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My love for Starbucks started back in university. I remember going to Starbucks to study for hell week aka examinations week.
Whenever I sipped on Starbucks coffee and reflected on the money I had spent for a cup, my brain would invariably experience an “Aha” moment, prompting me to think, “I need to be more productive” or “I should focus on completing my tasks.”
Nowadays, though, Starbucks has become my safe haven where I can comfortably set up my laptop to blog while drinking my beloved matcha latte paired with a warm Everything Bagel with herb & garlic spread.
I admit that I have a slight Starbucks addiction; however, I also realized that my habit can put a dent in my bank account over time.
Sure, there are many ways to get discounts at Starbucks, but who would not want to have their mermaid coffee for free?
That’s when I started figuring out a lot of ways to get free Starbucks, which led me to get other stuff, like money and makeup samples, for free! To those living by the mantra: “the best things in life are free,” listen up yo!
With minimal effort, you can easily enjoy Starbucks happy hour and get your favorite beverage without overthinking about the cost.
Here are 8 ways to get free Starbucks gift cards.
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1. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a cool money-earning app because you can easily earn cash and *drum rolls* Starbucks gift cards.
To do so, you must participate in any of these things: watching TV, searching the web, shopping online, playing games, and simply sharing your opinion.
To earn free gift cards online, you need to earn points called SB from the platform. Accumulated points can be redeemed for coupons, sweepstake entries, and gift cards from Starbucks, Amazon, Target, Apple, etc.
Shopping through the Swagbucks portal and doing surveys are popular and easy tasks to earn points. It will take you 500 SB to get a $5 Starbucks gift card.
The coolest part? You can earn a $10 (1,000 SB) bonus by signing up on the platform.
Thus, if you do not redeem your 1,000 SB sign-up bonus for cash, you can use it to get two $5 Starbucks gift cards instead.
Pro: Doing microtasks on Swagbucks is a good little earner to help you collect more SB for a gift card. For instance, completing 5 short surveys will give you 1,300 SB, equivalent to 2 Starbucks gift cards.
Con: The points may accumulate more slowly than you would like, so turning your points into cash or gift cards may take time. On the other hand, other tasks that will give you so many points, like answering surveys, may be less interesting, but you will still do them anyway because they offer more SB.
2. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys is like Swagbucks as it can also give you free Starbucks gift cards for answering surveys.
However, unlike Swagbucks, the tasks here are limited to completing surveys. If answering a survey for Starbucks gift cards is not your cup of tea, apologies but feel free to skip this option.
But if you’re looking for the best survey sites out there, look no further. Branded Surveys is one of the best and most legit survey sites for earning money and gift cards.
Your income potential may not be much, but getting gift cards is straightforward. You will only need 500 points to cash out or get a free Starbucks drink.
How does it work, you ask? Follow these steps and get your favorite Starbucks beverage in a heartbeat!
- Create a profile
- Complete short surveys online
- Collect points
- Redeem points for Starbucks gift cards (or PayPal cash)
Are you a college student who loves to study at Starbucks or someone who has time to spare? Then consider answering surveys during your downtime or when you’re binging Netflix.
Pro: Branded Surveys know how frustrating it could be not receiving your incentives from answering surveys instantly. You can cash out your points or receive your electronic Starbucks gift cards in about one to three business days.
Con: You will not always be qualified to complete a survey. So, while getting a gift card is easy, earning points is not and usually requires much patience.
3. Survey Junkie
Back in my student years, I relied on the bus for my school commute. And we all know how slow buses are…. Rather than checking Facebook during my bus rides, I answered a survey for a free Starbucks gift card every now and then. So, here’s another legit survey site where you can win Starbucks gift cards and make money with PayPal.
What could be better than earning cash on the side and getting free coffee by doing something I love, especially if it doesn’t require much time and effort?
Survey Junkie is an online market platform that rewards members for accomplishing surveys, browsing the internet, and completing profile questionnaires.
They collect suggestions and opinions through consumer surveys and provide feedback to successful brands in household products, beauty products, technology, etc.
If you don’t like how Branded Surveys gives you random questionnaires, then you will love how Survey Junkie matches you with a survey you would like.
