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Guide

Do gift card purchases earn credit card category bonuses?

Gift cards earn the rate for the store where you buy them. A gift card bought at a supermarket usually earns the grocery rate, whatever brand it is for.

The selling store's code applies

The merchant code comes from the store that processes the sale. A supermarket selling a restaurant gift card codes as a supermarket.

Gift cards bought online from a gift card site code as that site.

When you later spend the gift card, you earn nothing more, because no credit card is used.

When it helps

Buying gift cards for stores you already use, at a store that earns a bonus, can move spend into a better category.

It can also help use a rotating quarter's bonus before the quarter ends.

It only helps for spending you would make anyway.

The limits

Some issuers exclude gift card purchases from bonuses in their terms, or reverse rewards they consider abuse.

Many stores limit the number or value of gift cards per purchase, and some require debit.

Unused gift card balances are lost value. Do not buy more than you will spend.

Common follow-ups

Do Visa gift cards earn rewards?
Buying one earns the selling store's rate, but activation fees often cancel the reward, and some issuers treat them as cash-like.
Does using a gift card earn rewards?
No. Rewards come from the credit card purchase of the gift card, not from spending it.
Can buying gift cards get my account closed?
Large or repeated purchases meant only to earn rewards can lead some issuers to reverse rewards or close accounts.

Figures come from issuer terms published at the time of writing and are estimates, not guarantees. Your own card agreement governs what you earn. Updated October 2026.

Read next

Know the card before you reach the register

CardSwipe is on the App Store Thursday, November 5. Until then the beta is open on TestFlight: install it, add the cards you carry, and check the answer at the next counter you stand at.

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No bank login. No card numbers. Ever.

iOS 18 and watchOS 11, US cards. On the App Store Thursday, November 5, 1:00 AM Pacific. Built by Shaurya Dattani and Aarav Patel.

CardSwipe support will never ask for account numbers, passwords, card numbers, or any other credential, for any reason. Reward rates are estimates based on published issuer terms, not guarantees. CardSwipe is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any card issuer named on this site, and carries no paid placement: rankings are computed from published issuer terms alone.