Yes, you can buy gift cards with a Walmart credit card, but the rules depend on which card you have and what kind of gift card you're buying
The Walmart Credit Card and the Walmart Mastercard both let you purchase gift cards at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. However, some gift cards earn rewards and some don't — and a few categories of gift cards you might expect to buy are actually blocked. The difference matters because you could be spending money on a card that offers no cash back or discount on that particular purchase.
The short answer: physical gift cards sold at Walmart checkout and digital gift cards on Walmart.com work fine. Third-party gift cards (like Amazon, Target, or restaurant cards) also work. But there are limits on what you can do with the purchase after you make it, and the rewards you earn depend on the card type and the gift card brand.
Key Takeaways
- Both the Walmart Credit Card and Walmart Mastercard let you buy Walmart gift cards and third-party gift cards, but rewards vary by card type and gift card brand.
- Walmart-branded gift cards typically earn cash back or rewards on the Walmart Mastercard, while the Walmart Credit Card earns rewards only when you use the card at Walmart.
- You cannot return or exchange gift cards for cash or store credit once purchased, so the transaction is final.
- Buying gift cards does not count as a purchase that triggers sign-up bonuses or promotional rewards offers on either card.
- Third-party gift cards (Amazon, Target, restaurant chains) can be purchased with either card but may not earn rewards depending on how the transaction is coded.
How the two Walmart cards handle gift card purchases differently
The Walmart Credit Card (the store card) earns rewards only on purchases made at Walmart stores and Walmart.com. When you buy a Walmart gift card with this card, you earn the standard cash back or rewards rate — usually 1% to 3% depending on the category. When you buy a third-party gift card (like an Amazon or restaurant card), the purchase may or may not earn rewards, depending on how Walmart's system codes the transaction. Most third-party gift cards do not earn rewards on the store card.
The Walmart Mastercard is a general-purpose card that works anywhere Mastercard is accepted. It earns rewards at Walmart and Sam's Club, but also earns a lower rate (usually 1%) on purchases outside Walmart. When you buy a Walmart gift card with the Mastercard, you earn the Walmart rate. When you buy a third-party gift card, the reward rate depends on the merchant category — a restaurant gift card might earn a different rate than a grocery gift card, for example.
Neither card's sign-up bonus or promotional rewards (like "5% cash back for 3 months") applies to gift card purchases. The purchase counts toward your spending total for the bonus, but the bonus itself does not stack on top of the gift card transaction.
What happens after you buy the gift card
Once you purchase a gift card with either Walmart card, the transaction is complete and final. You cannot return the gift card to Walmart for cash or store credit. You cannot exchange it for a different denomination. If you change your mind about the purchase, your only option is to use the gift card as intended or give it to someone else.
If the gift card is lost or stolen, Walmart's replacement policy depends on the card type. Walmart-branded gift cards can sometimes be replaced if you have the original receipt and the card number, but this is not may provide. Third-party gift cards (like Amazon or Target) have their own replacement policies, which usually require you to contact the issuing company directly.
The purchase itself appears on your Walmart credit card statement as a single transaction. If you later use the gift card to buy something, that purchase does not appear on your credit card statement — it comes out of the gift card balance instead.
Rewards and cash back on gift card purchases
Rewards on gift card purchases work the same way as rewards on any other purchase. If you buy a $50 Walmart gift card with the Walmart Mastercard, you earn the Walmart cash back rate on that $50 transaction. If you buy a $100 restaurant gift card, you earn whatever rate applies to restaurant merchants on that $100.
The key limitation: you earn rewards on the purchase of the gift card, not on what you later buy with the gift card. If you buy a $50 Walmart gift card and earn 2% cash back, you get $1 in rewards. When you later use that gift card to buy groceries, you earn no additional rewards — the gift card balance straightforward decreases.
Some people try to use gift card purchases to meet spending requirements for sign-up bonuses or promotional rewards. This sometimes works, but Walmart and the card issuer reserve the right to exclude gift card purchases from bonus calculations. Check the terms of any current promotion before counting on gift card purchases to reach the threshold.
Which gift cards you can and cannot buy
You can buy most gift cards at Walmart with either credit card. This includes Walmart-branded gift cards, third-party retail gift cards (Amazon, Target, Best Buy), restaurant and dining gift cards, and entertainment gift cards (movie theaters, streaming services). Digital gift cards on Walmart.com work the same way as physical cards.
You cannot buy certain categories of gift cards at Walmart, though this is a Walmart policy, not a credit card restriction. Walmart does not sell gift cards for financial services (bank accounts, investment accounts), government benefits cards, or certain prepaid cards. These restrictions exist to prevent fraud and money laundering, not because of your credit card choice.
If you are trying to buy a gift card that Walmart does not carry, you will need to purchase it directly from the issuer or from a different retailer. Your Walmart credit card will work at other stores, so you can use it to buy gift cards elsewhere — but you may not earn rewards outside Walmart depending on which card you have.
Common reasons gift card purchases get declined
A gift card purchase can be declined for the same reasons any other purchase might be: insufficient credit available, fraud detection, or a card that is expired or not activated. If your purchase is declined, contact the card issuer's customer service line (the number is on the back of your card) to find out why.
Some people assume a declined gift card purchase means the card issuer is blocking gift cards specifically. This is rarely the case. More often, the decline is a temporary hold, a fraud alert, or a credit limit issue. Once you resolve the underlying problem, the purchase usually goes through.
If you are buying a large gift card (several hundred dollars), the card issuer may flag it as unusual activity and decline it as a precaution. Calling ahead to let them know you are planning a large purchase can prevent this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I earn rewards twice if I buy a gift card and then use it?
No. You earn rewards once, on the purchase of the gift card itself. When you later use the gift card to buy something, that transaction does not earn rewards because the money is coming from the gift card balance, not from your credit card. You earn rewards on the credit card purchase only.
Can I return a gift card I bought with my Walmart credit card?
No. Walmart does not accept returns or exchanges of gift cards once they have been purchased. The transaction is final. Your only option is to use the gift card as intended or give it to someone else. This applies regardless of which Walmart card you used to buy it.
What if I buy a gift card with my Walmart card and the recipient never uses it?
The gift card itself does not expire (Walmart gift cards have no expiration date), so the recipient can use it whenever they want. However, you cannot get a refund on the credit card purchase. If you need to recover the money, your only option is to ask the recipient to use the gift card and return the items, or to use the gift card yourself.
Does buying gift cards count toward my sign-up bonus spending requirement?
Gift card purchases usually count toward the total spending needed to earn a sign-up bonus, but the bonus itself does not explore to the gift card transaction. Some card issuers exclude gift card purchases from bonus calculations entirely. Check the terms of your specific offer before relying on gift card purchases to reach the threshold.
Can I use a Walmart gift card to pay my Walmart credit card bill?
No. Walmart gift cards can only be used to buy merchandise at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. You cannot use a gift card to make a payment on your credit card account. You must pay your bill using a bank account, another credit card, or a check.