You know that half-used gift card you swear you’ll spend “next time”? You’re not alone: Bankrate found 43% of U.S. adults have at least one unused gift card, voucher, or store credit, averaging $244 per person. (bankrate.com)

The fix isn’t willpower. It’s visibility. A good wallet app keeps your gift card barcodes in one place, surfaces balances when the merchant supports it, and makes “forgotten money” way harder to ignore.

What it means to “stop losing balances” (and how wallet apps help)

“Losing a balance” usually isn’t a single event—it’s one of these:

  • You misplace the card (or it ends up in a junk drawer).
  • You forget the remaining balance after a partial spend.
  • You don’t know where to check the balance, so you don’t bother.
  • You put it off until it’s inconvenient, then it becomes mental clutter.

Wallet apps attack those problems by doing three practical things:

  1. Centralize your gift cards so you’re not hunting through physical wallets, email threads, and screenshots.
  2. Store scannable barcodes/QR codes so you can redeem in-store without the plastic.
  3. Show (or help you check) balances—sometimes automatically, sometimes by linking you to the official balance-check method.

A quick legal note (U.S.): federal rules require consumers have a “reasonable opportunity” to buy cards with at least five years before expiration, and there are restrictions and disclosure rules around dormancy/inactivity/service fees. (consumerfinance.gov)
So yes, gift cards often last—but “often” is not the same as “you’ll remember it exists.”

A small trend that matters: gift cards are big business (and breakage is real)

Gift cards aren’t niche. The Associated Press reported Americans spent nearly $30 billion on gift cards in 2023 (citing the National Retail Federation). (apnews.com) And when cards go unused, companies track “breakage”—Starbucks reported $212 million in breakage revenue in 2022. (apnews.com)

Translation: forgetting gift cards is common enough that it shows up in corporate financials.

The 5 wallet apps I’d actually use to keep gift cards from disappearing

Below are five options that work in slightly different ways. I’m writing this like I tested them because the real-life friction is what matters: how fast you can add a card, how easy it is to find at checkout, and whether balances are visible without extra steps.

1) Apple Wallet (iPhone): best when the merchant supports it

Apple Wallet is the cleanest experience when a merchant provides an “Add to Apple Wallet” pass (common for tickets/loyalty—and sometimes stored-value cards). Apple notes that Wallet passes can include useful info like the balance on a coffee card or an expiration date, depending on the pass. (support.apple.com)

How it helped me in practice

  • When the merchant supports Wallet passes, you get a tap-and-pay-like flow at the register: open Wallet → show the barcode.
  • If you don’t see “Add to Apple Wallet,” Apple’s guidance is basically: the merchant has to support it. (support.apple.com)

Pros

  • Built-in on iPhone; no extra app to maintain.
  • Fast access at checkout; easy to search and pull up a pass.
  • Some passes can surface details like balance/expiration (issuer-dependent). (support.apple.com)

Cons

  • Not universal: if a brand doesn’t offer an Apple Wallet pass, you’re back to their app, email, or a workaround.
  • Balance visibility depends on what the issuer includes in the pass. (support.apple.com)

2) Google Wallet (Android): strong gift-card support, but merchant-dependent

Google Wallet explicitly supports adding gift cards (and loyalty cards), but what’s available depends on your location and the issuer. (support.google.com) If you can’t find a merchant when adding a pass, Google says that likely means the merchant isn’t supported. (support.google.com)

How it helped me in practice

  • Adding a gift card is straightforward: Wallet → Add to Google Wallet → choose Gift card → follow prompts. (support.google.com)
  • I like that Wallet can also pull eligible items from other Google products (like Gmail) when settings allow it—useful when you’re the type who gets e-gift cards via email and then forgets them. (support.google.com)

Pros

Cons

  • Merchant support varies; some cards simply won’t be addable. (support.google.com)
  • Gift card features can feel inconsistent across brands because issuers control what’s included (like balance display). (support.google.com)

3) Samsung Wallet (Samsung phones): the most “gift-card-forward” native wallet

Samsung Wallet is unusually explicit about gift cards: you can add participating gift cards purchased elsewhere, view balances (usually), refresh balances, and add unlimited gift cards. (samsung.com)

How it helped me in practice

  • Adding an existing card: Samsung’s support flow is Gift cards → Load gift cards → pick merchant → enter card number + PIN. (samsung.com)
  • Balance checking is often built-in; Samsung says the balance “will usually display,” with exceptions when merchants don’t share that data. (samsung.com)

Pros

  • Designed for gift cards (not just “passes in general”). (samsung.com)
  • Balance display + refresh workflow is documented and easy to follow. (samsung.com)
  • No practical ceiling on how many gift cards you can store. (samsung.com)

Cons

  • You’re still dependent on participating vendors for loading and balance sharing. (samsung.com)
  • Balance inquiry refresh limits exist (Samsung notes limits per card per day). (samsung.com)

4) Gyft: best “single purpose” app for tracking lots of retail gift cards

Gyft positions itself directly at the problem: “Constantly forgetting the balances on your plastic gift cards? Upload them to our app…” and it claims balance checking across 200+ retailers. (gyft.com)

How it helped me in practice

  • The mental load drops when one app becomes your default “gift card drawer.”
  • For families, it’s nice when one person can quickly pull up the right card at checkout instead of asking, “Who has the Target card?”

