19 Free Gift Card Apps to Download Today

Did you know there are apps that will give you free gift cards for completing short tasks? If you want to make money on the side, these platforms help you make your spare time more productive and lucrative.

Some opportunities include scanning store receipts, taking surveys, and playing games. Others pay you to watch videos or shop online.

Here are some of the most popular apps that let you earn free gift cards.

What Are the Best Apps to Earn Free Gift Cards?

There are many ways to earn free gift cards using apps. Aside from downloading a new app, you may not have to adjust your daily routine.

These are some of the best apps that will give you free gift cards.

1. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a “get-paid-to” rewards website that lets you earn points for completing simple tasks.

A few of these tasks include:

• Taking surveys
• Watching sponsored videos
• Playing games online
• Using their shopping portal

Since there are many ways to earn rewards points, this platform might be the best option for getting paid for activities you already do online.

Once you complete a task, you receive SB points. These are redeemable for gift cards and cash rewards.

Swagbucks has options for various retailers, including:

• Bath & Body Works
• Amazon
• Walmart
• Target

Many gift cards can be redeemed for as little as $3 (or 300 SB points). PayPal cash and Visa gift cards start at $5 (500 SB points).

Swagbucks is free to use. You can register in less than five minutes with an email address or Facebook account. Users must be at least 13 years old to join.

New members can earn a signup bonus worth up to $10.

2. Upside

Upside is one of the best apps that pay you to buy gas since you can save between $0.01 and $0.10 per gallon at participating stations nationwide. Select restaurants and grocery stores also offer cash back.

The app shows the closest offers to your current location to find cheap gas quickly. It’s possible to claim an offer up to four hours before you pump gas and check in once you finish.

You earn rewards by activating a shopping offer and paying with a linked credit card or debit card. Most merchants automatically track your purchase, but some have you scan your receipt to receive credit.

It’s possible to start redeeming earnings for gift cards or direct deposit with a minimum balance of $10. PayPal redemptions begin at $15.

There are over 25 gift card options, including a Target or Starbucks gift card.

Using the code FRUGALRULES25 will help you earn at least $0.25 per gallon on your first fill-up. Anyone 16 years of age or older can use the app.

3. InboxDollars

InboxDollars is one of the most popular get-paid-to sites similar to Swagbucks.

You can make money online completing tasks, including:

• Watching videos
• Playing games
• Reading sponsored emails
• Shopping online
• Downloading coupons

Your reward options are PayPal and popular gift cards that include Amazon, Starbucks, Target, Home Depot, and Google Play.

The redemption threshold is $15 for your first withdrawal and $30 for subsequent ones. InboxDollars gives you $5 when you join to help you reach that threshold faster.

This minimum redemption is higher than most free gift card apps. Thankfully, there are many ways to collect points, and being an active user lets you unlock bonus rewards.

Anyone 13 years of age and older can join InboxDollars.

4. Pinecone Research

Pinecone Research is a website that pays you to answer surveys and test products. Most opportunities are for paid online surveys about shopping habits.

The minimum payout is $3, which means you can cash out as soon as you complete your first survey.

This high payout makes Pinecone Research one of the top-paying survey sites on the web.

Redemption options include:

• Bank transfer
• Check
• Digital gift cards

You do have to receive your money by bank transfer the first time you redeem your points. After that, you can cash out using any method.

One potential downside of Pinecone Research is that joining the platform is extremely competitive. You may need to join a waitlist before becoming a panelist.

You can make $3 per survey. Product testing offers can earn more but require additional time to complete.

5. Solitaire Cash

Solitaire Cash is one of the most intriguing ways to make money because you can compete in cash tournaments. However, some states don’t offer this feature.

You will try to organize your cards in upper and lower piles before time runs out by following the Klondike Solitaire rules.

This skill-based game offers free practice tournaments to improve your efficiency. You can consider competing for cash when you win consistently.

It’s possible to compete for fun without wagering real money if you enjoy playing games online.

Entry fees usually start at $1, and the top three scores share the prize pool. Competitions with higher entry fees have more valuable payouts.

You can fund your account through Apple Pay, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. The minimum withdrawal is $5 and returns to your original payment method minus a $1 transaction fee.

The app lets you watch short ads and receive daily login rewards to earn bonus cash that you can redeem towards entry fees. These bonuses reduce your out-of-pocket costs but are non-redeemable.

You must be 18 or older to use this app.

6. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the best paid survey sites since you can complete several surveys daily to earn rewards points quickly.

Once you register, you can start taking online surveys from your computer or smartphone.

*Related: Do you like to buy movies and books in the Google Play store? Read our guide on ways to earn free Google Play points you can use in the app.

Most surveys take up to 20 minutes to complete. Longer surveys tend to award more points than shorter surveys.

