10 Best Sites To Sell Gift Cards in Canada (2024)
Gift cards have quickly become one of the top-selling gift items in Canadian stores. Most major stores offer gift cards that can be loaded by the purchaser.
Additionally, a growing number of small retailers are also offering them, thanks to platforms like Square and Clover offering easy-to-use gift card solutions.
The problem is that, sometimes, the gift cards we receive aren’t always the ones that we want.
While re-gifting is always an option, you can also sell unwanted gift cards online in exchange for cash.
Below, I’ll show you the best sites to sell gift cards in Canada.
- Sell your gift card to Gift Card Granny directly or make your own listing
- Complete control over the sales process
- Swap your cards for other retailers
- Instant offer for your unwanted gift card
- 75% to 90% payout on your card’s value
- Over 150 compatible brands
Table of Contents
ToggleHow Much Money Can I Make By Selling Gift Cards?
When you sell gift cards online, don’t expect to make a lot of money. When you’re selling unwanted items, you’re rarely going to get paid for the actual value of the item. The same applies when you’re selling gift cards for cash.
Most of the large gift card exchanges typically offer an average of 75% of your card value. So, if you have a $100 dollar gift card, you’ll be lucky to get $75 for it on an exchange.
The exchange makes its money on the back end by re-selling the gift card you provided for a higher (yet still discounted) price. As a buyer, you’d probably pay upwards of $90 or more for the $100 card.
If you really want to get the best price when selling your gift card, then I recommend that you sell them to a friend or family member who you know will use it.
I did the same thing with an old Best Buy gift card that I had. When I knew that my dad was about to go buy a new $500 TV from the store, I told my dad about the gift card I had, and he gave me the full value of the card.
Best Marketplaces To Sell Gift Cards Online In Canada
If you’re looking for a simple way to convert your card value into cash online, then selling your physical and digital cards through an online gift card exchange or another online marketplace is a great place to start.
Here are some of the best marketplaces to sell gift cards online in Canada.
1. Card Swap
- Get Started: website
CardSwap is, by far, one of the best places to exchange gift cards online. The nice thing about this platform is that all of the gift cards they have listed on the site are verified, so you never have to worry about getting scammed when performing a gift card swap.
If you prefer cash, you can sell CardSwap your physical cards instead. Once CardSwap receives and verifies your card value, they will send you a cheque in the mail.
How It Works:
- Create an account on CardSwap
- Click ‘Sell’ and enter your card details to receive a quote
- Mail the card with the prepaid shipping label CardSwap provides
- Wait for your cheque to arrive OR swap it for another gift card
2. Gift Card Granny
- Get Started: website
Gift Card Granny allows users to get the most from their gift cards by offering several different options to sell or exchange cards. Users can:
- List their card for sale on the Gift Card Granny public exchange and set their own price for potential buyers (giving you full control of the sale)
- Sell it directly to Gift Card Granny for instant cash
- Trade their card for a card they can use at other popular retailers
This platform allows you to buy and sell as many gift cards as you want, and is a great place to save money on low-cost gift cards (that you can flip) or sell your own.
How It Works:
- Create an account with Gift Card Granny
- List your card for sale on the public exchange
- Or sell it to Gift Card Granny for instant cash
- Or swap it for another card
3. Facebook Marketplace
- Get Started: website
Facebook Marketplace has quickly grown into one of the top online classifieds listing sites in Canada, making it a great place to sell gift cards. With Facebook, you can choose to either sell and ship your card online or meet up with the buyer locally.
If you want to sell your card quickly, make sure you include important details, such as the remaining balance and how you wish to accept payment (trade, cash, cheque, etc.).
To improve your potential buyer’s trust, you can also offer to perform a three-way call with the card’s customer service department to verify the card’s value.
How It Works:
- Log into Facebook with your existing account
- Access the Marketplace tab and click ‘Sell’
- Add detailed product photos and a description to your listing, as well as information about how you want to sell it (local meetup, delivery, or mailed)
- Wait to hear back from potential buyers
4. GiftCash
- Get Started: website
GiftCash doesn’t allow you to create your own listing, but they will buy your gift cards for cash.
Simply provide your card details and tell them the gift card’s remaining balance, and you’ll receive a quote along with a prepaid shipping label so you can mail the card to them. Once GiftCash has received and verified the card, you’ll receive payment.
Conversely, you can also exchange your unwanted gift cards for other cards listed on GiftCash’s exchange.
How It Works:
- Sign up for an account on GiftCash
- Enter your card details to receive a quote
- Mail your card to GiftCash to swap it for another card or wait to get paid
5. Kijiji
- Get Started: website
Kijiji is one of the most-used classifieds platforms in Canada. Anybody can create an account and post ads for items, including an old, unwanted, or unused physical gift card.
