Last updated: August 16, 2026
Current Staples Promotion
Active nowWhy it matters: The normal purchase fee is waived, and a qualifying Chase Ink Business Cash purchase can earn five points per dollar at an office supply store.
Valid while supplies last. Confirm the promotion and eligible card packaging in store before purchasing.
Staples fee-free gift card promotions are straightforward, but the details change from one offer to the next. The eligible payment network, dates, purchase limit and whether the deal is available online or in stores can all vary. This page keeps the newest offer at the top and maintains the complete promotion history below.
Why Fee-Free Gift Cards Can Be Valuable
A fixed-value $200 Visa or Mastercard gift card normally costs more than its face value because of an activation fee. When Staples waives that fee, you pay $200 for $200 of spending power rather than paying the card value plus the normal fee.
The promotion becomes more useful when the purchase also earns an office-supply-store bonus. The Chase Ink Business Cash earns 5% cash back on eligible office supply store purchases, up to the card's applicable annual bonus-category limit. When those rewards are treated as Ultimate Rewards points, that is five points per dollar.
| Buying 9 x $200.00 cards | $1,800.00 |
|---|---|
| Normal activation fees avoided | $71.55 |
| Points earned at 5x | 9,000 points |
| Cash-back equivalent at 5% | $90.00 |
The waived fee is not a discount below the gift cards' face value. Its value comes from avoiding the fee that would ordinarily be charged while still earning rewards on the purchase.
How the Staples Promotion Works
During eligible promotion periods, Staples removes the purchase fee from the specifically advertised fixed-value gift cards. Most recent in-store offers have applied to $200 cards, but readers should always verify the current advertisement and the packaging at the store before checking out.
Visa and Mastercard promotions frequently alternate. Some weeks are limited to stores, while occasional offers are available online or through both channels. Purchase limits have also changed over time, which is why the current-deal section above should be checked before each visit.
Which Credit Card Earns 5x at Staples?
The Chase Ink Business Cash is the commonly used option because it earns its office-supply-store bonus on qualifying Staples purchases. Other Ink, Sapphire and Freedom cards do not automatically receive the same 5x office-supply rate.
Want to earn 5x at office supply stores?
Review the current Chase Ink business card offers, or read the business card application guide before applying.
Where Can You Use the Gift Cards?
Visa and Mastercard gift cards can generally be used at merchants that accept the corresponding network, including many retailers, restaurants, grocery stores and online merchants. However, prepaid cards are not accepted for every type of transaction, and individual merchants can impose their own restrictions.
These cards may be less convenient for recurring charges, transactions requiring a cardholder name and billing address, purchases that place a temporary authorization hold, or merchants that do not permit prepaid cards. Plan how you will use the cards before purchasing a large quantity.
Important Things to Know Before Buying
- Inspect each package for signs of tampering before purchasing.
- Keep the Staples receipt and the gift card packaging until the balance has been fully used.
- Confirm the exact eligible denomination and network before checkout.
- Store inventory and cashier enforcement of purchase limits can vary.
- Some merchants and payment systems reject prepaid cards or place temporary holds.
- Only purchase amounts you can use responsibly, and pay the credit card statement in full.
Never Miss a Fee-Free Gift Card Week
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Complete Staples Fee-Free Gift Card Deal History
Staples has offered these promotions frequently, but there is no guaranteed schedule. The eligible network, purchase channel and limit can change, so past patterns should not be treated as a promise of a future offer.
2026 Promotions
| Promotion dates | Card | Availability | Limit and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2-8, 2026 | Visa | Online only |
4 per order based on cart limitations Valid while supplies last. Confirm the promotion and eligible card packaging in store before purchasing. Staples online purchase page - Maximum of (4) cards per order due to total cart size limitations |
| July 26 - August 1, 2026 | Visa | In Staples stores |
9 per customer per day Valid while supplies last. Confirm the promotion and eligible card packaging in store before purchasing. |
| July 26 - August 1, 2026 | Visa | Online and in store |
9 per customer per day Valid while supplies last. Confirm the promotion and eligible card packaging in store before purchasing. Staples online purchase page - Maximum of (4) cards per order due to total cart size limitations |
| July 19-25, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores |
9 per customer per day Valid while supplies last. Confirm the promotion and eligible card packaging in store before purchasing. |
| July 5-11, 2026 | Visa | Online only |
4 per order Online only; limit reflected the transaction maximum. |
| June 28 - July 4, 2026 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| June 21-26, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| June 7-13, 2026 | Visa | Online only |
4 per customer Online orders. |
| May 31 - June 6, 2026 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| May 24-30, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| May 3-9, 2026 | Visa | Online and in store | 5 online; 9 in store per day |
| April 26 - May 2, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| April 19-25, 2026 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| April 5-11, 2026 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| March 29 - April 4, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| March 8-14, 2026 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| March 1-7, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| February 8-14, 2026 | Visa | Online and in store | 5 online; 9 in store per day |
| February 1-7, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| January 11-17, 2026 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| January 4-10, 2026 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
2025 Promotions
| Promotion dates | Card | Availability | Limit and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 21-27, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| December 14-20, 2025 | Visa | Online only |
5 per customer Online orders. |
| December 7-13, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| November 30 - December 6, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| November 24-29, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| November 9-15, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| October 12-25, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| October 5-11, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| September 14-20, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| August 17-23, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| August 10-16, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| July 20-26, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| July 13-19, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| June 22-28, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| May 25-31, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| May 18-24, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| April 27 - May 3, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| April 20-26, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| March 30 - April 5, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| March 23-29, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| March 2-8, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| February 23 - March 1, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| February 2-8, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| January 26 - February 1, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| January 5-11, 2025 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
2024 Promotions
| Promotion dates | Card | Availability | Limit and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 22, 2024 - January 4, 2025 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| December 22-28, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| December 8-21, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| December 1-7, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| November 17-23, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| November 10-16, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| November 3-9, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| October 13-26, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 9 per customer per day |
| October 6-12, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| September 15-21, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| September 9-15, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| August 18-24, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| August 11-17, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| July 21-27, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| July 14-20, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| May 26 - June 1, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | 8 per customer per day |
| May 19-25, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | 5 per customer per day |
| April 28 - May 4, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | Limit not listed |
| April 21-27, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores | Limit not listed |
| March 31 - April 6, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | Limit not listed |
| March 24-30, 2024 | Mastercard | In Staples stores |
Limit not listed Originally noted with a hat tip to GC Galore. |
| March 3-9, 2024 | Visa | In Staples stores | Limit not listed |
Getting to the Point(s)
Staples fee-free gift card promotions can turn planned everyday spending into a useful rewards opportunity. The key is to verify the active terms, purchase only cards you can use safely and responsibly, and pair the transaction with a card that earns a worthwhile office-supply bonus.
Because Staples changes the network, dates and purchase limits from one offer to the next, bookmark this page and check the current-deal section before heading to the store.
ThePointsPage may receive compensation when readers use certain credit card links. Offers and card terms can change. Review the issuer's current terms before applying. Gift card purchases can involve fraud, loss and merchant-acceptance risks; this article is educational and does not guarantee that a particular transaction or redemption method will work.
