Gift Card That Works in Both the US and the UK: The Complete Guide

Have team members or clients spread across the US and the UK? You’re not alone. Plenty of companies now operate on both sides of the Atlantic—but when it comes to sending rewards or recognition gifts, cross-border options can get complicated quickly.​

Most gift cards for the US or the UK only work within their own country, tied to local currencies, merchants, and region-specific platforms. A US gift card might not be redeemable on UK sites, and many UK-brand cards won’t work with US-based retailers, making it hard to offer one consistent reward for everyone.​

In this guide, you’ll learn how international and cross-region gift cards work, why so many traditional options stop at the border, and which solutions—including the Toasty Choice Card—make it simple to send rewards that actually work in both the US and the UK.

The challenge with US–UK gift cards

Gift cards are one of the most popular ways to reward employees and customers, but most are still designed for single-country use rather than cross-border teams.

Cards issued for the US or the UK are usually tied to local currencies, platforms, and merchant networks, which makes it hard to deliver one consistent experience with a single reward.​

A US gift card is typically denominated in USD and restricted to American stores or payment processors, while a UK gift card is issued in GBP and aligned with UK retailers, wallets, or marketplaces.

As a result, a reward that works perfectly for someone in New York may not be usable—or even redeemable—for someone in London, even if you intended them to receive the “same” gift.​

1. Currency

   Most US gift cards are issued in USD and configured for US billing systems, while UK cards run in GBP and are optimized for UK payment flows. This often means a US card won’t work on a .co.uk site, and a UK card may be rejected on US platforms.

2. Merchant and platform silos

   Major retailers, marketplaces, and app stores frequently operate separate US and UK gift card programs, with balances that cannot move across regions. A code purchased for one storefront usually can’t be redeemed on its international counterpart.

3. Fees and cross-border friction

   Some prepaid or card-based products introduce foreign transaction fees, FX spreads, or extra verification steps when used outside their “home” country. This creates uncertainty for recipients and makes rewards feel less valuable than their face value.

4. Fulfillment limitations

   Physical gift cards can run into shipping delays, customs issues, and activation problems when sent internationally. At scale, this makes it harder for companies to deliver rewards on time to both US and UK recipients in a consistent way.

What Makes a Gift Card Work in Both the US and the UK

For a gift card to truly work across both the US and the UK, it needs to do more than “allow international use” in theory—it has to feel local, seamless, and fair-value for recipients in both countries.

That means handling currency, brands, and delivery in a way that doesn’t force you to manage separate programs or create different experiences for each region.​

1. Multi-currency and localization

A cross-border gift card should support both USD and GBP, either by auto-converting at redemption or letting recipients choose their local currency and region. This ensures someone in New York and someone in London both see familiar pricing and relevant options in their home market.​

2. Global and locally relevant brands

Rather than locking people into a single store, the best US–UK gift cards connect to a catalog that blends international names (e.g., streaming, app stores, travel) with trusted local retailers and supermarkets. That way, each recipient can turn the same reward into what matters most to them—groceries, ecommerce, entertainment, or everyday essentials.​

3. Digital Delivery and Redemption

When you narrow it down to options that actually work for recipients in both countries, two products stand out.

1. Toasty Choice Card (Best Overall)

The Toasty Choice Card is built for distributed teams and global customer bases, making it a strong fit when you want one reward that works across both the US and the UK.

Recipients see localized brands and currencies in their own region, while you manage everything from a single dashboard. Because it’s fully digital, you can send cards instantly by email at scale, avoid international shipping or activation issues, and track delivery and redemption in one place—ideal for HR, sales, and customer marketing programs.

