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Update 12/22/20: This deal is no longer available to activate (but it may still show if you had previously activated it). H/T: Doctor of Credit
Google Pay is offering a sweet deal right now at Target as they’re giving $21 back when spending $50 or more.
The Deal
- Spend $50+ at Target & get $21 cashback when paying with Google Pay.
- Our referral links – you’ll earn $21 as will we if you use one of our links and newly sign up for Google Pay and opt in to Google Pay Rewards.
Key Terms
- Expires December 31, 2020.
- Activation required.
- Offer valid at Target both in-store & online.
- Limit 1 reward.
- Not valid on transactions made using the Target RedCard.
Quick Thoughts
$21 back on $50 of spend is a 42% discount which is an excellent offer at Target. Even if you don’t need anything from Target right now, this is working when buying gift cards from Target, so it’s effectively a 42% discount on any gift card sold there.
You might need to update the Google Pay app in order to see this offer. It wasn’t showing up on my phone when opening Google Pay, so I updated it in the Play Store. I still didn’t see the offer when opening the app back up after updating it, but then realized it had downloaded an additional app to my phone. There are now apps for Google Pay and GPay on my phone – it’s GPay where this offer is showing up.
Note that this is a card-linked offer, so you don’t have to actually use the GPay app itself to make the payment – you just have to ensure your payment card is enrolled in the Target offer in the app. That’s great as it means you can pay with a card that earns more at Target, although Discover isn’t supported. I therefore enrolled an Amex Marriott card which is currently earning 8x at Target. I bought a $50 gift card and almost instantly received notification from Google Pay that I’d earned $21.
If you join Google Pay using a referral link, Google Pay will also give both parties $21 if you’re joining for the first time. That means you’d be getting back $42 on $50 of spend which is an even better deal.
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The $21 referral code is limited to 3 uses for new users only. I tried to use Stephen’s link before discovering this.
Same here. I did not get $21. Referred my wife and she got $21.
I referred my husband. He got $21 but so far I have not received my $21 from the referral. We are both supposed to receive the $21. I did at least receive my $21 from Target. He did not. Either programming errors or programming tricks.
Bought two guitar center GCs on target from two cards attached to P1 and P2 GPay accounts.
Both orders went through and tracked on GPay, but 1hour later both got cancelled.
[…] more on Google Pay, see this post. If you are new to the newly-relaunched Google Pay with Google Pay Rewards, you can earn an […]
I used Rakuten for pennies, but then used the GC for health & beauty and saved an additional $10, plus free shipping to essentially receive $31 of items for $6 after calculating all the discounts.
Signed up for GPay. Added credit card. Enrolled credit card. Activated Target offer. Purchased $50 Target eGiftcard. After less than 30 minutes I now see $21 cashback in my GPay account. Nice deal 😀
I bought a $50 apple GC after activating the offer and entering my Chase Visa card details in GPay. Used same Visa to purchase at Target, still have no $21 confirmation 2 hours later.
Did you enroll your card in the offer after you added your card in GPay? If not, that might be why it hasn’t tracked. To enroll it, you need to go into the offer and tap ‘Enroll more cards’.
I just went in and clicked on the actual Target transaction in GPay and it DOES show up there, says $21 cashback is pending and will be available in 30 days. Awesome deal.
I never got an email after the purchase but when I check the Gpay, it says my reward will be available in 30 days and $21 shows up as Total Reward balance.
Can I add my HSA debit card or a Target gift card as a payment method in Gpay?
No, you are not paying it through Gpay. Read the instruction like I posted up. Link a credit card.
Plus never use HSA debit card… I have a HSA account too and I threw out the debit card the moment I received it. I use credit cards to pay all my medical purchases and bills earning points/miles/cashbacks then simply get reimbursed cash out of HSA account. Using HSA debit, you are giving up on all that earnings.
Why are you using your HSA at all? It’s got triple the tax benefits, just let it grow!
No argument there.. I max contribute it every year and all funds above $1000 invested fully. but from time to I take some out when need some.
I thought I had to use it by the end of the year or lose it.
My mistake. The debit card I was referring to is tied to a FSA and not a HSA.
Thank you. I didn’t know I could do that.
I saw the offer in GPay and signed up a Bonvoy Amex card for it. Now I’m on target dot com and have a $50 Target GC in my cart.
When I go to check out I don’t see an option to pay with GPay, just the saved card that I have on file at target dot com.
How do I pay with GPay and get the $21 off?
Always read the instruction 🙂
“Note that this is a card-linked offer, so you don’t have to actually use the GPay app itself to make the payment – you just have to ensure your payment card is enrolled in the Target offer in the app.”
Never mind. I figured it out – just made a payment after adding the enrolled card and got an instant confirmation saying GPay had credited $21.
When trying to activate the Target offer and enroll my cards, I get a messaging saying “Enrollment in progress.” Nothing happens, and it just asks me if I want to activate the offer and enroll my cards again. Anyone else getting this?
I seemed to be having that issue too originally. In the end, I just selected to enroll one card rather than all of them and that seemed to do the trick.
Same here … just enrolling one card at a time did the trick. Could just do one card if you only want one card on the account.
I tried with a Target gift card and didn’t get the alert from GPay. So I tried again with a Starbucks gift card and got the alert immediately.
I added the card in google pay and now below it says “Action Required” before it’ll work, but doesn’t say what’s required. I don’t have any notifications or emails… any idea what to do?
I’m not sure. I had to verify my card by having Amex send me a code in an email. Does it give you any further instructions when tapping on your card?
Thanks and thanks for writing the post! Puzzling, it just says Action required below the card that’s been added. It’s a Chase visa and haven’t received an email to confirm anything. Will update if anything happens.
I had the old iOS Google Pay, does that mean I can’t get the referral offer?
It might be possible to get the referral offer seeing as it’s a new GPay app.
How is the $21 credited? Directly to the credit card that was used for the transaction?
I’m not entirely sure as it was my first time using it and it takes a few weeks for the $21 to be awarded. I suspect it gets added to your Google Pay account to be used towards a future purchase, but I might be wrong.
The terms and conditions say: “Any cash back you earn will be added to your money in Google Pay.”
so does that mean you have to pay with google pay to access the money or can you withdraw it?
Nothing on the iOS app? I don’t see it
Make sure you install the new Google Pay app. I see it on iOS with the new app
It is the GPay app vs. Googlepay. Details in story.
Can you confirm that Target and/or 3rd party specialty egift cards purchased online work for this offer and don’t code as Cashstar or otherwise? Thanks!
Correct – I don’t think Target uses CashStar at all. I bought a $50 Google Play gift card and it tracked.
Thanks!!
I bought a $50 Google Play gift card today and it didn’t track… not sure if I want to try again.
Did you activate the offer in the GPay app and also ensure the card you were paying with was enrolled in the offer?
I did… It’s still sitting there, with the card attached. I did NOT use the “use online” button in the app, but I don’t think others are either, right? Shouldn’t be necessary.
Correct – that’s not necessary. Strange that it didn’t track then as it sounds like you did the same thing that my wife and I both did.
My $50 Target gift card did not track either. Did everything right.