The Best Places to Buy Gift Cards Online, According to Gifting Experts
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Forgetting to buy a gift feels awful. It’s one thing for a $10 office gift exchange, but for a close relative’s birthday or a romantic partner, forgetting a gift could mean catastrophe.
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For most people, it’s the thought that counts. If giftless givers want to go above and beyond a drugstore aisle celebration card with a $20 tucked inside — a valid gift, by the way — gift cards are just as convenient for the giver and recipient and can be personalized to their shopping habits.
The best gift cards match something about the recipient, making them more thoughtful in a way that cash or a check simply can’t be. Whatever people are interested in, there’s generally a gift card to match, whether they churn through books, exercise fanatically, love movies and TV or engage in any other fun and interesting hobbies. And because a gift card is targeted but not a specific thing, there are no accidental wrong gifts.
Gift cards can often be delivered by email for convenience as well as purchased in most large brick-and-mortar stores. They also offer flexible value, too. Some retailers only offer gift cards with fixed values, but gift cards from big brands, especially those sold online, often allow buyers to pick any number. That’s great for tight budgets or any guy wanting to make a big impression.
What the Experts Say
In addition to six topical experts for individual gift cards, SPY spoke with three experts to understand the benefits of gift cards and the etiquette when giving them, including Lizzie Post, the co-author of “Emily Post’s Etiquette – The Centennial Edition” and co-host of the “Awesome Etiquette” podcast; Jen Munoz, a lifestyle and gift-giving expert; and Vanessa Beltran, senior director of marketing at Giftcards.com.
First, one common question: Are gift cards a bad gift? And a related follow-up: Are gift cards impersonal? In short, experts say, no, they don’t have to be. Giving any gift is a good thing and it’s the thought that goes into the gift that will give it meaning, gift card or otherwise.
“Gift cards can be a wonderful way to give a gift,” Post says. “Just because they’re plastic, doesn’t mean they’re not classy.” Munoz says the most important thing to remember for any gift is to match the gift to the person. “A well-thought-out gift card can be just as personal and heartfelt as any other gift, if not more,” she says.
Gift cards have convenient and practical benefits for the recipient and giver alike. For one, recipients can use gift cards to buy exactly what they want, avoiding the issue of the wrong size or style, Beltran says. “Ultimately, giving a gift card allows the recipient the joy of selecting their own meaningful gift, adding a personalized touch to the gesture, which can be more meaningful than cash.” Post notes that some newlyweds she worked with said they preferred cash, checks, and gift cards to gifts from a registry because they were moving homes and could change their mind about their selections.
Gift cards can also be sent by email, which is great for long-distance gifts, and they come in most denominations under $500, Beltran says. Munoz adds that digital gift cards are also great last-minute presents and can’t be misplaced, either.
How to Give a Gift Card, According to Experts
As for etiquette, general gift standards apply: Include a considerate note acknowledging the occasion for digital gift cards; spring for an actual card with a note to gift physical gift cards, even if it’s a cheesy birthday card, Post says. She also suggests reaching out to the recipient for a digital gift card to make sure it’s arrived. If possible beforehand, she also recommends asking the recipient if there are any brands to look into or, perhaps more importantly, any brands to avoid. “In today’s day and age, it’s not a bad question to ask ahead of time,” she says.
BEST OVERALL
Amazon eGift Card
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In a (not so) incredible shock, Amazon reigns as king of the best gift cards. The so-called everything store sells almost any physical good, meaning anyone can get anything they want. “You can’t go wrong with an Amazon gift card,” Munoz says. “It’s like saying, ‘Hey, get whatever you want!’ And who doesn’t shop on Amazon these days? It’s like a wonderland of choices for everyone.” Plus, Amazon sells a wide variety of themed gift cards at all denominations online and in stores.
The only potential caveat for an Amazon gift card is that some people prefer not to shop from Amazon or similar retailers, Post says. But as long as the recipient isn’t avowedly anti-Amazon, an Amazon gift will almost certainly be welcome and quickly used. That’s the definition of a perfect gift.
Honorable Mention:
Munoz also touts Target gift cards because of the company’s physical footprint and features like curbside pickup which makes shopping easier.
FOR MUSIC ADDICTS
Spotify Premium 3-Month Subscription, $30 eGift Card
Buy Now On Amazon
For anyone who listens to music, most people, a Spotify gift card is a safe bet. Spotify gift cards can be applied as credit to existing plans, used to upgrade free accounts to premium or to start new accounts, meaning there’s no worrying if the recipient has an account or not. But really, Spotify is the best mostly because the library is expansive. The bang for your buck is unbeaten.
