How to Get Free Target Gift Cards: 6 Legit Ways That Work in 2025

Think those “free Target gift card” offers are all scams?

They’re not. You really can get Target gift cards — just not from the sketchy $500 sweepstakes you see on Facebook (or those “code generators” on Google that gift you malware instead). We did, however, find six legit methods that actually work — from receipt-scanning apps to cashback deals that stack with Target’s own promos.

The fastest? Fetch. One grocery receipt got me a $10 Target card. It’s not always instant money, but with a little consistency and the right strategy, the rewards add up.

Here’s how to get your next free Target gift card, starting today.

How We Earned Free Target Gift Cards: 6 Ways That Worked

We tried just about everything: from apps that scan your grocery receipts to surprise bonuses hidden in Target’s weekly deals. Here’s what worked.

• Scan Your Receipts to Earn Gift Card Points
• Use Rewards Apps to Trade Time for Target Gift Cards
• Shop Target Deals That Include Free Gift Cards
• Stack Sign-Up Bonuses and Referrals for Faster Rewards
• Use Browser Extensions to Earn Gift Cards on Autopilot
• Trade In Old Tech for a Target Gift Card

  1. Scan Your Receipts to Earn Gift Card Points  

You probably toss your receipts without a second thought, but some apps will actually pay you for them. Receipt-scanning apps reward you with points every time you snap a photo of your grocery, gas, or retail receipts. You can then redeem points for Target gift cards.

There’s no need to clip coupons or change your shopping habits. Just save your receipts (including from Target runs), scan them with the right app, and turn your everyday purchases into rewards.

We tested a bunch of these apps — and two stood out.

Fetch Rewards

If you only try one app, make it this one. Fetch is dead simple: scan your receipt, earn points, get a gift card.

Doesn’t matter where you shopped or what you bought — any receipt works.

And yes, that includes Target.

Jen Smith, one of our contributing writers, has used Fetch for years.

“I scan everything,” she told us — and routinely earn 10% to 20% back on things like groceries, baby formula, and household supplies. Stuff she was buying anyway.

I’ve had similar results.

Between regular Target runs and all the diapers we buy for our three kids, I currently have 28,000 points, enough for a $25 Target gift card, just by scanning receipts we’d have otherwise tossed.

No offer clipping, no barcode scanning. Just upload your receipts.

Fetch can even scan your email for online orders, so Target.com purchases count too.

How it works:

• Download the free Fetch app.
• Sign up and use a referral code CBH7XJ for 2,000 bonus points.
• Snap a photo of your receipt — gas, groceries, whatever. 
• Hit 5,000 points (about $5), and cash out for a Target gift card. 

Most receipts earn 25 points by default, but you’ll rack up more if you bought name-brand products or shop at certain stores. Either way, the bar is low. Scan. Earn. Repeat.

Pogo

If Fetch is a quick win, Pogo is my slow-burn background earner.

I linked the passive income app to my debit card way back in the day, and that was it — it just hums along in the background, watching where I shop and quietly building up rewards. Pogo doesn’t just flag savings or coupon offers; it also pays you for sharing your anonymized purchase data (never tied to your name or account). Brands get insights, and you get a cut.

That’s what makes it different. You don’t need to open the app daily or scan every receipt — though you can upload them for bonus points. It logs your spending patterns, surfaces deals, and earns as you go about your normal routine.

Points can be redeemed for free PayPal cash or gift cards, including Target. It’s not the fastest earner on its own, but when paired with apps like Fetch or Swagbucks, it adds up quietly in the background. If you’re looking for a “set it and forget it” way to earn your next Target run, Pogo fits the bill.

Related: Make Money Selling Your Data with These 13 Legit Apps

  2. Use Rewards Apps to Trade Time for Target Gift Cards  

Several micro job sites will award you Target gift cards just for answering surveys, watching short videos, testing apps, or playing mobile games. Some pay in points, others in real dollars, but the concept’s the same: trade a few minutes of spare time for gift card codes.

These aren’t get-rich-quick apps (and we’ve tested plenty that weren’t worth it), but the right ones can reliably earn you up to $25 a month.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks has been around forever, and there’s a reason it’s still one of the most popular rewards platforms online. You earn “SB” points for completing small tasks like surveys, trying offers, playing real money-earning games, or using their shopping portal. Once you rack up enough points, you can cash out for Target gift cards ranging from $5 to $100.

Megan Robinson, our Managing Editor, spent several weeks testing the platform.

She cashed out her first $15 Target gift card after a mix of surveys and signing up for a free trial offer.

“The best way to use Swagbucks is to work it into whatever you’re already doing. If I’m watching Netflix, I’ll answer surveys on my phone. If I’m shopping online, I’ll activate the SwagButton. There’s almost always something I can do to earn a few points.”

Megan Robinson, CMC®, Managing Editor, DollarSprout

Swagbucks also runs regular “sales” on gift cards, so you can sometimes score a $25 Target gift card for significantly fewer points than usual. And unlike a lot of other platforms, it’s one of the few Target gift card apps where you’re not limited to surveys or a single earning task (you can even earn points by using their search engine). 