After you make your profile, the site will give you surveys that may fit your criteria. If you pass the screening process, which is a way for companies to ensure they are sending surveys to the appropriate demographic, you will earn points for every survey accomplished.
Pro: It’s so easy to turn your free time into free coffee. By visiting your Survey Junkie account daily and checking new surveys, you can get free Starbucks e-cards. You don’t need to check the site from time to time, as you can get email notifications when new surveys are available (and they don’t take very long!)
Con: Getting disqualified for a survey may happen, especially if you’re inactive on the site. But the more you answer surveys, the more you’ll get surveys you can qualify for.
4. Rakuten
As much as I love shopping, I don’t enjoy going to a physical store to shop. There are so many things you have to do that take up so much time before you get to the fun stuff. Driving to the store, finding a parking space, waiting for assistance, standing in line… all those!
Do you feel the same way? I know a lot of people do since many are planning to buy more online in 2024 because of convenience. If you ask me, I think online shopping is a game-changer!
But what’s the point of me telling you this? Well, I’m sure you do a little bit (if not a lot) of online shopping, and let’s admit it, it’s harder to control impulse buys. That’s where Rakuten steps in. It adds an extra layer of benefit to your online shopping experience.
Rakuten is one of the best cashback apps today. The platform has partnered with over 3,500 stores, and shopping on these stores through the app allows you to earn up to 20% cashback. To date, Rakuten has paid more than 20 million members around $3 billion in cashback.
What I love the most about Rakuten is that it’s easy and free to use. Unlike other platforms of this kind, you don’t need to scan receipts or use coupons. Plus, since they have thousands of stores, you can find everything you need in one place.
To become a member of Rakuten, you just have to sign up using your email. New accounts get a $10 bonus here when they reach a set amount of purchases through the platform.
Rakuten pays in cash via check or PayPal every three months. You can use the money to buy a Starbucks coffee or you can redeem a gift card as a reward.
Pro: Rakuten has many cashback offers at various stores you shop at, like Amazon, Target, Adidas, Old Navy, etc. So, you will always find a good deal.
Con: Your cashback rewards are paid quarterly. If you bought something in September, getting the check via mail may take a few months. That said, it may also take time for you to get Starbucks drinks from your rewards.
5. Raise
Looking for free Starbucks gift card deals the easy way? Shopping discount cards at Raise or trading your unused gift card is the wittiest tactic to get Starbucks gift cards.
Raise is a money-saving platform that serves as a middleman for buyers and sellers who wish to buy and sell gift cards (from stores, restaurants, hotels, etc.) at a discounted price.
Raise has reached over 3 million users and helped people save more than $170 million by purchasing discounted gift cards.
You may want to follow this guide to get a Starbucks gift card through Raise:
- Sign up for free.
- Go to the “Buy” tab and search “Starbucks.” If you want a different store, search the store or filter by price, sale specials, or category.
Unfortunately, you can’t find a swap option at Raise. However, you are free to sell your unused gift cards and use the money to buy a discounted Starbucks gift card. This method is like trading unused ones with gift cards you would like to use.
Don’t like the prices you see or have not seen Starbucks gift cards for sale? You can turn on the Brand Alert to notify you when a gift card from Starbucks at your desired price is available.
Gift cards you bought are delivered in a heartbeat or within 24 hours, while physical cards are then shipped to you for free in about 14 days.
Pro: Gift cards sold on Raise don’t expire. So, if you want to give Starbucks gift cards to your fellow Starbucks lover friend on special occasions, you will save a lot of money buying here.
Con: There’s no guarantee that you can sell your unused gift card. So, you might need to buy a discounted Starbucks gift card. But, listen. If you are willing to buy that Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks anyway, then why not use that $10 gift card that you purchased at $8 at Raise?
6. MyPoints
How about a website that has more ways to collect points than a kid collecting Halloween candy?
If you don’t enjoy monotony and love doing a variety of things, MyPoints is the best way to snag those free Starbucks gift cards! The best part is that they’re one of the oldest survey sites and they’re owned by Swagbucks, so you know they’re a trusted platform.
