How to Get a Free Mastercard Gift Card in the UK

A prepaid Mastercard is the catch-all option in any rewards-app catalogue. It works the same way a Mastercard debit card works at most checkouts: enter the long card number, expiry and CVV at an online till, or — if loaded into Apple Pay or Google Pay — tap-to-pay in store. The trade-off versus a branded gift card is the same as Visa: more flexibility, but a small chance of failing strict address-verification checks at certain merchants and a tendency for some recurring billers to reject prepaid cards as the on-file payment method. The earning loop on AirPerks is the same as any other payout: paid surveys, a Survey Mission for the bonus, redeem from £5. Browser sign-in at airperks.app, or pull down the app for your phone.
Where it spends in the UK
Anywhere Mastercard is taken — which in practice is nearly all UK card-accepting merchants:
- Online retailers — Amazon, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Currys, Argos, Boots.
- Travel — Trainline, National Rail bookings, Booking.com, easyJet, Jet2.
- Groceries — Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Morrisons, Waitrose at the till or online.
- Eating out and delivery — most card-accepting restaurants; some delivery apps via stored payment.
- Subscriptions — many work, some recurring billers reject prepaid; one-off purchases are the safer use case.
- Contactless in store — when added to Apple Pay or Google Pay, anywhere contactless Mastercard is taken.
It doesn't reload — once the balance is spent, it's spent. Stack a few smaller cards through the year if you'd rather not redeem one large.
Step by step
- Sign up to AirPerks via the web app or mobile app.
- Earn the balance through paid surveys and Survey Missions in spare time. Honest profile = better qualification rate.
- Cash out at £5 (£3 at higher Levels).
- Pick Mastercard from Payouts, choose a denomination, swipe to confirm.
- Use the card. Number, expiry and CVV land via the redemption email and AirPerks history. Treat it as a normal card at checkout.
How long it takes
- First 50p: minutes after the starter survey.
- A £5 prepaid Mastercard: a single survey session.
- A £25 card (a meaningful one-off purchase): a few weeks of casual surveying.
- A £50–£100 card: a multi-week savings job.
Earnings vary with demographic profile and survey availability in your region.
Other UK angles
- Cashback credit cards. Chase Current Account 1% cashback, Amex platinum cashback, Halifax Cashback. These earn on regular spending — different mechanic from a prepaid card you've earned.
- Bank prepaid alternatives. Monzo Plus virtual cards, Starling spaces, Revolut virtual cards — useful for splitting subscriptions between sources.
- Other survey apps like AttaPoll and Eureka may list prepaid Mastercard where available.
If you'd rather have cash directly than a prepaid card, AirPerks also pays out to PayPal and bank transfer — both with zero fees.
FAQ
Can I withdraw cash from an ATM with a prepaid Mastercard gift card? No — gift / prepaid Mastercards are for purchases only, not ATM cash.
Will the card work for a Netflix subscription? Sometimes. Netflix occasionally rejects prepaid cards as the recurring payment method. Branded subscription gift cards (a Netflix gift card from AirPerks, for example) are a more dependable route for recurring billing.
Apple Pay and Google Pay support? Most modern AirPerks-issued prepaid Mastercards support tokenisation, but support varies by issuer. The redemption email indicates whether your specific card can be added.
Smallest prepaid Mastercard on AirPerks? £5 at the standard threshold; £3 at higher Levels.
Does it expire? Yes — virtual prepaid cards carry an expiry date on the card details. Spend before the date or the balance can become inaccessible.
Card declined at checkout — what now? Often an address-verification mismatch. Try a different merchant, or contact AirPerks in-app chat for review. Genuine delivery failures auto-refund to your AirPerks balance.
Sign up
- In your browser: airperks.app →
- On your phone: download the AirPerks app →
Earnings vary based on user activity, demographic profile, and survey availability in your region. Top user earnings of £1,000+ are real but not typical.