Please note – I am NOT affiliated with any links provided in the content below. The links are only inserted so our readers can easily access and look into the services/companies we talk about.
There’s nothing better than getting free rewards for doing simple tasks that consist of little more than downloading and using an app when you shop, completing surveys, or referring friends.
And we all know what the upside of free gift cards is – it feels like a free pass to splurge on whatever you want! From clothes to coffee to your favorite grub, you can’t go wrong with free stuff.
There are plenty of rewards programs out there that aren’t worth the energy and offer very little return on time investment, so if you’re looking for efficient ways to find free gift cards, this article is for you.
With a little time and creativity, you could earn hundreds of dollars in freebie gift cards over time by utilizing as many of these tried and true methods as possible and become a rewards guru ninja in no time!
In general, companies with rewards programs can be categorized into:
- Cash back – when you shop through certain apps or websites, you can earn points or cash that can also be turned in for gift cards.
- Receipt scanning – download an app and scan your receipts from normal shopping trips at retail or grocery stores to earn points you can redeem for cards or money back.
- Surveys – a company rewards you with points for filling out surveys that help them with market research. Those rewards can then be cashed in for gift cards.
- Referral programs – refer friends and family to use a certain service or website and get paid out in gift cards.
- Miscellaneous – these are rewards that can be earned for a variety of tasks from opening a checking account to leaving a review.
How to Get Free Gift Cards
1. Join Swagbucks
Swagbucks is perhaps one of the most versatile platforms to earn free stuff. You can score “Swagbucks” as they call them using their website or mobile app by completing a variety of tasks ranging from:
- Completing surveys
- Booking travel
- Signing up for various services and programs
- Entering contests
- Donating to charity
- Shopping at your favorite stores
- Playing games and watching videos
The cool thing is, most of these opportunities to earn Swagbucks are simply average purchases and services you seek out on a regular basis, but with the added perk of earning money back! Another plus about Swagbucks is that you can redeem a lower quantity of points to get a gift card only worth a few dollars rather than waiting until you’ve accumulated thousands and thousands of points.
Start earning Swagbucks here.
2. Start scanning with Fetch Rewards
Earning freebies is as easy as downloading the Fetch Rewards shopping app and scanning your receipts for eligible purchases within the last two weeks.
You can earn bonus points by scanning a receipt from one of the app’s featured products or brands to earn rewards faster. Trade in your points for free gift cards once you’ve reached a defined reward amount (generally 3,000 points) and repeat the process.
Download Fetch Rewards and start scanning.
Related: Best Data Entry Jobs to Make Extra Money
3. Upload product videos to Product Tube
If you’re looking for a different way to get a gift card for free other than your typical shopping or receipt scanning app, Product Tube is a fun way to get paid for simply recording a video.
After signing up, Product Tube will send you invites for specific video projects to complete that involve either:
- In-store videos of shopping for certain products
- At-home videos that record you using/reviewing a product
Upload your finished video and start receiving Amazon gift card rewards within just 48 hours.
Sign up for Product Tube today and start filming videos for Amazon cards.
4. Get an auto or property insurance quote
Did you know that a lot of insurance companies and agents offer free gift cards by simply getting an insurance quote? It’s typical to be able to snag a card worth anywhere from $5 – $25 by talking to an agent or salesperson for 15 minutes to get a quote.
Other than the process taking a few minutes, there’s really no downside to this as you might even find that switching insurance companies could save money every month.
Don’t limit yourself to one company, and keep those freebies coming!
Start by Googling “free gift card insurance quote” to see what offers are available. Check the facebook pages and websites of local agents as well.
5. Use the Honey web browser extension
If you haven’t downloaded the Honey extension for your web browser, you could be missing out on massive savings and chances to earn points for gift cards.
Once Honey is downloaded, it will automatically try promo and coupon codes when you are checking out online to see if you can snatch a discount on your purchase. Most sites have cash back available called “Honey Gold” which you can earn and eventually cash out at a balance of 1,000 and 2,000 Honey Gold for $10 and $20 gift cards to various retailers.
Earn even more money by referring friends to use the extension too.
If you’re not using Honey, download it ASAP.
6. Maximize coupon savings with Ibotta
Ibotta has been helping shoppers save money for years with an easy to use coupon system via their app.
While Ibotta started out as a savings platform for grocery stores, they’ve expanded to other retailers like Target, Macy’s and more.
How does it work? Before hitting the store, go on the app and claim the cash-back deals you’d like to use, then proceed with your shopping trip like normal. Once you get the receipt, upload it by using the app scanner and automatically receive the cash back in your Ibotta account. Once a certain amount is reached, you can redeem earnings for free gift cards.
