in to your online account, then head to the rewards redemption section. Here you should be able to see the different ways you can redeem rewards, including gift cards. 

If you can use your rewards to get free gift cards, first check out the options. 

For example, can you get free Amazon gift cards or free Target gift cards? Or are you limited to getting a Visa, Mastercard or American Express-branded gift card instead?

Next, calculate the value of your rewards when redeeming them for gift cards to make sure it’s worth your while. 

It’s pretty common for credit card companies to value points, cash back or miles at 1 cent each when you’re redeeming them for cash or travel. But if you’re redeeming them for gift cards, they might be valued at less than a penny apiece. 

If your rewards are about to expire or you don’t have any other use for them, that might not be a big deal.

But it’s still important to know what your rewards are worth. This can help you make the most of them if you redeem them for gift cards. 

24. Gift card bonus promotions

get free gift cards

It sounds crazy but stores and restaurants will actually give you gift cards just for making a purchase. 

Sometimes you need to buy a certain item to snag a free gift card. 

For example, I’ve picked up $5 Target gift cards free just for purchasing specific beauty products. If you love Target and shop there regularly, this is a simple way to get free Target gift cards. 

Restaurants also tend to hand out free gift cards around holidays. 

For example, Chili’s offers a $10 bonus gift card free when you buy $50 in gift cards for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas. 

If you’re planning to treat someone to dinner out by purchasing gift cards, you could pick up a free gift card for yourself in the bargain.  

25. Amazon Trade

Amazon Trade allows you to trade in your old devices in exchange for Amazon gift cards.

Some of the things you can swap for free gift cards through Amazon Trade include:

  • Kindle e-readers
  • Tablets
  • Kindle Fire streaming media players
  • Amazon Echo devices
  • Home security devices
  • Wireless routers
  • Cell phones
  • Gaming systems

For each item you trade in you can get an Amazon gift card and up to 25% off a new qualifying Amazon device. This is a great way to get gift card rewards and save money on the best deals at Amazon.com.

Bonus tip: Ask for gift cards

The last way to get free gift cards might just be the easiest.

The next time someone asks what you want for your birthday, Christmas or another special occasion, tell them you want gift cards.  

Asking for gift cards can take the pressure off the giver to find that “just right” gift. And you don’t have to worry about ending up with a gift that you can’t use or don’t want. 

earn gift cards for free
How to Get Free Gift Cards

Final thoughts on how to get free gift cards

Finding ways to earn gift cards to your favorite retailers may be easier than you think. You just need to be willing to spend a little time doing it. And in most cases, you don’t need to spend any money or complete offers to earn free gift cards. 

The best part about getting gift cards free is that you can do it from home. That’s a huge plus if you’re a stay-at-home parent looking for simple ways to make extra money

Do you know of any other ideas for how to get free gift cards? Head to the comments and tell me about it. And good luck earning free gift cards for your efforts!

Need more ideas for saving and making money? Read these posts next:

How to Get Free Gift Cards

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About Rebecca Lake

Rebecca Lake is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, freelance writer and homeschooling single mom of two. Since 2014, she's paid off nearly $100,000 in debt and grown her net worth to seven figures. Her work has appeared online at top personal finance websites, including Forbes Advisor, Bankrate, Investopedia, The Balance, CreditCards.com and U.S. News & World Report. Find out more.