Buying Gift Cards With Your Walmart Credit Card

Yes, you can buy gift cards with a Walmart credit card

You can use a Walmart credit card — either the Walmart Mastercard or the Walmart Store Card — to buy gift cards at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. The transaction works the same way as any other purchase: you swipe or insert your card, and the gift card amount posts to your credit card bill.

The main thing to understand is that buying a gift card with a credit card is a regular purchase, not a cash advance. That matters because cash advances typically charge a fee and a higher interest rate than regular purchases. A gift card purchase avoids both of those costs.

One practical consideration: if you're carrying a balance on your Walmart credit card, the gift card purchase will accrue interest just like any other new charge, unless you pay it off before the due date. If you're trying to pay down debt, buying gift cards on credit can work against that goal.

Key Takeaways

• Both the Walmart Mastercard and Walmart Store Card treat gift card purchases as regular transactions, not cash advances, so you avoid extra fees.
• Gift card purchases count toward your credit card balance and will accrue interest if you carry a balance past the due date.
• You can buy Walmart gift cards, third-party gift cards (like Amazon or Target), and digital gift cards using either Walmart credit card.
• Walmart gift cards purchased with a credit card cannot be returned for cash, but you can use them to buy anything Walmart sells.
• If you're using a promotional 0% APR offer on your Walmart card, gift card purchases are included in that promotion.

What types of gift cards you can buy with a Walmart credit card

Walmart sells its own gift cards in denominations from $5 to $500, both in-store and online. You can also buy third-party gift cards at Walmart — brands like Amazon, Target, Best Buy, Starbucks, and hundreds of others. These are physical cards you pick up in the gift card aisle or order online.

Digital gift cards are another option. Walmart sells digital versions of its own gift card and some third-party cards through Walmart.com. These arrive by email within minutes, which makes them useful if you're buying last-minute. You pay with your Walmart credit card the same way you would for a physical card.

The card you use — Walmart Mastercard or Store Card — doesn't change what you can buy. Both cards work for Walmart gift cards, third-party cards, and digital cards anywhere Walmart sells them.

How the purchase appears on your credit card statement

When you buy a gift card with your Walmart credit card, it shows up on your statement as a regular purchase from Walmart, not as a separate line item. If you buy a $50 Walmart gift card, your statement shows a $50 charge to Walmart. If you buy a $25 Amazon gift card at Walmart, it shows as a $25 charge to Walmart.

This matters if you're tracking your spending or trying to categorize purchases. The statement won't tell you that you bought a gift card — it just shows the amount and that it came from Walmart. If you need to remember what you bought, keep your receipt or note it yourself.

The purchase counts toward your credit limit immediately, just like any other Walmart purchase. If you have a $500 limit and buy a $100 gift card, your available credit drops to $400 until you pay the charge.

Interest and fees when buying gift cards on credit

A gift card purchase carries no special fees when you use a Walmart credit card. You won't pay a purchase fee, a cash advance fee, or any other charge just for buying the card. The only cost is interest, and only if you carry a balance on your credit card past the due date.

If your Walmart card has a promotional offer — such as 0% APR for 12 months on purchases — a gift card purchase qualifies for that promotion. You can buy the gift card during the promotional period and pay no interest on it, as long as you pay the full balance before the promotion ends.

If you're paying interest on an existing balance, the new gift card purchase will accrue interest at your card's regular APR. There's no way to separate it or pay it off faster than other charges — it all goes into one balance.

Why someone might buy a gift card on credit

The most common reason is timing: you need to give a gift now but don't have cash available. Using a credit card lets you buy the gift immediately and pay for it later. This works fine as long as you can pay off the charge before interest kicks in.

Another reason is rewards. If your Walmart credit card earns cash back or points on purchases, buying a gift card counts as a purchase and earns rewards. You get the points or cash back on the gift card amount, which is a small benefit if you were going to buy the card anyway.

Some people use this method to stay within a budget. If you set a monthly spending limit on your credit card, buying a gift card on credit lets you track the total amount you're spending on gifts without using cash you might need elsewhere.

What you cannot do with a gift card bought on credit

You cannot return a gift card you bought with a credit card and get your money back. Walmart's policy is that gift cards are final sales — once purchased, they cannot be refunded. This is true whether you paid with a credit card, debit card, or cash.

If the gift card is lost or stolen before it's used, Walmart can sometimes replace it if you have your receipt and the card number, but this is not a refund. The replacement card has the same value as the original.

You also cannot use a gift card to pay off your credit card balance. A gift card is a prepaid card for Walmart purchases, not a payment method for your credit card account. If you want to pay down your credit card bill, you need to use cash, a bank transfer, or another payment method.

Walmart Mastercard vs. Store Card for gift card purchases

Both cards work identically for buying gift cards. The Walmart Mastercard can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted, while the Store Card works only at Walmart and Walmart.com. For gift card purchases at Walmart, this difference doesn't matter — both cards are accepted.

The rewards structure differs slightly between the two cards. The Mastercard typically earns cash back at a lower rate but works everywhere, while the Store Card earns higher cash back at Walmart but nowhere else. If you're buying a gift card at Walmart, the Store Card usually gives you a slightly better reward rate on that purchase.

If you're buying a third-party gift card (like Amazon) at a Walmart store, both cards work. If you're buying it online at Walmart.com, both cards work there too. The choice between them comes down to which card you already have or which rewards rate you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does buying a gift card with a credit card hurt my credit score?

Not directly. The purchase itself doesn't hurt your score. What matters is your credit utilization — how much of your available credit you're using. Buying a gift card uses up some of your credit limit, which temporarily raises your utilization. Once you pay off the charge, your utilization drops and any impact disappears. If you're carrying high balances on other cards, adding a gift card purchase could push your utilization higher and have a small negative effect.

Can I buy a gift card with a Walmart credit card and then use it to buy something and return it?

Yes. Once you own the gift card, you can use it to buy anything Walmart sells and return it under Walmart's standard return policy. The fact that you bought the gift card on credit doesn't change the return rules. If you return an item you bought with the gift card, the refund goes back onto the gift card, not your credit card.

What happens if I buy a gift card on my Walmart card and never use it?

The gift card itself doesn't expire — Walmart gift cards have no expiration date. However, you still owe the credit card charge. If you don't pay your credit card bill, you'll accrue interest and potentially damage your credit. The unused gift card just sits there; it doesn't help you pay down the debt.

Can I buy a gift card with a Walmart credit card online and pick it up in the store?

For physical gift cards, you typically buy them in the store or online for delivery. Walmart.com doesn't offer a pick-up option for gift cards the way it does for other products. Digital gift cards are delivered by email immediately after purchase. If you want a physical card quickly, buying in-store is faster.

Do I earn rewards on gift card purchases with a Walmart credit card?

Yes. Gift card purchases count as regular Walmart purchases and earn whatever cash back or points your specific Walmart credit card offers. The reward rate depends on your card — check your card's terms to see what percentage you earn on Walmart purchases.