InboxDollars

This one’s for the people who like their rewards in straight-up dollars. No points to convert, no mental math — InboxDollars pays straight cash for simple tasks like reading emails, watching videos, answering a few questions, or playing games.

It’s not flashy, but it works. Megan told us she earned her first gift card just by knocking out surveys while waiting for her oil change, and occasionally tapping through the scratch-and-win games for fun.

“You won’t make hundreds of dollars a month,” she said, “but for the occasional $15 gift card, it’s not a bad way to spend your time.”

You’ll start with a $5 bonus just for signing up, and most users hit the $15 cash-out threshold within a few days. Gift cards are easy to redeem, and Target is always on the menu.

InboxDollars also throws in random bonus offers via email — little things like “click this ad” or “complete one more survey” to earn an extra dollar or two. The earning pace isn’t the fastest, but it’s mind-numbingly easy. And that’s the point.

Freecash / Prime Opinion / Branded Surveys

Try these platforms if you want to focus on earning gift cards solely through paid online surveys. They’re not as flashy as apps like InboxDollars or Swagbucks, but they can be super efficient if you purely want to answer survey questions and quickly redeem points for Target gift cards.

Megan Robinson also reviewed Branded Surveys for us and earned her first $7.41 after plunking through questions for roughly two hours. She says the earning rate was either on par or a little better than other paid survey sites she’s tried.

“You’re not going to make a lot of money quickly, but you can reasonably earn $10 to $25 or more a month if you complete a few surveys each day and keep a good quality score,” she explained.

  3. Shop Target Deals That Include Free Gift Cards  

One of the most overlooked ways to score a free Target gift card? Just shop at Target.

They regularly run promotions where you’ll get a gift card for buying certain items. Just buy the qualifying product(s), and the gift card is added at checkout — either handed to you in-store or emailed after an online order.

These promos show up in a few places:

• The Target Promotions Page (your best bet for current gift card offers)
• The Target Weekly Ad — a scrollable flyer of what’s active this week
• The Target app, under the Wallet → Deals section
• On shelves, you’ll see red tags that say something like “Get $5 GiftCard with purchase”

You don’t always have to spend a ton to qualify. During our research, we spotted examples like:

• Get a $15 Target gift card when you spend $50 on select household essentials
• Buy two packs of pet food, get $5 back
• Spend $100 on baby gear and receive a $20 Target gift card

Speaking from personal experience, I see gift card promotions all throughout my local store.

My favorite? “Spend $100, Get $30” on diapers and wipes.

Same thing online. Just looking at my wife’s app, you can see our current offer: $25 off when you spend $120 on baby diapers and wipes.

There’s another for $10 off $40 in pet care spending.

These work great for order pickup, which we use a lot.

They used to hand you a physical gift card at checkout, but now the value gets automatically added to your RedCard or Target account.

Just be sure to read the fine print.

These promos often require a minimum quantity (like “Buy 2”) and not every size or scent qualifies.

If you return part of the purchase, the gift card value might get deducted from your refund.

  4. Stack Sign-Up Bonuses and Referrals for Faster Rewards  

If you’re trying to get real gift cards (not just a pile of half-earned points), don’t download five apps and tap around aimlessly. Pick one, pair it with a Target trip, and work the system to its full potential.

Say you’re about to do a very modest $60 grocery run. Start with Fetch. Use code CBH7XJ for a 2,000 point bonus, scan your receipt for another ~1,200, and refer your spouse, roommate, or friend before they scan theirs. Boom — that’s over 5,000 points, just enough to cash out for a $5 Target gift card before your next trip.

Here’s what that looked like for me on a recent visit:

Next trip, move on to Swagbucks. Their $10 bonus kicks in when you shop through their portal and spend $25 (easy if you’re restocking snacks, school supplies, or household goods). Same strategy: complete the unlock task, refer a family member, and cash in.

We’ve found that this one-at-a-time strategy works way better than trying everything at once. You get quicker results, fewer abandoned apps, and more actual gift cards.

By anchoring each app to a real purchase, you stay focused. And when you get that first payout? Way more motivating than slowly grinding 87 apps at once.

  5. Use Browser Extensions to Earn Target Gift Cards on Autopilot  

If you’re shopping online without one of these tools installed, you’re basically leaving free money on the table.

Rakuten and RebatesMe are browser extensions that do two things:

1. Apply coupon codes at checkout
2. Pay you cash back when you shop through partner stores

You can redeem those earnings to get free Target gift cards online, even if Target wasn’t where you shopped.

And it’s completely passive. Install the extension once, and it works in the background. No tracking, no offer clipping, nothing. Just shop like normal, and the tool handles the rest.

Case in point: I recently grabbed $80 worth of kids’ clothes online and earned $8 back through Rakuten (I’ve accrued over $1,000 there over the past 9 years or so). That was enough to cover a Target gift card before I’d even made my second trip.

RebatesMe works the same way, often with slightly higher cash-back rates. And when it’s time to cash out, you can choose Target as your reward (sometimes with a small bonus).

If you’re already spending the money, why leave literal free money behind? Installing one of these tools takes 60 seconds, and they’ll keep earning for you as long as you shop.