The nice thing about Kijiji is that you’re in complete control of how much you make from your gift card, allowing you to sell it for the maximum value.
You’ll list your basic gift card details in your ad, take a clear photo of it, and then list it for sale.
Then, you just have to wait for interested buyers to contact you. Since Kijiji is a classifieds platform, you’ll most likely need to meet the buyer in-person.
How It Works:
- Register and create an account on Kijiji
- Post a listing with a brief description and photos of your card
- Wait until an interested buyer contacts you
- Arrange a meet-up location (somewhere public) and sell your gift card
Related Reading: How to sell on Kijiji for free in Canada
6. eBay
- Get Started: website
eBay is the world’s largest online auction site, which makes it a good platform to use if you want to auction your gift cards for cash. Alternatively, you can also list your card for a fixed rate if you don’t want to go through the auction process.
The only drawback of eBay is that buyer’s on the platform aren’t quite as trusting, due to the fact that there’s no middle man service to verify the authenticity of the gift card.
Unlike other sites, which verify the card’s value before listing it for sale, eBay buyers and sellers must trust each other implicitly.
The benefit of using eBay is that payment are easy and you’ll have access to a broader audience of users looking to buy gift cards.
How It Works:
- Create an eBay account
- List your physical card for sale (popular gift cards sell quicker)
- Once you have a verified order, ship the card to the buyer
- eBay typically takes one or two days to send the payment to your account
7. Craigslist
- Get Started: website
Craigslist is very similar to Kijiji, which I mentioned above. You’ll be able to create a listing, accept an offer from a buyer, and meet them locally to sell the card.
One option you could mention to improve trust is to offer to meet the buyer in-store, where the value of the gift card can be verified by a store associate.
The only downside is that you’ll have to meet the buyer in-person, which can take valuable time out of your day, compared to selling it and getting an instant offer from an online exchange.
How It Works:
- Create an account on Craigslist
- Post a listing in your local area with pictures and important gift card details
- Wait to receive an email notification or phone call
- Meet your buyer and receive payment
8. Gameflip
- Get Started: website
Gameflip stands out from the other online exchanges that I’ve mentioned because they specialize in gaming-related gift cards. You can’t sell your usual retail cards here, but it’s a great site to sell gaming cards and rewards, such as:
- PlayStation store credit
- Xbox store credit
You can also sell gift cards for online or app-based services, such as:
- Netflix
- Uber
- DoorDash
- Amazon gift card
- … and more!
The main drawback is that Gameflip imposes an 8% seller fee on physical cards and a 2% fee on digital cards. It’s a great way to earn cash for your old gaming points, though.
How It Works:
- Sign up and create an account with Gameflip
- List your physical or digital cards for sale
- Once a buyer purchases the card, Gameflip will deposit money into your crypto wallet (they don’t offer PayPal or cheque payments at this time)
Best Places To Sell Unwanted Gift Cards In The US
In addition to the exchanges that I mentioned above, here are a couple of US-based gift card exchanges that offer to buy cards shipped from Canada.
9. ClipKard
- Get Started: website
ClipKard offers up to 90% of your unwanted gift card’s value and will offer to buy cards to over 100 different major retailers.
The only stipulation is that the card’s minimum balance has to be at least $15. They pay you via PayPal or cheque once they’ve received your mailed-in card.
How It Works:
- Create an account with ClipKard
- Upload your card details and the remaining balance to receive a quote
- Mail your card to ClipKard using the prepaid shipping label
- Get paid instantly via PayPal once your card is received, or wait for a mailed cheque
10. CardCash
- Get Started: website
CardCash is one of the largest gift card exchanges in the US and is headquartered in New Jersey. They support over 350 brands, which makes them a great place to sell your old gift cards for cash.
CardCash will give you an immediate offer once you provide them with your card details and PIN. Once approved, you’ll be given a free shipping label so you can mail the card to them.
Upon arrival, CardCash will offer to pay you by PayPal, mailed cheque, or ACH deposit.
How It Works:
- Visit CardCash and select the ‘Sell’ tab at the top of the page
- Enter your gift card details
- Accept CardCash’s quote to receive your shipping label
- Mail your card to CardCash
- Once your card is received, you’ll be eligible for payment
How To Avoid Fraud When Buying Or Selling Gift Cards Online
Now that you know all of the places where you can sell gift cards online, here are a few simple tips to avoid frauds and scams when buying and selling gift cards online.
Work With A Legitimate Online Marketplace
While Facebook and Kijiji are great platforms for trading locally, it’s easy to get scammed when buying gift cards from a random stranger you’ve never met before.
By the time you realize the card has been emptied, the seller could be long gone.
Online gift card marketplaces like Gift Card Granny and Card Swap verify all of the cards that they sell before listing them. This adds an extra layer of trust to the transaction.