“Spotify all the way! It’s like having the keys to a massive music library,” Munoz says. Unless the recipient is an Apple Music person in which case one of their gift cards will send the same message.
Honorable Mention:
For people who want a more direct connection to musicians, Bandcamp gift cards allow them to buy digital albums and a variety of physical media and merch, with most of the money going to the artists.
FOR BOOK LOVERS
Bookshop.org eGift Card
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While there might be a wider selection of books available from other retailers, such companies are not often beloved among book fans for, you know, posing a threat to local bookstores. But a gift card to Bookshop.org does precisely the opposite, giving back a percentage of sales to independent bookstores, says Emma Rose, a book author, publisher, podcast host, and avid reader. “A gift card from Bookshop.org lets me feed my reading habit and also support the local bookshop of my choice,” she says. “So when I buy books from Bookshop, I get the satisfaction of knowing I’m supporting the book-loving community. Show me another bookish gift card that comes with built-in good vibes.”
Bookshop gift cards apply as a credit to the reader’s account, never expire, and have no fees.
FOR FITNESS LOVERS
Rogue Fitness eGift Card
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Categories like fitness are difficult to pin down for gift cards because there are so many different directions to go. In keeping with general gift-giving advice, buyers should target their recipients, but if they’re not sure beyond “loves exercise and fitness,” then a Rogue Fitness gift card will open all kinds of possibilities for gear and equipment whether the recipient needs new shoes, shorts, dumbbells or racks.
“If money were no object, I’d probably have mostly Rogue equipment in my home gym,” Kate Meier, a certified personal trainer, gym owner, and head of content at Garage Gym Reviews, says. “Rogue makes some of the best equipment on the market, but it’s significantly more expensive than [other] brands. However, Rogue gift cards make that equipment much more accessible.”
Munoz also suggests Rogue, saying it’s one gift card that could “really boost someone’s fitness journey.
Honorable Mentions:
Meier and Munoz both mention Lululemon as another great option for gear for women and men; Meier says her Lululemon clothes have lasted for years, adding that some Lulu shorts became her hesitant partner’s favorite after she convinced him to try them. “Gift cards here always get used quickly,” she says.
Munoz also, unsurprisingly, mentions Peloton as a solid fitness gift card option. “It’s like gifting motivation and progress,” she says.
For more gear and apparel, Munoz says gift cards to NoBull, Gymshark, Alo Yoga, or Sweaty Betty can also be great. “There are so many amazing brands to keep [people] styled and ready for action. It’s all about fueling that fitness fire,” she says.
BEST FOR TECH PEOPLE
Best Buy, Apple, and Amazon eGift Cards
best buy gift card
Amazon GIFT CARD
apple gift card
The best gift card for tech is so dependent on the recipient that it’s impossible to answer. Even so, a few options make for safe gift card bets. “An Apple or Best Buy gift card would make any gadget-lover’s day, including mine,” Munoz says.
The trick here is getting the basics right. If the recipient has an iPhone or an Apple Watch, then Apple is the way to go; if the recipient doesn’t have an iPhone or prefers using PCs over Macbooks, then Best Buy will likely help more.
In either case, the gift cards will be able to go toward any desirable tech, whether new hardware, headphones, computer accessories, or something in between.
BEST FOR TV FANS
Netflix and Hulu eGift Cards
NETFLIX GIFT CARD
HULU GIFT CARD
There’s too much TV to cover it all under one gift card, but any recipient will be able to find something to watch on Netflix or Hulu. “Netflix or Hulu are my top picks,” Munoz says. “They’re the gateway to binge-watching bliss.”
As is the case with top subscriptions, these cards can be applied to existing accounts or used to start new ones, though Hulu gift cards can’t be applied in all situations, like for certain premium add-ons or if the account holder subscribed through a third party.
That’s not all, either. Sean Boelman, a film critic at FandomWire and Disappointment Media, notes that many people get subscriptions for free through their phone plans or as a part of bundles, so it can be tricky to get the right thing.
Netflix and Hulu gift cards work for new and existing subscribers, so there’s no risk of getting the wrong thing.
CASUAL GAMING
Xbox and Playstation eGift Cards
BUY AT microsoft
for XBOX
for PLAYSTATION
Gaming is perhaps the most difficult category of gift card buying, except for travel maybe, because there are so many angles of approach. That means matching the gift to the gamer is even more critical and some knowledge will be required. “You’ve got to match the console to the card here. Xbox or PlayStation?” Munoz says. “Nail their niche, and you’ve struck gamer gold!”
With hundreds of millions of subscribers across Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation, their gift cards are a great place to start.
