System updates

We’re experiencing issues that may affect your Square services. We’ll continue to update our status page with more information.

Home>Using Square Gift Cards

Gift Cards FAQ

Seller Community: Ask questions, get answers, and see how other sellers are using Square Gift Cards.

Find answers to commonly asked questions about Square Gift Cards—either digital or physical. You can also watch a video tutorial below for additional information.

Get Started

Can I sell digital gift cards?

Yes, you can offer free digital eGift Cards both online and in-person via your Square Point of Sale app.

Can I buy a starter pack of physical gift cards for my business?

Yes! You can order 20 pre-printed physical gift cards from Square Shop. Each starter packs contain 20 cards with four unique designs packaged in a card holder that can be used to display your gift cards on your counter. A blank space is provided on the back of each card to allow you to write relevant information including your business name and the card value.

You can choose between three designs; floral, brushstroke, or kaleidoscope. Custom designs are not yet available with starter packs.

These Starter Pack gift cards come with free standard shipping within 2-7 business days or paid expedited shipping within 1-4 business days.

Note: You cannot customise the gift card Starter Pack with your business name, logo, or other personalisation. For customisation, choose Quick or Custom cards.

Can I sell and load plastic gift cards on my Square Online site?

Not at this time. You can sell eGift Cards through Square Online.

Can customers use my gift cards to pay for online orders?

Yes, you can accept gift cards for orders placed through your Square Online site or with select Square integration partners. Your customers will have the option to enter the gift card number during checkout.

Note: If you are using a third-party eCommerce integration partner and you’re selling physical Square gift cards, please check with the integration partner before ordering to ensure they are redeemable. Although Square is the payment processor, the partner may not always support external gift card redemption from Square.

Note: Gift cards can be used with electronic and shipped orders only. They can’t be redeemed for pickup orders at the moment.

Can my customers use their gift cards to pay Square Invoices?

Yes, your customers can use a gift card from your business to fully or partially pay their invoice. If the balance on their gift card does not fully cover the amount owed on the invoice, then your customer can split the payment between their gift card and a payment card.

Can customers use Square Invoices to make gift card purchases?

No, gift cards are not an item available to be applied to an invoice.

Can I issue promotional gift cards?

No, there isn’t a promotional feature for issuing gift cards, but you can apply a discount to a gift card sale.

Can I sell a discounted gift card?

Yes – when a customer purchases a gift card, you can apply a discount to the sale. For example, if your customer purchases a $20 gift card and you’d like to discount the total sale by $5, apply a $5 discount. Your customer will receive a $20 gift card and will have paid $15.

Do gift cards expire?

No, physical or digital gift cards from Square don’t expire.

Are customer rewards available with gift cards?

If you’re using a Loyalty program with Square, customers can earn stars when they pay with your gift cards. To earn stars for eligible transactions, customers need to use the same phone number entered when enrolling to your loyalty program.

Can I view more information about my gift card sales?

Yes. From the Square Point of Sale app, Square Register, or Square Terminal or from the Gift Cards Overview page or the Reports section of your Square Dashboard, you can access an overview of purchased gift cards, activations, and redemptions.

Learn more about summaries and reports.

Gift Cards Pricing

How much do gift cards from Square cost?

Gift card prices vary based on the amount purchased. Note: There are no monthly subscription or activation fees to use gift cards with Square. Learn more about gift card pricing.

What are the Square processing fees when my customer buys a gift card?

Square’s normal processing fees apply for gift cards purchased with credit or debit cards, and a 2.5% per gift card load fee. Learn more about gift card pricing.

Are Square fees applied to a sale when my customer pays with a gift card?

No. Much like a cash or other tender payment, no additional fees will be applied to transactions completed with a gift card issued from Square – only the payment total will be deducted from the gift card balance.

When am I paid for gift card sales?

You’ll receive the funds from the sale of a gift card when it is loaded and sold, according to your transfer schedule. You won’t receive a transfer for purchases made with a gift card, as it’s deducting prepaid credit that was paid when the gift card was purchased.

Gift Cards Order

How do I order gift cards?

If you’re interested in selling physical Square Gift Cards, you can purchase a 20 card starter pack via Square Shop.

Alternatively, if you’re purchasing Quick or Custom Cards (75 card minimum), follow the step-by-step instructions on ordering gift cards here.

How do I check the status of my gift card order?

Contact eCard Systems via email with any questions about your order, or give them a call directly at 1-866-776-7409.

Can my gift cards be used at all of my business locations with Square?

Yes. If you use multiple locations with Square, your gift cards can be issued and redeemed at any location.

Can my customers purchase multiple eGift Cards at once?

Yes, your customers can purchase eGift Cards in bulk online – you just have to turn on this feature. To do so:

  1. Go to Payments > Gift Cards in your online Square Dashboard.
  2. Click eGift Cards > Configure.
  3. Toggle on Allow Bulk eGift Card Ordering, then enter the maximum number of eGift cards customers can purchase per order.

From your online custom eGift card order page, your customers can order up to the maximum amount of eGift cards you allow. When ordering, they can choose an eGift Card design, the number of recipients, the quantity per recipient and the delivery date. They can add a personal message when they enter the recipient’s information, then proceed to checkout.

Gift Cards Balance

How do I check the balance of a gift card?

There are four ways to check the balance of a gift card.

  1. Check the balance via Square Point of Sale.
  2. Add a link to your website so your customers can check their gift card balance or reload their gift card online. Get the link from your online Square Dashboard.
  3. Customers can scan the QR code printed on the back of their gift card to view their current balance.
  4. Customers can check gift card balances and manage all of their gift cards from their Square profile.

Can my gift cards be recycled or reused?

Because your gift cards can’t be registered by customers, they can be reused once the balance reaches zero. You can add additional money or manually clear a gift card balance anytime.

Is a gift card’s balance cleared if refunded?

Yes. When refunding a payment for a gift card, the gift card balance will automatically be cleared. You can also locate the gift card’s transaction history from your online Square Dashboard to clear its balance.

Clearing the balance will deactivate and void the gift card. You’re then able to re-use the card for a future customer, or recycle it if you’d no longer like to keep it.

Can't find what you need?