Aside from answering surveys for Starbucks gift cards, you can also watch videos, shop online, play games, read emails, and print coupons. That’s not even all of it because there really is so much to do!
For those who are already spending a lot of time on their phones, you can turn your screen time into something more rewarding.
They’re very generous with points, so even though you might spend quite some time with their tasks, you won’t feel like you’re wasting your time. In fact, as soon as you join MyPoints, you can already get a $10 welcome bonus (as long as you spend $20 or more on any shop merchant on the website).
Starbucks gift cards aren’t hard to come by here, since you only need around 700 points. With the tasks giving out anywhere from 2 to 600 points, you will be surprised that you already have enough for your much-awaited caffeine fix.
The key here is to focus on tasks that have a higher payout, like online shopping, dining at partner restaurants, and using the MyPoints search engine. I also suggest making use of their Refer-A-Friend if you have friends who you know will be as active on the platform as you are. Every time your friend earns 10 points, you can earn a percentage of that! Who can resist a little passive income?
Pro: If hanging out online is your thing, MyPoints suits your lifestyle. The site requires you to be online most of the time to get amazing rewards.
Con: Rewards are not instant. If you want physical Starbucks gift cards, you might need to wait around 10 days to receive them through the mail. However, e-gift cards usually take 24 hours. The latter, therefore, is your best option.
7. InboxDollars
One of my absolute favorite survey sites is InboxDollars. The reason why this is at the top for me is that they have a different approach to surveys compared to other websites. Their questions are more fun and visually appealing! So if I were to answer a survey for a free Starbucks gift card, I would want the one that actually holds my attention.
InboxDollars is also one of the few survey sites that has a generally positive review across the whole internet. I think that alone is enough to draw you in, especially given the increase of scams online.
Much like MyPoints, InboxDollars also offers a wide variety of tasks that keep us entertained and earning. Playing games, answering surveys, watching videos, and reading emails are some activities you can do to pass the time while collecting points for that cup of latte.
If you’re the type who doesn’t have a lot of time to spare, though, this website might not be your cup of tea—or latte, in this case. The reason I’m saying this is because compared to other websites, InboxDollars has a higher minimum cashout requirement. Instead of the usual $5, you’ll need to hit $15 before you can cash out or redeem your Starbucks gift card for the first time. So you’ll have to put in the time to do the tasks to claim your rewards.
But after you make the first withdrawal, you’ll only need $10 in your account for any subsequent redemption of rewards.
Although InboxDollars is only available in the United States, there’s an alternative survey site in Canada called Daily Rewards.
Pro: InboxDollars sucks you in with a generous $5 sign-up bonus. To get started, you only need to provide your email address, desired password, confirm your email address, and get your $5 extra.
Con: The minimum cash out is the biggest disadvantage at InboxDollars. You can’t request a payout or receive your eGiftCard until you reach $15.
8. Online Contests and Giveaways
Does joining online contests and giveaways for a free Starbucks gift card ever cross your mind?
If not, this is your sign. Submitting your entry on online giveaways is a fun and easy strategy to win your much-awaited gift card from Starbucks.
I don’t want to be a gatekeeper, so I’ll tell you which platform is helpful to you to get free stuff online.
Instagram is the best place to find giveaways. Big corporations and small businesses often use giveaways to promote their social media accounts. This is part of their marketing strategies.
They sometimes partner with influencers to offer contests and giveaways. Big companies often have thousands of entries, but they also have many participants, so you must have been very fortunate to win.
Small businesses, however, often have only dozens of entries, giving you more chances to win.
To find these free Starbucks gift card giveaways, you might want to try to look up the following hashtags and their corresponding number of posts as of writing:
#giveaway (47.4 million posts)
#Starbucksgiveaway (53.1 thousand posts)
#freegiftcards (91.1 thousand posts)
Instagram allows you to follow hashtags. Follow these hashtags to avoid searching them daily and finding them in your feed instead.
Some websites also offer free giveaways around the web. If you want to join, make a separate email address so you will not be bothered receiving random emails from these sites.
Pro: Online giveaways don’t compel participants to do time-consuming tasks to win free Starbucks gift cards. Most of them will only require you to follow their social media. While some will only ask for a like, share, or comment on their post.
