29 Best Gift Cards for Men He Will Actually Spend

Our top pick for the hands-on guy. Two hundred dollars at Home Depot is enough to buy the cordless tool he keeps looking at, a new set of batteries, or the materials for the deck repair he has been putting off. Because he chooses the brand and model himself, there is no risk of buying the wrong battery platform, which is the classic mistake with tool gifts.

If his nearest big-box hardware store is a Lowe's, buy this instead of the Home Depot card; loyalty to a store is real and convenience decides where a card gets spent. It is a strong choice in spring, when $200 can cover a new mower blade, mulch, a trimmer and the bags of soil for the yard he takes pride in.

Fishermen and hunters are famously particular about their gear, which makes buying it for them nearly impossible. A Bass Pro card sidesteps that entirely: he can put it toward a new reel, a pair of binoculars, waders or next season's tags and ammunition. Many men treat a trip to the store itself as an outing, so the card buys an afternoon as well.

Academy is the store for the guy whose interests are too broad for one specialty shop: he coaches Little League, fishes a few times a year, and wants a new smoker. If he lives near one, this card covers all of it in a single trip. It is also a quietly helpful choice for dads who end up spending their own money on their kids' cleats and gloves.

For the Xbox player, $100 of credit is most useful when it goes toward Game Pass Ultimate: several months of a library that includes new releases on day one. That means he gets dozens of games rather than one, and he chooses which. It arrives as a digital code, so it also works for a birthday you remembered at 9pm.

If he plays on a PlayStation, this card covers the things gamers grumble about paying for: the PS Plus membership that online multiplayer requires, and the expansion pack for a game he already loves. A $100 balance is enough for a full new release plus change, so he can grab the big game everyone is talking about without waiting for a sale.

Plenty of grown men keep a Switch by the TV or in a travel bag, and Nintendo games rarely drop in price. Fifty dollars of eShop credit buys most full-price first-party games or a stack of indie titles for flights and lazy Sundays. Make sure he has a Switch rather than an older Wii, since the card does not work on the Wii Shop.

For the iPhone owner, this is the most flexible tech card on the list. He can put it toward new AirPods or a MagSafe charger, or let it quietly pay his subscriptions and iCloud storage for months. It suits the man who says he does not want anything, because it will get used either way.

The Android equivalent of the Apple card, at a stocking-stuffer price. Fifteen dollars covers a premium app he has been using the free version of, a fitness tracker upgrade, or a couple of months of a paid podcast app. It works well tucked into a card with a bigger gift, or as a thank-you for a coworker.

A steak dinner he does not have to pay for is one of the most reliably appreciated gifts for men, and Texas Roadhouse is everywhere. One hundred dollars covers two ribeyes, a round of drinks and a dessert, so it works as a date night gift for a husband or a full family dinner for a dad. We picked it as the mid-price top pick because almost nobody turns this one down.

Outback's card has a hidden advantage: the same balance works at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill and Carrabba's. That means he can use it for a weeknight Bloomin' Onion or save it for a proper anniversary dinner at Fleming's. It is the restaurant card with the most room to grow into.

For the sports fan, this card buys a night watching the game with a friend, a basket of wings and a couple of beers each. Note that it is redeemable in restaurant only, not for online orders, so it suits the man who enjoys the atmosphere rather than one who orders delivery. A good fit for sons, nephews and coworkers.

Chili's is the gift card for a man who wants a burger and a cold drink without dressing up. It is especially handy for a grandfather or a dad with kids at home, since the menu suits everyone at the table. Locations are close to almost any town, so the card does not need a special trip.

A low-cost card that still lands, particularly for college students, young dads and anyone who does a lot of late nights. Twenty dollars covers two medium pizzas for a game, a gaming session or the first night in a new apartment. It also makes a decent thank-you for the neighbor who helped with the move.

If you cannot guess his favorite restaurant, DoorDash lets him choose from all of them. Fifty dollars covers a couple of takeout dinners during a busy work week, which makes it a surprisingly kind gift for a new dad, a man working long shifts, or someone recovering from a minor surgery.

Topgolf is an experience gift that works for golfers and non-golfers alike, because the point-based games reward enthusiasm as much as swing technique. Two hundred dollars covers a couple of hours in a bay for four, plus food and drinks. Suggest he uses it for a night out with his friends; it is a great birthday card for a man who would rather do something than own something.

The best card for the serious golfer, because it does not lock him into one course or shop. He can use it for a round at his favorite public course, put it toward a new driver or a dozen premium balls, or convert it to Topgolf for a social night. That flexibility matters with golfers, who rarely agree on anything except that more rounds are better.

For the man who will happily see every big release on opening weekend, $100 at AMC covers several nights of tickets and popcorn, or a couple of premium IMAX or Dolby showings. It is a natural date-night gift for a husband or boyfriend, and an easy way to give a dad an evening out with the kids.

Not every movie lover wants to go to the theater. This card is for Fandango's at-home service, so he can rent new releases the week they hit digital or buy the classics he wants to own forever. It suits the homebody, the night-shift worker or the dad who can no longer get a babysitter on a Friday.

Two hundred and fifty dollars at Airbnb is most of a weekend in a lakeside cabin or a mountain rental, which makes this a great gift for a man who keeps saying he needs a break. It is also a smart group gift: pool money with his siblings or friends for a milestone birthday and the card turns into a fishing weekend or a trip to see a game.

For a son who lives far from home or a dad who wants to visit the grandkids, a Southwest card is a gift that literally brings people together. Two hundred and fifty dollars covers a typical domestic round trip on many routes, and because the balance never expires he can save it for exactly the right weekend.

If he prefers a real hotel to someone's spare room, this card covers a night or two for a concert, a playoff game or a road trip. It must be redeemed online when booking, not at the hotel front desk, and it will not work with the pay-at-hotel option, so tell him that when you give it.

An Uber card is a practical and quietly caring gift: it buys a safe ride home after a bachelor party, airport trips for a man who travels for work, or a few Uber Eats dinners when he is too tired to cook. It is especially good for a son in college or a city guy who has given up his car.

For the man whose morning starts with a drive-through cold brew, $100 at Starbucks is a month or two of coffee he does not have to think about. It is the ideal card for coworkers, coaches and teachers, and for any man whose daily routine already includes a Starbucks stop.

Panera is where a lot of men grab a workday lunch or a quick breakfast before an early meeting, which makes this card more useful than it first sounds. Fifty dollars covers several weeks of lunches, so it suits a husband with a hectic schedule or a grandpa who likes his regular table and a bowl of soup.

When you genuinely do not know where he shops, a Visa card removes the guesswork entirely. He can put it toward anything from a tank of gas to a new pair of boots. Just know the $200 card carries a $6.95 purchase fee and cannot be used at ATMs, so it is best for a man who will spend it rather than pocket it.

Our budget top pick, and the best answer for the man who is impossible to shop for. Amazon covers almost anything he might want, and this version arrives in a black gift box that he gets to open rather than a code in his inbox. At $50 it is a natural choice for a birthday, a Secret Santa or a dad who already owns everything.

Slip any gift card on this page into this leather holder and the gift instantly feels considered. Once the balance is spent he is left with a minimalist front-pocket wallet in crazy horse leather that ages well, which suits the man who has been carrying the same bulky wallet for a decade.

The fix for the 'a gift card is too impersonal' problem. Hide the card inside and he has to figure out the sliding mechanism before he can spend it, which tends to draw a crowd at a birthday or Christmas morning. It works especially well for teenage boys and young men who like a challenge, and for graduation cash.