  6. Trade In Old Tech for a Target Gift Card  

If you’ve got old electronics sitting around — phones, tablets, consoles — Target will actually give you a gift card in exchange. We’ve used the trade-in program ourselves and like it for one reason: it’s simple. You won’t get the highest payout, but it’s quick, and the gift card shows up in your inbox within a week.

How it works:

• Go to Target’s Electronics Trade-In Program
• Search for your device and answer a few quick questions
• Accept the offer and get a prepaid shipping label
• Send it in for free
• Get a Target eGiftCard once it’s received and inspected (usually within 7 days)

You can trade in:

• Phones (including iPhones, Samsungs, and Pixels)
• Tablets, iPads, eReaders
• Game consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch)
• Smartwatches and smart speakers
• Earbuds and streaming devices

We sent in an old iPad and got $42 (not bad for very little hassle). That said, if you’re trying to get top dollar, you’ll probably do better selling directly through eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or trading it in with your phone carrier for credit toward a new device.

How to Avoid Free Target Gift Card Scams

We’ve all seen the promises: “Free $500 Target gift card!” flashing in a sketchy pop-up or buried in a suspicious social post. Most of the time, if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Over the years, we’ve tested dozens of legit platforms, and none of them handed out massive gift cards just for clicking a button. Here’s what to watch for:

• “Gift card generators” — There’s no such thing. Any site claiming to spit out unlimited Target codes is either a scam, a phishing trap, or malware.
• Fake sweepstakes or pop-ups — If you suddenly “win” a $500 card out of nowhere and they ask for personal info (or worse, your credit card), it’s a red flag.
• Social media DMs and comments — Ignore the “DM me for gift cards” crowd. Some even ask for a small payment or a screenshot as “proof”; don’t fall for it.
• Low-quality “survey” sites — If a survey claims you’ll earn a giant gift card in five seconds and there’s no privacy policy or contact info, skip it.

Legit gift cards take some effort — scanning a receipt, completing a task, or stacking points. You should never have to pay, link a bank account unnecessarily, or give up your SSN just to receive one.

Tips to Maximize Target Gift Card Earnings

Signing up is the easy part. Turning these platforms into gift cards you’ll use? That takes a little rhythm. Here’s what worked for us (and what keeps the rewards coming).

1. Scan every receipt — even the tiny ones.
Tossing receipts is like throwing away points. “I scan everything,” said Jen, reiterating that she routinely earns 10% to 20% back on things like groceries and baby formula with Fetch. Gas station, pharmacy, takeout — if there’s a receipt, scan it.

2. Focus on one app per trip.
Trying to unlock five bonuses at once usually backfires. Instead, pick one app — say, Fetch’s referral bonus or Swagbucks’ $10 Shop reward — and hit the goal before moving on. Fewer abandoned apps, faster gift cards.

3. Install extensions before you forget.
Rakuten works best when it’s already installed. It “just runs in the background,” surfacing cash-back offers automatically. Set it once, then let it do its thing.

4. Don’t waste your referrals.
Swagbucks pays you 10% of your referral’s lifetime earnings — a solid bonus if they actually stick with it. Megan told us she only refers people who will actually use the app. Quality beats quantity every time.

5. Time your gift card redemptions.
Hold off until you hit $25 or $50 and pair it with a Target promo like “Spend $100, get $30.” That deal shows up frequently — especially on baby gear and household essentials — and stacking it with RedCard savings or Circle offers can stretch your rewards even further.

6. Use surveys to bridge the gap.
“You won’t get rich,” Megan noted in her Branded Surveys test, “but it’s a low-effort way to earn a few bucks.” A couple of quick surveys while waiting in line can nudge you past a cash-out threshold.

7. Turn PayPal cash into Target cards.
Apps like Ibotta, Rakuten, and InboxDollars let you cash out to PayPal. From there, it’s easy to grab a Target eGiftCard or just use your balance directly at checkout.

Related: 12 Apps Like Ibotta to Earn Cash Back on Groceries

Final Thoughts on Getting Free Target Gift Cards

There’s one more way to think about gift cards that most people overlook: use them as a way to beat inflation. Whether it’s groceries, pet food, school supplies — the stuff you have to buy — a $10 Target card doesn’t feel like a reward. It feels like relief. And that shift in mindset matters more than the number on the gift card.

Here’s one tip we don’t see often: watch for high-value brand offers inside receipt apps like Fetch before you shop. If you’re choosing between two similar products — say, laundry detergents — go with the one that’s offering 3,000 bonus points. That single decision can unlock a $3 jump toward your next gift card without changing your total at checkout.

Stacking rewards isn’t just about effort — it’s about awareness. And once you start spotting those micro-opportunities, the savings stop feeling random… and start feeling like control.

Related: 

• How I Get Free Gift Cards: 15 Real Methods That Work
• 33 Legit Ways to Get Free Money with Little to No Effort
• 5 Legit Ways to Get Free Gas Cards

FAQ: How to Get Free Target Gift Cards

Still have questions? Here are some of the most common things people ask when trying to earn free Target gift cards.