You might want to send someone you love a Netflix gift subscription for any number of reasons. Maybe they’re sick, and you want to send them a get-well gift. Maybe you want to say thank you for a gift you received from them. Or maybe you just want someone to talk to about that show you just binge-watched.
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No matter what the reason, sending a Netflix gift subscription can be easy if you know what you’re doing. Here are all of the steps for setting up a gift subscription on Netflix, as well as some helpful tips and tricks.
Steps for Buying a Netflix Gift Subscription
Buying a subscription to an online service like Netflix isn’t as straightforward as walking into the store and picking up a gift. Without a tangible item in hand, it can be easy to lose track of exactly what you’re buying.
Even if you’re familiar with Netflix and how its subscription process works, you might not be sure how to gift a subscription to someone else.
Step 1: Decide where and how to buy
You have a few choices when it comes to purchasing a Netflix gift subscription. Some of those options entail picking up a physical card in a store, which you might prefer if you want to give a physical card. Alternatively, you can purchase the gift card and send it all virtually, online, which can greatly simplify the process.
Here are your options for where you purchase a Netflix gift card.
- Online: Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy
- In-Store: Walmart, Kroger, Target, Walgreens, Best Buy, CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General, Safeway, or 7-Eleven
Pro-tip: If you want to blend the benefits of purchasing a gift card online and delivering it in-person, you can. Just buy the gift subscription online, but don’t have it automatically delivered (see below.) Print out the gift card confirmation so you can give it to your loved one in person or tuck it into a mailed letter, instead.
Step 2: Buy the gift subscription
Once you know how and where you want to buy the subscription gift card, you can go ahead and do so. If you’re buying it in-store, the process is simple enough: just walk into the store, pick out the gift card from the gift card section in the amount you want, and take it through the checkout.
If you’re buying the gift card online, the process is much the same. But you’ll have to enter some information, including your card number and billing address. Then, if you plan on delivering the gift card via email, you’ll need to enter your loved one’s email address.
You can usually buy a Netflix gift card in these amounts:
- $15
- $30
- $60
- $100
Currently, one month of Netflix costs:
- $8.99 for Basic Plan
- $12.99 for Standard Plan
- $15.99 for Premium Plan
Your loved one will be able to select which plan they want upon creating their account, and they can change it at any time.
Pro-Tip: If you want to give a card in an amount not available, just combine two gift cards. For example, to give your loved one $75 worth of Netflix, buy one $60 gift card and one $15 gift card.
Step 3: Review Netflix’s Gift Card Terms
Before you click through the final page or walk through the checkout with your gift card, make sure to read through Netflix’s Gift Card Terms. You might find out that a gift card for Netflix isn’t the best gift idea for your recipient for a reason listed in the terms.
For example:
- You have to have an existing Netflix membership (or create a new one) to redeem the gift card.
- Netflix gift cards can’t be redeemed on accounts that are billed through third parties like iTunes.
- You have to be 18 or older (if you’re in the U.S.) to become a member of Netflix and redeem a gift card.
If they have to create a new Netflix membership, your loved one will just need an email address and a new password. They’ll enter the gift card pin or code instead of personal payment information.
Once the amount of the gift card runs out, they’ll have the option to enter payment information to continue their subscription.
Pro-tip: Consider whether or not your gift recipient has a Netflix subscription already or not. If they don’t, they’ll have to create one. You can help with this as part of your gift, but it’s relatively easy to do and doesn’t require payment info.
Step 4: Deliver your Netflix gift subscription
Next, determine how you want to deliver the gift subscription. If your loved one lives far away, or you can’t get together with them for any reason, you’ll have to deliver it differently than if they live right next door.
Here are some ways to deliver your Netflix gift subscription to consider.
Mail a card. Whether you pick up a physical gift card in-store or you buy it online, you can send the gift via old-fashioned mail. If you purchase the gift card online, simply print out the confirmation. The seller should provide instructions on how to do this after your purchase goes through.
Then, you can find the perfect birthday, best wishes, or just-because card in a store or even online. Tuck the gift card or printed certificate into the card, and write your loved one a heartfelt message to go along with it.
Hand-deliver your gift. If you’re buying a Netflix gift subscription as a birthday or holiday gift, you might want to deliver the present in person. That way, you can enjoy seeing your loved one open the present you bought for them.
If you decide to hand-deliver your Netflix gift subscription, it’s still a good idea to buy a card and write out a personalized note. You can place the Netflix gift card or printed certificate inside the card or envelope, just as if you were mailing it.
Email your gift. Part of the convenience of buying a Netflix card online is that you can buy your loved one a gift at a moment’s notice, from the comfort of your own home. The other convenient part of buying your gift digitally is that you can deliver the gift via email.
Once you enter your payment information with the online retailer, they’ll give you the option to either print the certificate or email it to your recipient.
You don’t have to email the gift certificate as soon as you purchase it, either: most online sellers include the option to delay the sending until a date of your choice. Just enter the date you want your loved one to receive the email containing your gift, and you’re all set.
You can even enter a personalized note to go in the email along with the gift card information. It’s helpful to include a note so that your loved one doesn’t mistakenly mark the email as spam.
Include it as part of a gift basket. You can make the gift of a Netflix subscription the center-point of a personalized gift basket. If you’re buying the gift card as a birthday present, you can include some delicious cupcakes, a bottle of wine, and a scented candle. For someone who’s recovering from an illness or grieving the loss of a loved one, consider adding in some bubble bath, a fuzzy robe, and a journal.
You can even create a movie-night-themed gift basket with microwave popcorn, a bundle of sweet snacks, a cozy blanket, and a list of some of your Netflix favorites.
Pro-tip: Consider your recipient when you’re deciding how to deliver the gift subscription. For someone who’s tech-savvy, a quick email with the gift card information might suffice.
But for someone who’s not so good with technology (an older relative, for example), you might want to be there to help set up their account.
Netflix Gift Subscriptions: Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re getting ready to buy a Netflix gift subscription, you might have some of these frequently asked questions.
How much does a Netflix gift subscription cost?
Online and in-store sellers provide Netflix gift cards in the amounts of:
- $15
- $30
- $60
- $100
What if the recipient doesn’t want the gift subscription?
Unfortunately, Netflix gift cards aren’t refundable or returnable. If the recipient doesn’t want to use the gift card, they can give it to someone else as a gift or just hang onto it for later.
What does a Netflix gift subscription include?
To give a Netflix subscription, you must purchase a gift card, either online or in-store. The recipient then redeems the gift card for the Netflix plan of their choice: Basic, Standard, or Premium. The amount of the gift card goes towards the monthly fee for that plan.
Giving Netflix
In times of hardship and in times of celebration, Netflix can be an excellent gift. It allows you to give a loved one hours of entertainment for a relatively low cost. At the same time, it can give you and your loved one the chance to bond over the series you love. And luckily, buying a Netflix subscription as a gift is relatively easy.
Just follow the steps above, make sure to read through the FAQ section and check out Netflix’s own Terms of Service, and you’ll be on your way.
Looking for more ideas? Read our digital or emailable gifts guide.
Sources
- “Gift Card Terms.” Netflix. https://help.netflix.com/legal/giftterms
- “Netflix Gift Cards.” Netflix. https://help.netflix.com/en/node/32950