How to Move Gift Card Money Into Your Bank Account

Most gift cards cannot be transferred directly to a bank account

A gift card is not the same as cash or a bank balance. The money on it lives in the retailer's or card issuer's system, not in your bank. You cannot call your bank and ask them to pull the balance over. Instead, you have a few real options: spend the card at the retailer, convert it to cash through a reseller, or use a third-party service that turns gift cards into funds you can move to your bank.

The path that works depends on what kind of gift card you have and how much friction you are willing to accept. A Visa or Mastercard gift card works differently from a store-specific card like an Amazon or Target card. Some methods are faster but cost you money. Others are free but take longer or pay you less than the card's face value.

Key Takeaways

• Store-specific gift cards (Amazon, Target, Starbucks) cannot move to your bank account directly — you must spend them at that retailer or sell them to a reseller.
• Visa and Mastercard gift cards can sometimes be added to digital wallets like PayPal or Apple Pay, which then connect to your bank account.
• Gift card reseller websites buy unused cards at a discount (typically 70 to 92 percent of face value) and pay you through PayPal, bank transfer, or check.
• Some banks and payment apps let you link a gift card as a payment method, but this spends the card rather than moving the balance to your account.
• Selling a gift card online takes one to five business days for payment and requires you to accept less than full value.

Selling your gift card to a reseller for bank transfer

The most direct path to your bank account is a gift card reseller marketplace. These are websites that buy unused gift cards from you at a percentage of their face value and pay you through bank transfer, PayPal, or check. The discount varies by card type and current demand — a popular card like Amazon might sell for 90 percent of face value, while a less common retailer might fetch 70 percent.

The largest resellers are Raise, CardCash, and Decluttr. You create an account, list your card (you will need the card number and PIN), and the site shows you an offer. If you accept, you send the card to them or provide the code, they verify the balance, and they send payment to your chosen method. The whole process takes three to seven business days from when they receive and verify the card.

The trade-off is clear: you lose 8 to 30 percent of the card's value in exchange for cash in your bank account or PayPal wallet. If the card is for a store you will never use, this is usually worth it. If you might spend it eventually, you lose nothing by waiting.

Using a digital wallet to spend the card and move money later

If your gift card is a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card (not a store-specific card), you can add it to a digital wallet like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Venmo. This does not move the balance to your bank account, but it lets you spend the card anywhere those networks are accepted, and any leftover balance stays in the wallet.

To add a Visa or Mastercard gift card to PayPal, go to your wallet, select "Link a card," and enter the card number, expiration date, and CVV. PayPal will verify the card with a small charge (usually reversed within a few days). Once linked, you can spend it online or at stores that accept PayPal. If you have money left on the card after you spend what you need, you cannot pull that remainder into your bank account — it stays on the card until you use it.

This method works well if you plan to spend the card anyway and want the convenience of a digital wallet. It does not help you convert the card to bank funds.

Linking a gift card to a payment app (does not move the balance)

Apps like Venmo, Square Cash, and some banking apps let you add a gift card as a payment method. This is different from moving the balance to your account. You are telling the app "use this card to pay when I request a transfer," not "put this card's money in my account."

For example, if you add a Visa gift card to Venmo and then send money to a friend, Venmo charges your gift card, not your bank account. The gift card balance goes down, but no money enters your bank. This is useful only if you were going to spend the card anyway and want to use it through an app instead of in person.

Spending the card at the retailer and depositing cash later

If your gift card is store-specific (Amazon, Target, Starbucks, Best Buy), the only way to convert it to cash is to spend it on something you can resell or return for cash. Buy a physical item, sell it online or locally, and deposit the cash. This is slow and often costs you money in shipping or resale fees, so it is rarely the best option.

A faster alternative: if the store allows returns without a receipt, buy something returnable, return it for cash or store credit, and then use that credit to buy a gift card for a reseller site (if that site sells cards for that retailer). This is complicated and only works at stores with lenient return policies.

What does not work: direct bank transfers

You cannot ask your bank to pull money from a gift card into your account. Banks do not have access to gift card systems, and gift card issuers do not allow balance transfers to external bank accounts. Any website claiming to do this when ready or for free is either a scam or is actually a reseller (which will pay you less than face value and take several days).

Be cautious of sites that ask you to enter your gift card number and bank account details on the same form. Legitimate resellers ask for the card details first, verify the balance, make an offer, and only then ask for payment method information.

Comparing your options by speed and cost

Method	Speed	Cost to You	Best For
Sell to reseller (Raise, CardCash)	3–7 business days	8–30% discount	Cards you will not use, need cash quickly
Add to digital wallet and spend	when ready	None	Cards you plan to spend anyway
Spend at retailer, resell item	1–4 weeks	10–40% (shipping, fees)	Rarely the best choice
Return for cash, buy reseller card	1–2 weeks	Variable	Only if retailer has straightforward returns

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a gift card balance to PayPal and then to my bank?

You can add a Visa or Mastercard gift card to PayPal and spend it through PayPal, but PayPal will not let you transfer the card's balance to your bank account. Any money on the card stays on the card. If you want cash, you need to sell the card to a reseller instead.

What if my gift card has only a few dollars left on it?

Resellers usually have a minimum card value (often $5 to $10) before they will buy it. For very small balances, spending the card at the retailer or adding it to a digital wallet is your only option. Some resellers will take cards below their stated minimum if you contact them directly.

Is it safe to sell my gift card online?

Established resellers like Raise and CardCash are legitimate and widely used. They verify the card balance before paying you. The main risk is entering your card details on a fake site — use only well-known resellers and check the URL carefully. Never send a physical card to an unknown buyer.

Can I add a store-specific gift card like Amazon to Apple Pay?

No. Apple Pay and Google Pay only accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards. Store-specific cards like Amazon, Target, or Starbucks cannot be added to digital wallets. You must spend them at the retailer or sell them to a reseller.

Do I have to pay taxes on money from selling a gift card?

No. A gift card is your own property, and selling it for cash is not taxable income. You are not making a profit — you are converting an asset to cash. This is different from selling something you bought for less than you sell it for.