Free gift cards are more than just a fun bonus they can help with essential costs like groceries, fuel, or even your streaming subscriptions. With countless apps advertising easy rewards, the challenge is figuring out which ones truly pay off and which aren’t worth your time.
I personally tested over 50 platforms, everything from survey sites and receipt-scanning tools to data-sharing apps 😳. Some gave me payouts within 24 hours. Others? Total disappointments.
7 Real Ways to Earn Free Gift Cards
Here are the 7 tried-and-true methods that genuinely delivered letting you turn spare moments into digital cash you can spend.
1. Take online surveys
Sharing opinions is one of the simplest ways to score free gift cards, no special expertise needed. Platforms like Branded Surveys and Survey Junkie offer points for answering quick surveys on products, ads, and trending topics.
Branded Surveys pays $0.50 to $5 per survey, most taking 5–15 minutes. Once you reach 500 points ($5), you can cash out for gift cards to Amazon, Target, Apple, and more.
2. Scan receipts from everyday purchases
Used to throw away receipts without thinking? Now they’re full of value. With Fetch, you earn points by simply photographing your grocery, gas station, or store receipts. As long as they’re itemized and recent, they typically count — no need to preload offers.
Redemptions begin at 3,000 points ($3), and gift cards include Amazon, Visa, Apple, and Target. For ultra-passive earnings, CoinOut pays a few cents per receipt, no brand rules or offer activations. It’s slower but effortless.
3. Earn cashback while shopping online
Already making purchases online? Apps like Pogo let you earn passively. Simply link your credit or debit card, and it tracks spending automatically no offer clicks needed. You can trade your points for gift cards or PayPal funds.
For higher cashback, Rakuten has been a long-time top choice. I’ve personally made $184.03 since 2021, largely through household buys, a laptop, and travel bookings.
Rakuten pays quarterly (check or PayPal), and you can earn more during double cashback events. Just don’t forget to activate offers before you buy, retroactive purchases don’t qualify.
4. Complete offers and app trials
Most offerwalls are overrated but Freecash proved an exception. Freecash offering a wide range of earning options like surveys, game milestones, app trials, and sign-up bonuses.
You earn coins for every completed task (1,000 coins = $1), and you can cash out instantly via PayPal, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
Prefer simpler wins? Scrambly offers app downloads, email signups, and a low $1 minimum payout.
5. Get rewarded for grocery runs or retail purchases
Apps such as Ibotta and Upside reward you for daily errands like grocery shopping and gassing up.
Ibotta remains one of my preferred cashback apps. Just add offers in the app before shopping, then upload your receipt afterward. You can cash out via gift cards or PayPal once you reach the $20 threshold.
Upside is perfect for drivers, just check in through the app before filling up at a participating gas station, pay with a linked card, and get cashback automatically.
Rates vary by location, but you can often save 10¢ to 25¢ per gallon, with occasional promotions offering even more.
6. Play mobile games and earn
Ever spent an hour gaming and thought, “Well, that was fun but wasted”? With apps like Mistplay and WorldWinner, you can earn while you play.
WorldWinner lets you play competitive games like Solitaire, Bejeweled, and Bubble Shooter for real cash. Start with free games or pay a small buy-in for tournaments top scorers can make $5 to $50 per session. It works on mobile and desktop.
Mistplay caters to Android users. Download games via the app and accumulate points based on playtime. You can redeem for gift cards at about 1,500 points ($5). It’s slower but consistent, especially when rotating high-XP games.
7. Walk into stores or scan product barcodes
Most apps need you to buy stuff but a few will pay you to show up. Some passive income apps let you collect points for simply entering a store or scanning a product.
Shopkick is among the best for this. Earn “kicks” by walking into partner locations, scanning items. A Target or CVS visit could earn 50–100 kicks by scanning product tags.
Linking your card boosts earnings further when you shop, but it’s optional. If you’re already out shopping, it’s a great way to earn something extra.