Haven’t used Ibotta? No problem, check it out here.
7. Sign up for YouGov
While YouGov is probably a lesser known way to collect rewards, it’s an opportunity worth looking into.
YouGov has an impressive 9m+ members around the world that actively engage with the platform on a variety of topics. They collect data and opinions from people across the globe on subjects like sports, politics, and current affairs.
You can complete surveys and earn points redeemable for gift cards while having your opinion used to better shape the media.
Check out YouGov and start filling out surveys today.
8. Test drive a car
Yes, it’s true, manufacturers or dealerships often run promos where you can score a free gift card for taking a new car out for a test drive. If you have an open weekend, you could hit a few dealerships in close proximity and earn a couple hundred dollars in cards!
Head over to auto manufacturer websites like Ford, Chevrolet, etc. or websites for local dealerships and see what promotional deals they are running. Check back frequently too so you don’t miss out on any special offers.
9. Monitor price drops and late packages with Paribus
One of the main highlights of the app Paribus is that it monitors the prices of things you buy via your receipts. If something goes on sale within the appropriate window of time, Paribus will do the heavy lifting and get the refund back for you. Pretty useful, right?
Not only can you get money back on your regular purchases, but Paribus also monitors delayed shipments on your Amazon orders. If any packages are late, the app will file the claim and get you a $10 Amazon gift card credit. For frequent Amazon shoppers, this could add up quickly!
Get effortless money back through Paribus.
Related: 11 Stay-At-Home Mom Jobs to Make Serious Cash
10. Get paid to create product review videos with User Testing
User Testing is a platform that helps companies connect with their target users and discover insights into how consumers engage with their products.
By becoming part of the community of testers, you’ll be eligible to earn a $10 Amazon gift card for every test completed and even more for interviews. You won’t qualify for every project since the campaigns are highly targeted, but you are paid well for participation in applicable offers.
11.Take surveys at PrizeRebel
Did you know PrizeRebel has paid out millions of dollars since the company started in 2007? They have partnered with many market research organizations over the years that are looking for users to provide opinions on new products or answer surveys.
Sign up instantly and start completing surveys to earn points that are redeemable for gift cards to a wide range of online and retail stores. On top of that, you can also use points to enter drawings for much larger prizes.
Start earning now by signing up for PrizeRebel.
12. Earn dollars while shopping online with Dosh
It’s nice to be able to earn money back whether you are shopping in-store or online without needing to do anything special. That’s where Dosh comes in.
Within the Dosh app, you can view all the available cash back offers and how much you’ll earn. On average, you can expect 2-3%, but some stores have even better rewards.
The app is super convenient because the only thing required is to link a credit card, and you’ll get your cash back automatically wherever you shop. Referring friends can also add dollars quickly to your balance. Once a certain threshold is reached, those dollars can be traded in for a gift card!
13. Get free gift cards using Pei
The Pei app is another fantastic way to earn rewards by simply spending like normal with the advantage of simultaneously getting money back.
Similar to Dosh, a linked debit or credit card is needed to start shopping. If the place you’re spending money is partnered with Pei, you will automatically earn cash with every purchase. Once you reach $25 in rewards, you’ll have the option to redeem it for a gift card.
Want to know another secret? Pei can be stacked with Dosh to secure even more savings! Those gift cards will be rolling in even faster using both platforms.
14. Start using a credit card with a great rewards program
While it’s important to be responsible with credit cards, they can be a smart way to earn rewards when utilized correctly.
If you use a credit card like a debit card and pay the balance off each month, you won’t be paying interest. Depending on the credit card, you can generally earn anywhere from 1-5% back on purchases and cash those points in for gift cards.
Just don’t forget to pay the balance every month or the interest payments will wipe out your earnings!
We recommend the Chase Freedom Unlimited Visa.
15. Buy discounted gift cards at Raise.com
While buying a discounted gift card isn’t exactly like everything else on our list, it’s essentially like getting a portion of the gift card for free, and even small savings can make a big difference. If you’re going to spend money somewhere anyway, you might as well get a discount!
Check out Raise.com and find the best deals on gift cards.
Earning Free Gift Cards Is Easy
It’s also worth mentioning that most of these services listed along with companies you already pay every month have some type of referral program. For example, most cell carriers will offer anywhere from $50 – $200 in prepaid gift cards for each person you get to sign up for a mobile plan.
Earning freebies can be as simple as downloading an app and following a few easy steps to get rewarded for things you are already doing! Get creative and stack deals, or pay with a rewards-earning credit card to maximize money back in your pocket.
Were you able to find something new on our list? Have any recommendations for earning free gift cards that we didn’t mention? Comment below with your suggestions!
