How to Add a Gift Card to PayPal in 4 Steps (with Photos)

Running out of cash in the middle of an urgent shopping spree is no less than a nightmare. In this situation, you can’t afford to go back and bring cash from your home. As a result, you end up removing your favorite items at the checkout.

Fortunately, many online payment companies like PayPal offer gift cards to prevent these mishaps. Yes, gift cards have existed for many years, but buying them isn’t enough. Instead, you must know how to add a gift card to PayPal to use it instantly at various stores.

Gift cards are excellent because you can buy and use them as your financial backup and can also gift them to your friends and family. If you’re a loyal PayPal user, you can add a gift card to your account to never run out of balance.

Read this easy guide to learn how to add a gift card to PayPal!

4 Steps to Add a Gift Card to PayPal

PayPal is an international online payment platform catering to people from 200+ countries with a variety of features. Online shopping, invoicing, and money transfers are just a few examples.

You can only use these services after signing up on the platform with your authentic documents. With a PayPal account, you can easily add the gift card your friend gave you and use its balance for your next purchase.

Ready to buy that new fun item with your gift card? Here is how to add a gift card to PayPal.

Step 1: Sign Up on PayPal

Visit PayPal’s official website here on the web browser and click on Sign Up to make an account. But before that, ensure you have your verified bank account or credit card information easily accessible as it’s needed to sign up on PayPal.

Step 2: Navigate Your Account Wallet

After logging in, open the Wallet tab from the top menu.

Step 3: Select Link a Card

The Wallet screen will show you your PayPal balance and two options on the left-hand side. One will be Link a bank and the other will be Link a card.

Choose Link a card to add a gift card to PayPal. If the prompt appears, select Link a card manually to enter the card’s information yourself.

Step 4: Provide Correct Gift Card Information

Enter your gift card’s information in the correct fields on the next screen. They include the card number, type, expiration date, security code, and billing address. Type all the information correctly and click Link Card to complete the process.

PayPal will take some time to verify your gift card and link it to your account soon. That’s all you need to do to add a gift card to PayPal!

How to Redeem a Gift Card on PayPal

Now that you know how to add a gift card on PayPal, it’s time to learn how to redeem it for your online purchases. With a gift card, your PayPal balance always remains sufficient for impulse shopping. But you must know how to use the card securely, considering thousands of scams are happening online. 

Technically, the gift card amount adds to your PayPal on its own. But remember, some gift cards require you to activate them in order to be eligible for redemption. If so, you will receive an official email from the merchant or PayPal about the card activation. 

You will have a time limit of 30 days for activating a gift card from the date it’s delivered to you. The card will be returned to the sender if you fail to activate it. Once you’ve activated the gift card, it will automatically apply to your next purchase initiated from your PayPal account. You won’t see the gift card’s balance mentioned separately during the checkout, but PayPal will send you the statement to your email. 

How to Check a Gift Card Balance

Not all gift cards have the same balance. Some might add thousands of money to your PayPal account, while others would just add a few bucks. So, if you haven’t bought your gift card, how can you know how much balance it has?

Here is how you can check a gift card’s worth from your PayPal account.

1. Open PayPal’s official website and log in to your account. You can also launch the PayPal app.
2. Now, choose the Wallet option from the top menu. It’s the same tab from where you add a gift card to PayPal.
3. The Wallet tab will give you detailed information about your PayPal account, including your PayPal’s current balance, linked bank accounts, and added credit, debit, or gift cards. 
4. Look for the Gift Cards & Coupons option in the Wallet tab located under More. It will display all the details about every gift card added to your account. 

You can now quickly check your gift card’s validity period and balance. It will be helpful for you if you plan to add the card to another payment app for online shopping or use it for offline purchases. Anyway, returning to PayPal, you can now make informed shopping choices with your PayPal account after knowing the balance of the gift card. 

How to Purchase a Gift Card on PayPal

PayPal has a Digital Gift Card Store that lets users buy gift cards from different merchants, including restaurants, grocery stores, clothing brands, delivery services, and more. The payment for purchasing gift cards is deducted from the user’s PayPal account. 

Depending on the card’s features, you can use your gift card at the respective merchant’s offline or online stores. Besides that, PayPal’s e-cards also make excellent gifts for friends, family, and colleagues.

So, if you want to add a gift card to PayPal, here is how you can buy it first.

1. First, visit the PayPal Digital Gift Card Store for available gift card options. The list is endless, so expect to spend significant time scrolling the store.
2. If you have a specific merchant in mind, type its name in the search bar to save you time. You can also open a particular category to find the gift card you want to buy quickly.
3. Once you find what you were looking for, click on it, read its Terms & Conditions, and choose the balance you want to load onto it.
4. You will also have to choose whether the gift card is a gift or you’re buying it for yourself. If you’re purchasing it as a gift, you will have to enter the recipient’s name, email address, and a short note that will be displayed with the card.
5. Once done, log in to your PayPal account to pay for the card and complete your purchase. 

Can You Exchange PayPal Gift Cards for Cash?

What if you have received a ton of gift cards that you don’t want to use? Of course, you can’t add a gift card to PayPal one by one and wait for it to end to use the other. That would be ridiculous, and most cards may expire during this period.

So, what option do you have other than gifting the cards to someone? Turn them into cash!

CardCash allows users to exchange their first cards for cash credited to their PayPal balance. Wondering how? Here is the entire process explained in detail:

1. First, visit CardCash’s official page here. Meanwhile, keep your gift card in your hand.
2. On the next screen, enter the required information correctly from your gift card, including its merchant’s name and the balance. 
3. Next, select Get Offer. If it’s your lucky day and you have an available offer, the screen will display the PayPal balance you’ll receive in exchange for the gift card. 
4. You can also add another gift card to see its exchange amount. Enter the card’s information in the proper fields and click Add Card.
5. If the exchange offer sounds promising, click the Continue button to proceed.
6. Now, enter your correct card number and PIN. Review it thoroughly before hitting the Connect with PayPal option.
7. The following window will ask you to log in to your account with your PayPal credentials.
8. Finally, fill in the missing fields and click Get my PayPal balance to complete the process.

You will soon receive the amount in your PayPal account.

Why Can’t I Pay Using a Gift Card on PayPal?

The primary reason for a failed PayPal payment is insufficient money in your gift card. So, your first fix should be to try another card for the transaction. The second reason for a declined payment is when you’re buying a product from an overseas business. You can’t do that with a gift card on PayPal. 

If you’re sure your gift card has enough balance, you must contact your card issuer to register your current billing address. Check the gift card thoroughly for the provider’s phone number or website, connect with a representative, and resolve your issue. Try adding and paying from your gift card again; it will indeed work through. 

Wrap Up

It’s time to add your gift cards to your PayPal account to top up your balance. You will always have a financial backup at times of urgent shopping, preventing you from the hassle of having cash in hand. If you haven’t received a gift card from your favorite merchant, you can also buy them from PayPal’s digital card store.

To add a gift card to PayPal, log in to your account, open the Wallet tab, and select Add a Card. Then, enter your gift card’s correct information and wait for PayPal to verify it. The funds will instantly add to your PayPal account, so shop around your favorite stores without worries!

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Camilo Concha/Shutterstock.com.