Why it’s ideal for US–UK gifting

• Works seamlessly across 90+ countries, including both the US and the UK.​

• Offers hundreds of brands, from global names to local UK and US favorites.​

• Automatically handles currency and brand localization so each recipient sees what makes sense in their market.​

• Delivered instantly via email—no printing, postage, or manual distribution required.​

• Designed to be fee-free for both senders and recipients.​

💡 Example: An HR manager in Boston and a marketing lead in London both receive a Toasty Choice Card. Each redeems it instantly with local merchants in their own currency, without needing separate US- and UK-specific rewards.​

Catalog for the UK

Here are the available redemption options for the UK (subject to change):

• Swype Global (USD) Virtual MasterCard

• Tesco

• Argos

• ASOS

• Marks & Spencer

• John Lewis & Partners

• Sainsbury’s Gift Card

• Sainsbury’s Multi Brand

• Boots

• Costa Coffee

• Netflix

• Google Play

• PlayStation Store

• Spotify Premium

• Hotels.com

• TUI

• Virgin Gift Card

• Virgin Experience Days

• Currys PC World

• Primark

• Lululemon UK

• Jo Malone UK

• Bolt UK

• Everyman Cinemas

• Farmhouse Inns

• DeVere Hotels

• Frasers Group

• Frasers

• Flannels

• USC

• 18Montrose

• Amara

• BucketlistGift UK

• Evans Cycles

• Jack Wills

• Ole & Steen UK

• Tapi Flooring & Carpets

• EA Origin

• BitDefender

• Tinder

• Whisky52

For the most up-to-date catalog, view our global catalog here.

2. Swype Global  Virtual MasterCard

Toasty offers the Swype Global MasterCard, which can be redeemed across many different regions including the US and the UK.

The Swype Global Virtual MasterCard delivers a versatile prepaid card experience that recipients can use at millions of merchants online and in-store across both countries, wherever Mastercard is accepted.

It's a solid alternative when you want spending freedom over brand-specific choices, functioning like digital cash without physical card hassles.

However, denominations, fees, and regional restrictions can vary, so review details before rolling it out as your primary reward—especially for large or recurring programs.

Check out our article for full info on restricted regions and fees.

How to Send Gift Cards for Both the US and the UK at once

Sending gift cards that work seamlessly for recipients in both the US and UK requires a platform that handles localization, multi-currency, and bulk delivery from one dashboard.​

1. Choose an international gift card platform

Select a service like Toasty that supports 90+ countries, including the US and UK, with automatic brand and currency localization for each recipient.​

2. Customize the experience

Add your company logo, brand colors, and a personalized message to make the reward feel unique and on-brand.​

3. Upload your recipients

Upload your US- and UK-based recipients either​ manually or via CSV.

4. Send digitally

Set up instant or scheduled delivery through email or shareable links. Digital sends eliminate border shipping holdups, customs hassles, and risks of lost physical cards.​

5. Track delivery and redemption

Leverage your platform's analytics to monitor which gifts were delivered, opened, and redeemed.​

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FAQ: US and UK Gift Cards

Common questions from teams sending cross-border rewards to the US and UK.

Can one gift card really work in both the US and UK?

Yes, only certain products like Toasty Choice Card or international prepaid cards (Swype Global Virtual MasterCard) work smoothly in both countries. Most single-brand or country-specific gift cards are locked to either the US or UK, not both.​

Is Toasty free to use?

Yes, Toasty is completely free to use. You only pay the face value of the gift cards sent—no extra fees.​

Can I send digital gift cards from the US to UK recipients? 

Yes, with Toasty, send rewards instantly to UK recipients while funding from the US. All you need is their email addresses.​

What brands are available for US and UK recipients? 

Recipients see a mix of local and international options. View our global catalog here.

How fast can I deliver a Toasty Choice Card to US and UK teams? 

Delivery is instant. Recipients get their digital card by email within minutes, whether in New York or London.​

What currencies does Toasty support?

Toasty handles USD and GBP automatically. Set your funding in USD; UK recipients see GBP equivalents with real-time conversion.

Do recipients need an account to redeem?

No signup required. They get a simple email link to choose brands and redeem instantly.​

What's the minimum order size for bulk US-UK sends?

No minimum—send to 1 recipient or 1,000+. Perfect for one-off recognitions or large team-wide campaigns.​

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