Downloading the SJ Pulse app lets you earn extra money effortlessly by anonymously sharing your web browsing activity. The platform sees which ads and products you search for, helping you qualify for exclusive studies.

The threshold to cash out is $5 (500 points). Once you reach this minimum, you can redeem your rewards via PayPal or digital gift certificates.

Users must be at least 13 to use this platform.

7. Bingo Cash

Consider Bingo Cash for fast-paced action as you try to get bingos before time runs out. You can unlock in-game boosters to score bonus points and daub squares early to gain an edge over the competition.

Start by playing free practice rounds until you consistently place in the top two scores.

Residents in most states can compete in cash tournaments with entry fees as low as $1. You must be at least 18 to use the app.

Winning isn’t guaranteed, but the three highest scores can make money. The minimum redemption is $5 back to your original funding method, which can be your Apple Pay, PayPal, credit card, or debit card account.

Additionally, a $1 withdrawal fee applies, and you forfeit any bonus cash earned through daily rewards challenges, watching ads, and competing in matches.

8. Branded Surveys

You can participate in multiple market research studies daily with Branded Surveys.

Most surveys take 20 minutes or less to complete and award between 50 and 100 points for a successful completion. This payout is worth $0.50 to $1 in cash or gift cards.

Frequent survey takers can qualify for the Branded Elite loyalty program to receive bonus points on surveys and other platform offers.

You can request bank deposits, PayPal, and gift card rewards once you have 500 points.

New members can receive up to 100 bonus points by completing initial studies matching you with relevant opportunities and by completing a survey profile.

It’s possible to join in the U.S. when you’re at least 16 years old.

9. MyPoints

MyPoints is a “get-paid-to” site offering several ways to earn rewards points.

Some of the paid tasks include:

• Online surveys
• Shopping online
• Redeeming coupons
• Product trials
• Watching videos
• Playing games

You may enjoy earning points if you want to get paid for downloading apps. Many apps are free. Others might require opening an account and making a cash deposit.

Gift card rewards start at $3 for Amazon (480 points). Most selections require a minimum $5 balance (790 points).

Cash rewards via PayPal and Visa cash cards start at $10 (1,500 points).

The minimum age to join is 13 years. You can get a free $10 Amazon gift card after making a qualifying purchase in the MyPoints shopping portal.

10. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards is the go-to app to scan grocery receipts for money and gift cards. The app partners with over 200 large brands to extend rebates to customers and is available to users over the age of 13.

When you scan your grocery receipt, the app calculates the points you receive based on the price of the products you bought.

Unlike other receipt-scanning apps, you don’t have to activate offers to earn points. You only have to scan a receipt. Fetch then looks for any participating items.

It’s possible to link your email, Amazon, and Walmart accounts to receive credit for online purchases.

In addition to receiving points from participating name brands, you can redeem in-store coupons and collect credit card rewards for additional savings.

You can also get points for referring new users to Fetch Rewards. For each person who uses your referral link and scans their receipt, you’ll earn 2,000 bonus points.

It takes 3,000 points to redeem your earnings ($3). This low redemption minimum makes Fetch one of the easiest apps to get free gift cards.

Currently, the only cash rewards option is a Visa cash card. There are many options to choose from for local and online stores.

11. Toluna

With ten million active members, Toluna is one of the largest online survey sites. Anyone over the age of 16 can register.

You can receive 3,000 to 6,000 points per survey you take. The site also offers longer surveys that pay up to 50,000 points.

Creating content and interacting with other community members can earn you more points. However, surveys are the most consistent way to make money in your spare time.

Points redemption options include PayPal, charity donations, and gift card codes to various online retailers. You will receive codes within minutes of redemption.

The minimum number of points you can redeem is 30,000, which equals $10 in rewards. PayPal payouts are only available in $30 increments (90,000 points).

Toluna has higher redemption amounts than some other sites on this list. That said, this survey site is a legit way to earn reward points.

12. Honey

The Honey app is an exciting online shopping platform for users over 18 because there are several ways to spend less money and earn rewards points from your favorite stores.

To get gift cards, use the Honey Gold shopping portal to earn up to 20 percent back. The redemption minimum is $10, which is equivalent to 1,000 points.

Furthermore, you can redeem your PayPal Cash and shopping credit points for extra flexibility.

The good news is that the rewards platform offers several ways to save money on purchases.

First, the cash back app or browser extension applies all active discount codes at the checkout screen for instant savings. You can save on online purchases, local pickup, and food delivery.

Second, Honey can compare the prices of Amazon sellers to find the best price after shipping fees.

Finally, you can have Honey send price alerts for items you’re not ready to buy yet. This price tracking feature can apply to other merchants so you can pay as little as possible.

