If you’re like many shoppers, you may have asked: Is giving a gift card okay, or does it show a lack of effort and imagination? It turns out that gift cards can be a great choice. In fact, gift cards are the most popular present for the 17th consecutive year in 2023.
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.
- The popularity of the cards
- Shipping or purchase fees
- Average buyer discount
- Popularity of the retailer
- Resale Value
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.
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We whittled their list down to our top ten picks, based on the 2023 WalletHub study.
2023’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 | 70 | 4 | $0 | 5% | $78 | 3 |
| Sephora Gift Card | 60 | 6 | $0 | 3% | $81 | 2.5 |
| Target Gift Card | 60 | 3 | $0 | 4% | $80 | 3 |
| Disney Gift Card | 56 | 5 | $0 | 2% | $82 | 2 |
| Chick-fil-A Gift Card | 55 | 10 | $0 | N/A | $81 | 2.5 |
| iTunes Gift Card | 55 | 9 | $0 | 4% | $80 | 3 |
| Fandango Gift Card | 52 | 14 | $2 | 11.5% | $72 | 1 |
| Visa Gift Card | 51 | 1 | $6 | N/A | $88 | 2 |
| eBay Gift Card | 51 | 8 | $0 | 1% | $85 | 2 |
| Home Depot Gift Card | 51 | 12 | $0 | 3% | $86 | 3 |
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.
Seven 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.
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.
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