Gift Card Exchange Sites: The Best Alternatives, Compared
"Gift card exchange" can mean two very different things: swapping your card for a different one you’ll use, or selling it for cash at a discount. Knowing which you want makes the choice easy. This guide compares the main options fairly — what each does, what it costs you, and what you walk away with — so you can pick the right one. We build FlipGift, so we’ll be upfront about where a cash resale site or a kiosk is the better fit.
Quick comparison
| Option | Type | You walk away with | Cost to you | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlipGift | Peer-to-peer swap | Another gift card | No fees / no commission | Active |
| CardCash | Resale buyer | Cash (or a card) | Discount to face value | Active |
| GiftCash | Resale buyer | Cash | Discount to face value | Active |
| Raise | Resale marketplace | Cash | Seller commission + your discount | Active |
| Coinstar / kiosks | Physical kiosk | Cash | Takes a cut; limited brands | Coinstar dropped gift cards (2019) |
| Gift Card Granny | Discount-card retailer | A card you buy | Doesn’t take your card | Buy-only now |
| Cardpool | Former exchange | — | — | Closed (2021) |
1. FlipGift — fee-free, card-for-card swap
FlipGift is a peer-to-peer exchange: instead of selling your card for discounted cash, you swap it directly for a different gift card you’ll actually use. There are no fees and no commission, so the full value stays with you. An automated engine matches your card with someone who wants it and holds one you want; ratios follow live supply and demand (popular brands trade close to 1:1). Because balances are verified before codes release and no money moves between accounts, scam risk is lower than swapping codes with a stranger.
- Best for: turning a card you won’t use into one you will, at full value.
- Not for: getting cash in your bank — it gives you a card, not money.
Start a fee-free swap or browse the live pool.
2. Resale sites — cash, at a discount
If you genuinely need cash, resale services are the route — each pays a percentage of face value and keeps the difference.
- CardCash — buys your card directly with an instant offer; pays by check, ACH, or PayPal (or trade for another card). Advertises up to 92% of value, varying by brand.
- GiftCash — online buyer; advertises up to 93%; commonly pays via PayPal. Processing timelines vary.
- Raise — a marketplace where you list your card for other buyers and set a (discounted) price; free to list, but Raise charges a seller commission when it sells, and you’re paid only after a buyer purchases it.
Best for: a real cash need. Trade-off: you accept a discount, and with Raise a commission and a wait for a buyer.
3. Coinstar and kiosks — instant, but lossy
Kiosks are the in-person option. Worth knowing: Coinstar discontinued its gift-card exchange kiosks in 2019 — today’s Coinstar machines count coins and don’t accept gift cards. A patchwork of independent kiosks still exists in some stores; they pay discounted cash on the spot for a limited set of brands.
- Read more: Coinstar gift card exchange, gift card exchange kiosks, and finding an exchange near you.
- Best for: instant in-person cash, if a kiosk is genuinely nearby. Trade-off: a trip, a cut taken, and limited brands.
4. Gift Card Granny — buy-only now
Gift Card Granny is still running, but it no longer lets you sell or exchange a card you own — per its help center, it "no longer serves as a gift card exchange, purchases gift cards from individuals, or lists businesses that buy gift cards." It’s now for buying discounted cards and checking balances. If you’re trying to offload a card, it’s a dead end — see our Gift Card Granny alternative.
5. Cardpool — closed
Cardpool was a well-known exchange, but its parent company, Blackhawk Network, permanently shut it down in early 2021. It no longer buys or sells cards. If you landed here looking for it, see what to use instead of Cardpool.
How to choose
- Want full value and you’ll spend it at stores anyway? Swap on FlipGift — no fee, no discount.
- Need actual cash in the bank? Use a resale buyer (CardCash, GiftCash) or the Raise marketplace, and accept the discount.
- Want it instant and in person? An independent kiosk, if one’s nearby — just expect a cut and few brands.
Swap a card for free on FlipGift
Frequently asked questions
What are the best gift card exchange sites?
It depends on your goal. For a fee-free, full-value swap into another card, FlipGift. For cash at a discount, resale sites like CardCash and GiftCash, or the Raise marketplace. Coinstar no longer takes gift cards, Gift Card Granny is buy-only, and Cardpool has closed.
How can I exchange a gift card without losing money to fees?
Swap it rather than sell it. A peer-to-peer exchange like FlipGift trades your card for another at full value with no fees or commission, so nothing is skimmed off the top — but you receive a gift card, not cash.
What’s the best alternative to CardCash or Raise?
If you don’t strictly need cash, FlipGift is the closest alternative that keeps full value — you swap card-for-card with no commission instead of selling at a discount. If you do need cash, CardCash, GiftCash, and Raise are all reasonable resale options.
Are gift card exchange sites safe?
The established ones are real services; the main risk in any card trade is a bad code. FlipGift reduces that by verifying both balances before releasing codes, swapping them simultaneously, and backing each trade with a 48-hour dispute window — and no money moves between accounts.
Which option puts cash in my bank account?
Resale services do (CardCash, GiftCash, Raise), at a discount to face value. FlipGift does not — it gives you another gift card. Choose based on whether you need money or a card you’ll use.