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The Raise app allows you to buy and sell discounted gift cards. This can free up cash from unwanted cards, or help you to make purchases at a discount.
Pros
Sell partially used gift cardsSave money on gift cardsEasy to use appAccess discount codes
Cons
No sales guarantees15% commission on all sales
Jump to: Full Review
Compare to Other Side Hustles
Branded Surveys
$0.50 – $5 on average per survey with bonus points ($1 sign up bonus)
Average survey length is 10-20 minutes and minimum payout is $5
Collect rewards in PayPal, Direct Deposit or gift cards (100+ brands)
Swagbucks
$0.50 to $1.50 per survey – earn up to $100 each month using Swagbucks
18 unique ways to earn money and free gift cards, plus $5 sign up bonus
Redeem e-gift cards from $1 or withdraw $5 minimum payment from PayPal
Survey Junkie
$0.50 – $3 per survey + extra ways to earn up to $100 with focus groups
Each survey time varies, but on average it takes 15 minutes to complete
Redeem rewards using PayPal, e-giftcards or bank transfer ($5 min)
How Does Raise Work?
You can use the Raise app to buy or sell gift cards. This can help you earn money on your unwanted cards or save money if you want to make a purchase.
As a Seller:
Raise allows you to;
Set up your account and enter the store name of the gift card.
Select “Get Started” and enter the card serial number, card balance, PIN and selling price, then click “Continue Listing”
Review the details and confirm the listing.
Sell your gift cards and get paid by check, PayPal or direct deposit
The amount you discount your card will largely depend on the competition currently on the app. For example, if other cards from a particular brand sell with a 7% discount, you may list your gift card with a 7.5% discount. This will allow your card to filter to the top of the display list.
There is no timeframe for cards to sell. Some cards sell almost immediately, while others may not sell at all. Raise shows the current discount rates for cards of the same brand. So, listing your card with a larger discount is more likely to sell quickly.
Raise Brands:
Since Raise is an open marketplace, there are no limitations on the cards you can buy and sell. However, you need to bear in mind that more popular stores will have more competition, so if you’re buying, you’re likely to see lower discounts, and as a seller, you may need to sell for less.
The most popular brands on the Raise app include:
Best Buy
Macy’s
Lowe’s
Sears
Target
Starbucks
Walmart
JCPenney
Airbnb
Gift cards from popular stores tend to sell more quickly, even with a small discount. So, if you want to save money on your weekly groceries, even saving just 1% can quickly add up.
More popular brands of gift cards sell more quickly.
How Much Can You Earn on Raise?
How much you can earn on Raise generally depends on the type and value of the card. If you sell a gift card, the company deducts a 15% commission before paying you. Therefore, if you list a $25 Amazon gift card and it sells for $20, you will be paid $16 for your gift card.
How Fast Do Cards Sell on Raise?
There are no hard and fast rules on how quickly cards will sell on Raise. Your selling time will depend on the specific brand, the discount you offer and the current market conditions.
So, while there are no guarantees of how quickly your card will sell, you can be assured that you will be able to receive your funds within a matter of days after the sale.
Who Is Raise Best for?
Raise is meant for;
People who want to make money by selling discounted gift cards
Those who want to make some extra cash selling unused or even partially used cards
Buyers who want to save money by buying discounted gift cards
Ways to Earn Money With Raise?
Sell Gift Cards for Cash
One of the best ways to make money using Raise is by selling gift cards. After creating an account, you list and sell your gift card. Once your account is live, you’ll be prompted to enter the store name of the card and choose to get started.
Buy Gift Cards to Save Money
Besides selling cards, Raise allows you to buy discounted gift cards and save money. For instance, if an Amazon card is worth $25 you can buy it at a discounted rate of $20. This can help you save lots of money in the long run.
Raise Requirements
Be at least 18 years of age.
Have an account with Raise.
Download the app.
Have gift cards to sell, especially Amazon gift cards.
Raise Payout Terms and Options
After your card sells, you will receive an email that confirms when the funds are available for you to withdraw.
ACH direct deposits can take up to three business days to arrive in your bank account. PayPal payments take the same amount of time, but there is a $5 minimum withdrawal.
You can also request a check, which not only incurs a $30 fee but can take up to 14 days for delivery.
Raise Reviews: Is Raise Legit?
Raise is a legit platform that lets you make money and save by selling and buying cards. With a rating of 4.2 on g2, 3.7 on Sitejabber, and 1.5 on Trustpilot, a majority of users liked the app praising it for its ease of use.
While sellers argued that Raise allowed them to make extra cash, Buyers were happy that they could save a lot of money by buying discounted cards.
In addition to this, Raise offers a money-back guarantee. So, if you buy a card and find that balance is inaccurate, the card is not active, or the card is for a different brand, Raise will provide a refund.
