Google has quietly transformed its app store into a gift card mall. You can now purchase and give digital gift cards from the Play Store for not only Google Play credit, but also a handful of third-party providers covering coffee shops, big-box stores, food delivery services, travel sites like Airbnb and Southwest Airlines, and more. It’s a time-saving add-on that makes impulse gifting just a tap away on any Android device.
How It Works in the Google Play Store on Android
The new choice resides in the profile menu.
- Open the Play Store and tap your profile photo.
- Tap Payments & subscriptions, then Gift cards.
- Select a brand and amount, then send a digital card by email or text.
Recipients are sent a link with redemption instructions, often a code that they can enter at checkout on the retailer’s site or in its app.
Early availability was noticed by industry watchers at 9to5Google, and the rollout seems to be spreading. Anticipate region-specific selection and features as Google brings more partners on board.
What You Can Buy and How Much You Might Spend
In addition to credit to redeem in its standard Play Store, the catalog features big names like Starbucks, Target, and DoorDash but also more unusual choices like Bass Pro Shops and major airlines.
Categories span the gamut from Dining to Retail to Entertainment and Travel, so you can use them with ease for last‑minute gifting or sharing a tab.
- Dining
- Retail
- Entertainment
- Travel
Denominations differ by brand. Minimums can range from a low of $10 to as much as half a Benjamin for some merchants. Some cards have upper limits of $500 or more. In the case of most digital gift cards, there’s no fee, but terms and redemption rules are determined by the retailer, so it’s worth scanning the fine print before you hit “send.”
Why Google Is Doing This Inside the Play Store
Gift cards are perennially popular. The National Retail Federation has determined that gift cards are the most-requested holiday item in recent years, and digital claims have increased as more people shop from their mobile devices. By adding a multi‑brand marketplace directly inside the Play Store, Google removes some friction from the concept of gifting while also giving Android users a new reason to use its app store beyond app updates and subscriptions.
There’s also a business angle. Each purchase brings a user deeper into Google’s payments stack, all the way through to Play balance and any saved cards and loyalty programs such as Play Points that could be attached. It puts Google in even stiffer competition with marketplaces like Amazon and PayPal, which already sell e‑gift cards for hundreds of brands.
Availability, Security, and the Important Fine Print to Know
Not all cards are available at all retailers, and not all cards are issued by all clients.
Card availability, supported card types, denominations, range values, and service fees vary by country and can change without notice. That removes the possibility of a refund after you send your gift card, and some retailers don’t permit use for tips, recurring payments, or international purchases. Depending on the merchant, certain cards can also be added to Google Wallet for a faster in-person redemption.
Like with any gift card, be on the lookout for scams. The Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly cautioned that scammers demand payment in gift cards because transfers are fast and difficult to reverse; reported losses associated with such scams have reached hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Only ever purchase cards in apps you already trust, make sure you know who the recipient is, and never share those redemption codes via insecure means.
Real-World Use Cases for the New Gift Cards Section
Need to cover a friend’s share of the rideshare after a trip? Send branded cards in the exact amount they will use. Planning a team thank‑you? Bulk‑send snack or coffee cards, no chasing mailing addresses. For families, giving Play credit can still be used for in‑app purchases, and third‑party cards can be an intentional way to budget food delivery or school supplies.
Parents trying to control spending on purchases for their teens also may find that fixed‑value cards are simpler to understand than open-ended payment methods. Pair this with family controls in the Google Play Store to keep app spending separate from retailer gift cards.
Bottom Line: Why This Play Store Addition Matters
And making the Play Store a destination for digital gift cards is a rational, user‑friendly expansion. It consolidates a behavior that many already do elsewhere, introduces ease at checkout for both sender and recipient, and expands Google’s position in day‑to‑day commerce. If you’re in a supported area, the new Gift cards section is definitely worth a look next time someone needs a quick, flexible present.
