Prepaid Gift Cards | PayPal US (2024)

Simply pay with prepaid gift cards with a Visa, American Express, MasterCard, or Discover logo just like any other debit or credit card during checkout.

Already have a PayPal account?

Add your prepaid gift cards to your PayPal wallet during checkout as you add a new debit or credit card, and choose a prepaid card that has enough balance to cover the total amount to pay. It’s that simple!

Don’t want to create a PayPal account just yet?

No problem! Just enter the card information as you normally do with a debit or credit card during checkout. For the billing address, you can enter your home or shipping address. As long as the prepaid gift card you selected has enough balance to cover the total amount, you are good to go! If you like this experience, you can sign up to become a PayPal member at any time.

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More about using prepaid gift cards through PayPal

Can I use prepaid gift cards to make a purchase using PayPal?

Yes. Anywhere in the U.S. where PayPal is accepted you can use prepaid gift cards that have a Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, or Discover® logo on it. Please note that this doesn’t apply to merchant-specific gift cards, which do not have a Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, or Discover® logo on them.

How do I use prepaid gift cards using PayPal?

Just like any other credit or debit cards. No difference at all!

For PayPal members, you can simply add prepaid gift cards to your wallet then start using them during checkout - just like any other credit or debit cards.

For users without PayPal account, you can just enter the card information during checkout in the same way you would do with credit or debit cards.

Can prepaid gift cards used for all services and products through PayPal?

Prepaid gift cards can be used to make payments for any product or service except for recurring payments or reference transactions.

This is because due to the nature of prepaid gift cards, they can become low in balance over time to cover the recurring amount. In order to protect our members from unintended service interruption, prepaid gift cards cannot be used for payments automatically pulled from PayPal accounts.

I‘m using a prepaid gift card, and I‘m getting a declined message.

If your payment is declined, it’s likely that you don’t have enough money on your prepaid gift card to cover the entire transaction amount. You may want to use another card or buy a less expensive item.

You may also get an error message if your prepaid card was not issued in the U.S. or if you are trying to buy from an international merchant.

If you get a declined message during checkout even if the prepaid gift card has enough balance to cover the full amount, then you may have to register your billing address with the card issuer. Look for a contact website or phone number on the back of the prepaid gift card to complete the registration process. Once registered, please try again.

I‘m trying to add a prepaid gift card to my PayPal account, but I‘m getting an error message.

In rare occasions, you may have to register your billing address with the card issuer. Look for a contact website or phone number on the back of your prepaid gift card to complete this registration process.

You may also get an error message if your prepaid card was not issued in the U.S. or if you are trying to buy from an international merchant.

Prepaid Gift Cards | PayPal US (2024)

FAQs

Do prepaid gift cards work on PayPal? ›

Yes. Anywhere in the U.S. where PayPal is accepted you can use prepaid gift cards that have a Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, or Discover® logo on it. Please note that this doesn't apply to merchant-specific gift cards, which do not have a Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, or Discover® logo on them.

Why is PayPal rejecting my prepaid card? ›

Your card is associated with a specific PayPal account, and you're not logging in with that particular account. Your card was associated with a PayPal account that has since been closed. You've linked the card to a PayPal account, but have not yet confirmed it. You've exceeded your card limit with the PayPal system.

Why do prepaid cards get declined? ›

There are a number of possible reasons why a purchase could be declined: You don't have enough money left on your card. You haven't activated or registered your card. The address you gave to make an online or phone purchase is different from the address you have on file with your prepaid card provider.

How do I redeem a PayPal prepaid gift card? ›

Go to your account and select the Wallet section. In the Wallet menu, you should click on Add Money, enter your gift card details, and specify the amount you want to redeem.

What cards does PayPal accept for instant transfer? ›

What debit or credit cards can I use with PayPal?
  • Visa.
  • Mastercard.
  • Discover.
  • American Express.

What cards does PayPal not accept? ›

Check cards or debit cards with either a Visa or Mastercard® logo are supported and treated just like a credit card. Card types that are currently incompatible with PayPal Merchant Services are: Procurement and private label credit cards (such as a department store credit card).

Why is my Vanilla gift card getting declined? ›

The main reason why your Vanilla gift card may be declined is that it is yet to be activated. Follow the processes discussed earlier to activate your gift card. Alternatively, locate the customer support line on your gift card and contact them to process it for you.

Why can't I link my gift card to PayPal? ›

Per PayPal's website, the payment does not support retailer-specific gift cards. While you can buy retail gift cards via PayPal, you cannot add them to your PayPal account for payment. PayPal only supports prepaid gift cards from Visa, American Express, MasterCard, and Discover.

Why is my prepaid gift card not working? ›

The most common reasons are that the card hasn't been activated, the cashier is running the wrong type of transaction, the dollar amount being charged is greater than the card's balance or the credit card processing machine is bumping up the charge amount to either place a hold on the card or to allow for a gratuity.

Why does my card keep getting declined even though I have money? ›

You've reached your daily purchase limit. Your debit card expired or is inactive. The bank finds the purchase suspicious. Your card is suspended.

What are the limitations of prepaid cards? ›

Limitations for Prepaid Cards
  • Credit Score & Security. While prepaid cards allow easy access to funds, they are not a form of credit and do not count towards or improve your credit score. ...
  • Lack of Access to Banking Services. Unlike credit or debit cards, prepaid cards do not give customers access to other banking services.
Mar 24, 2023

Does PayPal accept prepaid giftcards? ›

You can use pre-paid Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover gift cards with PayPal; here's how. Using PayPal makes it easy to buy things online once you've set it up, but what about those pre-paid gift cards you've got lying around? You can use them with PayPal, too; here's how to add a gift card to it.

How do I convert a gift card to cash on PayPal? ›

You can't add funds from a gift card to your PayPal account . You can, however, sell gift cards through a gift card exchange marketplace and receive the funds as a deposit to PayPal . Alternatively, you might sell gift cards to buyers directly and request that they pay you via PayPal .

How to activate a gift card with PayPal? ›

How do I register my PayPal Prepaid Mastercard® to my PayPal...
  1. Go to www.paypal.com/prepaid and click on Activate your Card Account here.
  2. Enter the 16-digit card number, CVC2 number, and PIN number when prompted.
  3. Click Continue.
  4. Provide the missing account information.
  5. Click Register Now to complete the process.

How do I transfer a prepaid gift card to PayPal? ›

Is it possible to transfer money from a prepaid card to PayPal? It is generally not possible to transfer money directly from a prepaid card to a PayPal Balance. However, individuals may be able to link their prepaid card to their PayPal account and use it to make payments, depending on the card issuer.

How do I add a prepaid PayPal card to my PayPal account? ›

How do I register my PayPal Prepaid Mastercard® to my PayPal...
  1. Go to www.paypal.com/prepaid and click on Activate your Card Account here.
  2. Enter the 16-digit card number, CVC2 number, and PIN number when prompted.
  3. Click Continue.
  4. Provide the missing account information.
  5. Click Register Now to complete the process.

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