Looking to score free gift cards online using your iPhone or Android device? We’ve got you covered.
The best gift card apps in this post are free to join, and they can help you to earn free cash while you do what you normally do…play around with your phone.
The vast selection of gift cards available for grabs includes Amazon gift cards, Starbucks, iTunes, Google Play, Walmart, Visa prepaid, PayPal cash, and many others.
Best Apps For Free Gift Cards
The smartphone apps featured here reward you for completing small tasks, including shopping online (and in-store), scanning your receipts or barcodes, answering short surveys, playing games, watching video ads, surfing the web, and simply downloading and installing the apps.
The top free gift card apps are:
1. Swagbucks
- Bonus: $5
- Our rating: 4.8/5
- Cash-out threshold: $3
- Sign up here.
Swagbucks is the world’s most popular “get-paid-to” site/app. This rewards site pays you to answer surveys, search the web, watch funny videos, and shop online.
After signing up, you get invitations to participate and earn points (known as SBs). You also receive a $5 welcome bonus.
You can easily redeem your points for gift card codes starting at $3 or cash out via PayPal.
As of this writing, Swagbucks has paid its members over $890 million and holds an A rating with the BBB.
Join Swagbucks (+$5) or read review.
2. Survey Junkie
- Our rating: 4.5/5
- Cash-out threshold: $5
- Sign up here.
As the name suggests, Survey Junkie is all about answering paid surveys.
Brands want to hear your opinions about their products, and they hire Survey Junkie to obtain the data. When you become a panel member, you receive invitations to complete surveys and earn points.
You can redeem your points for e-gift cards (e.g. Amazon and Target) or cash out using PayPal.
3. Rakuten
- Bonus: $30 reward after making your first online purchase of $30
- Our rating: 4.7/5
- Cash-out threshold: $5
- Sign up here.
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) is my go-to cash back site when I shop online. This site is affiliated with more than 750 stores in Canada and 3,000+ in the U.S.
Earning free gift cards or cash back with Rakuten is easy.
After you sign up, remember to visit your favourite store through the Rakuten platform, and they will automatically track your cash back earnings.
To qualify for the bonus, you need to purchase at least $30.
Rakuten pays your earnings (Big Fat Check) via PayPal or cheque. You can use your earnings to purchase over 40 different gift cards on the Rakuten gift card shop.
4. PrizeRebel
- Our rating: 4.3/5
- Cash-out threshold: $5
- Sign up here.
Like other opinion rewards sites, PrizeRebel pays you to complete surveys, watch videos and invite friends.
You can redeem your points for hundreds of gift cards and cash, starting at $5.
5. Ipsos i-Say
- Our rating: 4.2/5
- Cash-out threshold: $5
- Sign up here.
This rewards site is managed by Ipsos, a globally recognized market research company.
The ways to earn points on this site include answering surveys, participating in polls and referring friends.
You can redeem your points for gift cards (Amazon, iTunes, Starbucks) or opt for PayPal cash.
6. MobileXpression
- Our rating: 3.8/5
- Cash-out threshold: $5
- Sign up: iPhone or Android phone
This app pays you to install it on your smartphone, where it tracks your internet usage for market research purposes.
When you keep Mobilexpression installed for one week, you earn a $10 Amazon gift card. For every week you keep the app installed after that, you earn extra credits you can redeem for gift cards.
Get more details about the app in this review.
7. Great Canadian Rebates
- Bonus: $3
- Our rating: 4.2/5
- Cash-out threshold: $5
- Sign up here.
Great Canadian Rebates is the full-fledged Canadian version of Rakuten.
This site gives you cash back when you shop online at hundreds of stores. Register and visit Great Canadian Rebates to access your favourite online merchants.
Cash back is automatically credited to your account, and you can cash out via cheque, Amazon e-gift card or PayPal.
8. Nielsen Homescan
- Our rating: 4.1/5
- Sign up here.
The Nielsen Homescan study pays you to scan the barcodes on your weekly grocery shopping.
This panel is managed by the global market research company Nielsen.
When you join, they send you a handheld scanner, or you can just download the scanner app for convenience. The scanner transmits the data collected to Nielsen Homescan, and you earn points.
You can redeem your points for gift cards, kitchen appliances, and other merchandise. New members also get a monthly cash incentive, e.g. in the form of a $15 Visa prepaid card.
9. Daily Rewards
- Bonus: $5
- Our rating: 4/5
- Cash-out threshold: $30
- Sign up here.
If you spend time online playing games or don’t mind sharing your opinions, this site is for you.
Daily Rewards is operated by Prodege, LLC., the same company that owns Swagbucks.
You earn rewards for completing several simple tasks online.
10. Ampli
- Bonus: $10 when you join and link your card
- Our rating: 4.0/5
- Cash-out threshold: $15
- Sign up here.
Ampli is a cash back app owned by RBC. It is free to use and has paid its members over $2 million in rewards.
After creating an account, link your debit or credit card, and when you shop at participating retailers, cash back is automatically added to your balance.
You can redeem cash back to your bank account using Interac e-Transfer.
There are so many other ways to get free gift cards in Canada. For more ideas, check out the posts below:
11. Drop App
- Bonus: $5
- Our rating: 3.8/5
- Cash-out threshold: $25
Drop is a free cash back app in Canada and the U.S. It has a 4.5/5 rating on the App Store. This app offers one of the best ways to earn free gift cards without taking surveys.
After signing up and connecting your debit or credit card, the Drop app automatically credits your account with points when you shop online or in-store at participating retailers.
You also earn 5,000 points ($5) for every friend referral through your link or invite code.
Easily redeem your points for iTunes, Tim Hortons, Hudson’s Bay, Best Buy, Boston Pizza, Cineplex, Amazon and other gift cards.
12. Shopper Army
- Our rating: 4/5
- Cash-out threshold: $5
Shopper Army is another Canadian cash back site similar to Rakuten.
After signing up, visit Shopper Army to start your online shopping trip and click on your favourite store. Cash back is tracked automatically and credited to your account.
You can redeem your earnings for Amazon e-gift cards or PayPal cash.
Free Gift Card Apps: Conclusion
These side hustle ideas can get you some extra cash using your smartphone or computer.
I like the idea of earning rewards while doing things I already do…like shopping online.
While there are many legit ways to make money on the internet, you should also be wary of the many scams out there.
Do your research, try out a few opportunities, and see whether they are worth your while.
Which of these apps or others are you using to score free gift cards? Let us know in the comments!
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