REI gift card: value, expiry and what to do with it
An REI gift card and no adventure booked? Three options — check the balance, sell its value for cash through escrow, or spend it on gear. Here's what each returns.
REI cards are thoughtful gifts for hikers, campers, and cyclists, but not every recipient has a trip planned. If yours doesn't, the card waits. Three routes: read the balance, cash the value out via escrow, or shop it — each covered here for an REI card.
How to check your REI gift card balance
Check an REI balance at the official balance page with the card number and PIN, or sign into your REI Co-op account where the card can be saved. A store register reads it too. The REI balance guide helps if a code won't load. Confirm the exact amount before listing, since escrow prices against a real figure.
Sell a REI gift card for cash
A code trade always leaves the old owner able to drain the balance later. Selling an REI card's value through escrow keeps the code with you the entire time.
How it runs: you list the value and set a price, and sellers usually keep 72–88% of face. A buyer accepts, their payment holds in escrow, and only then do you act. You place their REI order with your own card and upload proof; on confirmed delivery the money releases to you, minus a flat 2.5% fee split about evenly. More in the how-to-sell guide and escrow mechanics.
Want cash over gear credit? The routes pay very differently. FlipGift escrow leads — you hold the card, redeem it for a buyer's order, and their money releases on confirmed delivery, netting 72–88% after the split 2.5% fee, no card data stored. Cash-resale sites pay 60–85% outright but need the full code up front. Kiosks are instant and lowest. Unverified private buyers are scam-prone, so avoid them. Read the how-to-sell guide, then list on the escrow marketplace.
What can you do with an unwanted REI gift card?
Four choices, ranked. Buy gear or an experience yourself — full face at REI. Or gift the card to an outdoors friend, 100% with no fuss. Prefer cash? List the value on FlipGift escrow, where sellers keep 72–88% across ~198 stores and the code never leaves their hands. A resale kiosk pays least. First, check the balance so you know the number.
A REI card, in practice
REI cards go to outdoor lovers who often already own the gear they need, so the card waits for the next trip. Escrow routes it to buyers actively kitting up: someone buying a tent, a rain shell, trail shoes, or a bike accessory before a trip. Orders over $60 ship free, so buyers bundle a few items to clear the $7.99 charge. You place their REI order from the card you hold, submit proof, and the escrowed money is yours — a card between adventures turned into cash while it outfits someone about to head out.
How much is a REI gift card worth?
At REI the card is worth 100% of face. Cash it out and the return drops. Bulk resale kiosks pay around 60–85%, reselling at a markup. FlipGift escrow puts sellers at 72–88%: you set the price, split a flat 2.5% fee with the buyer, and keep the card to fulfil their order. Buying the gear you'd get anyway — or gifting the card — stays the top return at 100 cents on the dollar.
Check, sell, or spend: which is right for your REI card?
Weighed plainly: the balance check is free and just names the amount — do it first. Buying gear with the card or gifting it returns 100%. Selling via escrow fits when you want cash: on a $100 REI card a resale site might pay $60–$85, while a typical escrow sale nets $72–$89 with the code staying in your hands and the buyer's money held until their order is confirmed delivered.
Is it safe to sell a REI gift card online?
Trading gift card codes is never safe anywhere — the earlier holder keeps the number and PIN and can drain the card afterward. Escrow removes that by keeping the code with you:
- Your REI card's number and PIN are never uploaded or shown.
- The buyer's payment locks in escrow before you move.
- You order with the card you hold, so no stranger touches the code.
- Cash releases only on confirmed delivery, minus the 2.5% fee split both ways.
See how escrow works for the mechanics.
REI gift card details to know
REI card facts: most U.S. states protect gift card balances from expiring for at least five years, and REI gift cards generally don't expire — check your card's terms. A gift card is separate from your annual Co-op Member Reward. Holding or checking a card is free, and you can usually combine cards at checkout. A lost card is hard to replace without a receipt, so keep the number and PIN safe.
Ready to use your REI gift card?
First, confirm the balance at the REI balance page. If no trip or purchase is coming, list the value on FlipGift escrow — you keep the card, place the buyer's order, and get paid on confirmed delivery. See how selling works →