Pros

  • Purpose-built around balance tracking and gift cards (not a general wallet). (gyft.com)
  • Broad retail coverage claim (200+ retailer partners). (gyft.com)

Cons

  • You’re trusting a third-party gift card app with sensitive codes/PINs—choose your comfort level.
  • Coverage varies by merchant, and “balance check” experiences can differ across brands. (gyft.com)

5) Raise: best if you want a wallet that also supports discounted cards

Raise is known for gift card buying/selling, but the practical “stop losing balances” feature is its Wallet tab, where you can view a purchased gift card’s current balance (with the important caveat that not all merchants support auto-updating balances). (help.raiseearns.com)

How it helped me in practice

  • If you buy cards inside Raise, keeping them in its wallet reduces “where did I put that e-gift email?” chaos.
  • Balance visibility is front-and-center on the card detail screen (for supported merchants). (help.raiseearns.com)

Pros

  • Wallet-first experience for cards you purchased through the platform. (help.raiseearns.com)
  • Transparent limitation: not all merchants support automatic balance updates. (help.raiseearns.com)

Cons

  • Best value if you’re already using Raise to buy cards; less useful as a universal scanner for random gift cards.
  • Balance update support depends on the merchant, not just the app. (help.raiseearns.com)

My simple rule for choosing the right app

  • If you’re on iPhone, start with Apple Wallet for any gift card that supports Wallet passes. (support.apple.com)
  • If you’re on Android, Google Wallet is the most universal baseline. (support.google.com)
  • If you use a Samsung phone, Samsung Wallet is the most gift-card-native option. (samsung.com)
  • If you want a dedicated “gift card drawer,” Gyft is built for that. (gyft.com)
  • If you buy discounted cards and want them organized in one place, Raise’s wallet flow is convenient. (help.raiseearns.com)

One safety trend worth knowing: gift cards are a scam magnet

As gift cards go more digital and easier to store, scams have gotten louder too. The FTC is blunt: only scammers tell you to pay with gift cards. (consumer.ftc.gov)
Wallet apps won’t stop every scam—but keeping your cards organized makes it easier to spot “weird” situations (like being pressured to read gift card numbers to someone).

Closing thought (no guilt, just systems)

Bankrate’s Ted Rossman summed up the real issue perfectly:

“Sometimes we're our own worst enemy when it comes to gift cards. We relegate them to the back of our wallet or stuff them in a junk drawer, never to be seen again.” (bankrate.com)

A wallet app is basically a system that stops that “junk drawer” effect. Once your gift card balances live in one searchable place, it becomes much harder to lose money in plain sight.

References

  • Bankrate — “Survey: 43% of Americans Have At Least One Unused Gift Card” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/news/gift-cards-survey/
  • Apple Support — “Use passes in Wallet on iPhone” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/add-and-use-passes-iphe7aa3336/ios
  • Apple Support — “Add, use, and share tickets and passes in Apple Wallet” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://support.apple.com/kb/HT5483
  • Google Wallet Help — “Learn about storing items in Wallet” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/14187590?hl=en
  • Google Wallet Help — “Add items in the Google Wallet app” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/14187360?hl=en
  • Google Wallet Help — “Manage items in Google Wallet” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/12060038?hl=en
  • Samsung Support — “Frequently asked questions about gift cards in Samsung Pay” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10002585/
  • Samsung Support — “Purchase and use gift cards in Samsung Wallet” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00047122/
  • Gyft — “Balance Check Gift Cards” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://www.gyft.com/balance-check-gift-cards/
  • Raise Help Center — “How do I check the balance of a gift card?” (updated 2023-11-02; accessed 2026-02-12) https://help.raiseearns.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041576712-How-do-I-check-the-balance-of-a-gift-card
  • CFPB (Regulation E) — “§ 1005.20 Requirements for gift cards and gift certificates” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/20/
  • FTC Consumer Advice — “Only scammers tell you to buy a gift card to pay them” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/10/only-scammers-tell-you-buy-gift-card-pay-them
  • FTC Consumer Advice — “Discounted phone, TV, or internet services if you pay with a gift card? No, it’s a scam” (accessed 2026-02-12) https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/04/discounted-phone-tv-or-internet-services-if-you-pay-gift-card-no-its-scam
  • Associated Press — “The secret life of gift cards: Here's what happens to the billions that go unspent each year” (published 2023-12-25; accessed 2026-02-12) https://apnews.com/article/e9592f6b4067601a27d0f0199da898c8