FOR SERIOUS GAMING
Steam eGift Card
Buy from steam
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For gamers who seriously go their own way, the best gift cards are even more complicated. Nicole “Savcy” Robinson, a lifelong gamer and full-time content creator on Twitch.tv, says knowing the gamer’s interest can be the difference between a spent gift card and one collecting dust bunnies.
“When considering a gift card, don’t just think about what the giftee already has, think about what they’re going to want,” she says. “Are they looking to upgrade their equipment? Or do they want to find a new favorite game? Do they livestream their gameplay? Make YouTube videos? Once you know what’s important to them, then you know where to start looking.”
Thankfully, there’s one option that gamers of this kind will usually go for and that’s a gift card from Steam, a popular online game storefront. “As for games, I’ve never been mad about a Steam gift card. And that goes for both giving and getting,” Savcy says.
Honorable Mentions:
For upgrading PC hardware, Savcy recommends Newegg and Micro Center, though she notes Micro Center only offers gift cards in person.
For any buyers still lost as to what to get for the game-lover in their lives, there are always Visa gift cards or Mastercard gift cards that can be used anywhere, Savcy says.
CASUAL MOVIE FANS
Regal and AMC Gift Cards
amc gift card
REGAL GIFT CARD
There are two ways to see new movies in theaters: Head to an AMC Theatre or a Regal Cinema. As long as the recipient has one of them in the area, a gift card can take some bite out of high ticket prices or concessions.
“Movie buffs would love a card from AMC or Regal — just make sure you check to be sure there is a theater in their city,” Munoz says.
The only thing to note on the actual gift card front is AMC’s strange card policy: Though funds remain, physical gift cards stop working after five years and need to be replaced.
Honorable Mention:
For movie fans who don’t have walls of DVDs but still appreciate the occasional art film or critically acclaimed old gem, the Criterion Collection can open doors for viewers that they’d never imagined before. “For the homebodies, a Criterion Collection gift card is a treasure trove of cinematic gems,” Munoz says.
SERIOUS MOVIE FANS
Barnes and Noble eGift Card
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Boelman, the film critic, isn’t a fan of theater gift cards, saying many active moviegoers often already have ticket subscriptions. For someone who works with movies for a living or treats movies as a serious hobby, he recommends a gift card for Barnes and Noble. “The gift card hardcore cinephiles are most likely to appreciate is one from Barnes and Noble,” he says. “Twice a year, the bookstore holds a sale where their Criterion Collection Blu-rays, 4Ks, and DVDs are on sale for 50% off, and many collectors will spend hundreds of dollars loading up on their favorite classic, indie, and international films.”
Honorable Mentions:
Boelman says Target also offers regular deals on Blu-rays and DVDs, making it another great gift card option for film fans annually burnishing their collections.
For more underground fare, Boelman likes Vinegar Syndrome, which preserves and sells films from the ‘60s through the ‘90s, including many that were thought lost or that could’ve become lost.
BEST FOR TRAVEL
Flight eGift Card
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Right alongside gaming, travel gift cards are among the most difficult to choose because travel means different things to different people. “Gift cards are generally a ‘whatever the receiver prefers’ situation,” Madison Blancaflor, senior editor at The Points Guy, says.“If someone is chasing hotel elite status, a gift card to Airbnb may not be helpful. But someone who prefers Airbnb might really enjoy a gift card there.”
But assuming that travel means flying, the Flightgift gift card covers more than 400 airlines. It does have a two-year window to be used, but all funds remain available until the end or until they’re spent.
Honorable Mentions:
For the right kind of recipients, Munoz recommends going for a specific airline gift card, an Airbnb gift card, or even an Uber gift card.
Blancaflor notes that gifting with travel accessories in mind could be more fruitful for some travelers: She says Apple is great for Airpods or AirTag purchases, Away for luggage, and Amazon for more general travel accessories.
FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Etsy eGift Card
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Etsy has had some difficulties with sellers in the last few years as it rapidly grew, but it remains an excellent place, with perhaps a little more work, to find more one-of-a-kind items from independent sellers. “I love supporting small businesses, especially ones that have a knack for unique items,” Munoz says.” “Etsy gift cards are perfect for unearthing those one-of-a-kind treasures.”
Honorable Mention:
Uncommon Goods has helped many people in a bind to find a quality gift, and an Uncommon Goods gift card lets recipients choose something unique for themselves. “They have a fantastic array of creative, unusual products that are perfect for thoughtful, distinctive gifts,” Munoz says.