Unfortunately, some users commented that they had a bad experience with customer service, who never helped them after their cards refused to work. Others also said that Raise sold them a gift card with zero balance.
There are also some solid Raise ratings:
What Are the Raise Pros & Cons?
Raise Pros
Save money on your purchases
Access other discount codes
Solid customer support
Easy to use
Raise Cons
It is an open marketplace
Discounts are not always significant
How Is Good Raise Support?
Raise offers superb customer support. In addition to a comprehensive FAQ section, email and phone support are available Monday through Friday, 9 am to 7 pm central.
You can also select a card from your purchase or sales history and report any problems with this order online.
This variety of options to contact the Raise support team makes this platform far more accessible than many other app-related companies.
Raise Review Verdict: Is Raise Worth It?
The Raise app can be a good option to make extra cash from unwanted gift cards. It can also be a great way to save money when making purchases. You can buy discounted cards for stores where you make purchases and typically save 1% to 5%.
Raise allows you to earn cash back on purchases and access discount codes or other rewards.
While there is a 15% commission on any cards that you sell, you can set your own discount rate and wait for a buyer to purchase your card. Raise will then handle all the other aspects of the transaction. They will message you to confirm when your funds are available for withdrawal.
How to Sign Up With Raise?
The signup process for the Raise app is quite straightforward. To get started with Raise;
Go to the website and choose to create an account with Facebook or email
Enter a valid email address and password
Receive a confirmation email to verify your details
Add your payment information so that you can pay for your discounted gift cards
Set up your preferences for your payouts. You can either choose PayPal or ACH approval
These processes can take a business day to confirm, and after this point, you can get paid for any gift cards you sell.
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Raise vs. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys Summary
$1 sign up bonusEarn $0.50-$5 on average per surveyAverage survey length is 15 minPays by bank transfer, PayPal & gift cards
Branded Surveys is a legitimate online survey site where you can earn cash or gift cards from the comfort of your home. Like Raise, Branded Surveys is free to sign up for. While you don’t pay any fee to use Branded Surveys, Raise requires you to pay $1 for listing your card.
Branded Surveys also allows you to make up to $3 per survey compared to Raise, which pays you 85% of the card’s price. As for the schedule, both platforms allow you to get your money within 3 days. Perhaps the only similarity between the platforms is that they allow you to make money online.
Raise vs. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie Summary
$0.50-$3 average earnings per surveyExtra points if you screened out of surveyAdditional ways to earn up to $100Install Survey Junkie extension for bonus
Survey Junkie is a free survey app that pays you to take online surveys, participate in focus groups, and try new products. While both platforms allow you to make money online, Survey Junkie deals with surveys compared to Raise, which offers card-selling services.
Survey Junkie also allows you to make up to $5 per survey compared to Raise, which pays 85% of the card’s price.
More so, Survey Junkie lets you withdraw instantly compared to Raise, which pays after 3 days. Overall the two websites are legit apps that allow you to make extra money online.
Raise vs. Swagbucks
Swagbucks Summary
18 ways to earn money and e-gift cards$5 sign up bonusUp to 10% cashback when shopping online$1 minimum e-gift card withdrawal
Swagbucks is a website that lets you make extra money through surveys. While both Swagbucks and Raise are free to join, Raise requires you to pay $1 to list your gift card.
Swagbucks allows you to make up to $2.50 per survey compared to Raise, which pays 85% of the gift card’s price.
Swagbucks also allows you to redeem your earnings after 10 days, compared to Raise, which pays within 3 days. That said, both platforms are not quite similar since they focus on different things.
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Raise FAQ
What Is the Raise App?
Raise is a money-saving platform that aims to help people to sell or buy discounted gift cards. The company claims to have helped buyers to save over $150 million on their gift cards. You can also use Raise to make extra cash by selling unused or partially used cards.
Generally, you can make money on more popular brands, but Raise allows you to sell practically any card.
The Raise app also provides access to discount codes and coupons. So, if you’re planning on making a purchase, it is worth checking out the app to see if there is a promotion that can save you some money on your purchase.
You can use the app to buy or sell discounted gift cards.
Is Raise a scam?
Raise is not a scam but a legitimate site that allows you to sell discounted gift cards and offers a money-back guarantee.
How long does Raise take to process?
Raise ship’s physical cards in three to 14 business days. However, electronic gift cards are processed within 24 hours and delivered instantly.
Can you return a Raise gift card?
Every purchase made through the Raise app is final. But, the company does offer a one-year money-back guarantee. This applies should any issues prevent you from redeeming the card with the appropriate merchant.
Do you earn cash with Raise?
Raise allows you to instantly earn cash from over 150 retail partners when you buy face-value cards.
What can Raise Cash be used for?
You can redeem Raise cash toward purchases of gift cards and other closed-loop products solely sold on the Site.