My 12 Go-To Places for Prepaid Visa Gift Cards (2025)

I buy a lot of prepaid Visas, some for presents, some for budgeting “play money.” Below is my first-person ranking of the twelve sources I lean on most, scored from my own checkouts, recent Trustpilot data, and Reddit chatter.

Where I Actually Buy Prepaid Visa Gift Cards—and What You Should Know First

I buy a lot of prepaid Visas—some for gifts, some for budgeting fun-money. After dozens of checkouts, scanning Reddit threads, and comparing Trustpilot scores, these are the twelve places I rank from best to “tolerable.” For each one I list card type, issuer, fees, activation quirks, where the card works, and who to call if things go wrong.

1 · VanillaGift.com (Trustpilot ≈3.9/5)

• Card type: e-gift and plastic Vanilla Visa
• Issuer: The Bancorp Bank / Pathward
• Buy at: vanillagift.com
• Activation: e-gifts active immediately; plastic ships already active
• Expiration & fees: Visa schedule; $5.95 replacement if lost
• Customer service: 833-322-6760
• Community notes: Frequent zero-fee promo codes; some complaints about drained balances and dispute hassles—use balance quickly

2 · PerfectGift.com (Trustpilot ≈4.5/5)

• Card type: digital codes and mailed plastic ($10 – $1,000)
• Issuer: Pathward, N.A. via Blackhawk Network
• Buy at: perfectgift.com
• Activation: e-gifts are active instantly; plastic cards arrive inactive and must be activated with the link in the confirmation email
• Expiration & fees: “Valid-thru” about 7 yrs; funds never expire; $3.95 – $8.95 purchase fee; $3.95 inactivity fee after 12 months; $5.95 replacement
• Where usable: any U.S. merchant that accepts Visa debit (no ATM or cash-back)
• Customer service: 877-448-4438 | [email protected]
• Community notes: Fast email delivery; some Reddit posts mention occasional Steam declines and surprise inactivity fees

3 · Costco Warehouse / Costco.com (Trustpilot ≈1.8/5*)

• Card type: physical Vanilla Visa blister-packs, fixed and variable loads
• Issuer: The Bancorp Bank or Pathward
• Buy at: costco.com (members) or any Costco checkout lane
• Activation: cashier activates at the register—no extra steps
• Expiration & fees: $3.95 – $8.95 purchase fee; $3.95 inactivity after 12 months
• Where usable: anywhere Visa debit is accepted in the U.S.
• Customer service: 833-322-6760 (Vanilla Visa line)
• Community notes: r/Frugal cheers 3 – 10 % below-face gift-card promos; always inspect blister packs for tampering

4 · GiftCards.com (Trustpilot ≈2.5/5)

• Card type: digital codes and mailed plastic (custom photos available)
• Issuer: Pathward, N.A.
• Buy at: giftcards.com
• Activation: e-gifts activate at purchase; plastic cards sometimes sit in a 24-hour fraud-check queue
• Expiration & fees: Visa schedule; $3.95 – $8.95 purchase fee; $3.95 inactivity after 12 months
• Customer service: 877-944-3822
• Community notes: Good for custom art; delays frustrate last-minute buyers

5 · GiftCardGranny.com (Trustpilot ≈4.2/5)

• Card type: reseller of Pathward-issued Visas (digital & plastic)
• Issuer: Pathward, N.A.
• Buy at: giftcardgranny.com
• Activation: e-gifts instant; plastic ships active
• Expiration & fees: standard Visa table
• Customer service: 855-660-6847
• Community notes: Great coupon stacking; occasional slow-email complaints

6 · Amazon.com (Trustpilot ≈1.7/5)

• Card type: physical Vanilla Visas and digital “Any Visa” e-gifts
• Issuer: Pathward / The Bancorp Bank
• Buy at: amazon.com (sold by Amazon only)
• Activation: cards arrive active; e-codes auto-active
• Expiration & fees: standard Visa fees
• Customer service: 888-280-4331
• Community notes: Prime shipping is unbeatable; record unboxing to prove scratch-off is intact

7 · Sam’s Club (Trustpilot ≈1.6/5*)

• Card type: physical Vanilla Visa multipacks
• Issuer: The Bancorp Bank / Pathward
• Buy at: samsclub.com or in-club checkout
• Activation: cashier activates on the spot
• Expiration & fees: Visa schedule; watch for fee-free weekends
• Customer service: 833-322-6760 (Vanilla) • 888-746-7726 (Sam’s)
• Community notes: Locked-case cards are usually tamper-free

8 · Target (Trustpilot ≈1.6/5)

• Card type: “Target Visa Gift Card” (MyBalanceNow line) and e-gift
• Issuer: Pathward, N.A.
• Buy at: target.com or end-cap racks
• Activation: POS auto-activates; e-gifts instant
• Expiration & fees: $5 – $9 purchase fee; $3.95 inactivity after 12 months
• Customer service: 800-698-4952
• Community notes: 5 % RedCard rebate offsets activation fee; occasional shipping delays

9 · Walmart (Trustpilot ≈1.6/5)

• Card type: Vanilla Visa blister packs and variable-load plastic
• Issuer: Pathward / The Bancorp Bank
• Buy at: walmart.com or store racks
• Activation: POS auto-activates
• Expiration & fees: standard Visa fee table
• Customer service: 888-537-5503
• Community notes: Grab cards from the middle peg to avoid skimmed front-row packs

10 · Kroger & Kroger-Family Grocers

• Card type: Vanilla Visa rack cards
• Issuer: Pathward, N.A.
• Buy at: kroger.com/gift-cards or in-store kiosk
• Activation: cashier activates
• Expiration & fees: Visa schedule; 4× fuel points often offset the activation fee
• Customer service: 800-576-4377
• Community notes: Couponers love stacking fuel points and cash-back apps

11 · Staples / Office Depot

• Card type: $200 Vanilla Visas (kept behind glass)
• Issuer: Pathward or MetaBank
• Buy at: staples.com or officedepot.com
• Activation: cashier activates; ID sometimes required for bulk buys
• Expiration & fees: Visa schedule; look for periodic “no activation fee” sales
• Customer service: 888-431-1527
• Community notes: Popular in credit-card churning circles for hitting spend targets

12 · Local Bank or Credit-Union Branch

• Card type: Embossed “Bank Name Gift Card” ($25 – $500)
• Issuer: Your bank or credit union (e.g., U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, Navy Federal)
• Buy at: walk-in teller window
• Activation: teller activates; you sign the receipt
• Expiration & fees: $3-$5 purchase; $2.50-$3.95 inactivity after 12 months; FDIC-insured funds
• Customer service: number on the back of the card—handled in-branch
• Community notes: Fewer complaints because refunds go through standard banking channels

*Warehouse-club Trustpilot scores include complaints about everything the club sells, so the ratings look harsher than the actual in-store gift-card experience.