My cousin recently moved to the Philippines for his master’s program. Although he has only been there for two months, our calls have been filled with stories about the culture, the warmth of the people, and his growing love for the food.

But settling in hasn’t been entirely smooth. One of his early challenges was finding a reliable way to make online and local transactions because he didn’t have a bank card yet.

As a good cousin, I introduced him to the world of gift cards. I compiled a list of options he could use in the Philippines and narrowed it down to nine. These cards can be used to make local and international transactions without needing a bank card. 

If you are going through the same thing or know someone who is, you are in luck. I am about to break down nine types of gift cards that work in the Philippines and where you can get them without any stress.

Top 9 Types of Gift Cards in the Philippines

According to my findings, the top nine gift cards you can use in the Philippines—in no particular order—are Apple, Jollibee, Steam, Amazon, Puregold, Razer, American Express (Amex), PlayStation, and Lazada. 

1. Apple Gift Card

If you own an Apple device in the Philippines, you should definitely get an Apple gift card. It’s a one-way ticket to paying for anything Apple, including iTunes, the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, and even physical Apple products. You can also use it to buy additional iCloud storage space.

Owning an Apple gift card without a Filipino bank card means you can still enjoy all your favourite Apple digital services without interruption. You can get the Apple Gift Card from authorised stores in the Philippines or from credible platforms like Cardtonic. 

2. Jollibee E-Gift Cards

Jollibee is a well-known fast-food restaurant in the Philippines. With over a thousand branches, you can easily get their e-gift cards from any of these branches and redeem them when you want to order a meal. 

Jollibee’s e-gift cards come in the form of vouchers or gift certificates. The vouchers are redeemed to get specific foods while the gift certificates act as an alternative to cash. Whatever amount is on the gift certificate can be used to order any meal of your choice whenever you are hungry. 

3.  Steam Gift Card

If you’re a gamer in the Philippines—or any other part of the world—you can access the full Steam experience with just a Steam gift card. It lets you buy games, make in-game purchases, and download software directly from Steam.

You can get a Steam gift card on sites like Cardtonic and unlock top-rated games in seconds. And if you’re not a gamer but know someone who is, it makes a thoughtful gift, too.

4. Amazon Gift Card

Amazon is one of the biggest online stores in the world—and lucky for you, it delivers to the Philippines. With an Amazon Gift card, you can buy any physical or digital product sold on the platform. 

You can get an Amazon gift card from Cardtonic or any physical store in the Philippines. 

To use your Amazon Gift card, you have to redeem it. All you need to do is log in to your Amazon account, click on “Redeem gift card”, type in the code on your gift card, and you’re all set to start shopping.

5. Puregold Gift Cards

A puregold gift card is used to buy groceries and household items from the Puregold supermarket. This gift card is issued by Puregold, one of the leading supermarkets in the country.

If you just moved to the country, having a Puregold gift card helps to make your shopping easier and reduces the need of a bank card. Another additional feature of this gift card is that you can use it to pay bills for your basic amenities like power, cables, and the internet. 

6. Razer Gold Gift Card

Razer is another very popular platform among gamers. Known to house several top games, apps, and entertainment, you can never go wrong with owning a Razer Gold gift card. 

To use it, head to the Razer website, sign in to your account, choose the games or products you want to buy, check out, and select the gift card as your desired mode of payment. 

7. Amex Gift Card

Kindly permit me to tag the American Express gift card as the queen of versatility. This gift card can be used to make purchases anywhere, both online and offline. You can use the Amex gift card to pay for your coffee from your favourite Filipino shop, pay for your goods in the supermarket, and use it on any online platform that accepts the Amex card.

An Amex gift card is a credit card in disguise. 

You can get your Amex gift card from any authorised store in the Philippines or buy it through their website. Lastly, to prevent embarrassment, remember to check the balance of your Amex gift card before proceeding with any purchase.

8. PlayStation Gift Card

If you own a PlayStation, there is no reason you should not get this gift card. It’s a prepaid gift card that lets you fund your PlayStation Network Account, so you can buy games and downloadable content anytime you want.

The PlayStation Gift Card is region-specific, though. You have to buy one from the same country where you want to redeem it. 

Luckily, you can also get a PlayStation gift card from Cardtonic that you can use in the Philippines.

9. Lazada Gift Card

This is another local gift card that can be very useful if you find yourself in the Philippines. Lazada is an online marketplace where buyers and sellers meet. As a buyer, you can use your gift card to buy a variety of items from Lazada.

To get one, sign up for a Lazada account and buy a gift card worth your preferred amount. When you’re ready to shop, redeem the card for cash credit and start buying.

Where to Buy Gift Cards in the Philippines

Since most residents of the Philippines use gift cards, they are easily accessible for purchase. You can get local gift cards from different supermarkets and department stores. Some of these stores also sell their own gift cards to make shopping from them easier.

Meanwhile, you can get international gift cards only from specific authorised stores. You can check your map to find the nearest locations of these authorised stores, as there are not many of them.

However, if you value your comfort and don’t want to go through the stress of finding these authorised stores, then you can buy international gift cards that can be used in the Philippines online. 

Undoubtedly, there are scams on the Internet. Hence, it is safe to buy these gift cards from trusted sites like Cardtonic. With brands like Cardtonic, you can buy, sell and redeem your gift card without any issues.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gift Cards in the Philippines

1. How Much is a $100 Gift Card in the Philippines?

Currently, $100 is between the range of ₱4,000 and ₱5,000. With respect to gift cards, each gift card has its own different rates. To know the exact and current amount of a $100 gift card in the Philippines, you can use a gift card rate calculator.

2. Are International Gift Cards Accepted in the Philippines?

Yes, some international gift cards work in the Philippines, as long as they’re not region-locked. These cards can be bought anywhere and redeemed from your device in the Philippines. 

However, gift cards with regional restrictions won’t work. You will have to get the local and accepted version of the gift cards.

3. How Can I Send Gift Cards to Someone in the Philippines?

If the gift card is not restricted by region, you can buy it online from any country and share the card details with someone in the Philippines. The person will use the shared code to redeem the gift card.

4. Do Gift Cards Expire in the Philippines?

Gift card expiration isn’t specific to the Philippines; it depends on the brand. Some gift cards have expiry dates, while others don’t. To be sure, check the terms and conditions on the website of the gift card you plan to buy.

5. Which Gift Cards Are Available in the Philippines Now?

At the moment, all the gift cards mentioned in this article, both local and international, are available in the Philippines. However, you will most likely get local gift cards from local stores and international gift cards from authorised online sites.

Conclusion 

So, if you are in the Philippines or know someone who is, consider this your sign that you don’t need a bank card to get things done. With the right gift cards, you can shop, stream, eat, and game without stress. 

Plus, gift cards are not just convenient, they’re budget-friendly too. You get access to a bunch of digital services, spend more intentionally, and if needed, you can even convert your gift cards to cash using trusted platforms like Cardtonic.