Coinstar Gift Card Exchange: What to Use Now That It’s Gone
If you’re searching for a Coinstar gift card exchange, here’s the key fact first: it no longer exists. Coinstar discontinued its yellow gift-card-exchange kiosks on June 26, 2019, and Coinstar’s own kiosk pages now state plainly that its kiosks "do not exchange gift cards." So you can’t bring a gift card to Coinstar and get cash or another card for it. The service those searchers want is gone — and FlipGift is the fee-free online replacement: a card-for-card swap that keeps the full value.
One quick disambiguation: Coinstar machines do still let you turn loose coins into a gift card. But that’s the opposite of what you’re here for — it doesn’t help you offload a gift card you already have.
What happened to the Coinstar gift card exchange
- Discontinued June 26, 2019. Coinstar wound down its dedicated gift-card exchange kiosks and no longer buys or exchanges gift cards.
- Coinstar says so directly. Its current kiosk pages state that the machines "do not exchange gift cards" — today’s green Coinstar kiosks count coins.
- The coins-to-gift-card feature is the reverse. You can convert change into an eGift card, but you cannot turn an existing gift card into cash or another card.
Your options now
To get value out of an unwanted gift card today, there are two routes:
- Resale for cash (at a discount). Sites like CardCash and GiftCash buy your card and pay cash, and the Raise marketplace lets you list it for buyers. All pay a percentage of face value — you trade some value for cash.
- Swap for another card (full value). FlipGift trades your card directly for one you’ll use, with no fees and no discount taken — see what’s trading in the live pool.
How FlipGift works as the replacement
FlipGift is a peer-to-peer exchange: it matches you with someone who wants your card and holds one you want, then swaps them.
- No fees or commission — nothing is skimmed off the top.
- Full value retained — it’s card-for-card, not a discounted cash sale; ratios follow live supply and demand, and popular brands trade close to 1:1.
- Instant automated matching — no kiosk to find, no trip to make.
- Lower scam risk — balances are verified before codes release, codes swap simultaneously, and no money moves between accounts.
Coinstar (then and now) vs FlipGift
| Coinstar gift-card exchange | FlipGift | |
|---|---|---|
| Takes a gift card you own? | No — discontinued in 2019 | Yes — that’s the point |
| What you’d walk away with | Nothing (service gone) | Another gift card you’ll use |
| Coins → gift card | Still offered (the reverse) | N/A |
| Where | — | Online, anywhere, 24/7 |
| Cost to you | — | No fees / no commission |
When a cash site is the better choice
If you need cash in your bank account, a resale site does that and FlipGift does not — FlipGift gives you another gift card, not money. For a real cash need, that’s the right tool, and you accept a discount for it. If you’d be spending that cash at stores you already use, a swap keeps the full value as a card you’ll actually spend.
How a FlipGift swap works
- List your card — brand, balance, and code, encrypted with AES-256 and shown only to a verified match.
- Pick the brands you’d accept — more options, faster match.
- Get matched and verified — both balances checked before any codes move.
- Receive your new card — codes release simultaneously, with a 48-hour dispute window.
Start a fee-free swap
Frequently asked questions
Can you exchange gift cards for cash at Coinstar?
No. Coinstar discontinued its gift-card exchange kiosks in June 2019, and its kiosks no longer accept gift cards. You can’t turn a gift card into cash at Coinstar.
Does Coinstar take gift cards?
Not anymore. The only gift-card feature left is the reverse — turning loose coins into an eGift card. You cannot hand over a gift card you already own.
When did Coinstar stop exchanging gift cards?
On June 26, 2019. Coinstar’s own kiosk pages now state the machines do not exchange gift cards.
What’s the best Coinstar gift card exchange alternative?
It depends on your goal. For cash, resale sites like CardCash, GiftCash, or the Raise marketplace pay a percentage of value. For full value, FlipGift swaps your card for one you’ll use, with no fees.
Does FlipGift pay cash like people expected from Coinstar?
No — FlipGift is a card-for-card exchange, not a cash buyer. If you need cash, use a resale site; if you want full value as a card you’ll use, swap on FlipGift.