13. Rakuten

Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) is a cash back shopping portal. You can earn cash back or free gift cards using its website, mobile app, or browser extension.

Since this service partners with most online stores, it is one of the top ways to get paid to shop online.

Here’s how Rakuten works:

1. Register (you must be 18 or older)
2. Use Rakuten to search through the online sites that you already use (like Amazon or Old Navy)
3. Shop for your items like you’d normally do
4. Purchase the items
5. Use any coupons you may have
6. Get cash back

The platform pays a percentage of the items you purchase, up to ten percent. How much you receive varies by retailer.

Shopping through the Rakuten app may let you qualify for bonus offers. People using the online website might earn less for shopping at the same stores than those using the app.

Linking your payment card lets you earn cash back at select department stores. Your purchases through the app can earn credit card points as well.

You can cash out your rewards as soon as you hit $5.01. PayPal or paper checks are the default payment methods, but several gift card options are also available.

While the gift card options are relatively limited, you can be eligible for a redemption bonus worth more than cash back.

You can earn a $10 bonus after your first $25 purchase. This free gift is payable as cash or a Walmart gift card.

14. instaGC

Earning money online through instaGC can be easy since gift card redemptions start at one dollar. Additionally, there are a few paid online activities to choose from for plenty of variety.

Specifically, you can:

• Get paid to watch videos
• Answer surveys
• Shop Online
• Search the web

There are over 320 gift card options with redemptions requiring as few as 100 points for a $1 face value.

You can join as young as 13 and receive an instant 10-point signup bonus.

15. Mistplay

Mistplay is an app that lets you earn reward points by playing games.

You download mobile app games and get points after achieving certain goals. Depending on the task, users earn between 20 and 500 points.

After completing the necessary missions, you can continue playing the game. However, you will no longer continue earning points for that game.

Gift card rewards are available with a $5 balance (1,500 points). In-app credits are also available.

If you prefer cash, reloadable Visa cash cards are a payout option.

One downside of Mistplay is that it only works with Android phones. Additionally, you must be 18 or older to use the app.

16. KashKick

KashKick helps you make money on your phone with these short tasks:

• Apps
• Games
• Surveys
• Videos

Some reward offers might be for side hustle apps that help you earn an extra bonus along with your active income.

Users can cash out through PayPal once their balance reaches $10.

You must be at least 18 years old to join this platform.

17. Ipsos i-Say

Ipsos i-Say offers its members a chance to share opinions about top brands, advertising, media, and global events and get rewarded for it.

If you want a survey site that gives you payouts quickly and has a low redemption threshold, look no further.

You can earn a free gift card with as little as $5 (or 500 points). You can also exchange your points for cash transfers. If you choose digital gift cards, you’ll receive your rewards instantly.

Some of the gift card rewards include:

• Amazon
• Virtual Visa Prepaid cards
• Target
• Walmart
• Starbucks

Ipsos is one of the top apps to earn Amazon gift cards, making it a great option for people 18 and over who shop on Amazon frequently.

18. PrizeRebel

PrizeRebel is a rewards site that pays you for completing surveys. Taking frequent surveys lets you earn a loyalty bonus.

You can also get paid to watch videos and participate in free product trials. As long as you remember to cancel the free trials you register for, you can earn a decent amount of points and get free gift cards.

Some of the retailers you can get gift cards for include:

• Dunkin Donuts
• Amazon
• Walmart
• Google Play

If you prefer cash rewards, PayPal payments are available as well.

The minimum payout threshold is $5 (500 points) for either payment option, though some retailers may require more points. Reading the gift card code details lets you know how many points you need to cash out.

PrizeRebel claims you can open an account as young as 16 and start earning points in ten seconds.

19. Ibotta

Grocery shopping provides another opportunity to earn free reward points. Ibotta is an app that compensates users who are at least 18 years old with cash back for purchasing groceries and shopping online.

You can register and get $5 back on your first shopping purchase.

To use Ibotta, activate grocery offers for items you plan on buying at the grocery store. Then, scan your grocery receipt to earn cash rewards on eligible items.

You will earn more points if you buy name-brand products instead of generic grocery items. Grocery store pickups earn cash back as well.

Ibotta also works with over 750 online retailers to earn money online when you buy merchandise or book travel.

The rewards platform has a minimum payout threshold of $20. You can redeem your money via PayPal, bank transfer, or gift cards.

In addition to the Ibotta discounts, you can save extra money when scanning your store loyalty card.

Bottom Line

Free gift cards are easy to find if you know the best websites and apps to use. These apps are fun, simple, and can help you earn rewards quickly.

Consider trying these apps so you can have more money in your pocket for necessary expenses.

How else do you make money on the side?