Request A Gift Card Balance Check Over The Phone
If you’re selling the card to somebody online or in-person (as opposed to selling directly to a gift card exchange), I recommend performing a three-way phone call with the customer service department of the gift card.
This will allow both of you to verify the actual balance of the card before it’s sold.
Double-Check The Gift Card’s Value
Never assume your card’s value before selling it. You (or even somebody else) may have used it and forgot about it. Always call the company to double-check its value before you sell it to an exchange or another individual.
Is Selling Gift Cards Worth The Time?
If you have a few unwanted or unused cards that are gathering dust, then selling your gift card online is a great way to turn an otherwise worthless piece of plastic into some real cash.
Conversely, you could also trade gift cards with another person who has a card to a business that you actually enjoy shopping at.
If you have a hustler’s mindset, and are willing to put in the work, then selling gift cards online could turn into a profitable side business. It’s a lot like thrifting. You’ll just be purchasing discounted gift cards, marking them up slightly, and turning a quick profit.
Note – there’s an increased demand for discounted gift cards during the holiday season, so you can leverage this to sell your cards for more money.
With inflation rising quickly, though, keep in mind that the card’s cash value may not be worth the same after a few months. This means that you’ll want to flip them quickly if you want to see a real profit.
Thanks to the internet, there are more ways to make money online than ever before. If selling gift cards doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then check out my ultimate guide to making money online.
Alternatives For Getting Rid Of Your Gift Cards
If you don’t feel like selling your gift cards for cash, here are some other ways you can utilize them.
Re-Gifting
You can always hold onto your old cards and save them to gift to a friend or family member on their birthday or during the holidays.
Gift Card Donation
Over 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness at some point in any given year. If you really want to put your unwanted gift card to good use, give it to somebody who could really use it to buy clothes and other essentials.
Exchange Gift Cards For Goods & Services
You can always exchange your card to the handyman, mechanic, or the landscaper in exchange for service provided. If they have an immediate use for the card, they may offer you 100% of the value in exchange for work completed.
How Do I Convert Gift Cards To Cash In Canada?
Most retailers won’t convert gift cards back into cash. The easiest way to convert a gift card into cash is to sell it on a gift card exchange like CardSwap, Gift Card Granny, or GiftCash.
These platforms all offer a payment guarantee and make it easy to sell gift cards for at least 75% of their value.
Where Can I Safely Sell Gift Cards?
Selling your gift cards on an online exchange is, by far, the safest way to sell your gift cards. You don’t have to worry about meeting anybody in-person, and you don’t have to deal with cash.
Is Reselling Gift Cards Legal?
Yes, reselling gift cards is 100% legal. The only time it’s ever illegal is if a seller misrepresents the value of the card to scam a buyer.
Now, all of that being said, there are some clever entrepreneurs who’ve managed to turn gift card flipping into a full-time business.
Can You Make Money by Flipping Gift Cards?
Yes, if you have a good source for obtaining low-cost gift cards, you can buy and then resell them. Some people mark them up by 10% or more and focus on selling large quantities.
Types Of Gift Cards In Canada You Can Sell
Some popular types of gift cards available in Canada that you can sell include:
- Retail Gift Cards: These are offered by retail stores and can be used to purchase products from these retailers. Examples include Hudson’s Bay, Canadian Tire, Best Buy, Home Depot, Indigo, Sport Chek, and more.
- Restaurant Gift Cards: These gift cards can be used at specific restaurant chains. Examples include Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Boston Pizza, Swiss Chalet, and The Keg.
- Digital Content Gift Cards: These are for digital platforms and services like Netflix, Spotify, PlayStation Network, and iTunes.
- Grocery Gift Cards: These are for grocery stores and supermarkets such as Loblaws, Metro, Sobeys, and Safeway.
- Spa & Wellness Gift Cards: For use at spa and wellness centers. Examples include WaySpa or specific local spas.
- Travel Gift Cards: For airlines, hotels, or travel agencies. Examples include Air Canada, WestJet, Expedia, and Airbnb.
- Prepaid Credit Cards: Offered by major credit card companies like Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. These work like regular credit cards and can be used almost anywhere.
- Online Shopping Gift Cards: For online retailers like Amazon, eBay.
- Gas Gift Cards: These are for gas stations like Petro Canada, Shell, or Esso.
- Experience Gift Cards: These offer unique experiences like hot air balloon rides, wine tours, cooking classes, etc. Providers could include local experience companies or nationwide services like Breakaway Experiences.
Final Thoughts
Thanks to easy-to-use online gift card exchanges, anybody can easily sell their old or unused gift cards in exchange for quick cash.
All you have to do is complete a simple online form and ship your old card with the prepaid shipping label that you’re given.
Looking for some more great ways to make money online?
Keep on reading to find out the best ways to earn free PayPal money online next!