Check your gift card balance

Choose your gift card for the official balance-check page, what you need and step-by-step instructions — plus the rules on fees and expiry, Visa and Mastercard gift card tips, and the scams that drain gift cards.

Stay safe: only enter card numbers, PINs or security codes on the issuer's own website or app. We never ask for your card details, and we link only to official sites.

How to check any gift card balance

There are two kinds of gift card, and they are checked differently:

  • Store (closed-loop) cards — Amazon, Target, Starbucks and the like — can only be spent with that brand. Check the balance on the brand's own website or app, by phone, or at a till in store.
  • Network (open-loop) cards — Visa, Mastercard and American Express gift cards, including Vanilla-branded cards — can be spent almost anywhere the network is accepted. They are issued by a bank, and the balance is checked on the issuer website printed on the back of the card, not on Visa's or Mastercard's own site.

For either type you will usually need the card number and a PIN or access code, which is often hidden under a scratch-off strip. Your receipt also shows the starting value and, after each purchase, the remaining balance.

Using Visa, Mastercard and Amex gift cards

  • Register the card for online shopping. Many network gift cards need your name and ZIP code registered on the issuer's site before online merchants will accept them, because the checkout verifies the billing address.
  • Watch pre-authorisation holds. Gas pumps, restaurants and hotels often hold more than the final bill. If the hold exceeds the balance, the card is declined — pay inside or at the counter instead.
  • Split the payment. If the purchase costs more than the balance, ask the cashier to charge an exact amount to the gift card and the rest to another card.
  • Check for fees. Network gift cards usually charge a purchase fee, and some charge a monthly fee after 12 months of inactivity.

Do gift cards expire?

United States: under the federal CARD Act, gift card funds must remain valid for at least five years from the date the card was issued or last loaded, and inactivity (dormancy) fees can only be charged after 12 months without use, no more than once a month. Many states go further, and some require a cash refund for small remaining balances — California, for example, for balances under $15 (the threshold rose from $10 in April 2026).

Canada: most provinces prohibit expiry dates on gift cards and restrict fees, with exceptions for cards for a specific good or service and for promotional cards given away free. Check the card terms and your province's consumer-protection rules.

Gift card scams and card draining

Gift cards are the payment method scammers prefer because the money is hard to trace. The two patterns to know:

  • Payment scams. Anyone who insists you pay with gift cards — a caller claiming to be the tax authority, a utility, tech support, a relative in trouble, or a "prize" office — is running a scam. No legitimate government agency or business asks for payment in gift cards.
  • Card draining. Criminals copy card numbers from cards on store racks, sometimes by swapping barcodes, then spend the balance as soon as the card is activated. Buy cards from behind the counter where possible, check the packaging is intact, keep the receipt, and use the card soon.

Never enter a card number and PIN on a third-party "balance checker" website. If a card is drained or you were tricked into sharing its numbers, contact the brand or issuer immediately with the receipt, and report the scam to the FTC (US) or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Gift card problems and scams

Frequently asked questions

How do I check my gift card balance?

Use the balance-check page on the brand's official website or app, call the number on the back of the card, or ask at the till. For Visa, Mastercard and Amex gift cards, use the issuer website printed on the back of the card. You will usually need the card number and PIN.

How do I check a Visa gift card balance?

Go to the website printed on the back of the card — it belongs to the issuing bank, not Visa — and enter the card number, expiry date and security code. You can also call the number on the back of the card.

Why is my Visa gift card being declined?

The usual reasons are that the card was not activated at purchase, the purchase (or a pre-authorisation hold) exceeds the balance, or an online merchant cannot verify the billing ZIP code because the card is not registered. Register it on the issuer site and split larger purchases.

Can I use a Visa or Mastercard gift card online?

Yes, in most cases, but you may need to register your name and ZIP code on the issuer's website first so the merchant can verify the billing address.

Do gift cards expire?

In the US, gift card funds must stay valid for at least five years under the federal CARD Act, and many brands never expire. Most Canadian provinces prohibit expiry dates on gift cards, with some exceptions.

Can I get cash back from a gift card?

Some US states require stores to give cash for small leftover balances — California for balances under $15 (up from $10 since April 2026), for example — and some Canadian provinces have similar rules. Otherwise, gift cards are generally not redeemable for cash.

What should I do if my gift card was drained?

Contact the brand or card issuer straight away with the card and receipt, and report it. Card-draining fraud is common; prompt reporting gives the best chance of a refund.

Is it safe to use a gift card balance checker website?

No. Enter gift card numbers and PINs only on the brand's or issuer's own website or app. Third-party checkers can steal the numbers and spend the balance.