Looking for gift cards at Costco? You will find a solid rack in store, but here is the part most shoppers miss: the cards on the Costco rack sell at face value, while the same brands are often available online below face value. For a birthday gift, that difference is money you keep. Below is what Costco stocks, and how to buy the discounted version online. With live cards pulled in so you are looking at real prices, not a stale list.
What Gift Cards Can You Buy at Costco?
Costco is known for selling multi-packs of restaurant, entertainment, and experience gift cards below face value to members. A physical version of the discounted-card idea, though the online catalog reaches far more brands. You will usually find the rack at the gift-card table near the front of the warehouse and on Costco.com. It is a convenient last-minute option for a birthday, but every card there is priced at exactly its face value. A $50 card costs $50.
Buying Gift Cards Online vs. the Costco Rack
The Costco rack is built for convenience, not savings. Buying the same brands online changes the math: discounted gift cards sell for less than face value, so a card worth $50 might cost you $45 or so. That discount is a straight saving on a birthday gift you were buying anyway, and it stacks with any coupon or reward the recipient later uses. The trade-off is a short wait for a digital or mailed card instead of grabbing it off the rack. Worth it whenever you are not shopping at the last minute.
Gift Cards Worth Buying at a Discount for a Birthday
Many of the same brands on the Costco rack are available below face value online. Start with the brand the birthday person actually shops, buy the card at a discount, and put the difference toward a card or a small extra. The live cards shown on this page update regularly, so the current discounted options are always the ones listed below.
Tips for Buying Gift Cards for a Birthday
- Buy the discounted online version of a card a few days ahead instead of paying face value at the Costco rack.
- Pick a brand the birthday person already loves. A flexible card they will actually use beats a guess.
- Stack the card discount with any birthday reward or coupon the recipient can add at checkout.
- Members of Birthday Hunter also earn B-Day Bucks, redeemable for real cash, on discounted gift-card purchases.
