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How to turn a gift card into PayPal money

PayPal is where a lot of people keep their "fun money". So it makes sense to want your unused gift card there. There's no button for it inside PayPal, but there is a simple, safe way to do it. This guide walks you through it.

Updated October 19, 2026

Why you can't just add it to PayPal

PayPal doesn't turn store gift cards into PayPal balance. A gift card is credit at one shop; PayPal balance is money. To get from one to the other, someone has to buy the card from you and send the payment to your PayPal.

That someone is a gift card buyer: a website that pays you for the card and then resells the balance. The whole trick is picking a buyer you can trust and giving them the right details.

What a good buyer looks like

• Shows you the exact amount you'll get, in your currency, before asking for the code.
• Only needs the email address of your PayPal account to pay you. Never your PayPal password.
• Takes the code through its own website, not over WhatsApp, Telegram or a phone call.
• Tells you what happens next: who checks the card, and when you'll be paid.
• Has a way to reach a real person if something goes wrong.

Red flags: walk away if you see these

• A stranger in a group chat or comments offering to buy your card. The moment they get the code, they vanish.
• Any request to pay a "release fee" or "verification fee" before you get your money.
• Someone asking you to log in to PayPal through a link they send you.
• Prices that look too good. Nobody pays more than the card is worth.

Before you sell: a quick PayPal check

Open your PayPal app and confirm which email address your account uses. A typo there is the most common reason a payment goes astray. If you have more than one email on the account, use the main one.

Look at the currency too. If you're paid in a currency your account doesn't hold, PayPal may convert it and charge for that. Choosing your own currency when you sell avoids the surprise.

Finally, make sure your PayPal account is in good shape. New or limited accounts sometimes have to confirm details before they can receive money.

How it works at SpareCards

1. Which card do you have?Pick the brand and the country it was bought in.
2. How much is on it?Type the balance. You see straight away how much you'll receive.
3. How do you want your money?Choose PayPal and type the email of your PayPal account.
4. Share the codeYou enter it in a secure form on our site. Nobody will ever ask you for it by chat or phone.
5. A person checks it, then you get paidEvery card is checked by a real person. Once it's confirmed, the money is sent to your PayPal.

Questions people ask