Con: Entering a giveaway contest online will not guarantee a sure win, as your winning or not winning will depend on your luck.
9. Fetch Rewards
Did you know that everyday purchases could be a group win? With Fetch, you can earn points by shopping and doing tasks. But that’s not all there is to it! There’s also the option to team up with your family and friends to pool points for greater rewards. Like they say, “Together, we can do so much.” The game-like approach makes you feel like you’re getting paid to play games.
The main feature is that you use the app to take photos of your receipts from your purchases. For every receipt, you’ll be rewarded with virtual points, which you can redeem for popular gift cards and even charitable donations.
For a $10 Starbucks gift card, you need 10,000 points. But with the variety of ways to earn points, you can get that much in no time!
Thanks to Fetch, I found out how to get a Starbucks gift card for free by doing things that I already do. So next time, instead of just throwing away your grocery receipts, turn them into rewards.
Pro: Earning points isn’t limited to just one task, and each activity is designated a different point value.
Con: The most common way to earn points is by taking photos of receipts, which means you have to go out to make purchases instead of doing them online.
10. Starbucks Rewards Program
What better way to get free Starbucks gift cards than by making the most of what Starbucks offers?
If you’re anything like me and always need a coffee fix from Starbucks, then you should sign up to be a Starbucks Rewards Member. When you’re a member, Starbucks rewards you for buying and drinking their coffee!
With the Starbucks Rewards Program, simply download the app, order and pay for drinks, and earn stars towards rewards like free drinks and treats. For as low as 25 stars, you can start redeeming some good food! As a member, you also get a complimentary drink on your birthday.
The app lets you pay in a payment method you prefer, but if you add money to your digital account, you can earn stars twice as fast.
That’s not the only way to get rewards fast. They also have Double Star Days and Bonus Star challenges, where you can earn more stars for purchases.
Although earning stars on the Starbucks Rewards Program won’t let you redeem them for gift cards, you’re still getting specific free drinks (and food!) that you can customize to your taste.
Pro: There are many ways to earn stars, so you can redeem rewards fast.
Con: You can’t redeem your stars as gift cards, so you’re limited to the offers they have under the program.
FAQs
1. Can you get a $10 Starbucks gift card?
Yes, you can get a $10 Starbucks gift card. In fact, there are a lot of ways to do so, but it’s most common to buy from any Starbucks branch or other retail stores like Walmart and Best Buy.
If you prefer to get them at discounted rates, though, you can buy from platforms like Raise. It’s possible to find a $10 Starbucks gift card for $5 at such websites, although we can’t deny that a smaller discount is already a delightful treat.
But you can also get Starbucks gift cards for free. Online survey sites like Swagbucks and Branded Surveys are great places to do that! Simply sign up to do tasks like completing surveys and playing games to collect points. For Swagbucks, you will need 1,000 points to get a $10 Starbucks gift card.
2. How can I get free Starbucks gift card codes?
Platforms like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie are the most credible places to get free Starbucks gift card codes. They all have high trust ratings, so you won’t have to worry about being scammed. But you have to complete different tasks first, such as completing surveys and shopping online, before you can get any codes.
If you prefer not to spend time answering surveys, Rakuten and other cashback platforms provide a promising alternative.
Make sure not to trust websites giving out instant free Starbucks codes. Most of the time, they’re scams that will leave you vulnerable to data breaches and malware threats.
3. How to get a free Starbucks on your birthday?
If you want to get spoiled on your special day at Starbucks, join the company’s reward program. It’s absolutely free and Starbucks will give you one free drink or food item on your birthday.
To get your birthday freebies, you need to accomplish these things:
- Become a Starbucks Rewards member at least a week prior to your birthday.
- Accomplish a form and ensure your birthday is indicated in the account information.
- Earn a star by making at least one transaction (i.e., scan or pay using the Starbucks app) before your birthday
Once you become a member, you will receive an email from Starbucks 2 days before your special day, reminding you of your birthday reward. On your birthday, let the barista know you will be using your birthday reward, so you will not pay for it.
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