[10 Fixes] Vanilla Gift Card not working on PayPal (2023)

Do you want to add your Vanilla gift card to PayPal or want to know, can use your Vanilla gift card on PayPal or not?

Or you have already added your Vanilla gift card to PayPal but are not able to buy anything using the card, or it is being declined.

If you are having such issues with your Vanilla Visa gift card, you have landed on the right page.

In this post, we have explained all you need to know about using a Vanilla card on PayPal like how to add your Vanilla gift card on PayPal, why the vanilla gift card not working, and what you can do to fix the issues.

So, let’s get started.


Can you use a Vanilla gift card on Paypal

Yes, you can use your Vanilla gift card on PayPal. As a Vanilla gift card is a prepaid card, you can use it on PayPal if it is issued by one of these: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover.

Vanilla Visa gift card is a prepaid card, and as per PayPal, you can easily use it on their platform like any other debit or credit card.

Well, there are certain limitations to using a Vanilla gift card on PayPal, like it can’t be used to purchase products or services from merchants outside the USA and cannot be used for recurring payments or reference transactions.

Now you know that you can use your Vanilla gift card with PayPal, follow the steps below to add the card to your PayPal account.

If you have already added the card, and it’s not working for you, you can skip to the section below, where we have provided the solutions to fix the issues with your card.

Visa Gift Card


How to add vanilla gift card to Paypal

You can add your Vanilla gift card to PayPal just like you would normally add any of your debit or credit card. Still confused, follow the steps below.

  1. Open PayPal and Log in 
  2. Go to Wallet.
  3. Click Link a debit or credit card.
  4. Enter your card information, and click Link Card.

So, that’s it. This is how you can add a card to your PayPal account.

Well, in case it’s not working, follow the solutions provided below.


Why my Vanilla gift card is not working on PayPal (Vanilla Gift card Paypal declined)?

So, you have successfully added your gift card to your PayPal account, but you cannot use it or get one of the errors listed at the start of the article. Below are all the possible reasons why it is happening.

Short answer: Your Vanilla gift card is not working on PayPal because you have not activated it or verified it by adding your Zip code, or you are trying to buy from an international merchant or using it for recurring payments or reference transactions, or your card doesn’t have enough balance to cover the amount of your purchase.

Whatever the reason, you can try the following fixes to use your Vanilla gift card with Paypal.


Fix Vanilla gift card not working on PayPal

1. Activate your Vanilla Gift Card

This is the most common reason people cannot use their Vanilla gift card on PayPal.

If you have successfully added the Vanilla gift card to your Paypal account, but you have not activated it, the card will not work.

If the card’s image in PayPal is greyed out, this means the card is not activated yet.

How to activate Vanilla Gift card:

To activate the vanilla Gift card, call on the number printed on the back of the card or visit VanillaGift.com.

Note: If you are asked to add the billing address, make sure to use the same address you have provided to PayPal.


2. Register your Vanilla card with the same details as on PayPal

Register your Vanilla gift card on the Vanilla website with the same account name/address information as your PayPal account.

As per some user who have experienced this issues before, PayPal might not accept the gift card if it has not been registered at the Vanilla website with the same account name/address information as your PayPal account.


3. Make sure to add Vanilla Visa gift card to your PayPal wallet before using it

As per some users, you cannot make payments on PayPal using the Vanilla Visa gift card unless you add the card to your PayPal wallet. To do so, follow these general steps:

  • Log in to your PayPal account and click on “Wallet.”
  • Select “Link a Card or Bank.”
  • Enter the details of the Vanilla Visa gift card, including the card number, expiration date, and security code.
  • Click on “Link Card” to add the card to your account.

4. Make sure you are not using it to make a purchase outside the USA

If you’re trying to use the Vanilla gift card to purchase an item from a foreign merchant (Outside the USA), the card will not work.

So, make sure to use your Vanilla gift card on PayPal within the USA.


5. Make sure not to use Vanilla gift card for recurring payments

As a Vanilla gift card is a prepaid card, it cannot be used for recurring payments on PayPal.

According to PayPal, Prepaid gift cards cannot be used for recurring payments or reference transactions.

Due to the nature of prepaid gift cards, they can become low in balance over time to cover the recurring amount. In order to protect our members from unintended service interruption, prepaid gift cards cannot be used for payments automatically pulled from PayPal accounts.


6. Instead of doing it through the app, go to the website.

If your Vanilla gift card is activated, you have enough balance to cover your purchase, and it is still not working then for you, then you try using it through the PayPal website if you were using the PayPal app or vice versa.

Several users who had such issues with their Vanilla gift card stated that using the card on the PayPal website worked for them.

So, why don’t you give it a try? It might work for you.


7. Verify your card with a code on the PayPal website.

For some users, PayPal does not ask to verify the Vanilla gift card on the app, which is why it won’t work.

However, if you add the card on the PayPal website, you will be asked to verify your card with a code, which takes 3-5 business days to send in the code.

Once you receive the code, verify your card, and it should work on both the PayPal website and app.


8. Make sure the gift card has enough balance to cover the full amount.

If you are buying an item greater than the amount of your Vanilla gift card, it will not work, and your payment or card will be declined.


9. Make sure your Vanilla Gift isn’t expired

If the card has been expired it won’t work. The expiration date on your gift card is printed on your card for your reference.

However, as per Vanilla Gift card support ; Funds do not expire.

You can contact Vanilla Gift Card customer care for a replacement account number upon account expiration.


10. Contact PayPal support

Lastly, if the problem still persists, you would like to contact PayPal support for further assistance.


How to check Vanilla gift card balance?

To check the Vanilla gift card balance, simply go to https://balance.VanillaGift.com and enter your Gift Card’s Security Code, Expiration Date, and Card Number.


Final Words

PayPal is an American-based financial technology company that supports online money transfers and serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods such as checks and money orders.

You can use PayPal to send or receive payments for online purchases, sell goods and services, donate money, or receive donations.

To recap this post, yes, you can use your Vanilla gift card on PayPal, but make it activated and verified.

PayPal accepts almost all prepaid cards issued by Visa, American Express, MasterCard, or Discover. However, there are certain restrictions on using prepaid cards on PayPal, as explained above.

So, that’s all for now. We hope you were able to use your Vanilla gift card on PayPal after reading this post.


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