Gift cards can make an excellent gift. And savvy shoppers can use Black Friday and Cyber Monday incentives to treat loved ones or yourself to gifts, and receive a gift card for free! To demonstrate, Apple offers up to a $200 gift card on qualifying purchases during its Black Friday deals. You can use the card as an added gift or treat yourself while shopping for others.
Gift cards are also great if you're in a tight spot and need a present quickly. WalletHub compared 50 of the most popular options across five major categories:
- Gift card popularity
- Buyer discount
- Resale value
- Retailer rating
- Purchase or shipping fees
Based on these criteria, they determined the best of the best, whether 'gifting' a gift card for Christmas, a birthday, graduation or some other celebration.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
We whittled their list down to our top ten picks, based on the 2024 WalletHub study.
2024’s Top Ten Best Gift Cards
| Gift Card | WalletHub Score* | Popularity Rank | Shipping/Purchase Fees | Average Buyer Discount | Average Resale Value | Retailer Rating |
| Starbucks Gift Card | 60 | 5 | $0 | 5% | $77 | 3 |
| Sephora Gift Card | 65 | 4 | $0 | 6% | $77 | 2 |
| Target Gift Card | 65 | 3 | $0 | 3% | $82 | 2.5 |
| Disney Gift Card | 56 | 7 | $0 | 2% | $84 | 1.5 |
| Chick-fil-A Gift Card | 50 | 12 | $0 | 0.5% | $83 | 2.5 |
| iTunes Gift Card | 50 | 19 | $0 | 2.5% | $80 | 2 |
| Fandango Gift Card | 27 | 29 | $2 | 8.3% | $70 | 1 |
| Visa Gift Card | 31 | 1 | $7 | N/A | N/A | 1 |
| Walmart Gift Card | 51 | 8 | $0 | 1% | $85 | 2 |
| Home Depot Gift Card | 55 | 11 | $0 | 2% | $86 | 2 |
| Row 11 - Cell 0 | Row 11 - Cell 1 | Row 11 - Cell 2 | Row 11 - Cell 3 | Row 11 - Cell 4 | Row 11 - Cell 5 | Row 11 - Cell 6 |
Source: WalletHub. *Total scores are rounded.
Keep in mind that not all gift cards are alike. You can either give a gift card for a specific store, such as Best Buy, Marshalls or Dunkin’ Donuts, or give a general-purpose gift card, such as one from American Express or Visa. There are dozens of other gift card options, each suitable for any occasion.
Best gift card tips
There are dozens of reasons to celebrate the holidays, like time off work and school; watching Santa come down the chimney, exchanging gifts, overeating with family and friends, and of course, the gifting of gift cards. Here are some great tips for gift card giving to help keep your budget in check.
- Take advantage of discounts. Not all, but some of the best gift cards can usually be purchased for less than face value. Just ask.
- Avoid card-network gift cards. Gift cards from Visa, MasterCard and Amex usually come with shipping or purchase fees. if you want to give the versatility of cash, why not just use cash instead? It is likely cheaper.
- Watch for expiration dates. Not all, but some gift cards have expiration dates after five years, so be sure to pay close attention so the gift card doesn't become useless.
- Resale may be an option. If you don’t end up using a particular gift card or your gift card recipient doesn’t like it, you can sell it on a gift card exchange site such as CardCash or Gift Card Granny. Or simply swap gift cards with a friend or family member.
- Buy gift cards with rewards. Most credit card rewards programs allow you to redeem points/miles for gift cards from many major retailers. Check your credit card's rewards website to see if you have enough points or miles to redeem a gift card.
- Give e-gift cards. When looking for a gift, you sometimes find yourself in a time crunch. When this happens, send an e-gift card instead and avoid any shipping costs.
- Make sure the card hasn't been tampered with. Before checkout, make sure the card number or PIN has not been scratched off or revealed, which could have been written down and used by a thief.
- Buy gifts with gift card incentives. Certain retailers like Apple will give you up to a $200 gift card with a qualifying purchase. You can gift the card as an added bonus or treat yourself to something.
WalletHub Methodology
WalletHub compared the cards affiliated with the country’s 50 most popular retailers in five categories that speak to their appeal and overall value. Each gift card was scored on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the best option.
*Total scores are rounded.
Related Content
-
What to expect from the global economy in 2026The Kiplinger Letter Economic growth across the globe will be highly uneven, with some major economies accelerating while others hit the brakes.
-
What You Need to Do With Your 401(k) Before 2025 Is OverBefore 2025 ends, check your 401(k) contributions, investments, and catch-up eligibility to lock in this year’s tax savings and employer match.
-
3 Year-End Tax Moves You Can't Afford to MissDon't miss out on this prime time to maximize contributions to your retirement accounts, do Roth conversions and capture investment gains.
-
The Top 22 Gifts for Grandkids from Walmart in 2025From PlayStation to Labubu, you'll find the hottest gifts of 2025 for your grandkids at Walmart this year. Some of them are up to 78% off.
-
CD vs. Money Market: Where to Put Your Year-End Bonus NowFalling interest rates have savers wondering where to park cash. Here's how much $10,000 earns in today's best CDs versus leading money market accounts.
-
Meet the World's Unluckiest — Not to Mention Entitled — Porch PirateThis teen swiped a booby-trapped package that showered him with glitter, and then he hurt his wrist while fleeing. This is why no lawyer will represent him.
-
Smart Business: How Community Engagement Can Help Fuel GrowthAs a financial professional, you can strengthen your brand while making a difference in your community. See how these pros turned community spirit into growth.
-
Smart Money Moves Savers Should Make in 2026These steps will get you on the road to achieving your 2026 savings goals.
-
How Much Would a $50,000 HELOC Cost Per Month?Thinking about tapping your home’s equity? Here’s what a $50,000 HELOC might cost you each month based on current rates.
-
My First $1 Million: Self-Employed Trader, 50, San FranciscoEver wonder how someone who's made a million dollars or more did it? Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series uncovers the answers.
-
Waiting for Retirement to Give to Charity? Here Are 3 Reasons to Do It Now, From a Financial PlannerYou could wait until retirement, but making charitable giving part of your financial plan now could be far more beneficial for you and the causes you support.
