Gift card region locks, explained

Almost every gift card is tied to one storefront and one currency. An Amazon US card fails on amazon.de, a US PSN code fails on a UK account, and a US Netflix card fails on an account billed anywhere else. The lock is enforced by the vendor, not by the seller.

Last updated 2 August 2026

How the lock works

A gift card is a credit denominated in a currency and issued against a specific storefront. When you redeem it, the vendor checks that your account belongs to that storefront. If it does not, the code is refused — and in most cases that check cannot be appealed, by you or by us.

This is why we print the region in the product title, in the price box, and as a required acknowledgement at checkout. It is the single largest source of refund requests in this business.

Vendor by vendor

Amazon: strictly per storefront. A .com card only works on amazon.com. UK and DE cards are separate products for separate sites.

Steam: the wallet code must match your Steam wallet currency, which is set by the country your account was created in.

PlayStation Network: strictly region-matched, and account region is permanent once set.

Netflix and Spotify: tied to the country your account is billed in, not where you are sitting.

Apple and Google Play: tied to the account country, which can only be changed by clearing your balance and adding a local payment method.

How to check before you buy

Open the account settings for the service and find the country or currency field — Steam shows it in Account Details, Google Play under payment settings, Apple under Media & Purchases. Buy the card matching what you see there, not where you live.

If you are not sure, ask us on Telegram before ordering. We would rather answer a question than process a refund.

Questions

Can I change my account region?

Sometimes, with conditions — Apple and Google require a zero balance and a local payment method, and PSN does not allow it at all. Check the vendor's own help pages before assuming it is possible.

What happens if I redeem the wrong region?

The vendor rejects the code. It normally stays unused and valid, so it can be used later on a correct-region account. Contact us and we will work through it case by case.

Do you refund wrong-region purchases?

Case by case, after you acknowledged the region at checkout. If the code is unused we can usually help. That is why the acknowledgement exists — not to trap you, but so nobody is surprised.

← All guides