BEST FOR TAKEOUT
Visa eGift Card
Buy Now
For a certain kind of person, cooking is the devil’s work, a task to be avoided at all costs. For anyone gifting to that person, a Visa gift card means covering at least a few of their inevitable takeout meals and supporting local restaurants, Munoz says.
Plus, the recipient might just choose to spend it on something else, which hey, that’s still a great gift then too.
FOR RELAXATION
Calm eGift Card
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Modern life is straight-up intense. But guided meditations, soundscapes, sleep sounds and stories told in soothing celebrity voices can go a surprisingly long way to take the edge off. The Calm app has all of the above and could be the perfect gift card for people carrying a little too much stress on their shoulders. “I’m all about the Calm app – who can resist Matthew McConaughey’s soothing voice?” Munoz says. “I love how they’ve embraced celebrities to add a unique element.”
Honorable Mention:
Peloton offers a whole suite of meditation experiences, making a Peloton gift card a good choice for people who already have the app, Munoz says. “When it comes to meditation, my go-to is the Peloton app since I’m already paying for the workouts,” she says. “They make it a breeze, whether I’m in my car or winding down for the night.” Just be aware Peloton sells apparel gift cards and membership gift cards, with the latter being the correct one.
BEST FOR MAKEUP
Ulta eGift Card
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Men not wearing makeup is a fairly modern development, one that’s thankfully tilting back in the other direction. Whether for personal curiosity or as a gift to someone who loves makeup, an Ulta Beauty gift card takes the legwork out of figuring out eyeliner vs foundation vs lipstick.
“[An Ulta Beauty gift card] is a fantastic choice because Ulta offers a wide range of products covering both high-end and drugstore brands, catering to a variety of preferences and budgets,” Ian Michael Crumm, celebrity esthetician, skincare expert, and co-host of the “Beauty Curious” podcast, says. “They have a vast selection of makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance products, making it a one-stop shop for beauty lovers.”
Ulta also has a great rewards program, Crumm adds, so makeup lovers can accumulate points for future discounts. “This flexibility and variety make the Ulta Beauty gift card a versatile and appreciated gift for anyone passionate about beauty and self-care.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Gift Cards
Why should I give a gift card?
Gift cards offer the best of both worlds for gifter and giftee. The gifter can put some thought into the present while the giftee can use the money for a specific thing. That takes some heat off the gifter and guarantees the giftee will end up with something desirable.
Gift cards can also be physical or electronic, offering flexibility for time and distance. Digital gift cards also won’t often be completely lost because they remain in an email inbox.
However, some people might view gift cards as impersonal. Though etiquette experts don’t agree with that idea, it’s just a realistic risk.
Some gift cards, though not most, come with expiration dates or maintenance fees, which literally decrease the gift’s value over time.
Do gift cards have expiration dates? Do gift cards have fees?
Some have one, the other, both or neither, but branded gift cards from national brands generally have neither because people don’t like them.
Also, the current federal law covering gift cards says expirations can only come at a minimum of five years from the issuance of the gift card; it also limits dormancy or service fees unless a card has been inactive for a 12-month period. The law also requires gift cards and sellers to “clearly and conspicuously” state any fees or expirations “before such… card is purchased, regardless of whether the… card is purchased in person, over the Internet, or by telephone.”
Nonetheless, experts recommend looking for any such terms as a matter of good practice.
How Much Should I Spend on a Gift Card?
Now, the elephant in the room: price. It’s an admittedly tricky subject, Munoz says, but she advises around $20 for casual relationships, like an office coworker, and around $50 for more meaningful connections like extended family and close friends. “And if it’s for someone really special, I don’t mind splurging a bit more,” she says. Post doubles down on that last idea. “Whatever your budget is, that’s what’s appropriate when you’re gift giving,” she says.
In addition to agreeing about having a budget, Beltran has a good trick for thinking about price: Whatever the gift card, give an amount that allows the spender to not use his or her own money. “A $20 gift card to go to a coffee shop makes a wonderful treat, while a $20 gift card to a high-end clothing boutique probably won’t even buy a pair of socks,” she says. Post echoes that analogy, saying getting $20 from a friend for a birthday might be a little odd, but a $20 gift card to the local coffee shop definitely isn’t.
Is there any etiquette to giving a gift card? Does physical or digital matter?
The short answer is yes, but that etiquette isn’t special and general gift-giving etiquette rules the day. That means if giving a physical gift card, use an actual card to present it and make sure to include a thoughtful note, Post says. If giving a digital gift card, include a note conveying a nice sentiment and identifying the gifter and reason for the gift. Post also suggests checking in with the recipient to make sure the gift card didn’t get buried under other emails.
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