Go to a Gift Card Exchange kiosk to trade your card for cash. A Gift Card Exchange kiosk is usually bright yellow and located in a grocery store. Insert the card information into the kiosk and then choose to accept or reject the offer the kiosk gives you.

While most retailers state that gift cards are "not redeemable for cash," several legal methods exist in 2026 to convert them into money. The most popular way is using third-party gift card exchanges like CardCash, Raise, or Gameflip. On these platforms, you can sell your unwanted card (e.g., a $100 Amazon or Starbucks card) for a percentage of its value—usually 80% to 92%—and receive payment via PayPal or direct deposit. Another method is using a "Gift Card Kiosk" found in some grocery stores, which provides instant cash but typically offers lower rates. For those in certain U.S. states like California, Oregon, or Washington, laws mandate that retailers must cash out gift cards if the remaining balance falls below a certain threshold (usually $5 or $10). If your card is a "prepaid" Visa or Mastercard, you can sometimes transfer the balance to a digital wallet like Venmo or Cash App, though this often incurs a small fee. Always be wary of individual "private buyers" on social media to avoid scams; stick to verified exchange platforms.